Counties in Texas by poverty rate
Starr County had the highest poverty rate of 254 counties in 2019, at 32.5%. Rockwall County had the lowest, at 4.8%. The median was 14.9% and the figure for Texas was 13.6%. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.
Top 40 counties, 2019
Full ranking
| Rank | Counties | 2019 (%) | Change on 2018 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Starr County | 32.5 | -0.7 pts |
| 2 | Willacy County | 30.5 | -4.5 pts |
| 3 | Zapata County | 30.1 | -2 pts |
| 4 | Brooks County | 29.6 | -1.4 pts |
| 4 | Zavala County | 29.6 | -2.4 pts |
| 6 | Hudspeth County | 28 | +10.2 pts |
| 7 | Frio County | 27.7 | +0.2 pts |
| 8 | Hidalgo County | 26.9 | -3.1 pts |
| 8 | Maverick County | 26.9 | +1 pts |
| 10 | La Salle County | 26.6 | -3 pts |
| 11 | Cameron County | 25.5 | -2.4 pts |
| 12 | Hall County | 25.4 | +1.3 pts |
| 13 | Dimmit County | 25.3 | +0.7 pts |
| 14 | Garza County | 24.2 | -0.4 pts |
| 15 | Bee County | 24 | -2.7 pts |
| 16 | Duval County | 23.9 | -1.6 pts |
| 17 | Kleberg County | 23.3 | -1.7 pts |
| 18 | Jim Hogg County | 22.8 | -2.4 pts |
| 18 | Newton County | 22.8 | +0.5 pts |
| 20 | San Augustine County | 22.5 | +0.3 pts |
| 21 | Crosby County | 22.1 | -1.6 pts |
| 21 | Reeves County | 22.1 | +0.6 pts |
| 23 | Childress County | 21.9 | +0.7 pts |
| 24 | Falls County | 21.6 | -0.1 pts |
| 24 | Terry County | 21.6 | -0.8 pts |
| 26 | Marion County | 21.4 | -0.5 pts |
| 26 | Shelby County | 21.4 | +0.8 pts |
| 26 | Walker County | 21.4 | -4.7 pts |
| 29 | Jim Wells County | 21 | -0.2 pts |
| 29 | Karnes County | 21 | -0.8 pts |
| 31 | Houston County | 20.9 | -5.2 pts |
| 31 | Nacogdoches County | 20.9 | -0.7 pts |
| 31 | Webb County | 20.9 | -4.8 pts |
| 34 | Val Verde County | 20.8 | +1.9 pts |
| 35 | Edwards County | 20.7 | -1.4 pts |
| 35 | Haskell County | 20.7 | -2.4 pts |
| 35 | Menard County | 20.7 | -0.9 pts |
| 35 | Robertson County | 20.7 | +4.9 pts |
| 35 | San Saba County | 20.7 | +3.9 pts |
| 40 | Dawson County | 20.6 | -2.3 pts |
| 40 | Swisher County | 20.6 | +1.4 pts |
| 42 | Jones County | 20.4 | -1.6 pts |
| 43 | Potter County | 20.3 | +0.6 pts |
| 44 | Brazos County | 20 | -3.2 pts |
| 45 | Anderson County | 19.8 | 0 pts |
| 45 | Collingsworth County | 19.8 | +2.5 pts |
| 45 | Uvalde County | 19.8 | -3.1 pts |
| 48 | Culberson County | 19.7 | -0.6 pts |
| 49 | Red River County | 19.6 | +1.4 pts |
| 50 | Cochran County | 19.5 | -2.4 pts |
| 50 | Jasper County | 19.5 | +0.3 pts |
| 50 | Mitchell County | 19.5 | -1.9 pts |
| 53 | Dickens County | 19.4 | -0.9 pts |
| 54 | Hardeman County | 19.2 | +1.8 pts |
| 54 | Limestone County | 19.2 | -3 pts |
| 54 | Presidio County | 19.2 | -3.2 pts |
| 57 | Knox County | 19.1 | -1.3 pts |
| 58 | Cottle County | 18.9 | -2.3 pts |
| 58 | Kinney County | 18.9 | -2.2 pts |
| 60 | El Paso County | 18.8 | -1.7 pts |
| 61 | Aransas County | 18.7 | -1.2 pts |
| 61 | Pecos County | 18.7 | -0.8 pts |
| 63 | Lamb County | 18.5 | -1.5 pts |
| 64 | Lamar County | 18.4 | +4 pts |
| 65 | Morris County | 18.1 | -2.1 pts |
| 66 | McLennan County | 18 | -0.9 pts |
| 66 | Refugio County | 18 | +1.7 pts |
| 68 | Hale County | 17.9 | -0.5 pts |
| 68 | Lubbock County | 17.9 | +0.3 pts |
| 68 | Trinity County | 17.9 | +0.2 pts |
| 71 | Harrison County | 17.8 | +3.1 pts |
| 71 | Madison County | 17.8 | -0.1 pts |
| 73 | Coleman County | 17.7 | -1.6 pts |
| 73 | Real County | 17.7 | -0.4 pts |
| 75 | McCulloch County | 17.6 | -0.9 pts |
| 75 | Motley County | 17.6 | -0.2 pts |
| 75 | Sabine County | 17.6 | 0 pts |
| 78 | Henderson County | 17.5 | -1.9 pts |
| 78 | Matagorda County | 17.5 | -0.9 pts |
| 78 | Nolan County | 17.5 | -0.7 pts |
| 78 | Terrell County | 17.5 | -1.4 pts |
| 82 | Cass County | 17.3 | -3.1 pts |
| 82 | Floyd County | 17.3 | -3.7 pts |
| 84 | Palo Pinto County | 17.2 | +1.3 pts |
| 84 | Runnels County | 17.2 | +0.3 pts |
| 84 | Tyler County | 17.2 | -1 pts |
| 87 | DeWitt County | 17.1 | -1.3 pts |
| 88 | Deaf Smith County | 17 | -0.5 pts |
| 88 | Foard County | 17 | -1 pts |
| 88 | Howard County | 17 | -3.6 pts |
| 88 | Kimble County | 17 | -0.6 pts |
| 88 | Stephens County | 17 | -2.4 pts |
| 93 | Jefferson County | 16.9 | -1.8 pts |
| 94 | Bowie County | 16.8 | -2.3 pts |
| 94 | San Jacinto County | 16.8 | -0.7 pts |
| 96 | Eastland County | 16.7 | -2 pts |
| 96 | Polk County | 16.7 | +1.7 pts |
| 98 | Camp County | 16.6 | -2.2 pts |
| 99 | Cherokee County | 16.5 | -0.9 pts |
| 99 | Gregg County | 16.5 | +1.4 pts |
| 99 | Live Oak County | 16.5 | -2.2 pts |
| 99 | Nueces County | 16.5 | +0.3 pts |
| 103 | Donley County | 16.4 | -2.2 pts |
| 103 | Wharton County | 16.4 | -0.4 pts |
| 105 | Milam County | 16.3 | +0.7 pts |
| 105 | Titus County | 16.3 | -2.3 pts |
| 107 | Gonzales County | 16.2 | -0.7 pts |
| 108 | Delta County | 16 | -1.2 pts |
| 108 | Lynn County | 16 | -2.3 pts |
| 110 | Bailey County | 15.9 | +0.1 pts |
| 110 | Baylor County | 15.9 | -0.2 pts |
| 110 | Grimes County | 15.9 | -1.6 pts |
| 113 | Angelina County | 15.6 | -2.3 pts |
| 113 | Jack County | 15.6 | -2.1 pts |
| 115 | Freestone County | 15.5 | +1.8 pts |
| 115 | Hockley County | 15.5 | -4 pts |
| 117 | Rusk County | 15.4 | -1 pts |
| 118 | Castro County | 15.3 | -2.2 pts |
| 119 | Bexar County | 15.2 | -2 pts |
| 119 | Erath County | 15.2 | -2.9 pts |
| 121 | Concho County | 15.1 | -11.5 pts |
| 121 | Stonewall County | 15.1 | +0.5 pts |
| 123 | Briscoe County | 15 | -1.2 pts |
| 123 | Harris County | 15 | -1.5 pts |
| 123 | Schleicher County | 15 | -1.5 pts |
| 126 | Upshur County | 14.9 | -1 pts |
| 126 | Wilbarger County | 14.9 | -0.4 pts |
| 128 | Hunt County | 14.8 | +1.2 pts |
| 129 | Atascosa County | 14.7 | -1 pts |
| 129 | Calhoun County | 14.7 | +0.5 pts |
| 129 | Hopkins County | 14.7 | +0.1 pts |
| 129 | Scurry County | 14.7 | -1.1 pts |
| 133 | Gray County | 14.5 | -2.2 pts |
| 134 | Caldwell County | 14.4 | +0.3 pts |
| 134 | Franklin County | 14.4 | -0.8 pts |
| 134 | Leon County | 14.4 | -1.2 pts |
| 134 | Liberty County | 14.4 | -0.7 pts |
| 134 | San Patricio County | 14.4 | -2.9 pts |
| 139 | Hamilton County | 14.3 | -0.4 pts |
| 139 | Panola County | 14.3 | -1.4 pts |
| 139 | Victoria County | 14.3 | -1.1 pts |
| 139 | Wood County | 14.3 | -1 pts |
| 143 | Kenedy County | 14.2 | -0.1 pts |
| 144 | Bastrop County | 14 | +1.4 pts |
| 144 | Dallas County | 14 | -0.2 pts |
| 144 | Taylor County | 14 | -2 pts |
| 147 | Throckmorton County | 13.9 | -0.4 pts |
| 147 | Wichita County | 13.9 | -3.9 pts |
| 149 | Bell County | 13.8 | +0.8 pts |
| 149 | Burleson County | 13.8 | -1 pts |
| 149 | Crockett County | 13.8 | -1.5 pts |
| 149 | Jackson County | 13.8 | +0.9 pts |
| 149 | Upton County | 13.8 | -0.4 pts |
| 154 | Bosque County | 13.7 | -1.2 pts |
| 154 | Brown County | 13.7 | +0.5 pts |
| 156 | Colorado County | 13.6 | -0.1 pts |
| 156 | Van Zandt County | 13.6 | -2 pts |
| 156 | Young County | 13.6 | -0.3 pts |
| 159 | Comanche County | 13.5 | -2.9 pts |
| 160 | Goliad County | 13.4 | -1 pts |
| 160 | Navarro County | 13.4 | -6.6 pts |
| 160 | Rains County | 13.4 | -1.1 pts |
| 163 | Fisher County | 13.3 | -2.2 pts |
| 164 | Fannin County | 13.2 | -0.6 pts |
| 164 | Gaines County | 13.2 | -2.2 pts |
| 164 | Mills County | 13.2 | -1.4 pts |
| 164 | Waller County | 13.2 | -2.7 pts |
| 168 | Brewster County | 13.1 | -2.9 pts |
| 168 | Coke County | 13.1 | -1 pts |
| 168 | Hill County | 13.1 | +0.5 pts |
| 168 | Oldham County | 13.1 | +0.1 pts |
| 168 | Sutton County | 13.1 | -1.1 pts |
| 173 | Bandera County | 12.9 | -0.5 pts |
| 173 | Montague County | 12.9 | -0.9 pts |
| 173 | Smith County | 12.9 | -2.1 pts |
| 173 | Tom Green County | 12.9 | -2.6 pts |
| 177 | Cooke County | 12.7 | -2.1 pts |
| 177 | Jeff Davis County | 12.7 | -0.4 pts |
| 177 | Shackelford County | 12.7 | -0.7 pts |
| 180 | Kerr County | 12.5 | -1.4 pts |
| 180 | Orange County | 12.5 | -0.9 pts |
| 180 | Winkler County | 12.5 | -1.6 pts |
| 183 | Lampasas County | 12.4 | -0.5 pts |
| 183 | Lipscomb County | 12.4 | +0.4 pts |
| 183 | Ward County | 12.4 | -1.5 pts |
| 186 | Medina County | 12.2 | -0.1 pts |
| 187 | Callahan County | 12.1 | +0.1 pts |
| 187 | Ector County | 12.1 | -0.8 pts |
| 187 | Hardin County | 12.1 | -0.3 pts |
| 187 | Martin County | 12.1 | -1.5 pts |
| 191 | Moore County | 11.9 | -0.3 pts |
| 192 | Coryell County | 11.8 | -3.2 pts |
| 192 | Parmer County | 11.8 | -1.7 pts |
| 194 | Hansford County | 11.7 | +0.1 pts |
| 194 | Mason County | 11.7 | -1 pts |
| 196 | Grayson County | 11.6 | -0.7 pts |
| 196 | Wheeler County | 11.6 | -2.4 pts |
| 198 | Clay County | 11.5 | +0.6 pts |
| 198 | Kent County | 11.5 | -1.8 pts |
| 200 | Dallam County | 11.4 | -0.7 pts |
| 200 | Hutchinson County | 11.4 | -1.6 pts |
| 200 | Ochiltree County | 11.4 | +0.9 pts |
| 203 | Galveston County | 11.3 | -0.8 pts |
| 204 | Hays County | 11.2 | -2 pts |
| 205 | Austin County | 11.1 | +0.9 pts |
| 205 | Sherman County | 11.1 | -1 pts |
| 207 | Johnson County | 11 | +0.3 pts |
| 207 | King County | 11 | -2.7 pts |
| 207 | Lavaca County | 11 | -2.5 pts |
| 210 | Fayette County | 10.9 | -2.4 pts |
| 211 | Llano County | 10.8 | -1.5 pts |
| 211 | Travis County | 10.8 | -1.2 pts |
| 213 | Lee County | 10.7 | -1.6 pts |
| 213 | Sterling County | 10.7 | -1.9 pts |
| 215 | Armstrong County | 10.6 | -0.1 pts |
| 215 | Borden County | 10.6 | +0.6 pts |
| 215 | Washington County | 10.6 | -3.2 pts |
| 215 | Yoakum County | 10.6 | -1.5 pts |
| 219 | Burnet County | 10.5 | -0.5 pts |
| 219 | McMullen County | 10.5 | -0.6 pts |
| 221 | Archer County | 10.3 | -0.3 pts |
| 222 | Andrews County | 10.2 | -0.5 pts |
| 222 | Tarrant County | 10.2 | -1.9 pts |
| 224 | Midland County | 9.9 | -0.2 pts |
| 225 | Kaufman County | 9.8 | -1.7 pts |
| 226 | Crane County | 9.6 | -0.5 pts |
| 227 | Somervell County | 9.4 | -0.3 pts |
| 228 | Hood County | 9.2 | -1 pts |
| 229 | Hemphill County | 9.1 | -0.5 pts |
| 230 | Randall County | 9 | +0.5 pts |
| 231 | Montgomery County | 8.9 | -0.4 pts |
| 231 | Reagan County | 8.9 | -1.1 pts |
| 233 | Ellis County | 8.7 | -0.1 pts |
| 234 | Blanco County | 8.6 | -1.5 pts |
| 234 | Brazoria County | 8.6 | -1.5 pts |
| 234 | Chambers County | 8.6 | +0.1 pts |
| 234 | Hartley County | 8.6 | -0.9 pts |
| 238 | Carson County | 8.5 | -0.4 pts |
| 238 | Gillespie County | 8.5 | -1.1 pts |
| 240 | Wilson County | 8.3 | -2.6 pts |
| 240 | Wise County | 8.3 | -1.6 pts |
| 242 | Parker County | 8.2 | -0.1 pts |
| 243 | Glasscock County | 7.9 | -1.8 pts |
| 244 | Guadalupe County | 7.4 | -1.1 pts |
| 244 | Irion County | 7.4 | -0.7 pts |
| 244 | Kendall County | 7.4 | -0.1 pts |
| 244 | Roberts County | 7.4 | -0.4 pts |
| 248 | Loving County | 7.1 | +3.8 pts |
| 249 | Comal County | 6.7 | -0.4 pts |
| 250 | Fort Bend County | 6.6 | -1.3 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/2019/2019-state-and-county/est19all.txt. Retrieved 2026-10-08.
Use this data in your AI agent
Invokely serves this figure to AI assistants through MCP and to code through a REST API, with the source and citation attached. Ask your assistant:
Rank Counties in Texas by poverty rate using official data, and cite the source.
rank_places {"indicator":"poverty_rate","level":"province","within":"Texas","limit":10}
GET https://invokely.ai/api/v1/rank?indicator=poverty_rate&level=province&within=Texas&limit=10
Questions
Which county has the highest poverty rate?
Starr County, with 32.5% in 2019, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
Which county has the lowest poverty rate?
Rockwall County, with 4.8% in 2019.
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
- US states
- US counties
- Counties in Georgia
- Counties in Virginia
- Counties in Kentucky
- Counties in Missouri
- Counties in Kansas
- Counties in Illinois
- Counties in North Carolina
- Counties in Iowa
- Counties in Tennessee
- Counties in Nebraska
Counties in Texas: more rankings
- Asian population share
- Bachelor's degree or higher, population 25 and over
- Live births, July to June
- Black or African American population share
- Crude birth rate, July to June
- Crude death rate, July to June
- Deaths, July to June
- Foreign-born population share
- Real GDP growth
- GDP per capita, US dollars
- Gross domestic product (GDP), US dollars
- Hispanic or Latino population share
- Homeownership rate (US, housing units)
- Median age
- Median gross rent (monthly)
- Median home value