Counties in Washington by poverty rate

Whitman County had the highest poverty rate of 39 counties in 2023, at 24.8%. Clark County had the lowest, at 7.5%. The median was 12% and the figure for Washington was 10.3%. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

Highest24.8Whitman County
Lowest7.5Clark County
Median1239 counties
Washington10.3History

All counties, 2023

CSVChart (SVG)

Whitman CountyWhitman County: 24.8 %24.8Ferry CountyFerry County: 17.2 %17.2Okanogan CountyOkanogan County: 16.7 %16.7Yakima CountyYakima County: 16.1 %16.1Grant CountyGrant County: 15.2 %15.2Kittitas CountyKittitas County: 15.2 %15.2Adams CountyAdams County: 15.1 %15.1Grays Harbor CountyGrays Harbor County: 15.1 %15.1Asotin CountyAsotin County: 14.9 %14.9Walla Walla CountyWalla Walla County: 14.9 %14.9Pend Oreille CountyPend Oreille County: 14.4 %14.4Garfield CountyGarfield County: 14.1 %14.1Lewis CountyLewis County: 13.7 %13.7Columbia CountyColumbia County: 13.6 %13.6Cowlitz CountyCowlitz County: 13.2 %13.2Pacific CountyPacific County: 13.1 %13.1Whatcom CountyWhatcom County: 12.9 %12.9Franklin CountyFranklin County: 12.8 %12.8Spokane CountySpokane County: 12.5 %12.5Mason CountyMason County: 12 %12Clallam CountyClallam County: 11.9 %11.9Klickitat CountyKlickitat County: 11.9 %11.9Stevens CountyStevens County: 11.9 %11.9Douglas CountyDouglas County: 11.8 %11.8Wahkiakum CountyWahkiakum County: 11.3 %11.3Benton CountyBenton County: 11.2 %11.2Jefferson CountyJefferson County: 11 %11Skamania CountySkamania County: 11 %11Lincoln CountyLincoln County: 10.7 %10.7Chelan CountyChelan County: 10.2 %10.2Pierce CountyPierce County: 9.9 %9.9Thurston CountyThurston County: 9.9 %9.9Skagit CountySkagit County: 9.7 %9.7San Juan CountySan Juan County: 9.4 %9.4King CountyKing County: 8.8 %8.8Snohomish CountySnohomish County: 8.8 %8.8Kitsap CountyKitsap County: 8.7 %8.7Island CountyIsland County: 8.6 %8.6Clark CountyClark County: 7.5 %7.5
%. Source: U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 2026-10-08.

Full ranking

RankCounties2023 (%)Change on 2022
1Whitman County24.8+5.3 pts
2Ferry County17.2+0.9 pts
3Okanogan County16.7-0.2 pts
4Yakima County16.1-0.4 pts
5Grant County15.2+1 pts
5Kittitas County15.2+4.2 pts
7Adams County15.1+0.5 pts
7Grays Harbor County15.1-3.2 pts
9Asotin County14.9-1.1 pts
9Walla Walla County14.9+1.8 pts
11Pend Oreille County14.4-1.2 pts
12Garfield County14.1+1.8 pts
13Lewis County13.7+2 pts
14Columbia County13.6+1.8 pts
15Cowlitz County13.20 pts
16Pacific County13.1-0.5 pts
17Whatcom County12.9+1.4 pts
18Franklin County12.8+2 pts
19Spokane County12.5+0.3 pts
20Mason County12+0.6 pts
21Clallam County11.9+0.1 pts
21Klickitat County11.9-0.2 pts
21Stevens County11.9-1.1 pts
24Douglas County11.8+3.2 pts
25Wahkiakum County11.3-0.1 pts
26Benton County11.2+0.3 pts
27Jefferson County11-0.2 pts
27Skamania County11+1.4 pts
29Lincoln County10.7-0.1 pts
30Chelan County10.2+0.9 pts
31Pierce County9.9+0.8 pts
31Thurston County9.9+1.2 pts
33Skagit County9.7-1.7 pts
34San Juan County9.4-0.1 pts
35King County8.8+0.3 pts
35Snohomish County8.8+0.3 pts
37Kitsap County8.7-0.8 pts
38Island County8.6+2 pts
39Clark County7.5-1.1 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/2023/2023-state-and-county/est23all.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 24.8% in 2023, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which county has the lowest poverty rate?

Clark County, with 7.5% in 2023.

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