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.

Highest32.5Starr County
Median14.9254 counties
Texas13.6History

Top 40 counties, 2019

CSVChart (SVG)

Starr CountyStarr County: 32.5 %32.5Willacy CountyWillacy County: 30.5 %30.5Zapata CountyZapata County: 30.1 %30.1Brooks CountyBrooks County: 29.6 %29.6Zavala CountyZavala County: 29.6 %29.6Hudspeth CountyHudspeth County: 28 %28Frio CountyFrio County: 27.7 %27.7Hidalgo CountyHidalgo County: 26.9 %26.9Maverick CountyMaverick County: 26.9 %26.9La Salle CountyLa Salle County: 26.6 %26.6Cameron CountyCameron County: 25.5 %25.5Hall CountyHall County: 25.4 %25.4Dimmit CountyDimmit County: 25.3 %25.3Garza CountyGarza County: 24.2 %24.2Bee CountyBee County: 24 %24Duval CountyDuval County: 23.9 %23.9Kleberg CountyKleberg County: 23.3 %23.3Jim Hogg CountyJim Hogg County: 22.8 %22.8Newton CountyNewton County: 22.8 %22.8San Augustine CountySan Augustine County: 22.5 %22.5Crosby CountyCrosby County: 22.1 %22.1Reeves CountyReeves County: 22.1 %22.1Childress CountyChildress County: 21.9 %21.9Falls CountyFalls County: 21.6 %21.6Terry CountyTerry County: 21.6 %21.6Marion CountyMarion County: 21.4 %21.4Shelby CountyShelby County: 21.4 %21.4Walker CountyWalker County: 21.4 %21.4Jim Wells CountyJim Wells County: 21 %21Karnes CountyKarnes County: 21 %21Houston CountyHouston County: 20.9 %20.9Nacogdoches CountyNacogdoches County: 20.9 %20.9Webb CountyWebb County: 20.9 %20.9Val Verde CountyVal Verde County: 20.8 %20.8Edwards CountyEdwards County: 20.7 %20.7Haskell CountyHaskell County: 20.7 %20.7Menard CountyMenard County: 20.7 %20.7Robertson CountyRobertson County: 20.7 %20.7San Saba CountySan Saba County: 20.7 %20.7Dawson CountyDawson County: 20.6 %20.6
%. Source: U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 2026-10-08.

Full ranking

RankCounties2019 (%)Change on 2018
1Starr County32.5-0.7 pts
2Willacy County30.5-4.5 pts
3Zapata County30.1-2 pts
4Brooks County29.6-1.4 pts
4Zavala County29.6-2.4 pts
6Hudspeth County28+10.2 pts
7Frio County27.7+0.2 pts
8Hidalgo County26.9-3.1 pts
8Maverick County26.9+1 pts
10La Salle County26.6-3 pts
11Cameron County25.5-2.4 pts
12Hall County25.4+1.3 pts
13Dimmit County25.3+0.7 pts
14Garza County24.2-0.4 pts
15Bee County24-2.7 pts
16Duval County23.9-1.6 pts
17Kleberg County23.3-1.7 pts
18Jim Hogg County22.8-2.4 pts
18Newton County22.8+0.5 pts
20San Augustine County22.5+0.3 pts
21Crosby County22.1-1.6 pts
21Reeves County22.1+0.6 pts
23Childress County21.9+0.7 pts
24Falls County21.6-0.1 pts
24Terry County21.6-0.8 pts
26Marion County21.4-0.5 pts
26Shelby County21.4+0.8 pts
26Walker County21.4-4.7 pts
29Jim Wells County21-0.2 pts
29Karnes County21-0.8 pts
31Houston County20.9-5.2 pts
31Nacogdoches County20.9-0.7 pts
31Webb County20.9-4.8 pts
34Val Verde County20.8+1.9 pts
35Edwards County20.7-1.4 pts
35Haskell County20.7-2.4 pts
35Menard County20.7-0.9 pts
35Robertson County20.7+4.9 pts
35San Saba County20.7+3.9 pts
40Dawson County20.6-2.3 pts
40Swisher County20.6+1.4 pts
42Jones County20.4-1.6 pts
43Potter County20.3+0.6 pts
44Brazos County20-3.2 pts
45Anderson County19.80 pts
45Collingsworth County19.8+2.5 pts
45Uvalde County19.8-3.1 pts
48Culberson County19.7-0.6 pts
49Red River County19.6+1.4 pts
50Cochran County19.5-2.4 pts
50Jasper County19.5+0.3 pts
50Mitchell County19.5-1.9 pts
53Dickens County19.4-0.9 pts
54Hardeman County19.2+1.8 pts
54Limestone County19.2-3 pts
54Presidio County19.2-3.2 pts
57Knox County19.1-1.3 pts
58Cottle County18.9-2.3 pts
58Kinney County18.9-2.2 pts
60El Paso County18.8-1.7 pts
61Aransas County18.7-1.2 pts
61Pecos County18.7-0.8 pts
63Lamb County18.5-1.5 pts
64Lamar County18.4+4 pts
65Morris County18.1-2.1 pts
66McLennan County18-0.9 pts
66Refugio County18+1.7 pts
68Hale County17.9-0.5 pts
68Lubbock County17.9+0.3 pts
68Trinity County17.9+0.2 pts
71Harrison County17.8+3.1 pts
71Madison County17.8-0.1 pts
73Coleman County17.7-1.6 pts
73Real County17.7-0.4 pts
75McCulloch County17.6-0.9 pts
75Motley County17.6-0.2 pts
75Sabine County17.60 pts
78Henderson County17.5-1.9 pts
78Matagorda County17.5-0.9 pts
78Nolan County17.5-0.7 pts
78Terrell County17.5-1.4 pts
82Cass County17.3-3.1 pts
82Floyd County17.3-3.7 pts
84Palo Pinto County17.2+1.3 pts
84Runnels County17.2+0.3 pts
84Tyler County17.2-1 pts
87DeWitt County17.1-1.3 pts
88Deaf Smith County17-0.5 pts
88Foard County17-1 pts
88Howard County17-3.6 pts
88Kimble County17-0.6 pts
88Stephens County17-2.4 pts
93Jefferson County16.9-1.8 pts
94Bowie County16.8-2.3 pts
94San Jacinto County16.8-0.7 pts
96Eastland County16.7-2 pts
96Polk County16.7+1.7 pts
98Camp County16.6-2.2 pts
99Cherokee County16.5-0.9 pts
99Gregg County16.5+1.4 pts
99Live Oak County16.5-2.2 pts
99Nueces County16.5+0.3 pts
103Donley County16.4-2.2 pts
103Wharton County16.4-0.4 pts
105Milam County16.3+0.7 pts
105Titus County16.3-2.3 pts
107Gonzales County16.2-0.7 pts
108Delta County16-1.2 pts
108Lynn County16-2.3 pts
110Bailey County15.9+0.1 pts
110Baylor County15.9-0.2 pts
110Grimes County15.9-1.6 pts
113Angelina County15.6-2.3 pts
113Jack County15.6-2.1 pts
115Freestone County15.5+1.8 pts
115Hockley County15.5-4 pts
117Rusk County15.4-1 pts
118Castro County15.3-2.2 pts
119Bexar County15.2-2 pts
119Erath County15.2-2.9 pts
121Concho County15.1-11.5 pts
121Stonewall County15.1+0.5 pts
123Briscoe County15-1.2 pts
123Harris County15-1.5 pts
123Schleicher County15-1.5 pts
126Upshur County14.9-1 pts
126Wilbarger County14.9-0.4 pts
128Hunt County14.8+1.2 pts
129Atascosa County14.7-1 pts
129Calhoun County14.7+0.5 pts
129Hopkins County14.7+0.1 pts
129Scurry County14.7-1.1 pts
133Gray County14.5-2.2 pts
134Caldwell County14.4+0.3 pts
134Franklin County14.4-0.8 pts
134Leon County14.4-1.2 pts
134Liberty County14.4-0.7 pts
134San Patricio County14.4-2.9 pts
139Hamilton County14.3-0.4 pts
139Panola County14.3-1.4 pts
139Victoria County14.3-1.1 pts
139Wood County14.3-1 pts
143Kenedy County14.2-0.1 pts
144Bastrop County14+1.4 pts
144Dallas County14-0.2 pts
144Taylor County14-2 pts
147Throckmorton County13.9-0.4 pts
147Wichita County13.9-3.9 pts
149Bell County13.8+0.8 pts
149Burleson County13.8-1 pts
149Crockett County13.8-1.5 pts
149Jackson County13.8+0.9 pts
149Upton County13.8-0.4 pts
154Bosque County13.7-1.2 pts
154Brown County13.7+0.5 pts
156Colorado County13.6-0.1 pts
156Van Zandt County13.6-2 pts
156Young County13.6-0.3 pts
159Comanche County13.5-2.9 pts
160Goliad County13.4-1 pts
160Navarro County13.4-6.6 pts
160Rains County13.4-1.1 pts
163Fisher County13.3-2.2 pts
164Fannin County13.2-0.6 pts
164Gaines County13.2-2.2 pts
164Mills County13.2-1.4 pts
164Waller County13.2-2.7 pts
168Brewster County13.1-2.9 pts
168Coke County13.1-1 pts
168Hill County13.1+0.5 pts
168Oldham County13.1+0.1 pts
168Sutton County13.1-1.1 pts
173Bandera County12.9-0.5 pts
173Montague County12.9-0.9 pts
173Smith County12.9-2.1 pts
173Tom Green County12.9-2.6 pts
177Cooke County12.7-2.1 pts
177Jeff Davis County12.7-0.4 pts
177Shackelford County12.7-0.7 pts
180Kerr County12.5-1.4 pts
180Orange County12.5-0.9 pts
180Winkler County12.5-1.6 pts
183Lampasas County12.4-0.5 pts
183Lipscomb County12.4+0.4 pts
183Ward County12.4-1.5 pts
186Medina County12.2-0.1 pts
187Callahan County12.1+0.1 pts
187Ector County12.1-0.8 pts
187Hardin County12.1-0.3 pts
187Martin County12.1-1.5 pts
191Moore County11.9-0.3 pts
192Coryell County11.8-3.2 pts
192Parmer County11.8-1.7 pts
194Hansford County11.7+0.1 pts
194Mason County11.7-1 pts
196Grayson County11.6-0.7 pts
196Wheeler County11.6-2.4 pts
198Clay County11.5+0.6 pts
198Kent County11.5-1.8 pts
200Dallam County11.4-0.7 pts
200Hutchinson County11.4-1.6 pts
200Ochiltree County11.4+0.9 pts
203Galveston County11.3-0.8 pts
204Hays County11.2-2 pts
205Austin County11.1+0.9 pts
205Sherman County11.1-1 pts
207Johnson County11+0.3 pts
207King County11-2.7 pts
207Lavaca County11-2.5 pts
210Fayette County10.9-2.4 pts
211Llano County10.8-1.5 pts
211Travis County10.8-1.2 pts
213Lee County10.7-1.6 pts
213Sterling County10.7-1.9 pts
215Armstrong County10.6-0.1 pts
215Borden County10.6+0.6 pts
215Washington County10.6-3.2 pts
215Yoakum County10.6-1.5 pts
219Burnet County10.5-0.5 pts
219McMullen County10.5-0.6 pts
221Archer County10.3-0.3 pts
222Andrews County10.2-0.5 pts
222Tarrant County10.2-1.9 pts
224Midland County9.9-0.2 pts
225Kaufman County9.8-1.7 pts
226Crane County9.6-0.5 pts
227Somervell County9.4-0.3 pts
228Hood County9.2-1 pts
229Hemphill County9.1-0.5 pts
230Randall County9+0.5 pts
231Montgomery County8.9-0.4 pts
231Reagan County8.9-1.1 pts
233Ellis County8.7-0.1 pts
234Blanco County8.6-1.5 pts
234Brazoria County8.6-1.5 pts
234Chambers County8.6+0.1 pts
234Hartley County8.6-0.9 pts
238Carson County8.5-0.4 pts
238Gillespie County8.5-1.1 pts
240Wilson County8.3-2.6 pts
240Wise County8.3-1.6 pts
242Parker County8.2-0.1 pts
243Glasscock County7.9-1.8 pts
244Guadalupe County7.4-1.1 pts
244Irion County7.4-0.7 pts
244Kendall County7.4-0.1 pts
244Roberts County7.4-0.4 pts
248Loving County7.1+3.8 pts
249Comal County6.7-0.4 pts
250Fort Bend County6.6-1.3 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/2019/2019-state-and-county/est19all.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 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

Counties in Texas: more rankings