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

US states by poverty rate

Louisiana had the highest poverty rate of 51 states in 2021, at 19.5%. New Hampshire had the lowest, at 7.4%. The median was 12.1% and the figure for the United States was 12.8%. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

Highest19.5Louisiana
Lowest7.4New Hampshire
Median12.151 states
United States12.8History

All states, 2021

CSVChart (SVG)

LouisianaLouisiana: 19.5 %19.5MississippiMississippi: 19.2 %19.2New MexicoNew Mexico: 17.7 %17.7District of ColumbiaDistrict of Columbia: 16.8 %16.8West VirginiaWest Virginia: 16.8 %16.8AlabamaAlabama: 16.3 %16.3KentuckyKentucky: 16.3 %16.3ArkansasArkansas: 16 %16OklahomaOklahoma: 15.4 %15.4South CarolinaSouth Carolina: 14.5 %14.5GeorgiaGeorgia: 14.2 %14.2TexasTexas: 14.2 %14.2NevadaNevada: 14 %14New YorkNew York: 14 %14TennesseeTennessee: 13.7 %13.7North CarolinaNorth Carolina: 13.5 %13.5OhioOhio: 13.3 %13.3FloridaFlorida: 13.2 %13.2MichiganMichigan: 13 %13ArizonaArizona: 12.9 %12.9MissouriMissouri: 12.8 %12.8CaliforniaCalifornia: 12.3 %12.3OregonOregon: 12.2 %12.2IllinoisIllinois: 12.1 %12.1IndianaIndiana: 12.1 %12.1Rhode IslandRhode Island: 12.1 %12.1MontanaMontana: 12 %12PennsylvaniaPennsylvania: 12 %12South DakotaSouth Dakota: 11.9 %11.9KansasKansas: 11.6 %11.6DelawareDelaware: 11.5 %11.5MaineMaine: 11.2 %11.2IowaIowa: 11 %11HawaiiHawaii: 10.9 %10.9North DakotaNorth Dakota: 10.9 %10.9AlaskaAlaska: 10.8 %10.8IdahoIdaho: 10.8 %10.8WisconsinWisconsin: 10.8 %10.8WyomingWyoming: 10.6 %10.6NebraskaNebraska: 10.5 %10.5MassachusettsMassachusetts: 10.4 %10.4MarylandMaryland: 10.3 %10.3VirginiaVirginia: 10.3 %10.3New JerseyNew Jersey: 10.2 %10.2VermontVermont: 10.2 %10.2ConnecticutConnecticut: 10.1 %10.1WashingtonWashington: 9.9 %9.9ColoradoColorado: 9.7 %9.7MinnesotaMinnesota: 9.3 %9.3UtahUtah: 8.7 %8.7New HampshireNew Hampshire: 7.4 %7.4
%. Source: U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 2026-10-08.

Full ranking

RankStates2021 (%)Change on 2020
1Louisiana19.5+1.7 pts
2Mississippi19.2+0.5 pts
3New Mexico17.7+0.9 pts
4District of Columbia16.8+1.8 pts
4West Virginia16.8+1 pts
6Alabama16.3+1.4 pts
6Kentucky16.3+1.4 pts
8Arkansas16+0.8 pts
9Oklahoma15.4+1.1 pts
10South Carolina14.5+0.7 pts
11Georgia14.2+0.2 pts
11Texas14.2+0.8 pts
13Nevada14+1.5 pts
13New York14+1.3 pts
15Tennessee13.7+0.1 pts
16North Carolina13.5+0.6 pts
17Ohio13.3+0.7 pts
18Florida13.2+0.8 pts
19Michigan13+0.4 pts
20Arizona12.9+0.1 pts
21Missouri12.8+0.7 pts
22California12.3+0.8 pts
23Oregon12.2+1.2 pts
24Illinois12.1+1.1 pts
24Indiana12.1+0.5 pts
24Rhode Island12.1+1.5 pts
27Montana12-0.4 pts
27Pennsylvania12+1.1 pts
29South Dakota11.9+0.3 pts
30Kansas11.6+1 pts
31Delaware11.5+0.6 pts
32Maine11.2+0.6 pts
33Iowa11+0.8 pts
34Hawaii10.9+2 pts
34North Dakota10.9+0.7 pts
36Alaska10.8+1.2 pts
36Idaho10.8+0.7 pts
36Wisconsin10.8+0.8 pts
39Wyoming10.6+1.4 pts
40Nebraska10.5+1.3 pts
41Massachusetts10.4+1 pts
42Maryland10.3+1.3 pts
42Virginia10.3+1.1 pts
44New Jersey10.2+0.8 pts
44Vermont10.2+0.8 pts
46Connecticut10.1+0.4 pts
47Washington9.9+0.4 pts
48Colorado9.7+0.7 pts
49Minnesota9.3+1 pts
50Utah8.7+1.4 pts
51New Hampshire7.4+0.4 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/2021/2021-state-and-county/est21all.txt. Retrieved 2026-10-08.

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Questions

Which state has the highest poverty rate?

Louisiana, with 19.5% in 2021, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which state has the lowest poverty rate?

New Hampshire, with 7.4% in 2021.

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