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

US states by poverty rate

Mississippi had the highest poverty rate of 51 states in 2020, at 18.7%. New Hampshire had the lowest, at 7%. The median was 11% and the figure for the United States was 11.9%. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

Highest18.7Mississippi
Lowest7New Hampshire
Median1151 states
United States11.9History

All states, 2020

CSVChart (SVG)

MississippiMississippi: 18.7 %18.7LouisianaLouisiana: 17.8 %17.8New MexicoNew Mexico: 16.8 %16.8West VirginiaWest Virginia: 15.8 %15.8ArkansasArkansas: 15.2 %15.2District of ColumbiaDistrict of Columbia: 15 %15AlabamaAlabama: 14.9 %14.9KentuckyKentucky: 14.9 %14.9OklahomaOklahoma: 14.3 %14.3GeorgiaGeorgia: 14 %14South CarolinaSouth Carolina: 13.8 %13.8TennesseeTennessee: 13.6 %13.6TexasTexas: 13.4 %13.4North CarolinaNorth Carolina: 12.9 %12.9ArizonaArizona: 12.8 %12.8New YorkNew York: 12.7 %12.7MichiganMichigan: 12.6 %12.6OhioOhio: 12.6 %12.6NevadaNevada: 12.5 %12.5FloridaFlorida: 12.4 %12.4MontanaMontana: 12.4 %12.4MissouriMissouri: 12.1 %12.1IndianaIndiana: 11.6 %11.6South DakotaSouth Dakota: 11.6 %11.6CaliforniaCalifornia: 11.5 %11.5IllinoisIllinois: 11 %11OregonOregon: 11 %11DelawareDelaware: 10.9 %10.9PennsylvaniaPennsylvania: 10.9 %10.9KansasKansas: 10.6 %10.6MaineMaine: 10.6 %10.6Rhode IslandRhode Island: 10.6 %10.6IowaIowa: 10.2 %10.2North DakotaNorth Dakota: 10.2 %10.2IdahoIdaho: 10.1 %10.1WisconsinWisconsin: 10 %10ConnecticutConnecticut: 9.7 %9.7AlaskaAlaska: 9.6 %9.6WashingtonWashington: 9.5 %9.5MassachusettsMassachusetts: 9.4 %9.4New JerseyNew Jersey: 9.4 %9.4VermontVermont: 9.4 %9.4NebraskaNebraska: 9.2 %9.2VirginiaVirginia: 9.2 %9.2WyomingWyoming: 9.2 %9.2ColoradoColorado: 9 %9MarylandMaryland: 9 %9HawaiiHawaii: 8.9 %8.9MinnesotaMinnesota: 8.3 %8.3UtahUtah: 7.3 %7.3New HampshireNew Hampshire: 7 %7
%. Source: U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 2026-10-08.

Full ranking

RankStates2020 (%)Change on 2019
1Mississippi18.7-0.8 pts
2Louisiana17.8-1 pts
3New Mexico16.8-0.7 pts
4West Virginia15.8-0.4 pts
5Arkansas15.2-0.8 pts
6District of Columbia15+0.9 pts
7Alabama14.9-0.7 pts
7Kentucky14.9-1.1 pts
9Oklahoma14.3-0.8 pts
10Georgia14+0.5 pts
11South Carolina13.8-0.1 pts
12Tennessee13.6-0.2 pts
13Texas13.4-0.2 pts
14North Carolina12.9-0.7 pts
15Arizona12.8-0.7 pts
16New York12.7-0.4 pts
17Michigan12.6-0.3 pts
17Ohio12.6-0.4 pts
19Nevada12.5-0.2 pts
20Florida12.4-0.3 pts
20Montana12.4-0.2 pts
22Missouri12.1-0.8 pts
23Indiana11.6-0.3 pts
23South Dakota11.6-0.3 pts
25California11.5-0.3 pts
26Illinois11-0.4 pts
26Oregon11-0.5 pts
28Delaware10.9-0.3 pts
28Pennsylvania10.9-1.1 pts
30Kansas10.6-0.7 pts
30Maine10.6-0.3 pts
30Rhode Island10.6-1 pts
33Iowa10.2-0.8 pts
33North Dakota10.2-0.3 pts
35Idaho10.1-0.9 pts
36Wisconsin10-0.4 pts
37Connecticut9.7-0.2 pts
38Alaska9.6-0.6 pts
39Washington9.5-0.3 pts
40Massachusetts9.4-0.1 pts
40New Jersey9.4+0.3 pts
40Vermont9.4-0.7 pts
43Nebraska9.2-0.7 pts
43Virginia9.2-0.7 pts
43Wyoming9.2-0.7 pts
46Colorado9-0.4 pts
46Maryland9-0.1 pts
48Hawaii8.9-0.1 pts
49Minnesota8.3-0.6 pts
50Utah7.3-1.5 pts
51New Hampshire7-0.5 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 states 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.

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Questions

Which state has the highest poverty rate?

Mississippi, with 18.7% in 2020, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which state has the lowest poverty rate?

New Hampshire, with 7% 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: more rankings