Counties in Texas by poverty rate
Brooks County had the highest poverty rate of 254 counties in 2020, at 28.7%. Loving County had the lowest, at 3.9%. The median was 14.3% and the figure for Texas was 13.4%. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.
Top 40 counties, 2020
Full ranking
| Rank | Counties | 2020 (%) | Change on 2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brooks County | 28.7 | -0.9 pts |
| 2 | Zavala County | 27.2 | -2.4 pts |
| 3 | Dimmit County | 25.5 | +0.2 pts |
| 4 | Starr County | 25.2 | -7.3 pts |
| 5 | Willacy County | 24.7 | -5.8 pts |
| 6 | Zapata County | 24.6 | -5.5 pts |
| 7 | Cameron County | 24.4 | -1.1 pts |
| 8 | Hudspeth County | 24.2 | -3.8 pts |
| 9 | La Salle County | 24 | -2.6 pts |
| 10 | Hidalgo County | 23.9 | -3 pts |
| 11 | Bee County | 23.1 | -0.9 pts |
| 12 | Brazos County | 22.3 | +2.3 pts |
| 12 | Frio County | 22.3 | -5.4 pts |
| 14 | Jeff Davis County | 22.2 | +9.5 pts |
| 15 | Childress County | 21.4 | -0.5 pts |
| 16 | Newton County | 21.3 | -1.5 pts |
| 17 | Anderson County | 20.9 | +1.1 pts |
| 18 | Kleberg County | 20.8 | -2.5 pts |
| 18 | Potter County | 20.8 | +0.5 pts |
| 20 | Garza County | 20.6 | -3.6 pts |
| 21 | DeWitt County | 20.5 | +3.4 pts |
| 22 | Jim Hogg County | 20.1 | -2.7 pts |
| 22 | Jim Wells County | 20.1 | -0.9 pts |
| 24 | Duval County | 20 | -3.9 pts |
| 24 | Falls County | 20 | -1.6 pts |
| 24 | Haskell County | 20 | -0.7 pts |
| 24 | Houston County | 20 | -0.9 pts |
| 24 | Marion County | 20 | -1.4 pts |
| 24 | Maverick County | 20 | -6.9 pts |
| 30 | Webb County | 19.9 | -1 pts |
| 31 | Crosby County | 19.8 | -2.3 pts |
| 32 | Lamar County | 19.6 | +1.2 pts |
| 32 | San Augustine County | 19.6 | -2.9 pts |
| 32 | Swisher County | 19.6 | -1 pts |
| 35 | Jones County | 19.5 | -0.9 pts |
| 35 | Nacogdoches County | 19.5 | -1.4 pts |
| 37 | Presidio County | 19.4 | +0.2 pts |
| 38 | Cochran County | 19.2 | -0.3 pts |
| 39 | Edwards County | 19.1 | -1.6 pts |
| 39 | Menard County | 19.1 | -1.6 pts |
| 41 | Reeves County | 19 | -3.1 pts |
| 41 | Uvalde County | 19 | -0.8 pts |
| 43 | Dickens County | 18.9 | -0.5 pts |
| 43 | Tyler County | 18.9 | +1.7 pts |
| 45 | Dawson County | 18.7 | -1.9 pts |
| 45 | Mitchell County | 18.7 | -0.8 pts |
| 47 | Culberson County | 18.6 | -1.1 pts |
| 47 | Hall County | 18.6 | -6.8 pts |
| 49 | Terry County | 18.5 | -3.1 pts |
| 50 | Jefferson County | 18.3 | +1.4 pts |
| 51 | Gregg County | 18.1 | +1.6 pts |
| 52 | Shelby County | 18 | -3.4 pts |
| 52 | Walker County | 18 | -3.4 pts |
| 54 | Cottle County | 17.9 | -1 pts |
| 54 | Kinney County | 17.9 | -1 pts |
| 56 | Cass County | 17.7 | +0.4 pts |
| 56 | Floyd County | 17.7 | +0.4 pts |
| 58 | El Paso County | 17.6 | -1.2 pts |
| 58 | Hale County | 17.6 | -0.3 pts |
| 58 | Lamb County | 17.6 | -0.9 pts |
| 61 | Karnes County | 17.5 | -3.5 pts |
| 61 | Nueces County | 17.5 | +1 pts |
| 63 | Bowie County | 17.4 | +0.6 pts |
| 63 | Madison County | 17.4 | -0.4 pts |
| 63 | Milam County | 17.4 | +1.1 pts |
| 63 | San Saba County | 17.4 | -3.3 pts |
| 67 | Jasper County | 17.3 | -2.2 pts |
| 67 | Matagorda County | 17.3 | -0.2 pts |
| 69 | Nolan County | 17.2 | -0.3 pts |
| 70 | Aransas County | 17.1 | -1.6 pts |
| 71 | Angelina County | 17 | +1.4 pts |
| 71 | Eastland County | 17 | +0.3 pts |
| 71 | Live Oak County | 17 | +0.5 pts |
| 71 | McLennan County | 17 | -1 pts |
| 71 | Morris County | 17 | -1.1 pts |
| 76 | Collingsworth County | 16.9 | -2.9 pts |
| 77 | Foard County | 16.8 | -0.2 pts |
| 77 | Limestone County | 16.8 | -2.4 pts |
| 77 | Trinity County | 16.8 | -1.1 pts |
| 80 | Camp County | 16.7 | +0.1 pts |
| 80 | Cherokee County | 16.7 | +0.2 pts |
| 82 | Pecos County | 16.5 | -2.2 pts |
| 82 | Victoria County | 16.5 | +2.2 pts |
| 84 | Real County | 16.4 | -1.3 pts |
| 85 | Donley County | 16.3 | -0.1 pts |
| 85 | Knox County | 16.3 | -2.8 pts |
| 85 | Motley County | 16.3 | -1.3 pts |
| 88 | McCulloch County | 16.2 | -1.4 pts |
| 89 | San Jacinto County | 16.1 | -0.7 pts |
| 90 | Coleman County | 16 | -1.7 pts |
| 90 | Sabine County | 16 | -1.6 pts |
| 90 | Wichita County | 16 | +2.1 pts |
| 93 | Comanche County | 15.9 | +2.4 pts |
| 93 | Harris County | 15.9 | +0.9 pts |
| 95 | Lubbock County | 15.8 | -2.1 pts |
| 96 | Howard County | 15.7 | -1.3 pts |
| 96 | Kimble County | 15.7 | -1.3 pts |
| 96 | Red River County | 15.7 | -3.9 pts |
| 99 | Brown County | 15.6 | +1.9 pts |
| 99 | Harrison County | 15.6 | -2.2 pts |
| 99 | Stephens County | 15.6 | -1.4 pts |
| 99 | Val Verde County | 15.6 | -5.2 pts |
| 103 | Deaf Smith County | 15.5 | -1.5 pts |
| 104 | Fannin County | 15.4 | +2.2 pts |
| 105 | Baylor County | 15.3 | -0.6 pts |
| 105 | Castro County | 15.3 | 0 pts |
| 105 | Grimes County | 15.3 | -0.6 pts |
| 105 | Panola County | 15.3 | +1 pts |
| 105 | Refugio County | 15.3 | -2.7 pts |
| 110 | Orange County | 15.1 | +2.6 pts |
| 111 | Bexar County | 15 | -0.2 pts |
| 111 | Hardeman County | 15 | -4.2 pts |
| 111 | Polk County | 15 | -1.7 pts |
| 114 | Atascosa County | 14.9 | +0.2 pts |
| 115 | Navarro County | 14.8 | +1.4 pts |
| 115 | San Patricio County | 14.8 | +0.4 pts |
| 115 | Young County | 14.8 | +1.2 pts |
| 118 | Bell County | 14.7 | +0.9 pts |
| 118 | Hamilton County | 14.7 | +0.4 pts |
| 120 | Wilbarger County | 14.6 | -0.3 pts |
| 121 | Bailey County | 14.4 | -1.5 pts |
| 121 | Liberty County | 14.4 | 0 pts |
| 121 | Lynn County | 14.4 | -1.6 pts |
| 121 | Mills County | 14.4 | +1.2 pts |
| 125 | Delta County | 14.3 | -1.7 pts |
| 125 | Gonzales County | 14.3 | -1.9 pts |
| 125 | Runnels County | 14.3 | -2.9 pts |
| 125 | Stonewall County | 14.3 | -0.8 pts |
| 125 | Titus County | 14.3 | -2 pts |
| 130 | Gray County | 14.2 | -0.3 pts |
| 130 | Henderson County | 14.2 | -3.3 pts |
| 130 | Robertson County | 14.2 | -6.5 pts |
| 130 | Rusk County | 14.2 | -1.2 pts |
| 134 | Brewster County | 14 | +0.9 pts |
| 134 | Hill County | 14 | +0.9 pts |
| 134 | Oldham County | 14 | +0.9 pts |
| 134 | Terrell County | 14 | -3.5 pts |
| 138 | Palo Pinto County | 13.9 | -3.3 pts |
| 139 | Leon County | 13.8 | -0.6 pts |
| 139 | Scurry County | 13.8 | -0.9 pts |
| 139 | Wharton County | 13.8 | -2.6 pts |
| 142 | Dallas County | 13.7 | -0.3 pts |
| 143 | Ector County | 13.6 | +1.5 pts |
| 143 | Grayson County | 13.6 | +2 pts |
| 143 | Jack County | 13.6 | -2 pts |
| 143 | Rains County | 13.6 | +0.2 pts |
| 147 | Concho County | 13.5 | -1.6 pts |
| 147 | Throckmorton County | 13.5 | -0.4 pts |
| 147 | Wheeler County | 13.5 | +1.9 pts |
| 147 | Wood County | 13.5 | -0.8 pts |
| 151 | Briscoe County | 13.4 | -1.6 pts |
| 152 | Fisher County | 13.3 | 0 pts |
| 152 | Freestone County | 13.3 | -2.2 pts |
| 154 | Goliad County | 13.2 | -0.2 pts |
| 154 | Schleicher County | 13.2 | -1.8 pts |
| 156 | Burleson County | 13.1 | -0.7 pts |
| 157 | Franklin County | 12.9 | -1.5 pts |
| 157 | Hockley County | 12.9 | -2.6 pts |
| 157 | Van Zandt County | 12.9 | -0.7 pts |
| 160 | Caldwell County | 12.7 | -1.7 pts |
| 160 | Colorado County | 12.7 | -0.9 pts |
| 160 | Coryell County | 12.7 | +0.9 pts |
| 160 | Hopkins County | 12.7 | -2 pts |
| 160 | Jackson County | 12.7 | -1.1 pts |
| 160 | Smith County | 12.7 | -0.2 pts |
| 166 | Erath County | 12.6 | -2.6 pts |
| 166 | Hunt County | 12.6 | -2.2 pts |
| 166 | Upshur County | 12.6 | -2.3 pts |
| 166 | Waller County | 12.6 | -0.6 pts |
| 170 | Bosque County | 12.5 | -1.2 pts |
| 170 | Shackelford County | 12.5 | -0.2 pts |
| 172 | Calhoun County | 12.4 | -2.3 pts |
| 172 | Crockett County | 12.4 | -1.4 pts |
| 172 | King County | 12.4 | +1.4 pts |
| 172 | Montague County | 12.4 | -0.5 pts |
| 176 | Callahan County | 12.2 | +0.1 pts |
| 176 | Parmer County | 12.2 | +0.4 pts |
| 176 | Taylor County | 12.2 | -1.8 pts |
| 179 | Hutchinson County | 12.1 | +0.7 pts |
| 179 | Upton County | 12.1 | -1.7 pts |
| 181 | Tom Green County | 12 | -0.9 pts |
| 182 | Winkler County | 11.8 | -0.7 pts |
| 183 | Sutton County | 11.7 | -1.4 pts |
| 183 | Washington County | 11.7 | +1.1 pts |
| 185 | Kerr County | 11.6 | -0.9 pts |
| 186 | Austin County | 11.4 | +0.3 pts |
| 186 | Coke County | 11.4 | -1.7 pts |
| 188 | Cooke County | 11.3 | -1.4 pts |
| 188 | Kent County | 11.3 | -0.2 pts |
| 188 | Lipscomb County | 11.3 | -1.1 pts |
| 188 | Sherman County | 11.3 | +0.2 pts |
| 192 | Medina County | 11.2 | -1 pts |
| 193 | Clay County | 11.1 | -0.4 pts |
| 193 | Dallam County | 11.1 | -0.3 pts |
| 193 | Gaines County | 11.1 | -2.1 pts |
| 193 | Martin County | 11.1 | -1 pts |
| 197 | Bandera County | 11 | -1.9 pts |
| 198 | Llano County | 10.9 | +0.1 pts |
| 199 | Bastrop County | 10.8 | -3.2 pts |
| 199 | Kenedy County | 10.8 | -3.4 pts |
| 199 | Yoakum County | 10.8 | +0.2 pts |
| 202 | Hansford County | 10.7 | -1 pts |
| 203 | Lavaca County | 10.6 | -0.4 pts |
| 203 | Lee County | 10.6 | -0.1 pts |
| 203 | Moore County | 10.6 | -1.3 pts |
| 206 | Tarrant County | 10.5 | +0.3 pts |
| 207 | Hardin County | 10.4 | -1.7 pts |
| 208 | Sterling County | 10.2 | -0.5 pts |
| 208 | Travis County | 10.2 | -0.6 pts |
| 210 | Lampasas County | 10 | -2.4 pts |
| 210 | Wise County | 10 | +1.7 pts |
| 212 | Galveston County | 9.9 | -1.4 pts |
| 213 | Blanco County | 9.8 | +1.2 pts |
| 213 | Mason County | 9.8 | -1.9 pts |
| 213 | Ward County | 9.8 | -2.6 pts |
| 216 | McMullen County | 9.7 | -0.8 pts |
| 216 | Midland County | 9.7 | -0.2 pts |
| 218 | Hays County | 9.6 | -1.6 pts |
| 218 | Randall County | 9.6 | +0.6 pts |
| 220 | Burnet County | 9.5 | -1 pts |
| 220 | Hartley County | 9.5 | +0.9 pts |
| 220 | Hemphill County | 9.5 | +0.4 pts |
| 220 | Johnson County | 9.5 | -1.5 pts |
| 224 | Fayette County | 9.4 | -1.5 pts |
| 224 | Hood County | 9.4 | +0.2 pts |
| 224 | Wilson County | 9.4 | +1.1 pts |
| 227 | Armstrong County | 9.3 | -1.3 pts |
| 227 | Chambers County | 9.3 | +0.7 pts |
| 229 | Andrews County | 9.2 | -1 pts |
| 229 | Gillespie County | 9.2 | +0.7 pts |
| 229 | Kaufman County | 9.2 | -0.6 pts |
| 229 | Ochiltree County | 9.2 | -2.2 pts |
| 233 | Crane County | 9 | -0.6 pts |
| 234 | Guadalupe County | 8.5 | +1.1 pts |
| 235 | Brazoria County | 8.3 | -0.3 pts |
| 235 | Carson County | 8.3 | -0.2 pts |
| 235 | Reagan County | 8.3 | -0.6 pts |
| 235 | Somervell County | 8.3 | -1.1 pts |
| 239 | Montgomery County | 8.2 | -0.7 pts |
| 240 | Parker County | 8 | -0.2 pts |
| 241 | Ellis County | 7.9 | -0.8 pts |
| 242 | Borden County | 7.5 | -3.1 pts |
| 242 | Comal County | 7.5 | +0.8 pts |
| 244 | Fort Bend County | 7.4 | +0.8 pts |
| 245 | Glasscock County | 7.3 | -0.6 pts |
| 246 | Archer County | 6.9 | -3.4 pts |
| 246 | Denton County | 6.9 | +0.4 pts |
| 246 | Irion County | 6.9 | -0.5 pts |
| 249 | Kendall County | 6.7 | -0.7 pts |
| 250 | Roberts County | 6.4 | -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/2020/2020-state-and-county/est20all.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?
Brooks County, with 28.7% in 2020, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
Which county has the lowest poverty rate?
Loving County, with 3.9% in 2020.
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