Data / Rankings / Poverty rate (US five-year survey estimate) / Counties in Alabama

Counties in Alabama by poverty rate (US five-year survey estimate)

Greene County had the highest poverty rate (US five-year survey estimate) of 67 counties in 2021, at 39.8%. Shelby County had the lowest, at 7%. The median was 17.5% and the figure for Alabama was 15.8%. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

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Highest39.8Greene County
Lowest7Shelby County
Median17.567 counties
Alabama15.8History

Map of counties, 2021

Autauga County: 13.6 %Baldwin County: 9.2 %Barbour County: 26.5 %Bibb County: 16.9 %Blount County: 13.2 %Bullock County: 30.9 %Butler County: 18.2 %Calhoun County: 17.5 %Chambers County: 15.1 %Cherokee County: 15 %Chilton County: 15.7 %Choctaw County: 21.6 %Clarke County: 21.9 %Clay County: 16.9 %Cleburne County: 14.2 %Coffee County: 15.9 %Colbert County: 15.1 %Conecuh County: 13 %Coosa County: 11.2 %Covington County: 18 %Crenshaw County: 13.1 %Cullman County: 12.2 %Dale County: 16.7 %Dallas County: 24.3 %DeKalb County: 20.6 %Elmore County: 10.3 %Escambia County: 23.5 %Etowah County: 16 %Fayette County: 21.3 %Franklin County: 18.1 %Geneva County: 23.5 %Greene County: 39.8 %Hale County: 24.9 %Henry County: 14.4 %Houston County: 17.7 %Jackson County: 17.6 %Jefferson County: 15.9 %Lamar County: 16.3 %Lauderdale County: 13.3 %Lawrence County: 15.4 %Lee County: 19.9 %Limestone County: 11.5 %Lowndes County: 21.5 %Macon County: 22.2 %Madison County: 10.9 %Marengo County: 22.3 %Marion County: 17.5 %Marshall County: 17.7 %Mobile County: 17.6 %Monroe County: 22.2 %Montgomery County: 19.6 %Morgan County: 14.6 %Perry County: 35.7 %Pickens County: 22.7 %Pike County: 23.8 %Randolph County: 18.2 %Russell County: 21.9 %St. Clair County: 12.1 %Shelby County: 7 %Sumter County: 31.6 %Talladega County: 18.6 %Tallapoosa County: 16.8 %Tuscaloosa County: 15.8 %Walker County: 16.9 %Washington County: 16.7 %Wilcox County: 27.4 %Winston County: 19.3 %
  • Under 13
  • 13 to 16
  • 16 to 18
  • 18 to 20
  • 20 to 23
  • 23 and over
%, 2021. Source: Invokely calculation with data from U.S. Census Bureau. Boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau cartographic boundary files.

Top 40 counties, 2021

Greene County: 39.8 %Greene County39.8Perry County: 35.7 %Perry County35.7Sumter County: 31.6 %Sumter County31.6Bullock County: 30.9 %Bullock County30.9Wilcox County: 27.4 %Wilcox County27.4Barbour County: 26.5 %Barbour County26.5Hale County: 24.9 %Hale County24.9Dallas County: 24.3 %Dallas County24.3Pike County: 23.8 %Pike County23.8Geneva County: 23.5 %Geneva County23.5Escambia County: 23.5 %Escambia County23.5Pickens County: 22.7 %Pickens County22.7Marengo County: 22.3 %Marengo County22.3Monroe County: 22.2 %Monroe County22.2Macon County: 22.2 %Macon County22.2Russell County: 21.9 %Russell County21.9Clarke County: 21.9 %Clarke County21.9Choctaw County: 21.6 %Choctaw County21.6Lowndes County: 21.5 %Lowndes County21.5Fayette County: 21.3 %Fayette County21.3DeKalb County: 20.6 %DeKalb County20.6Lee County: 19.9 %Lee County19.9Montgomery County: 19.6 %Montgomery County19.6Winston County: 19.3 %Winston County19.3Talladega County: 18.6 %Talladega County18.6Randolph County: 18.2 %Randolph County18.2Butler County: 18.2 %Butler County18.2Franklin County: 18.1 %Franklin County18.1Covington County: 18 %Covington County18Marshall County: 17.7 %Marshall County17.7Houston County: 17.7 %Houston County17.7Jackson County: 17.6 %Jackson County17.6Mobile County: 17.6 %Mobile County17.6Calhoun County: 17.5 %Calhoun County17.5Marion County: 17.5 %Marion County17.5Bibb County: 16.9 %Bibb County16.9Clay County: 16.9 %Clay County16.9Walker County: 16.9 %Walker County16.9Tallapoosa County: 16.8 %Tallapoosa County16.8Dale County: 16.7 %Dale County16.7Greene County: 39.8 %Greene County39.8Perry County: 35.7 %Perry County35.7Sumter County: 31.6 %Sumter County31.6Bullock County: 30.9 %Bullock County30.9Wilcox County: 27.4 %Wilcox County27.4Barbour County: 26.5 %Barbour County26.5Hale County: 24.9 %Hale County24.9Dallas County: 24.3 %Dallas County24.3Pike County: 23.8 %Pike County23.8Geneva County: 23.5 %Geneva County23.5Escambia County: 23.5 %Escambia County23.5Pickens County: 22.7 %Pickens County22.7Marengo County: 22.3 %Marengo County22.3Monroe County: 22.2 %Monroe County22.2Macon County: 22.2 %Macon County22.2Russell County: 21.9 %Russell County21.9Clarke County: 21.9 %Clarke County21.9Choctaw County: 21.6 %Choctaw County21.6Lowndes County: 21.5 %Lowndes County21.5Fayette County: 21.3 %Fayette County21.3DeKalb County: 20.6 %DeKalb County20.6Lee County: 19.9 %Lee County19.9Montgomery County: 19.6 %Montgomery County19.6Winston County: 19.3 %Winston County19.3Talladega County: 18.6 %Talladega County18.6Randolph County: 18.2 %Randolph County18.2Butler County: 18.2 %Butler County18.2Franklin County: 18.1 %Franklin County18.1Covington County: 18 %Covington County18Marshall County: 17.7 %Marshall County17.7Houston County: 17.7 %Houston County17.7Jackson County: 17.6 %Jackson County17.6Mobile County: 17.6 %Mobile County17.6Calhoun County: 17.5 %Calhoun County17.5Marion County: 17.5 %Marion County17.5Bibb County: 16.9 %Bibb County16.9Clay County: 16.9 %Clay County16.9Walker County: 16.9 %Walker County16.9Tallapoosa County: 16.8 %Tallapoosa County16.8Dale County: 16.7 %Dale County16.7
%. Source: Invokely calculation with data from U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankCounties2021 (%)
1Greene County39.8
2Perry County35.7
3Sumter County31.6
4Bullock County30.9
5Wilcox County27.4
6Barbour County26.5
7Hale County24.9
8Dallas County24.3
9Pike County23.8
10Geneva County23.5
11Escambia County23.5
12Pickens County22.7
13Marengo County22.3
14Monroe County22.2
15Macon County22.2
16Russell County21.9
17Clarke County21.9
18Choctaw County21.6
19Lowndes County21.5
20Fayette County21.3
21DeKalb County20.6
22Lee County19.9
23Montgomery County19.6
24Winston County19.3
25Talladega County18.6
26Randolph County18.2
27Butler County18.2
28Franklin County18.1
29Covington County18
30Marshall County17.7
31Houston County17.7
32Jackson County17.6
33Mobile County17.6
34Calhoun County17.5
35Marion County17.5
36Bibb County16.9
37Clay County16.9
37Walker County16.9
39Tallapoosa County16.8
40Dale County16.7
41Washington County16.7
42Lamar County16.3
43Etowah County16
44Coffee County15.9
45Jefferson County15.9
46Tuscaloosa County15.8
47Chilton County15.7
48Lawrence County15.4
49Colbert County15.1
50Chambers County15.1
51Cherokee County15
52Morgan County14.6
53Henry County14.4
54Cleburne County14.2
55Autauga County13.6
56Lauderdale County13.3
57Blount County13.2
58Crenshaw County13.1
59Conecuh County13
60Cullman County12.2
61St. Clair County12.1
62Limestone County11.5
63Coosa County11.2
64Madison County10.9
65Elmore County10.3
66Baldwin County9.2
67Shelby County7

Other periods

About this ranking

People with income in the past 12 months below the official US poverty thresholds, as a percentage of people whose poverty status is determined. United States: American Community Survey five-year estimate, where the period shown is the last year of the five-year span.

The headline single-year rate for states and counties is poverty_rate (SAIPE). Poverty status is not determined for people in institutions, military group quarters or college dormitories, or for unrelated children under 15. 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. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B17001: population with income in the past 12 months below the poverty level as a percentage of the population for whom poverty status is determined, calculated with stored inputs. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b17001.dat. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Citation styles

The publisher is the author. Invokely is named only as the place the figures were read, where a style asks for it.

APA 7

U.S. Census Bureau. (2026). American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B17001: population with income in the past 12 months below the poverty level as a percentage of the population for whom poverty status is determined, calculated with stored inputs (Counties in Alabama by poverty rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2021) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b17001.dat

MLA 9

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B17001: population with income in the past 12 months below the poverty level as a percentage of the population for whom poverty status is determined, calculated with stored inputs, Counties in Alabama by poverty rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2021. U.S. Census Bureau, 29 Jan. 2026, https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b17001.dat. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/poverty-rate-acs/alabama-counties?period=2021. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

Chicago (author-date)

U.S. Census Bureau. 2026. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B17001: population with income in the past 12 months below the poverty level as a percentage of the population for whom poverty status is determined, calculated with stored inputs. Counties in Alabama by poverty rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2021. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b17001.dat. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/poverty-rate-acs/alabama-counties?period=2021.

Harvard

U.S. Census Bureau (2026) American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B17001: population with income in the past 12 months below the poverty level as a percentage of the population for whom poverty status is determined, calculated with stored inputs, Counties in Alabama by poverty rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2021 [Dataset]. Available at: https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b17001.dat, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/poverty-rate-acs/alabama-counties?period=2021 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{census_counties_in_alabama_by_2021,
  author = {{U.S. Census Bureau}},
  title = {{American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B17001: population with income in the past 12 months below the poverty level as a percentage of the population for whom poverty status is determined, calculated with stored inputs: Counties in Alabama by poverty rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2021}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b17001.dat},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/poverty-rate-acs/alabama-counties?period=2021. Publisher attribution: U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B17001: population with income in the past 12 months below the poverty level as a percentage of the population for whom poverty status is determined, calculated with stored inputs. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary\_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b17001.dat. Retrieved 2026-10-12.},
}
RIS
TY  - DATA
AU  - U.S. Census Bureau
TI  - American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B17001: population with income in the past 12 months below the poverty level as a percentage of the population for whom poverty status is determined, calculated with stored inputs: Counties in Alabama by poverty rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2021
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/01/29
PB  - U.S. Census Bureau
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b17001.dat
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/poverty-rate-acs/alabama-counties?period=2021
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/poverty-rate-acs/alabama-counties?period=2021.
N1  - Publisher attribution: U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B17001: population with income in the past 12 months below the poverty level as a percentage of the population for whom poverty status is determined, calculated with stored inputs. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b17001.dat. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER  -
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Rank Counties in Alabama by poverty rate (US five-year survey estimate) using official data, and cite the source.
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Questions

Which county has the highest poverty rate (US five-year survey estimate)?

Greene County, with 39.8% in 2021, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which county has the lowest poverty rate (US five-year survey estimate)?

Shelby County, with 7% 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, American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B17001: population with income in the past 12 months below the poverty level as a percentage of the population for whom poverty status is determined, calculated with stored inputs. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Poverty rate (US five-year survey estimate): other rankings

Counties in Alabama: more rankings