Counties in Washington by poverty rate

Whitman County had the highest poverty rate of 39 counties in 2022, at 19.5%. Island County had the lowest, at 6.6%. The median was 11.5% and the figure for Washington was 10%. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

Highest19.5Whitman County
Lowest6.6Island County
Median11.539 counties
Washington10History

All counties, 2022

CSVChart (SVG)

Whitman CountyWhitman County: 19.5 %19.5Grays Harbor CountyGrays Harbor County: 18.3 %18.3Okanogan CountyOkanogan County: 16.9 %16.9Yakima CountyYakima County: 16.5 %16.5Ferry CountyFerry County: 16.3 %16.3Asotin CountyAsotin County: 16 %16Pend Oreille CountyPend Oreille County: 15.6 %15.6Adams CountyAdams County: 14.6 %14.6Grant CountyGrant County: 14.2 %14.2Pacific CountyPacific County: 13.6 %13.6Cowlitz CountyCowlitz County: 13.2 %13.2Walla Walla CountyWalla Walla County: 13.1 %13.1Stevens CountyStevens County: 13 %13Garfield CountyGarfield County: 12.3 %12.3Spokane CountySpokane County: 12.2 %12.2Klickitat CountyKlickitat County: 12.1 %12.1Clallam CountyClallam County: 11.8 %11.8Columbia CountyColumbia County: 11.8 %11.8Lewis CountyLewis County: 11.7 %11.7Whatcom CountyWhatcom County: 11.5 %11.5Mason CountyMason County: 11.4 %11.4Skagit CountySkagit County: 11.4 %11.4Wahkiakum CountyWahkiakum County: 11.4 %11.4Jefferson CountyJefferson County: 11.2 %11.2Kittitas CountyKittitas County: 11 %11Benton CountyBenton County: 10.9 %10.9Franklin CountyFranklin County: 10.8 %10.8Lincoln CountyLincoln County: 10.8 %10.8Skamania CountySkamania County: 9.6 %9.6Kitsap CountyKitsap County: 9.5 %9.5San Juan CountySan Juan County: 9.5 %9.5Chelan CountyChelan County: 9.3 %9.3Pierce CountyPierce County: 9.1 %9.1Thurston CountyThurston County: 8.7 %8.7Clark CountyClark County: 8.6 %8.6Douglas CountyDouglas County: 8.6 %8.6King CountyKing County: 8.5 %8.5Snohomish CountySnohomish County: 8.5 %8.5Island CountyIsland County: 6.6 %6.6
%. Source: U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 2026-10-08.

Full ranking

RankCounties2022 (%)Change on 2021
1Whitman County19.5+1.4 pts
2Grays Harbor County18.3+4.6 pts
3Okanogan County16.9+0.9 pts
4Yakima County16.5+1.8 pts
5Ferry County16.3-1.2 pts
6Asotin County16+2.1 pts
7Pend Oreille County15.6-0.3 pts
8Adams County14.6-1.4 pts
9Grant County14.2+2.5 pts
10Pacific County13.6+0.2 pts
11Cowlitz County13.2+0.6 pts
12Walla Walla County13.1+1 pts
13Stevens County13-0.6 pts
14Garfield County12.3-0.9 pts
15Spokane County12.2+1 pts
16Klickitat County12.1-0.9 pts
17Clallam County11.8-0.2 pts
17Columbia County11.8-1.4 pts
19Lewis County11.7-1.8 pts
20Whatcom County11.5-1.5 pts
21Mason County11.4-1.2 pts
21Skagit County11.4-0.2 pts
21Wahkiakum County11.4-0.3 pts
24Jefferson County11.20 pts
25Kittitas County11-3.4 pts
26Benton County10.9+0.3 pts
27Franklin County10.8-1 pts
27Lincoln County10.8-0.5 pts
29Skamania County9.6-1.3 pts
30Kitsap County9.5+0.8 pts
30San Juan County9.5-1.3 pts
32Chelan County9.3-1.5 pts
33Pierce County9.1+0.9 pts
34Thurston County8.7-1.2 pts
35Clark County8.6-0.4 pts
35Douglas County8.6-1.4 pts
37King County8.5-0.8 pts
37Snohomish County8.5+1.3 pts
39Island County6.6-1.5 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 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/2022/2022-state-and-county/est22all.txt. Retrieved 2026-10-08.

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Questions

Which county has the highest poverty rate?

Whitman County, with 19.5% in 2022, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which county has the lowest poverty rate?

Island County, with 6.6% in 2022.

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