Counties in Texas by poverty rate

Brooks County had the highest poverty rate of 254 counties in 2017, at 35%. Rockwall County had the lowest, at 5.3%. The median was 16.2% and the figure for Texas was 14.7%. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

Highest35Brooks County
Median16.2254 counties
Texas14.7History

Top 40 counties, 2017

CSVChart (SVG)

Brooks CountyBrooks County: 35 %35Willacy CountyWillacy County: 35 %35Starr CountyStarr County: 32 %32Zavala CountyZavala County: 31.6 %31.6Dimmit CountyDimmit County: 31.2 %31.2Zapata CountyZapata County: 30 %30Hidalgo CountyHidalgo County: 29.5 %29.5La Salle CountyLa Salle County: 29.2 %29.2Duval CountyDuval County: 28.6 %28.6Frio CountyFrio County: 27.9 %27.9Cameron CountyCameron County: 27.7 %27.7Falls CountyFalls County: 27.6 %27.6Jim Hogg CountyJim Hogg County: 27.3 %27.3Webb CountyWebb County: 27.3 %27.3Maverick CountyMaverick County: 27 %27Bee CountyBee County: 26.6 %26.6Kleberg CountyKleberg County: 25.5 %25.5Garza CountyGarza County: 25.3 %25.3Coleman CountyColeman County: 25.2 %25.2Reeves CountyReeves County: 25.1 %25.1Cochran CountyCochran County: 24.8 %24.8Hall CountyHall County: 24 %24Brazos CountyBrazos County: 23.9 %23.9Nacogdoches CountyNacogdoches County: 23.9 %23.9Jim Wells CountyJim Wells County: 23.7 %23.7Presidio CountyPresidio County: 23.4 %23.4Walker CountyWalker County: 23.1 %23.1Marion CountyMarion County: 22.8 %22.8Edwards CountyEdwards County: 22.6 %22.6Crosby CountyCrosby County: 22.3 %22.3Houston CountyHouston County: 22.3 %22.3Culberson CountyCulberson County: 22.1 %22.1Karnes CountyKarnes County: 22.1 %22.1Dawson CountyDawson County: 21.7 %21.7San Augustine CountySan Augustine County: 21.6 %21.6Terry CountyTerry County: 21.5 %21.5Val Verde CountyVal Verde County: 21.4 %21.4Cottle CountyCottle County: 21.2 %21.2Dickens CountyDickens County: 21.2 %21.2El Paso CountyEl Paso County: 21 %21
%. Source: U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 2026-10-08.

Full ranking

RankCounties2017 (%)Change on 2016
1Brooks County35+2.8 pts
1Willacy County35-3.3 pts
3Starr County32-7.9 pts
4Zavala County31.6-2.8 pts
5Dimmit County31.2+3.6 pts
6Zapata County30+0.9 pts
7Hidalgo County29.5-1.7 pts
8La Salle County29.2+3 pts
9Duval County28.6+2.3 pts
10Frio County27.9+2.1 pts
11Cameron County27.7-1.4 pts
12Falls County27.6+2 pts
13Jim Hogg County27.3-0.6 pts
13Webb County27.3-4.5 pts
15Maverick County27+2.7 pts
16Bee County26.6-0.4 pts
17Kleberg County25.5+2.6 pts
18Garza County25.3-4.7 pts
19Coleman County25.2+5.1 pts
20Reeves County25.1+0.1 pts
21Cochran County24.8+1.3 pts
22Hall County24-1.8 pts
23Brazos County23.9-1 pts
23Nacogdoches County23.9-1.5 pts
25Jim Wells County23.7+0.5 pts
26Presidio County23.4-0.7 pts
27Walker County23.1+0.8 pts
28Marion County22.8+0.2 pts
29Edwards County22.6-0.7 pts
30Crosby County22.3-1.8 pts
30Houston County22.3+0.2 pts
32Culberson County22.1-1.5 pts
32Karnes County22.1+0.3 pts
34Dawson County21.7+0.3 pts
35San Augustine County21.6-2.2 pts
36Terry County21.5-0.3 pts
37Val Verde County21.4+0.7 pts
38Cottle County21.2-0.2 pts
38Dickens County21.2-0.6 pts
40El Paso County21-1.7 pts
40Trinity County21+0.9 pts
42Jones County20.9-0.4 pts
43Newton County20.8-2 pts
43Shelby County20.8-0.3 pts
45Haskell County20.6-3.9 pts
45Knox County20.6-0.5 pts
45Menard County20.6-0.8 pts
45Mitchell County20.6-1 pts
45Pecos County20.6+3.5 pts
50Uvalde County20.5-4.8 pts
51Camp County20.3+1.1 pts
51Childress County20.3-1.2 pts
53Floyd County20.2-2.6 pts
53Sabine County20.2+2.7 pts
55Kinney County20.1+0.1 pts
56Angelina County20+1 pts
56Jasper County20+0.8 pts
56Lamb County20-1.5 pts
59Donley County19.9+1.3 pts
59Hale County19.9-1.7 pts
59Swisher County19.9-2.3 pts
62Tyler County19.6+1.2 pts
63Red River County19.5+2.4 pts
63Stephens County19.5-1.9 pts
65McCulloch County19.4+1 pts
66Milam County19.3+3 pts
66Nolan County19.3+0.9 pts
66Terrell County19.3+0.6 pts
69Limestone County19.1-2 pts
70Cass County19+1.6 pts
70San Patricio County19+3.2 pts
72Lubbock County18.90 pts
73Anderson County18.8-1.7 pts
73DeWitt County18.8+0.6 pts
75Jefferson County18.6-1.5 pts
75Kimble County18.6-0.8 pts
77Potter County18.5-3.5 pts
78Morris County18.4-1.6 pts
79Hudspeth County18.3-3.1 pts
79Madison County18.3+1 pts
81Real County18.2-0.2 pts
81San Jacinto County18.2+0.5 pts
83Aransas County18.1-0.7 pts
83Howard County18.1+0.2 pts
83Lynn County18.1+0.2 pts
86Collingsworth County18-1.7 pts
86Foard County180 pts
86Grimes County18+1.3 pts
86Hardeman County18+0.2 pts
86Matagorda County18+0.6 pts
86Polk County18-2.3 pts
92Baylor County17.7+0.1 pts
92Deaf Smith County17.7+0.6 pts
92Motley County17.7-0.5 pts
95Delta County17.5-1 pts
96Jack County17.4+0.2 pts
96Live Oak County17.4+0.2 pts
96Robertson County17.4-1.3 pts
99Harrison County17.3-0.1 pts
99McLennan County17.3-1.2 pts
99Runnels County17.3+0.1 pts
102Bailey County17.2+0.6 pts
102Castro County17.2-0.9 pts
102Cherokee County17.2-2.2 pts
102Henderson County17.2+0.4 pts
102Scurry County17.2+2 pts
107San Saba County17.1-3 pts
108Gray County17-2.4 pts
108Rains County17+2.2 pts
110Atascosa County16.9+0.6 pts
110Hunt County16.9+0.6 pts
110Navarro County16.9-0.9 pts
110Refugio County16.9+1.2 pts
114Brown County16.8-0.3 pts
114Crockett County16.8-0.1 pts
114Eastland County16.8-3.2 pts
114Palo Pinto County16.8+0.4 pts
114Wichita County16.80 pts
119Gonzales County16.7-0.4 pts
120Burleson County16.6+2.2 pts
121Gregg County16.5-0.9 pts
122Upshur County16.4+1 pts
122Wilbarger County16.4+0.6 pts
124Calhoun County16.3+0.6 pts
124Titus County16.3+1.4 pts
126Hockley County16.2-0.9 pts
126Lamar County16.2-3.7 pts
126Schleicher County16.2-0.4 pts
129Freestone County16.1-3 pts
129Hamilton County16.1+1 pts
129Leon County16.1-1.9 pts
129Nueces County16.1+1 pts
133Bosque County16+0.2 pts
133Jackson County16+2.5 pts
133Wharton County16-1.4 pts
136Bowie County15.9-3.4 pts
136Harris County15.9-0.7 pts
138Erath County15.8-3.7 pts
138Mills County15.80 pts
138Young County15.8+1.2 pts
141Victoria County15.7+1.5 pts
142Bexar County15.6-0.7 pts
142Smith County15.6-0.1 pts
144Liberty County15.5-0.4 pts
144Waller County15.5-1 pts
146Concho County15.4-10.4 pts
146Throckmorton County15.4+0.5 pts
148Briscoe County15.3-0.1 pts
148Montague County15.3-1.2 pts
148Stonewall County15.3-0.3 pts
151Goliad County15.2+0.9 pts
151Kenedy County15.2-1 pts
151Rusk County15.2-0.4 pts
151Taylor County15.2-1.6 pts
151Wood County15.2+2 pts
156Ward County15.1+2.3 pts
157Comanche County15-2.1 pts
157Gaines County15+0.4 pts
157Panola County15-0.6 pts
160Colorado County14.9+0.4 pts
160Hill County14.9-1.3 pts
162Dallas County14.8-1.5 pts
162Franklin County14.8-1 pts
164Fisher County14.7-0.9 pts
164Medina County14.7+0.3 pts
164Winkler County14.7-0.3 pts
167Caldwell County14.5-2.1 pts
167Wheeler County14.5+1.1 pts
169Sutton County14.3+0.2 pts
170Shackelford County14.2-0.6 pts
171Brewster County14-0.9 pts
171Callahan County14-0.9 pts
171Upton County14+0.4 pts
174King County13.9+3.2 pts
175Bell County13.8+0.9 pts
176Hopkins County13.7-1.6 pts
176Orange County13.7-0.3 pts
178Coryell County13.6-0.6 pts
179Ector County13.5-0.4 pts
179Tom Green County13.5+0.1 pts
181Grayson County13.4+0.2 pts
181Lipscomb County13.4+1 pts
183Coke County13.3-2.3 pts
183Kent County13.3+1.8 pts
183Kerr County13.3-1.5 pts
183Martin County13.3+0.3 pts
183Parmer County13.3-2.2 pts
188Lampasas County13.2-0.4 pts
189Van Zandt County13.1-1.7 pts
190Andrews County13+1.3 pts
190Cooke County13-0.8 pts
192Fannin County12.9-3.2 pts
192Hutchinson County12.9-0.2 pts
192Llano County12.9-0.5 pts
192Washington County12.9-1.2 pts
196Jeff Davis County12.8-0.2 pts
196Oldham County12.8-1.5 pts
198Hardin County12.7+1.9 pts
198Lee County12.70 pts
200Mason County12.5-0.7 pts
200Sherman County12.5-0.6 pts
202Ochiltree County12.3+0.9 pts
203Hays County12.2-0.2 pts
203Sterling County12.2-0.5 pts
205Lavaca County12.1-0.4 pts
206Galveston County12-0.9 pts
206Yoakum County12-0.2 pts
208Bandera County11.9-2.7 pts
208Hansford County11.9-1.5 pts
210Clay County11.8-1.5 pts
211Crane County11.7+1.4 pts
211Moore County11.7-0.1 pts
213McMullen County11.6-0.4 pts
213Tarrant County11.6-2 pts
215Bastrop County11.5-1.7 pts
215Dallam County11.5+0.2 pts
215Travis County11.5-0.7 pts
218Reagan County11.4-0.4 pts
219Wise County11.1-0.9 pts
220Borden County11+0.4 pts
221Gillespie County10.9+1.1 pts
222Fayette County10.8-0.3 pts
223Austin County10.7-3.6 pts
223Midland County10.7+1 pts
225Armstrong County10.6-0.2 pts
225Blanco County10.6-0.1 pts
225Hood County10.6+0.3 pts
228Burnet County10.4-1.1 pts
228Johnson County10.4-0.9 pts
228Somervell County10.4-0.4 pts
231Archer County10.1-0.4 pts
232Hemphill County100 pts
233Loving County9.7-3.6 pts
234Chambers County9.5+0.3 pts
235Glasscock County9.4+0.7 pts
236Guadalupe County9.3-0.5 pts
236Irion County9.3+1.3 pts
236Kaufman County9.3-2.1 pts
239Wilson County9.1-1.3 pts
240Brazoria County9-0.9 pts
241Comal County8.9+0.3 pts
241Hartley County8.9-0.7 pts
241Montgomery County8.9-2 pts
244Randall County8.8-0.3 pts
245Carson County8.5-0.1 pts
245Ellis County8.5-1.2 pts
247Fort Bend County8-0.3 pts
247Parker County8-1.3 pts
249Kendall County7.3-0.1 pts
250Denton County7.1-1.1 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/2017/2017-state-and-county/est17all.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?

Brooks County, with 35% in 2017, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which county has the lowest poverty rate?

Rockwall County, with 5.3% in 2017.

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