Counties in Oregon by poverty rate

Malheur County had the highest poverty rate of 36 counties in 2018, at 21%. Clackamas County had the lowest, at 7.3%. The median was 14.5% and the figure for Oregon was 12.5%. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

Median14.536 counties
Oregon12.5History

All counties, 2018

CSVChart (SVG)

Malheur CountyMalheur County: 21 %21Wheeler CountyWheeler County: 19.2 %19.2Klamath CountyKlamath County: 18.5 %18.5Lake CountyLake County: 18.3 %18.3Lane CountyLane County: 18.1 %18.1Josephine CountyJosephine County: 17 %17Grant CountyGrant County: 16.4 %16.4Jefferson CountyJefferson County: 16 %16Coos CountyCoos County: 15.9 %15.9Benton CountyBenton County: 15.8 %15.8Umatilla CountyUmatilla County: 15.8 %15.8Baker CountyBaker County: 15.4 %15.4Morrow CountyMorrow County: 15.4 %15.4Harney CountyHarney County: 15.1 %15.1Douglas CountyDouglas County: 15 %15Curry CountyCurry County: 14.9 %14.9Jackson CountyJackson County: 14.8 %14.8Marion CountyMarion County: 14.5 %14.5Wallowa CountyWallowa County: 14.5 %14.5Sherman CountySherman County: 13.9 %13.9Union CountyUnion County: 13.9 %13.9Lincoln CountyLincoln County: 13.6 %13.6Wasco CountyWasco County: 13.4 %13.4Tillamook CountyTillamook County: 13.2 %13.2Crook CountyCrook County: 12.9 %12.9Linn CountyLinn County: 12.7 %12.7Polk CountyPolk County: 12.7 %12.7Yamhill CountyYamhill County: 12.2 %12.2Multnomah CountyMultnomah County: 12 %12Gilliam CountyGilliam County: 11.4 %11.4Clatsop CountyClatsop County: 11 %11Hood River CountyHood River County: 10.9 %10.9Columbia CountyColumbia County: 10.2 %10.2Deschutes CountyDeschutes County: 9.4 %9.4Washington CountyWashington County: 8.8 %8.8Clackamas CountyClackamas County: 7.3 %7.3
%. Source: U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 2026-10-08.

Full ranking

RankCounties2018 (%)Change on 2017
1Malheur County21-1.2 pts
2Wheeler County19.2-1.4 pts
3Klamath County18.5-0.7 pts
4Lake County18.3-0.6 pts
5Lane County18.1+1.5 pts
6Josephine County17-0.8 pts
7Grant County16.4+1.1 pts
8Jefferson County16-1.2 pts
9Coos County15.9-4 pts
10Benton County15.8-0.2 pts
10Umatilla County15.8+0.2 pts
12Baker County15.4-2.3 pts
12Morrow County15.4+1.2 pts
14Harney County15.1-0.6 pts
15Douglas County15+0.1 pts
16Curry County14.9-0.6 pts
17Jackson County14.8+0.5 pts
18Marion County14.5-0.7 pts
18Wallowa County14.5+1 pts
20Sherman County13.9+1.7 pts
20Union County13.9+0.6 pts
22Lincoln County13.6-2.6 pts
23Wasco County13.4-0.4 pts
24Tillamook County13.2-0.7 pts
25Crook County12.9-0.4 pts
26Linn County12.7-1.6 pts
26Polk County12.7-2 pts
28Yamhill County12.2+1.2 pts
29Multnomah County12-2.4 pts
30Gilliam County11.4+0.2 pts
31Clatsop County11-1.2 pts
32Hood River County10.9+0.3 pts
33Columbia County10.2-2.1 pts
34Deschutes County9.4-0.3 pts
35Washington County8.8+0.8 pts
36Clackamas County7.3-1 pts

Other periods

About this ranking

People living in families or alone with income below the official US poverty thresholds, as a percentage of people whose poverty status can be determined. United States: Census Bureau Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE), all ages.

Absolute thresholds set by the US government, so not comparable with the EU at_risk_of_poverty_rate.

Every value in the ranking comes from the same publisher and the same period, so the counties are compared on one definition. Equal values share a rank.

How to cite

U.S. Census Bureau. Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE): percent of people of all ages in poverty, states and counties. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/saipe/datasets/2018/2018-state-and-county/est18all.txt. Retrieved 2026-10-08.

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Questions

Which county has the highest poverty rate?

Malheur County, with 21% in 2018, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which county has the lowest poverty rate?

Clackamas County, with 7.3% in 2018.

Where does this ranking come from?

Every value comes from one source and one period, so the places are comparable: U.S. Census Bureau, Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE): percent of people of all ages in poverty, states and counties. Retrieved 2026-10-08.

Poverty rate (US official measure): other rankings

Counties in Oregon: more rankings