Counties in Washington by poverty rate

Whitman County had the highest poverty rate of 39 counties in 2016, at 25.9%. Snohomish County had the lowest, at 8%. The median was 14.2% and the figure for Washington was 11.3%. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

Highest25.9Whitman County
Median14.239 counties
Washington11.3History

All counties, 2016

CSVChart (SVG)

Whitman CountyWhitman County: 25.9 %25.9Ferry CountyFerry County: 21.3 %21.3Okanogan CountyOkanogan County: 19.7 %19.7Adams CountyAdams County: 19.5 %19.5Kittitas CountyKittitas County: 18.2 %18.2Yakima CountyYakima County: 18.2 %18.2Pacific CountyPacific County: 17 %17Cowlitz CountyCowlitz County: 16.3 %16.3Pend Oreille CountyPend Oreille County: 16.2 %16.2Grant CountyGrant County: 16.1 %16.1Klickitat CountyKlickitat County: 15.5 %15.5Clallam CountyClallam County: 15.3 %15.3Grays Harbor CountyGrays Harbor County: 15.2 %15.2Whatcom CountyWhatcom County: 15.2 %15.2Franklin CountyFranklin County: 14.9 %14.9Mason CountyMason County: 14.9 %14.9Lewis CountyLewis County: 14.7 %14.7Asotin CountyAsotin County: 14.6 %14.6Stevens CountyStevens County: 14.3 %14.3Walla Walla CountyWalla Walla County: 14.2 %14.2Columbia CountyColumbia County: 14 %14Garfield CountyGarfield County: 13.9 %13.9Skamania CountySkamania County: 13.5 %13.5Spokane CountySpokane County: 13.3 %13.3Douglas CountyDouglas County: 12.8 %12.8Wahkiakum CountyWahkiakum County: 12.8 %12.8Lincoln CountyLincoln County: 12.5 %12.5Pierce CountyPierce County: 12.1 %12.1Jefferson CountyJefferson County: 12 %12Chelan CountyChelan County: 11.5 %11.5Skagit CountySkagit County: 11.3 %11.3Benton CountyBenton County: 10.5 %10.5Thurston CountyThurston County: 10.4 %10.4Kitsap CountyKitsap County: 10.1 %10.1San Juan CountySan Juan County: 9.9 %9.9Island CountyIsland County: 9.4 %9.4King CountyKing County: 9.3 %9.3Clark CountyClark County: 9 %9Snohomish CountySnohomish County: 8 %8
%. Source: U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 2026-10-08.

Full ranking

RankCounties2016 (%)Change on 2015
1Whitman County25.9+5.1 pts
2Ferry County21.3+0.9 pts
3Okanogan County19.7-0.8 pts
4Adams County19.5+3 pts
5Kittitas County18.2-1.8 pts
5Yakima County18.2-0.9 pts
7Pacific County17-1.8 pts
8Cowlitz County16.3+0.6 pts
9Pend Oreille County16.2-3.4 pts
10Grant County16.10 pts
11Klickitat County15.5-1.7 pts
12Clallam County15.3-0.3 pts
13Grays Harbor County15.2-0.8 pts
13Whatcom County15.2+0.8 pts
15Franklin County14.9-0.7 pts
15Mason County14.9-2 pts
17Lewis County14.7-0.6 pts
18Asotin County14.6-1.1 pts
19Stevens County14.3-5.4 pts
20Walla Walla County14.2-2.3 pts
21Columbia County14-1.2 pts
22Garfield County13.9-1.3 pts
23Skamania County13.5-1 pts
24Spokane County13.3-2.2 pts
25Douglas County12.8-0.7 pts
25Wahkiakum County12.8+0.2 pts
27Lincoln County12.5-1.5 pts
28Pierce County12.1-0.3 pts
29Jefferson County12+0.1 pts
30Chelan County11.5-1.2 pts
31Skagit County11.3-3.6 pts
32Benton County10.5-3.7 pts
33Thurston County10.4-1.8 pts
34Kitsap County10.1+0.2 pts
35San Juan County9.9-1.6 pts
36Island County9.4+1 pts
37King County9.3-0.5 pts
38Clark County9-1.6 pts
39Snohomish County8-1.3 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/2016/2016-state-and-county/est16all.txt. Retrieved 2026-10-08.

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Rank Counties in Washington by poverty rate using official data, and cite the source.
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Questions

Which county has the highest poverty rate?

Whitman County, with 25.9% in 2016, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which county has the lowest poverty rate?

Snohomish County, with 8% in 2016.

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 Washington: more rankings