Data / Rankings / Poverty rate (US official measure) / US counties

US counties by poverty rate

Ziebach County had the highest poverty rate of 3132 counties in 2019, at 47.7%. Douglas County had the lowest, at 2.7%. The median was 13.4% and the figure for the United States was 12.3%. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

Highest47.7Ziebach County
Lowest2.7Douglas County
Median13.43132 counties
United States12.3History

Top 40 counties, 2019

CSVChart (SVG)

Ziebach CountyZiebach County: 47.7 %47.7Todd CountyTodd County: 43.4 %43.4Madison ParishMadison Parish: 41.1 %41.1Corson CountyCorson County: 40.3 %40.3Oglala Lakota CountyOglala Lakota County: 40.1 %40.1Crowley CountyCrowley County: 40 %40Buffalo CountyBuffalo County: 39.8 %39.8East Carroll ParishEast Carroll Parish: 38.4 %38.4Coahoma CountyCoahoma County: 38.2 %38.2Tallahatchie CountyTallahatchie County: 37.9 %37.9Claiborne CountyClaiborne County: 37.5 %37.5Humphreys CountyHumphreys County: 37.1 %37.1Bolivar CountyBolivar County: 36.6 %36.6Sumter CountySumter County: 36.4 %36.4Yazoo CountyYazoo County: 36.4 %36.4Calhoun CountyCalhoun County: 35.9 %35.9Issaquena CountyIssaquena County: 35.8 %35.8Leflore CountyLeflore County: 35.7 %35.7Lake CountyLake County: 35.5 %35.5Owsley CountyOwsley County: 35.5 %35.5Lee CountyLee County: 35.4 %35.4Quitman CountyQuitman County: 35 %35Lee CountyLee County: 34.9 %34.9Stewart CountyStewart County: 34.7 %34.7McCreary CountyMcCreary County: 34.5 %34.5Bent CountyBent County: 34.4 %34.4Martin CountyMartin County: 34.4 %34.4Wheeler CountyWheeler County: 34.2 %34.2Sunflower CountySunflower County: 34 %34Perry CountyPerry County: 33.9 %33.9Holmes CountyHolmes County: 33.8 %33.8McDowell CountyMcDowell County: 33.8 %33.8Washington CountyWashington County: 33.7 %33.7Apache CountyApache County: 33.4 %33.4Sharkey CountySharkey County: 33.4 %33.4Mellette CountyMellette County: 33.3 %33.3Phillips CountyPhillips County: 33.3 %33.3Clay CountyClay County: 32.6 %32.6Claiborne ParishClaiborne Parish: 32.5 %32.5Hamilton CountyHamilton County: 32.5 %32.5
%. Source: U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 2026-10-08.

Full ranking

RankCounties2019 (%)Change on 2018
1Ziebach County47.7+3.8 pts
2Todd County43.4-5 pts
3Madison Parish41.1-0.6 pts
4Corson County40.3+6.7 pts
5Oglala Lakota County40.1-13.9 pts
6Crowley County40-4.3 pts
7Buffalo County39.8-5.9 pts
8East Carroll Parish38.4-7.3 pts
9Coahoma County38.2+2.3 pts
10Tallahatchie County37.9+4.5 pts
11Claiborne County37.5+1.2 pts
12Humphreys County37.1+0.1 pts
13Bolivar County36.6+7.2 pts
14Sumter County36.4+1.7 pts
14Yazoo County36.4-0.7 pts
16Calhoun County35.9-1.3 pts
17Issaquena County35.8-4.7 pts
18Leflore County35.7+0.6 pts
19Lake County35.5-1 pts
19Owsley County35.5-3.7 pts
21Lee County35.4-7.6 pts
22Quitman County35-2.6 pts
23Lee County34.9+0.5 pts
24Stewart County34.7-3.2 pts
25McCreary County34.5+0.8 pts
26Bent County34.4+0.5 pts
26Martin County34.4-4.7 pts
28Wheeler County34.2-5.4 pts
29Sunflower County34+1.4 pts
30Perry County33.9-1.4 pts
31Holmes County33.8+0.6 pts
31McDowell County33.8-1.6 pts
33Washington County33.7+1.1 pts
34Apache County33.4-3.9 pts
34Sharkey County33.4-0.2 pts
36Mellette County33.3-1.9 pts
36Phillips County33.3-2.1 pts
38Clay County32.6-5.6 pts
39Claiborne Parish32.5-0.2 pts
39Hamilton County32.5+4.9 pts
39Starr County32.5-0.7 pts
39Wilcox County32.5-0.9 pts
43Leslie County32.3+1.5 pts
44Sioux County32.1-0.8 pts
45St. Francis County32-3.6 pts
46Greene County31.7+1.6 pts
47Bennett County31.6-0.9 pts
47Treutlen County31.6+5.3 pts
49Knox County31.5-0.4 pts
49Robeson County31.5+7 pts
51Hancock County31.2+0.5 pts
51Wilkinson County31.2+0.9 pts
53Harlan County31.1-2.3 pts
53Oktibbeha County31.1+3.8 pts
55Chicot County31-0.4 pts
55Morehouse Parish31+3.6 pts
57Mitchell County30.7+1.4 pts
58Knott County30.5-1.6 pts
58Radford city30.5+0.1 pts
58Willacy County30.5-4.5 pts
61Bell County30.3-1 pts
62Allendale County30.2-7.1 pts
63McKinley County30.1-2.2 pts
63Wolfe County30.1-1.3 pts
63Zapata County30.1-2 pts
66Bullock County30-12.5 pts
67Jackson County29.9-2.8 pts
68Clay County29.7+7.8 pts
69Brooks County29.6-1.4 pts
69Webster Parish29.6+3.6 pts
69Zavala County29.6-2.4 pts
72Lincoln Parish29.5+3.7 pts
73Macon County29.4-1.1 pts
73Magoffin County29.4+1 pts
73Wilcox County29.4-1.4 pts
76Macon County29.3-0.9 pts
77Breathitt County29.2-3.3 pts
77Noxubee County29.2+0.2 pts
79Jenkins County29-2.8 pts
80Jefferson County28.9-6.6 pts
80Letcher County28.9-2.2 pts
80Marlboro County28.9-1.1 pts
80Tensas Parish28.9-2.7 pts
84Clay County28.8-1 pts
85Evangeline Parish28.6+1.3 pts
86Scotland County28.5+1.6 pts
87Dooly County28.2-0.9 pts
87Terrell County28.2+0.4 pts
89Tunica County28.1+1.6 pts
90Hudspeth County28+10.2 pts
90Kemper County28+0.5 pts
90Turner County28+0.1 pts
93Adams County27.9-1.5 pts
94Jackson County27.8+1.3 pts
94Williamsburg County27.8+1.8 pts
96Elliott County27.7+2.5 pts
96Frio County27.7+0.2 pts
96Mississippi County27.7+0.9 pts
96Telfair County27.7-4.2 pts
100Dewey County27.6+1.8 pts
100Dougherty County27.6-1.9 pts
100Sierra County27.6+1.9 pts
103Concordia Parish27.5+0.3 pts
104Floyd County27.4-6.8 pts
104Madison County27.4+3.5 pts
104Okfuskee County27.4+1.3 pts
107Bledsoe County27.3+0.6 pts
107Early County27.3+0.8 pts
107Mingo County27.3+0.3 pts
110Barbour County27.1-3.8 pts
110Lee County27.1+2.3 pts
110Lincoln County27.1-0.4 pts
110Woodruff County27.1+3.4 pts
114Hidalgo County26.9-3.1 pts
114Maverick County26.9+1 pts
114Pemiscot County26.9-2.2 pts
117Dillon County26.8-5.3 pts
117Kusilvak Census Area26.8-8.3 pts
119Crisp County26.7-0.7 pts
119Dunklin County26.7+0.6 pts
119Sumter County26.7+1 pts
122Athens County26.6-4.1 pts
122La Salle County26.6-3 pts
122Lowndes County26.6+1.5 pts
125Morgan County26.5-0.8 pts
125Tattnall County26.5+0.9 pts
125Warren County26.5+0.8 pts
128Catahoula Parish26.4+0.4 pts
128Hancock County26.4-3.5 pts
130Orangeburg County26.3+0.4 pts
130Ware County26.3+2.7 pts
130Whitman County26.3+0.9 pts
133Bronx County26.2-1.1 pts
133Pike County26.2-4.4 pts
135Big Horn County26.1+0.5 pts
135Menifee County26.1-0.3 pts
137Dallas County26-5.4 pts
137Forest County26+2 pts
137Socorro County26-3.6 pts
140Charlton County25.9+0.3 pts
140Rolette County25.9+1.2 pts
142Franklin Parish25.8-1.5 pts
142Johnson County25.8+0.8 pts
142Richmond County25.8+5.9 pts
145Clarke County25.7-1.3 pts
145Glacier County25.7-1.3 pts
147Fulton County25.6-4.6 pts
148Cameron County25.5-2.4 pts
148Cibola County25.5-3.1 pts
148Gilmer County25.5+0.7 pts
148Lafayette County25.5+2.7 pts
148Monroe County25.5-0.5 pts
153Desha County25.4+1.1 pts
153Hall County25.4+1.3 pts
153Jackson County25.4-0.3 pts
153Lee County25.4-2.7 pts
153Saguache County25.4+0.8 pts
153Tyrrell County25.4+0.2 pts
153Winston County25.4+4.4 pts
160Dimmit County25.3+0.7 pts
160Menominee County25.3-1.2 pts
160Randolph County25.3-5.5 pts
163Casey County25.2-0.8 pts
163Johnson County25.2+4.5 pts
163Navajo County25.2-3.3 pts
166Clarendon County25.1-1.3 pts
166Jefferson County25.1+2.8 pts
166Richland Parish25.1-1.1 pts
169Barnwell County24.9+2.5 pts
169Harrisonburg city24.9-3.1 pts
169Marion County24.9-0.6 pts
169Thurston County24.9+1 pts
169Washington Parish24.9+0.3 pts
174Baker County24.8+1.9 pts
174Marengo County24.8+0.8 pts
176Costilla County24.6-0.6 pts
177Greensville County24.5-2.2 pts
178Avoyelles Parish24.4-3 pts
178Bienville Parish24.4-2.5 pts
178Jefferson County24.4+2.2 pts
178Yalobusha County24.4+6.3 pts
178Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area24.4+0.7 pts
183Jefferson Davis County24.3-1.7 pts
183Pickens County24.3+1.2 pts
183Roosevelt County24.3-1.1 pts
186Bamberg County24.2-2.5 pts
186Bertie County24.2+0.7 pts
186Dickenson County24.2-1 pts
186Garza County24.2-0.4 pts
186Johnson County24.2-5.8 pts
186Otero County24.2+3.4 pts
186Perry County24.2-4.7 pts
193Attala County24.1+0.4 pts
193Caddo Parish24.1+1.7 pts
193Evans County24.1-2.5 pts
193Greer County24.1-1.9 pts
193Nevada County24.1+2.8 pts
193Screven County24.1-1.8 pts
199Alexander County24-3.6 pts
199Bee County24-2.7 pts
199Northwest Arctic Borough24+2.9 pts
199Pike County24+0.2 pts
203Duval County23.9-1.6 pts
203Laurens County23.9-0.7 pts
203Ouachita Parish23.9+2.6 pts
203Pushmataha County23.9+4.2 pts
203Red River Parish23.9+0.8 pts
208Doña Ana County23.8-1.1 pts
208Halifax County23.8+1.8 pts
208Jones County23.8+3.9 pts
208Leake County23.8-1.6 pts
208Luna County23.8-3.4 pts
208Marion County23.8-3.4 pts
208San Miguel County23.8-4.4 pts
208St. Mary Parish23.8+2.8 pts
208Wayne County23.8-4.3 pts
217Harmon County23.7-0.2 pts
217Montgomery County23.7+0.8 pts
219Adair County23.6-1 pts
219Burke County23.6+1.6 pts
219Somerset County23.6+0.2 pts
222Bethel Census Area23.5-9.2 pts
222Danville city23.5-2.1 pts
222Guadalupe County23.5-0.8 pts
222Orleans Parish23.5-0.3 pts
222Summers County23.5-3.4 pts
227Clinton County23.4-2.3 pts
227Decatur County23.4+0.2 pts
227Lawrence County23.4-2.1 pts
227Winn Parish23.4+0.6 pts
231Benson County23.3-7.5 pts
231Forrest County23.3-0.7 pts
231Kleberg County23.3-1.7 pts
231McDonough County23.3+1.4 pts
231Monroe County23.3+1.4 pts
231Rowan County23.3+0.6 pts
231Sharp County23.3+2.6 pts
238Atkinson County23.2-2.9 pts
238Bibb County23.2-1.5 pts
238Clarke County23.2+1.6 pts
238Hampton County23.2-2.6 pts
238Lewis County23.2-2 pts
243Candler County23.1-1.5 pts
243Lenoir County23.1+1 pts
243Poinsett County23.1-0.6 pts
246Cumberland County23-0.3 pts
246Hertford County23-0.2 pts
246Liberty County23-0.8 pts
246Mississippi County23-2.7 pts
246Payne County23+0.2 pts

Showing the top 250 of 3132. 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. 11 counties with data in other periods have no value for 2019 and are left out rather than filled from another source. 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 US counties by poverty rate using official data, and cite the source.
rank_places {"indicator":"poverty_rate","level":"province","within":"United States","limit":10}
GET https://invokely.ai/api/v1/rank?indicator=poverty_rate&level=province&within=United%20States&limit=10

Connect Claude, ChatGPT or Cursor in one step. The trial answers 25 calls a day without an account.

Questions

Which county has the highest poverty rate?

Ziebach County, with 47.7% in 2019, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which county has the lowest poverty rate?

Douglas County, with 2.7% 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. 11 counties have no value for 2019 and are not ranked.

Poverty rate (US official measure): other rankings

US counties: more rankings