Data / Rankings / Poverty rate (US official measure) / Counties in Texas

Counties in Texas by poverty rate

Starr County had the highest poverty rate of 254 counties in 2016, at 39.9%. Rockwall County had the lowest, at 5.2%. The median was 16.5% and the figure for Texas was 15.6%. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

Highest39.9Starr County
Lowest5.2Rockwall County
Median16.5254 counties
Texas15.6History

Top 40 counties, 2016

CSVChart (SVG)

Starr CountyStarr County: 39.9 %39.9Willacy CountyWillacy County: 38.3 %38.3Zavala CountyZavala County: 34.4 %34.4Brooks CountyBrooks County: 32.2 %32.2Webb CountyWebb County: 31.8 %31.8Hidalgo CountyHidalgo County: 31.2 %31.2Garza CountyGarza County: 30 %30Cameron CountyCameron County: 29.1 %29.1Zapata CountyZapata County: 29.1 %29.1Jim Hogg CountyJim Hogg County: 27.9 %27.9Dimmit CountyDimmit County: 27.6 %27.6Bee CountyBee County: 27 %27Duval CountyDuval County: 26.3 %26.3La Salle CountyLa Salle County: 26.2 %26.2Concho CountyConcho County: 25.8 %25.8Frio CountyFrio County: 25.8 %25.8Hall CountyHall County: 25.8 %25.8Falls CountyFalls County: 25.6 %25.6Nacogdoches CountyNacogdoches County: 25.4 %25.4Uvalde CountyUvalde County: 25.3 %25.3Reeves CountyReeves County: 25 %25Brazos CountyBrazos County: 24.9 %24.9Haskell CountyHaskell County: 24.5 %24.5Maverick CountyMaverick County: 24.3 %24.3Crosby CountyCrosby County: 24.1 %24.1Presidio CountyPresidio County: 24.1 %24.1San Augustine CountySan Augustine County: 23.8 %23.8Culberson CountyCulberson County: 23.6 %23.6Cochran CountyCochran County: 23.5 %23.5Edwards CountyEdwards County: 23.3 %23.3Jim Wells CountyJim Wells County: 23.2 %23.2Kleberg CountyKleberg County: 22.9 %22.9Floyd CountyFloyd County: 22.8 %22.8Newton CountyNewton County: 22.8 %22.8El Paso CountyEl Paso County: 22.7 %22.7Marion CountyMarion County: 22.6 %22.6Walker CountyWalker County: 22.3 %22.3Swisher CountySwisher County: 22.2 %22.2Houston CountyHouston County: 22.1 %22.1Potter CountyPotter County: 22 %22
%. Source: U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 2026-10-08.

Full ranking

RankCounties2016 (%)Change on 2015
1Starr County39.9+9 pts
2Willacy County38.3+2.9 pts
3Zavala County34.4+2.4 pts
4Brooks County32.2+0.5 pts
5Webb County31.8+1.3 pts
6Hidalgo County31.2+0.1 pts
7Garza County30+3.2 pts
8Cameron County29.1-2.9 pts
8Zapata County29.1-1.8 pts
10Jim Hogg County27.9+4.7 pts
11Dimmit County27.6+3.2 pts
12Bee County27+3.6 pts
13Duval County26.3+0.9 pts
14La Salle County26.2-1.7 pts
15Concho County25.8-0.6 pts
15Frio County25.8-3.5 pts
15Hall County25.8+0.3 pts
18Falls County25.6+1.7 pts
19Nacogdoches County25.4+0.9 pts
20Uvalde County25.3+4.6 pts
21Reeves County25+5.7 pts
22Brazos County24.9+0.9 pts
23Haskell County24.5+2.2 pts
24Maverick County24.3+0.4 pts
25Crosby County24.1+1.3 pts
25Presidio County24.1+1.7 pts
27San Augustine County23.8-0.5 pts
28Culberson County23.6-0.3 pts
29Cochran County23.5+1 pts
30Edwards County23.3+1.1 pts
31Jim Wells County23.2+1.1 pts
32Kleberg County22.9-1.4 pts
33Floyd County22.8+1 pts
33Newton County22.8+1.6 pts
35El Paso County22.7+2.4 pts
36Marion County22.6-0.8 pts
37Walker County22.3-0.4 pts
38Swisher County22.2+0.6 pts
39Houston County22.1-4.9 pts
40Potter County22-0.4 pts
41Dickens County21.8-0.4 pts
41Karnes County21.8+1.8 pts
41Terry County21.8-0.7 pts
44Hale County21.6+1.3 pts
44Mitchell County21.6+1.9 pts
46Childress County21.5-0.8 pts
46Lamb County21.5-0.3 pts
48Cottle County21.40 pts
48Dawson County21.4-0.5 pts
48Hudspeth County21.4-3.6 pts
48Menard County21.4+0.6 pts
48Stephens County21.4+3.2 pts
53Jones County21.3-0.1 pts
54Knox County21.1+1.9 pts
54Limestone County21.1+2 pts
54Shelby County21.1+1.3 pts
57Val Verde County20.7-1.4 pts
58Anderson County20.5-0.5 pts
59Polk County20.3+3.1 pts
60Coleman County20.1+0.1 pts
60Jefferson County20.1+3.2 pts
60San Saba County20.1+1.2 pts
60Trinity County20.1+0.6 pts
64Eastland County20+1.9 pts
64Kinney County20-0.6 pts
64Morris County20+0.5 pts
67Lamar County19.9+1.1 pts
68Collingsworth County19.7+0.7 pts
69Erath County19.5+1.8 pts
70Cherokee County19.4+0.4 pts
70Gray County19.4+6.4 pts
70Kimble County19.4-0.6 pts
73Bowie County19.3+0.7 pts
74Camp County19.2+0.4 pts
74Jasper County19.2+3.5 pts
76Freestone County19.1+3.3 pts
77Angelina County19+1.1 pts
78Lubbock County18.9-1.2 pts
79Aransas County18.8+0.6 pts
80Robertson County18.7+2.1 pts
80Terrell County18.7+2 pts
82Donley County18.6-1.6 pts
83Delta County18.50 pts
83McLennan County18.5-1.4 pts
85McCulloch County18.4-0.2 pts
85Nolan County18.4-1.6 pts
85Real County18.4-1 pts
85Tyler County18.4-1.5 pts
89DeWitt County18.2-1 pts
89Motley County18.2+1.2 pts
91Castro County18.1-0.7 pts
92Foard County18+0.2 pts
92Leon County18+4.2 pts
94Howard County17.9-1.2 pts
94Lynn County17.9-2.6 pts
96Hardeman County17.8-0.2 pts
96Navarro County17.8-1.8 pts
98San Jacinto County17.7-0.4 pts
99Baylor County17.6+0.2 pts
100Sabine County17.5-2.2 pts
101Cass County17.4-2.6 pts
101Gregg County17.4+0.4 pts
101Harrison County17.4-1.1 pts
101Matagorda County17.4-3.1 pts
101Wharton County17.4+0.2 pts
106Madison County17.3-1.9 pts
107Jack County17.2+0.1 pts
107Live Oak County17.2+1.4 pts
107Runnels County17.2-1.3 pts
110Brown County17.1-1.1 pts
110Comanche County17.1+0.3 pts
110Deaf Smith County17.1-2.3 pts
110Gonzales County17.1+0.7 pts
110Hockley County17.1+1.2 pts
110Pecos County17.1-1 pts
110Red River County17.1-3.1 pts
117Crockett County16.9+4 pts
118Henderson County16.8+0.6 pts
118Taylor County16.8+2 pts
118Wichita County16.8-2.1 pts
121Grimes County16.7-1.1 pts
122Bailey County16.6+0.8 pts
122Caldwell County16.6-1.2 pts
122Harris County16.60 pts
122Schleicher County16.6+3.2 pts
126Montague County16.5+1.3 pts
126Waller County16.5+0.5 pts
128Palo Pinto County16.4-2.2 pts
129Atascosa County16.3-4.1 pts
129Bexar County16.3+0.7 pts
129Dallas County16.3-1.6 pts
129Hunt County16.3-0.2 pts
129Milam County16.3-0.6 pts
134Hill County16.2-1.6 pts
134Kenedy County16.2-0.3 pts
136Fannin County16.1-0.3 pts
137Liberty County15.9+0.1 pts
138Bosque County15.8+0.8 pts
138Franklin County15.8-0.6 pts
138Mills County15.8-0.8 pts
138San Patricio County15.8+0.3 pts
138Wilbarger County15.8-0.7 pts
143Calhoun County15.7-1.1 pts
143Refugio County15.7+0.3 pts
143Smith County15.7-0.3 pts
146Coke County15.6+2.1 pts
146Fisher County15.6+0.4 pts
146Panola County15.6+0.5 pts
146Rusk County15.6-1 pts
146Stonewall County15.6+1.1 pts
151Parmer County15.5+1 pts
152Briscoe County15.4-1.2 pts
152Upshur County15.4-0.1 pts
154Hopkins County15.3-0.6 pts
155Scurry County15.2+2.5 pts
156Hamilton County15.1-0.3 pts
156Nueces County15.1-4.8 pts
158Winkler County15+1.7 pts
159Brewster County14.9+0.1 pts
159Callahan County14.9+1.9 pts
159Throckmorton County14.9+1.3 pts
159Titus County14.9-5.2 pts
163Kerr County14.8+0.5 pts
163Rains County14.8+0.4 pts
163Shackelford County14.8+1.7 pts
163Van Zandt County14.8-1.1 pts
167Bandera County14.6+1.3 pts
167Gaines County14.6+1.3 pts
167Young County14.6-0.4 pts
170Colorado County14.50 pts
171Burleson County14.4-1.1 pts
171Medina County14.4-0.4 pts
173Austin County14.3+1.6 pts
173Goliad County14.3+0.2 pts
173Oldham County14.3+0.9 pts
176Coryell County14.2-1.8 pts
176Victoria County14.2+0.6 pts
178Sutton County14.1+1.6 pts
178Washington County14.1-0.4 pts
180Orange County14-2.1 pts
181Ector County13.9+1.3 pts
182Cooke County13.8+0.6 pts
183Lampasas County13.6-0.3 pts
183Tarrant County13.6+0.5 pts
183Upton County13.6+0.1 pts
186Jackson County13.5-0.1 pts
187Hansford County13.4+1.7 pts
187Llano County13.4-1.4 pts
187Tom Green County13.4-2.2 pts
187Wheeler County13.4+0.5 pts
191Clay County13.3+1 pts
191Loving County13.3-1 pts
193Bastrop County13.2+0.5 pts
193Grayson County13.2-2 pts
193Mason County13.2-0.6 pts
193Wood County13.2-3.4 pts
197Hutchinson County13.1-1.1 pts
197Sherman County13.1+0.3 pts
199Jeff Davis County13-0.3 pts
199Martin County13+1.6 pts
201Bell County12.9-3 pts
201Galveston County12.9-1.1 pts
203Ward County12.80 pts
204Lee County12.7+0.3 pts
204Sterling County12.7+1.1 pts
206Lavaca County12.5+0.3 pts
207Hays County12.4-1.2 pts
207Lipscomb County12.4+2.7 pts
209Travis County12.2-1 pts
209Yoakum County12.2+1.1 pts
211McMullen County12+2 pts
211Wise County12-0.1 pts
213Moore County11.8-2.6 pts
213Reagan County11.8+3 pts
215Andrews County11.7+1.3 pts
216Burnet County11.5-1.7 pts
216Kent County11.5+0.2 pts
218Kaufman County11.4-1.7 pts
218Ochiltree County11.4+2.6 pts
220Dallam County11.3-0.7 pts
220Johnson County11.3-0.1 pts
222Fayette County11.1-0.9 pts
223Montgomery County10.9+0.8 pts
224Armstrong County10.8+0.4 pts
224Hardin County10.8-1 pts
224Somervell County10.8-1.3 pts
227Blanco County10.7-0.2 pts
227King County10.7-0.3 pts
229Borden County10.6+0.4 pts
230Archer County10.5+1 pts
231Wilson County10.4+1 pts
232Crane County10.3+0.7 pts
232Hood County10.3+0.5 pts
234Hemphill County10+1.4 pts
235Brazoria County9.9-0.7 pts
236Gillespie County9.8-0.6 pts
236Guadalupe County9.8-0.5 pts
238Ellis County9.7-1.2 pts
238Midland County9.7+0.8 pts
240Hartley County9.6-0.3 pts
241Parker County9.3-0.1 pts
242Chambers County9.2-0.4 pts
243Randall County9.1+0.6 pts
244Glasscock County8.7+0.9 pts
245Carson County8.6+0.1 pts
245Comal County8.6+0.3 pts
247Fort Bend County8.3+1.3 pts
248Denton County8.2+0.2 pts
249Irion County8+0.1 pts
250Kendall County7.4-0.6 pts

Showing the top 250 of 254. The CSV download has every row.

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/2016/2016-state-and-county/est16all.txt. Retrieved 2026-10-08.

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Rank Counties in Texas by poverty rate using official data, and cite the source.
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Questions

Which county has the highest poverty rate?

Starr County, with 39.9% in 2016, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which county has the lowest poverty rate?

Rockwall County, with 5.2% in 2016.

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 Texas: more rankings