Data / Rankings / Poverty rate (US official measure) / Counties in Washington

Counties in Washington by poverty rate

Okanogan County had the highest poverty rate of 39 counties in 2020, at 19.8%. Island County had the lowest, at 6.5%. The median was 12.4% and the figure for Washington was 9.5%. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

Highest19.8Okanogan County
Lowest6.5Island County
Median12.439 counties
Washington9.5History

All counties, 2020

CSVChart (SVG)

Okanogan CountyOkanogan County: 19.8 %19.8Ferry CountyFerry County: 18.4 %18.4Whitman CountyWhitman County: 15.7 %15.7Grays Harbor CountyGrays Harbor County: 15.1 %15.1Stevens CountyStevens County: 15 %15Yakima CountyYakima County: 14.8 %14.8Pend Oreille CountyPend Oreille County: 14.7 %14.7Asotin CountyAsotin County: 14.1 %14.1Klickitat CountyKlickitat County: 14 %14Grant CountyGrant County: 13.6 %13.6Pacific CountyPacific County: 13.6 %13.6Spokane CountySpokane County: 13.4 %13.4Clallam CountyClallam County: 13.3 %13.3Lewis CountyLewis County: 13.3 %13.3Kittitas CountyKittitas County: 12.9 %12.9Walla Walla CountyWalla Walla County: 12.9 %12.9Adams CountyAdams County: 12.7 %12.7Columbia CountyColumbia County: 12.6 %12.6Mason CountyMason County: 12.6 %12.6Franklin CountyFranklin County: 12.4 %12.4Cowlitz CountyCowlitz County: 11.9 %11.9Whatcom CountyWhatcom County: 11.7 %11.7Garfield CountyGarfield County: 11.4 %11.4Lincoln CountyLincoln County: 11.4 %11.4Wahkiakum CountyWahkiakum County: 10.7 %10.7Jefferson CountyJefferson County: 10.6 %10.6Skamania CountySkamania County: 10.6 %10.6Douglas CountyDouglas County: 10.5 %10.5Thurston CountyThurston County: 9.7 %9.7San Juan CountySan Juan County: 9.6 %9.6Skagit CountySkagit County: 9.5 %9.5Benton CountyBenton County: 9.1 %9.1Clark CountyClark County: 8.7 %8.7Pierce CountyPierce County: 8.7 %8.7Chelan CountyChelan County: 8.3 %8.3Kitsap CountyKitsap County: 8.3 %8.3King CountyKing County: 7.6 %7.6Snohomish CountySnohomish County: 7.1 %7.1Island CountyIsland County: 6.5 %6.5
%. Source: U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 2026-10-08.

Full ranking

RankCounties2020 (%)Change on 2019
1Okanogan County19.8+3.4 pts
2Ferry County18.4+0.4 pts
3Whitman County15.7-10.6 pts
4Grays Harbor County15.1+2 pts
5Stevens County15+0.1 pts
6Yakima County14.8-1.9 pts
7Pend Oreille County14.7-1.4 pts
8Asotin County14.1+0.3 pts
9Klickitat County14+0.5 pts
10Grant County13.6-0.3 pts
10Pacific County13.6+0.1 pts
12Spokane County13.4+0.5 pts
13Clallam County13.3+2.1 pts
13Lewis County13.3+1.1 pts
15Kittitas County12.9-1.1 pts
15Walla Walla County12.9+0.2 pts
17Adams County12.7-4.1 pts
18Columbia County12.6+0.3 pts
18Mason County12.6-0.2 pts
20Franklin County12.4-1.1 pts
21Cowlitz County11.9-0.7 pts
22Whatcom County11.7-1 pts
23Garfield County11.4-1.5 pts
23Lincoln County11.4+2.3 pts
25Wahkiakum County10.7-0.1 pts
26Jefferson County10.6-2 pts
26Skamania County10.6+0.2 pts
28Douglas County10.5-0.4 pts
29Thurston County9.7+0.6 pts
30San Juan County9.6+1.5 pts
31Skagit County9.5-1.7 pts
32Benton County9.1-1.5 pts
33Clark County8.7-0.5 pts
33Pierce County8.7-0.7 pts
35Chelan County8.3-3.9 pts
35Kitsap County8.3+0.8 pts
37King County7.6-0.1 pts
38Snohomish County7.1+0.1 pts
39Island County6.5-0.8 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.

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Questions

Which county has the highest poverty rate?

Okanogan County, with 19.8% in 2020, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which county has the lowest poverty rate?

Island County, with 6.5% 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

Counties in Washington: more rankings