Counties in Washington by poverty rate

Whitman County had the highest poverty rate of 39 counties in 2021, at 18.1%. Snohomish County had the lowest, at 7.2%. The median was 12% and the figure for Washington was 9.9%. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

Highest18.1Whitman County
Median1239 counties
Washington9.9History

All counties, 2021

CSVChart (SVG)

Whitman CountyWhitman County: 18.1 %18.1Ferry CountyFerry County: 17.5 %17.5Adams CountyAdams County: 16 %16Okanogan CountyOkanogan County: 16 %16Pend Oreille CountyPend Oreille County: 15.9 %15.9Yakima CountyYakima County: 14.7 %14.7Kittitas CountyKittitas County: 14.4 %14.4Asotin CountyAsotin County: 13.9 %13.9Grays Harbor CountyGrays Harbor County: 13.7 %13.7Stevens CountyStevens County: 13.6 %13.6Lewis CountyLewis County: 13.5 %13.5Pacific CountyPacific County: 13.4 %13.4Columbia CountyColumbia County: 13.2 %13.2Garfield CountyGarfield County: 13.2 %13.2Klickitat CountyKlickitat County: 13 %13Whatcom CountyWhatcom County: 13 %13Cowlitz CountyCowlitz County: 12.6 %12.6Mason CountyMason County: 12.6 %12.6Walla Walla CountyWalla Walla County: 12.1 %12.1Clallam CountyClallam County: 12 %12Franklin CountyFranklin County: 11.8 %11.8Grant CountyGrant County: 11.7 %11.7Wahkiakum CountyWahkiakum County: 11.7 %11.7Skagit CountySkagit County: 11.6 %11.6Lincoln CountyLincoln County: 11.3 %11.3Jefferson CountyJefferson County: 11.2 %11.2Spokane CountySpokane County: 11.2 %11.2Skamania CountySkamania County: 10.9 %10.9Chelan CountyChelan County: 10.8 %10.8San Juan CountySan Juan County: 10.8 %10.8Benton CountyBenton County: 10.6 %10.6Douglas CountyDouglas County: 10 %10Thurston CountyThurston County: 9.9 %9.9King CountyKing County: 9.3 %9.3Clark CountyClark County: 9 %9Kitsap CountyKitsap County: 8.7 %8.7Pierce CountyPierce County: 8.2 %8.2Island CountyIsland County: 8.1 %8.1Snohomish CountySnohomish County: 7.2 %7.2
%. Source: U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 2026-10-08.

Full ranking

RankCounties2021 (%)Change on 2020
1Whitman County18.1+2.4 pts
2Ferry County17.5-0.9 pts
3Adams County16+3.3 pts
3Okanogan County16-3.8 pts
5Pend Oreille County15.9+1.2 pts
6Yakima County14.7-0.1 pts
7Kittitas County14.4+1.5 pts
8Asotin County13.9-0.2 pts
9Grays Harbor County13.7-1.4 pts
10Stevens County13.6-1.4 pts
11Lewis County13.5+0.2 pts
12Pacific County13.4-0.2 pts
13Columbia County13.2+0.6 pts
13Garfield County13.2+1.8 pts
15Klickitat County13-1 pts
15Whatcom County13+1.3 pts
17Cowlitz County12.6+0.7 pts
17Mason County12.60 pts
19Walla Walla County12.1-0.8 pts
20Clallam County12-1.3 pts
21Franklin County11.8-0.6 pts
22Grant County11.7-1.9 pts
22Wahkiakum County11.7+1 pts
24Skagit County11.6+2.1 pts
25Lincoln County11.3-0.1 pts
26Jefferson County11.2+0.6 pts
26Spokane County11.2-2.2 pts
28Skamania County10.9+0.3 pts
29Chelan County10.8+2.5 pts
29San Juan County10.8+1.2 pts
31Benton County10.6+1.5 pts
32Douglas County10-0.5 pts
33Thurston County9.9+0.2 pts
34King County9.3+1.7 pts
35Clark County9+0.3 pts
36Kitsap County8.7+0.4 pts
37Pierce County8.2-0.5 pts
38Island County8.1+1.6 pts
39Snohomish County7.2+0.1 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/2021/2021-state-and-county/est21all.txt. Retrieved 2026-10-08.

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Questions

Which county has the highest poverty rate?

Whitman County, with 18.1% in 2021, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which county has the lowest poverty rate?

Snohomish County, with 7.2% 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

Counties in Washington: more rankings