Cities in California by poverty rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2024

Arvin, CA had the highest poverty rate (US five-year survey estimate) of 376 cities in 2024, at 34.6%. Orinda, CA had the lowest, at 2.2%. The median was 10.3% and the figure for California was 12%. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

Keep it in a collection in your library.
Highest34.6Arvin, CA
Lowest2.2Orinda, CA
Median10.3376 cities
California12History

Top 40 cities, 2024

Arvin, CA: 34.6 %Arvin, CA34.6Lindsay, CA: 33.1 %Lindsay, CA33.1San Luis Obispo, CA: 30.4 %San Luis Obispo, CA30.4Cudahy, CA: 28.7 %Cudahy, CA28.7Mendota, CA: 27.5 %Mendota, CA27.5Arcata, CA: 27.2 %Arcata, CA27.2Parlier, CA: 27.1 %Parlier, CA27.1Dinuba, CA: 26.8 %Dinuba, CA26.8Davis, CA: 26.5 %Davis, CA26.5Madera, CA: 25.6 %Madera, CA25.6Clearlake, CA: 25.5 %Clearlake, CA25.5Marysville, CA: 24.5 %Marysville, CA24.5McFarland, CA: 24.1 %McFarland, CA24.1Merced, CA: 23.9 %Merced, CA23.9Barstow, CA: 23.1 %Barstow, CA23.1King City, CA: 23 %King City, CA23Farmersville, CA: 22.9 %Farmersville, CA22.9California City, CA: 22.8 %California City, CA22.8Chico, CA: 22.7 %Chico, CA22.7Reedley, CA: 22.3 %Reedley, CA22.3Grass Valley, CA: 22.1 %Grass Valley, CA22.1Coalinga, CA: 21.7 %Coalinga, CA21.7Bell, CA: 21.6 %Bell, CA21.6El Centro, CA: 21.6 %El Centro, CA21.6Oroville, CA: 21.4 %Oroville, CA21.4Brawley, CA: 21.3 %Brawley, CA21.3Kerman, CA: 21.3 %Kerman, CA21.3Anderson, CA: 21.2 %Anderson, CA21.2Atwater, CA: 21 %Atwater, CA21South El Monte, CA: 20.9 %South El Monte, CA20.9Shafter, CA: 20.7 %Shafter, CA20.7Corcoran, CA: 20.7 %Corcoran, CA20.7El Cajon, CA: 20.5 %El Cajon, CA20.5Fresno, CA: 20.1 %Fresno, CA20.1Bell Gardens, CA: 20 %Bell Gardens, CA20Calexico, CA: 19.7 %Calexico, CA19.7Chowchilla, CA: 19.6 %Chowchilla, CA19.6Maywood, CA: 19.4 %Maywood, CA19.4Avenal, CA: 19.2 %Avenal, CA19.2Selma, CA: 19 %Selma, CA19Arvin, CA: 34.6 %Arvin, CA34.6Lindsay, CA: 33.1 %Lindsay, CA33.1San Luis Obispo, CA: 30.4 %San Luis Obispo, CA30.4Cudahy, CA: 28.7 %Cudahy, CA28.7Mendota, CA: 27.5 %Mendota, CA27.5Arcata, CA: 27.2 %Arcata, CA27.2Parlier, CA: 27.1 %Parlier, CA27.1Dinuba, CA: 26.8 %Dinuba, CA26.8Davis, CA: 26.5 %Davis, CA26.5Madera, CA: 25.6 %Madera, CA25.6Clearlake, CA: 25.5 %Clearlake, CA25.5Marysville, CA: 24.5 %Marysville, CA24.5McFarland, CA: 24.1 %McFarland, CA24.1Merced, CA: 23.9 %Merced, CA23.9Barstow, CA: 23.1 %Barstow, CA23.1King City, CA: 23 %King City, CA23Farmersville, CA: 22.9 %Farmersville, CA22.9California City, CA: 22.8 %California City, CA22.8Chico, CA: 22.7 %Chico, CA22.7Reedley, CA: 22.3 %Reedley, CA22.3Grass Valley, CA: 22.1 %Grass Valley, CA22.1Coalinga, CA: 21.7 %Coalinga, CA21.7Bell, CA: 21.6 %Bell, CA21.6El Centro, CA: 21.6 %El Centro, CA21.6Oroville, CA: 21.4 %Oroville, CA21.4Brawley, CA: 21.3 %Brawley, CA21.3Kerman, CA: 21.3 %Kerman, CA21.3Anderson, CA: 21.2 %Anderson, CA21.2Atwater, CA: 21 %Atwater, CA21South El Monte, CA: 20.9 %South El Monte, CA20.9Shafter, CA: 20.7 %Shafter, CA20.7Corcoran, CA: 20.7 %Corcoran, CA20.7El Cajon, CA: 20.5 %El Cajon, CA20.5Fresno, CA: 20.1 %Fresno, CA20.1Bell Gardens, CA: 20 %Bell Gardens, CA20Calexico, CA: 19.7 %Calexico, CA19.7Chowchilla, CA: 19.6 %Chowchilla, CA19.6Maywood, CA: 19.4 %Maywood, CA19.4Avenal, CA: 19.2 %Avenal, CA19.2Selma, CA: 19 %Selma, CA19
%. Source: Invokely calculation with data from U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankCities2024 (%)Change on 2023
1Arvin, CA34.6+2.9 pts
2Lindsay, CA33.1+3.2 pts
3San Luis Obispo, CA30.4+0.4 pts
4Cudahy, CA28.7+0.8 pts
5Mendota, CA27.5-2.8 pts
6Arcata, CA27.2-2.4 pts
7Parlier, CA27.1-2.7 pts
8Dinuba, CA26.8-1.3 pts
9Davis, CA26.5+1.4 pts
10Madera, CA25.6-0.4 pts
11Clearlake, CA25.5+0.1 pts
12Marysville, CA24.5+2 pts
13McFarland, CA24.1-3.4 pts
14Merced, CA23.9+0.9 pts
15Barstow, CA23.1-0.2 pts
16King City, CA23+3.2 pts
17Farmersville, CA22.9-1.3 pts
18California City, CA22.8-1.5 pts
19Chico, CA22.7+0.6 pts
20Reedley, CA22.3+2.6 pts
21Grass Valley, CA22.1+1.4 pts
22Coalinga, CA21.7-0.6 pts
23Bell, CA21.6-1.2 pts
24El Centro, CA21.6+1.5 pts
25Oroville, CA21.4-0.4 pts
26Brawley, CA21.3+0.4 pts
27Kerman, CA21.3-4 pts
28Anderson, CA21.2+0.8 pts
29Atwater, CA21+0.9 pts
30South El Monte, CA20.9-2.8 pts
31Shafter, CA20.7-0.6 pts
32Corcoran, CA20.7-3.2 pts
33El Cajon, CA20.5+0.5 pts
34Fresno, CA20.1-0.8 pts
35Bell Gardens, CA20-1.9 pts
36Calexico, CA19.7-1.3 pts
37Chowchilla, CA19.6-2.7 pts
38Maywood, CA19.4+0.7 pts
39Avenal, CA19.2-2.9 pts
40Selma, CA19-0.8 pts
41Blythe, CA18.9-0.6 pts
42Banning, CA18.8-0.3 pts
42Red Bluff, CA18.8+1.1 pts
44San Bernardino, CA18.6-0.9 pts
45Wasco, CA18.4-0.8 pts
46Victorville, CA18.4-1.6 pts
47Huntington Park, CA18.3+0.7 pts
48Paradise, CA18.2+0.2 pts
49Fortuna, CA18.2+1.4 pts
50Eureka, CA18.1+0.6 pts
51Desert Hot Springs, CA18-1.2 pts
52Lynwood, CA18+0.6 pts
53Tulare, CA17.9-0.1 pts
54Compton, CA17.9+0.8 pts
55Ukiah, CA17.9+1.6 pts
56Montclair, CA17.7+1 pts
57Susanville, CA17.6+0.7 pts
58El Monte, CA17.5+0.2 pts
59Los Banos, CA17.4+1.2 pts
60Porterville, CA17.3-0.6 pts
60Santa Maria, CA17.3+1.8 pts
62Berkeley, CA17.3+0.5 pts
62Lompoc, CA17.3+0.4 pts
64Adelanto, CA17.2+0.9 pts
65Highland, CA17.1+0.4 pts
66Livingston, CA17.1+1.3 pts
67Santa Cruz, CA17-0.6 pts
68Hesperia, CA17-0.5 pts
69Soledad, CA16.7+0.9 pts
70Apple Valley, CA16.6-0.6 pts
71Los Angeles, CA16.60 pts
72Bakersfield, CA16.3+0.3 pts
73Hawaiian Gardens, CA16.3-1.6 pts
74San Jacinto, CA16.1-0.3 pts
75Seaside, CA16+1.1 pts
76Delano, CA16+0.1 pts
77Ceres, CA15.9+1.5 pts
78Placerville, CA15.9+0.2 pts
79Sanger, CA15.8+1.6 pts
80Palmdale, CA15.7+1.1 pts
81Yucca Valley, CA15.7-3.5 pts
82Lancaster, CA15.6+0.1 pts
83Hawthorne, CA15.5-0.8 pts
84Stockton, CA15.5+0.1 pts
85Lemoore, CA15.1+0.2 pts
86Hemet, CA14.9-1.1 pts
87Imperial Beach, CA14.8-0.4 pts
88Long Beach, CA14.8-0.2 pts
89Oakdale, CA14.8+1.2 pts
90Watsonville, CA14.7-0.4 pts
91Inglewood, CA14.6-0.2 pts
92National City, CA14.6+0.6 pts
93Hanford, CA14.5-0.3 pts
94Twentynine Palms, CA14.5-0.9 pts
95Westminster, CA14.4-1.5 pts
96Pomona, CA14.3+0.2 pts
97Yuba City, CA14.3-1.3 pts
98Santa Paula, CA14.2-1.1 pts
99Exeter, CA14.2-3 pts
100Laguna Woods, CA14.2+2.9 pts
101Redding, CA14.1+0.5 pts
102Santa Barbara, CA14+0.9 pts
103Tehachapi, CA13.9+2 pts
104Sacramento, CA13.9-0.4 pts
105Emeryville, CA13.8+4.3 pts
106Colton, CA13.7-1.6 pts
107Rosemead, CA13.7-0.4 pts
108Salinas, CA13.6-0.6 pts
109Richmond, CA13.6-0.1 pts
110Baldwin Park, CA13.5+0.3 pts
111Oakland, CA13.4-0.3 pts
112Stanton, CA13.4+1.4 pts
113Modesto, CA13.3+0.3 pts
114Pasadena, CA13.3+0.1 pts
115Shasta Lake, CA13.3-2.8 pts
116Bellflower, CA13.3+0.1 pts
117Azusa, CA13.2+0.6 pts
118Cathedral City, CA13.1-2.2 pts
119El Paso de Robles (Paso Robles), CA13.1+0.3 pts
120Lawndale, CA13+0.8 pts
121Auburn, CA13+0.2 pts
121Santa Fe Springs, CA13+1.9 pts
123Lomita, CA13+0.8 pts
124Glendale, CA12.9-0.5 pts
125West Hollywood, CA12.9-0.2 pts
126West Sacramento, CA12.8-0.5 pts
127Riverbank, CA12.8-1.1 pts
128Rialto, CA12.7+0.1 pts
128South Gate, CA12.7-0.5 pts
130Alhambra, CA12.6+0.4 pts
131San Pablo, CA12.6+0.6 pts
132Paramount, CA12.6-0.7 pts
133Ridgecrest, CA12.5+0.9 pts
134Imperial, CA12.5+0.1 pts
135Lodi, CA12.5-1.1 pts
136Anaheim, CA12.4-0 pts
137Ontario, CA12.4-0.3 pts
138Commerce, CA12.4-1.3 pts
138Monterey Park, CA12.4-0.8 pts
140Fullerton, CA12.3+0.1 pts
140Garden Grove, CA12.3+0.1 pts
142Loma Linda, CA12.3+0.7 pts
143Newman, CA12.2-1 pts
144Vallejo, CA12.2+0.2 pts
145Escondido, CA12.2-1.2 pts
145Marina, CA12.2-2.4 pts
147Rancho Cordova, CA12.2+1 pts
148Riverside, CA12.2-0.3 pts
149Montebello, CA12.1-0.7 pts
150Gardena, CA11.8+0.8 pts
151Palm Springs, CA11.8-1.9 pts
152Grover Beach, CA11.8-1 pts
153Moreno Valley, CA11.7-0.2 pts
154Rancho Mirage, CA11.7+0.7 pts
154San Rafael, CA11.7+0.8 pts
156Healdsburg, CA11.6+0.3 pts
157La Mesa, CA11.5-0.2 pts
157Visalia, CA11.5+0.2 pts
159Indio, CA11.5-0.1 pts
160Port Hueneme, CA11.4+0.7 pts
161Greenfield, CA11.4-0.8 pts
162Antioch, CA11.4+0.2 pts
163Atascadero, CA11.4+1.4 pts
164La Puente, CA11.4+1.4 pts
165Turlock, CA11.3+0.4 pts
166Pittsburg, CA11.2+0.2 pts
167Santa Monica, CA11.2-0.4 pts
168San Francisco, CA11.2+0.6 pts
169Oxnard, CA11.1+0.2 pts
170Jurupa Valley, CA11-0.6 pts
170Palm Desert, CA11-0.3 pts
172San Diego, CA11-0.1 pts
173La Habra, CA10.9+1.2 pts
174Irvine, CA10.9-0.8 pts
175Santa Ana, CA10.8-0.3 pts
176Kingsburg, CA10.8+2.4 pts
177Burbank, CA10.7-0 pts
178Perris, CA10.7-1.2 pts
179San Gabriel, CA10.6-1.7 pts
180Wildomar, CA10.6-1.8 pts
181Vista, CA10.5+0.4 pts
182Rohnert Park, CA10.5+0.3 pts
183San Buenaventura (Ventura), CA10.40 pts
184Sonoma, CA10.4+2 pts
185Monrovia, CA10.3-0.2 pts
185Pico Rivera, CA10.3+0.7 pts
187Rio Vista, CA10.3+2.4 pts
188East Palo Alto, CA10.3+0.6 pts
189Coachella, CA10.2-0.3 pts
190Dixon, CA10.2+1.8 pts
191Fairfield, CA10.2-0.3 pts
192Walnut, CA10.1+1.5 pts
193Diamond Bar, CA10+0.9 pts
194Beaumont, CA10+0.8 pts
195West Covina, CA10+0.3 pts
196Fontana, CA9.9-0.4 pts
197Tustin, CA9.9-0.5 pts
198San Dimas, CA9.9+0.7 pts
199San Fernando, CA9.9-0.7 pts
200Monterey, CA9.8-0.7 pts
201Santa Rosa, CA9.7+0.2 pts
202Hayward, CA9.6+0.1 pts
203Novato, CA9.6+0.6 pts
204Beverly Hills, CA9.6+0.6 pts
205Menifee, CA9.5-0.1 pts
206Manteca, CA9.5-0.9 pts
207Orange, CA9.5+0.3 pts
208Artesia, CA9.4+0.6 pts
208Lake Elsinore, CA9.4+0.1 pts
210South Lake Tahoe, CA9.3-3.1 pts
211Norwalk, CA9.3-0.4 pts
212American Canyon, CA9.3+1.8 pts
213Upland, CA9.3+0.3 pts
214Goleta, CA9.3-1.3 pts
215Lemon Grove, CA9.2-1.1 pts
215San Marcos, CA9.2-1 pts
217Costa Mesa, CA9.1+0.2 pts
218Yucaipa, CA9.1+0.2 pts
219Redlands, CA9.1+1.7 pts
220Whittier, CA9.1+0.2 pts
221Patterson, CA9+0.5 pts
222Downey, CA9-0.2 pts
223Los Alamitos, CA9-0.4 pts
223Truckee, CA9+1.7 pts
225Thousand Oaks, CA8.9+0.9 pts
226Covina, CA8.9-0 pts
227Calabasas, CA8.8-0.4 pts
228La Quinta, CA8.8-0.3 pts
229Buena Park, CA8.8+0.2 pts
230Chula Vista, CA8.8+0.3 pts
231Corona, CA8.7-0.3 pts
232Temple City, CA8.7-0.8 pts
233Carson, CA8.7-0.3 pts
234Arcadia, CA8.6+1.2 pts
235Citrus Heights, CA8.6-1.2 pts
236Camarillo, CA8.5+1 pts
237Lake Forest, CA8.5+0.3 pts
238Napa, CA8.5-0.2 pts
239La Verne, CA8.5+0.3 pts
240Morro Bay, CA8.5-1.5 pts
241Suisun City, CA8.4-0.3 pts
242Santa Clara, CA8.4+0.6 pts
243Duarte, CA8.4+0.6 pts
244Brentwood, CA8.4+0.6 pts
245San Leandro, CA8.3-0.3 pts
246San Juan Capistrano, CA8.3+1 pts
247Oceanside, CA8.3+0.1 pts
248Concord, CA8.2-0.6 pts
249Vacaville, CA8.2+0.8 pts
249Woodland, CA8.2+0.1 pts

Showing the top 250 of 376. The Excel download has every row.

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 cities 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, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more). https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2024-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, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more) (Cities in California by poverty rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2024) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2024-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, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more), Cities in California by poverty rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2024. U.S. Census Bureau, 29 Jan. 2026, https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2024-b17001.dat. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/poverty-rate-acs/california-cities. 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, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more). Cities in California by poverty rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2024. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2024-b17001.dat. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/poverty-rate-acs/california-cities.

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, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more), Cities in California by poverty rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2024 [Dataset]. Available at: https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2024-b17001.dat, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/poverty-rate-acs/california-cities (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{census_cities_in_california_by_2024,
  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, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more): Cities in California by poverty rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2024}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2024-b17001.dat},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/poverty-rate-acs/california-cities. 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, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more). https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary\_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2024-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, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more): Cities in California by poverty rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2024
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/01/29
PB  - U.S. Census Bureau
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2024-b17001.dat
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/poverty-rate-acs/california-cities
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/poverty-rate-acs/california-cities.
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, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more). https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2024-b17001.dat. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER  - 
Embed this chart

Paste this code into a web page or a blog post. The chart shows the latest figures as they are published, with the source and a link back to this page.

Sites that read oEmbed links, such as WordPress, can show the chart when you paste the link to this page.

Use this data in your AI agent

Invokely serves this figure to AI assistants through MCP and to code through a REST API, with the source and citation attached. Ask your assistant:

Rank Cities in California by poverty rate (US five-year survey estimate) using official data, and cite the source.
rank_places {"indicator":"poverty_rate_acs","level":"municipality","within":"California","limit":10}
GET https://invokely.ai/api/v1/rank?indicator=poverty_rate_acs&level=municipality&within=California&limit=10

Connect Claude, ChatGPT or Cursor in one step. The trial answers 25 calls a day without an account.

Questions

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

Arvin, CA, with 34.6% in 2024, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

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

Orinda, CA, with 2.2% in 2024.

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, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more). Retrieved 2026-10-12.

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

Cities in California: more rankings