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

Arvin, CA had the highest poverty rate (US five-year survey estimate) of 376 cities in 2023, at 31.7%. Orinda, CA had the lowest, at 2.1%. The median was 10.2% and the figure for California was 12%. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

Keep it in a collection in your library.
Highest31.7Arvin, CA
Lowest2.1Orinda, CA
Median10.2376 cities
California12History

Top 40 cities, 2023

Arvin, CA: 31.7 %Arvin, CA31.7Mendota, CA: 30.3 %Mendota, CA30.3San Luis Obispo, CA: 30 %San Luis Obispo, CA30Lindsay, CA: 29.9 %Lindsay, CA29.9Parlier, CA: 29.9 %Parlier, CA29.9Arcata, CA: 29.6 %Arcata, CA29.6Dinuba, CA: 28.2 %Dinuba, CA28.2Cudahy, CA: 27.9 %Cudahy, CA27.9McFarland, CA: 27.5 %McFarland, CA27.5Madera, CA: 26 %Madera, CA26Clearlake, CA: 25.4 %Clearlake, CA25.4Kerman, CA: 25.3 %Kerman, CA25.3Davis, CA: 25.1 %Davis, CA25.1California City, CA: 24.3 %California City, CA24.3Farmersville, CA: 24.2 %Farmersville, CA24.2Corcoran, CA: 23.9 %Corcoran, CA23.9South El Monte, CA: 23.8 %South El Monte, CA23.8Barstow, CA: 23.2 %Barstow, CA23.2Merced, CA: 23 %Merced, CA23Bell, CA: 22.8 %Bell, CA22.8Marysville, CA: 22.5 %Marysville, CA22.5Chowchilla, CA: 22.3 %Chowchilla, CA22.3Coalinga, CA: 22.2 %Coalinga, CA22.2Chico, CA: 22.1 %Chico, CA22.1Avenal, CA: 22.1 %Avenal, CA22.1Bell Gardens, CA: 21.8 %Bell Gardens, CA21.8Oroville, CA: 21.8 %Oroville, CA21.8Shafter, CA: 21.3 %Shafter, CA21.3Calexico, CA: 21 %Calexico, CA21Fresno, CA: 20.9 %Fresno, CA20.9Brawley, CA: 20.9 %Brawley, CA20.9Grass Valley, CA: 20.7 %Grass Valley, CA20.7Anderson, CA: 20.4 %Anderson, CA20.4El Centro, CA: 20.1 %El Centro, CA20.1Atwater, CA: 20 %Atwater, CA20El Cajon, CA: 20 %El Cajon, CA20Victorville, CA: 20 %Victorville, CA20Selma, CA: 19.8 %Selma, CA19.8King City, CA: 19.8 %King City, CA19.8Reedley, CA: 19.7 %Reedley, CA19.7Arvin, CA: 31.7 %Arvin, CA31.7Mendota, CA: 30.3 %Mendota, CA30.3San Luis Obispo, CA: 30 %San Luis Obispo, CA30Lindsay, CA: 29.9 %Lindsay, CA29.9Parlier, CA: 29.9 %Parlier, CA29.9Arcata, CA: 29.6 %Arcata, CA29.6Dinuba, CA: 28.2 %Dinuba, CA28.2Cudahy, CA: 27.9 %Cudahy, CA27.9McFarland, CA: 27.5 %McFarland, CA27.5Madera, CA: 26 %Madera, CA26Clearlake, CA: 25.4 %Clearlake, CA25.4Kerman, CA: 25.3 %Kerman, CA25.3Davis, CA: 25.1 %Davis, CA25.1California City, CA: 24.3 %California City, CA24.3Farmersville, CA: 24.2 %Farmersville, CA24.2Corcoran, CA: 23.9 %Corcoran, CA23.9South El Monte, CA: 23.8 %South El Monte, CA23.8Barstow, CA: 23.2 %Barstow, CA23.2Merced, CA: 23 %Merced, CA23Bell, CA: 22.8 %Bell, CA22.8Marysville, CA: 22.5 %Marysville, CA22.5Chowchilla, CA: 22.3 %Chowchilla, CA22.3Coalinga, CA: 22.2 %Coalinga, CA22.2Chico, CA: 22.1 %Chico, CA22.1Avenal, CA: 22.1 %Avenal, CA22.1Bell Gardens, CA: 21.8 %Bell Gardens, CA21.8Oroville, CA: 21.8 %Oroville, CA21.8Shafter, CA: 21.3 %Shafter, CA21.3Calexico, CA: 21 %Calexico, CA21Fresno, CA: 20.9 %Fresno, CA20.9Brawley, CA: 20.9 %Brawley, CA20.9Grass Valley, CA: 20.7 %Grass Valley, CA20.7Anderson, CA: 20.4 %Anderson, CA20.4El Centro, CA: 20.1 %El Centro, CA20.1Atwater, CA: 20 %Atwater, CA20El Cajon, CA: 20 %El Cajon, CA20Victorville, CA: 20 %Victorville, CA20Selma, CA: 19.8 %Selma, CA19.8King City, CA: 19.8 %King City, CA19.8Reedley, CA: 19.7 %Reedley, CA19.7
%. Source: Invokely calculation with data from U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankCities2023 (%)Change on 2022
1Arvin, CA31.7+3 pts
2Mendota, CA30.3-2.4 pts
3San Luis Obispo, CA30-1.5 pts
4Lindsay, CA29.9-4 pts
4Parlier, CA29.9+2.5 pts
6Arcata, CA29.6-4.9 pts
7Dinuba, CA28.2+0.3 pts
8Cudahy, CA27.9+1.2 pts
9McFarland, CA27.5+0.7 pts
10Madera, CA26-1.7 pts
11Clearlake, CA25.4+0.8 pts
12Kerman, CA25.3+3.4 pts
13Davis, CA25.1-1.2 pts
14California City, CA24.3+1.1 pts
15Farmersville, CA24.2-0.4 pts
16Corcoran, CA23.9-3.8 pts
17South El Monte, CA23.8+2.6 pts
18Barstow, CA23.2+0.7 pts
19Merced, CA23-2.2 pts
20Bell, CA22.8-0.5 pts
21Marysville, CA22.5-1.7 pts
22Chowchilla, CA22.3+5.6 pts
23Coalinga, CA22.2+3.5 pts
24Chico, CA22.1-0.2 pts
25Avenal, CA22.1+1.9 pts
26Bell Gardens, CA21.8-1.8 pts
26Oroville, CA21.8-1.4 pts
28Shafter, CA21.3-1.4 pts
29Calexico, CA21-1.6 pts
30Fresno, CA20.9-1.2 pts
31Brawley, CA20.9-2.7 pts
32Grass Valley, CA20.7+2.5 pts
33Anderson, CA20.4+1.3 pts
34El Centro, CA20.1-1 pts
35Atwater, CA20+2.5 pts
36El Cajon, CA20+1.2 pts
37Victorville, CA20+0.8 pts
38Selma, CA19.8-1.4 pts
39King City, CA19.8+0.6 pts
40Reedley, CA19.7+3.6 pts
41Blythe, CA19.5-3.3 pts
42San Bernardino, CA19.5-0.6 pts
43Desert Hot Springs, CA19.2-1.8 pts
44Yucca Valley, CA19.2-1 pts
45Wasco, CA19.2-1.4 pts
46Banning, CA19.1+0.2 pts
47Maywood, CA18.6-1.7 pts
48Tulare, CA18+0.6 pts
49Paradise, CA18+1.5 pts
50Hawaiian Gardens, CA18+3.5 pts
51Porterville, CA17.9+0.2 pts
52Red Bluff, CA17.6-3.3 pts
53Huntington Park, CA17.6-0.3 pts
53Santa Cruz, CA17.6-1.1 pts
55Eureka, CA17.6-1.7 pts
56Hesperia, CA17.5-0.6 pts
57Lynwood, CA17.4+1.3 pts
58El Monte, CA17.2+0.3 pts
59Apple Valley, CA17.2+0.2 pts
59Exeter, CA17.2-2.1 pts
61Compton, CA17.1-0.6 pts
62Susanville, CA16.9-0.6 pts
63Lompoc, CA16.8-0.4 pts
64Fortuna, CA16.8+2.2 pts
65Berkeley, CA16.8-0.9 pts
66Montclair, CA16.7+1.8 pts
67Highland, CA16.7+0.8 pts
68Los Angeles, CA16.6-0.1 pts
69San Jacinto, CA16.5-0.6 pts
70Adelanto, CA16.4-1.5 pts
71Hawthorne, CA16.4+0.7 pts
72Ukiah, CA16.3-0.5 pts
73Los Banos, CA16.2+1.2 pts
74Shasta Lake, CA16.1-2.1 pts
75Hemet, CA16-1.3 pts
76Bakersfield, CA16-0.5 pts
77Delano, CA15.9-3.7 pts
78Soledad, CA15.8-1.4 pts
79Westminster, CA15.8+0.1 pts
80Livingston, CA15.8-0.8 pts
81Placerville, CA15.7-0.3 pts
82Yuba City, CA15.6+1.9 pts
83Santa Maria, CA15.5+2 pts
84Lancaster, CA15.5-2.2 pts
85Twentynine Palms, CA15.4-1.8 pts
86Stockton, CA15.4-0.3 pts
87Santa Paula, CA15.3-1.9 pts
88Colton, CA15.3-0.1 pts
89Cathedral City, CA15.3-2 pts
90Imperial Beach, CA15.3-0.1 pts
91Watsonville, CA15.2+1.3 pts
92Long Beach, CA15-0.1 pts
93Lemoore, CA14.9-0 pts
93Seaside, CA14.9+2 pts
95Hanford, CA14.9+0.3 pts
95Inglewood, CA14.9-0.5 pts
97Palmdale, CA14.6+0.5 pts
98Marina, CA14.6+3.6 pts
99Ceres, CA14.4-0.9 pts
100Sacramento, CA14.4-0.4 pts
101Salinas, CA14.30 pts
102Pomona, CA14.2-0.7 pts
103Sanger, CA14.1-1.7 pts
104Rosemead, CA14.1+1.5 pts
105National City, CA14-0.1 pts
106Riverbank, CA13.9+0.6 pts
107Oakland, CA13.7+0.5 pts
108Palm Springs, CA13.7-0.2 pts
109Commerce, CA13.7+0.2 pts
109Richmond, CA13.7-0.7 pts
111Redding, CA13.6-0.5 pts
112Oakdale, CA13.5+0.5 pts
113Lodi, CA13.5-0.8 pts
114Glendale, CA13.4+0.1 pts
115Escondido, CA13.4+0.2 pts
116West Sacramento, CA13.4-1 pts
117Paramount, CA13.3-0.1 pts
118Newman, CA13.3+5.1 pts
119South Gate, CA13.2-0.5 pts
120Pasadena, CA13.2-0.2 pts
121Bellflower, CA13.2-1 pts
121Monterey Park, CA13.2+1.2 pts
123Baldwin Park, CA13.2-0.6 pts
124West Hollywood, CA13.1+0.4 pts
125Santa Barbara, CA13.1+0.1 pts
126Modesto, CA13-0.8 pts
127Montebello, CA12.8-0.2 pts
128El Paso de Robles (Paso Robles), CA12.8+1.8 pts
129Auburn, CA12.8-1.7 pts
129Grover Beach, CA12.8+2.2 pts
131Ontario, CA12.7-0.2 pts
132Rialto, CA12.6-0.4 pts
133Azusa, CA12.6-0.7 pts
134Riverside, CA12.5-0.2 pts
135Anaheim, CA12.5-0.1 pts
136Imperial, CA12.5+1.4 pts
137South Lake Tahoe, CA12.4-0.9 pts
138Wildomar, CA12.3+2.4 pts
139San Gabriel, CA12.3-0.6 pts
140Lawndale, CA12.3+1.8 pts
141Alhambra, CA12.3-0.3 pts
142Lomita, CA12.2+0.1 pts
143Fullerton, CA12.2-0.1 pts
143Garden Grove, CA12.2-0.4 pts
145Greenfield, CA12.2-0 pts
146Vallejo, CA12+0.5 pts
147San Pablo, CA12+0.2 pts
148Stanton, CA11.9-1 pts
149Tehachapi, CA11.9-0.7 pts
150Perris, CA11.9-0.9 pts
151Moreno Valley, CA11.9-1 pts
152La Mesa, CA11.70 pts
153Irvine, CA11.7-0.8 pts
154Ridgecrest, CA11.7+1.1 pts
155Santa Monica, CA11.6-0 pts
156Indio, CA11.6-1.6 pts
157Jurupa Valley, CA11.6+1.3 pts
157Loma Linda, CA11.6-1.2 pts
159Palm Desert, CA11.3-1.6 pts
159Visalia, CA11.3-1.3 pts
161Healdsburg, CA11.3+0.5 pts
162Laguna Woods, CA11.3+0.7 pts
163Rancho Cordova, CA11.2-0.4 pts
164Antioch, CA11.2-1 pts
165San Diego, CA11.1-0.3 pts
166Santa Ana, CA11.1-0.4 pts
166Santa Fe Springs, CA11.1+0.8 pts
168Gardena, CA11.1-0 pts
169Pittsburg, CA11+1.2 pts
170Rancho Mirage, CA10.9-0.1 pts
171San Rafael, CA10.9+2 pts
172Turlock, CA10.8-2.2 pts
173Oxnard, CA10.8+0.2 pts
174Port Hueneme, CA10.8-2.2 pts
175Burbank, CA10.7+0.1 pts
176Goleta, CA10.6-0.9 pts
177San Francisco, CA10.6+0.1 pts
178Coachella, CA10.6-0.6 pts
179San Fernando, CA10.6-0.5 pts
180Monrovia, CA10.5+0.4 pts
181Fairfield, CA10.5+1.2 pts
182Monterey, CA10.5-0.2 pts
183San Buenaventura (Ventura), CA10.4+0.8 pts
184Manteca, CA10.4+0.4 pts
184Tustin, CA10.4+0.3 pts
186Fontana, CA10.3-0.2 pts
187Lemon Grove, CA10.3+0.3 pts
188Rohnert Park, CA10.2+0.5 pts
188San Marcos, CA10.2+0.4 pts
190Vista, CA10.2-0.8 pts
191Hollister, CA10+0.5 pts
192Atascadero, CA10+1.2 pts
193Morro Bay, CA9.9+0.2 pts
194La Puente, CA9.9+0.3 pts
195Citrus Heights, CA9.8-0.3 pts
196Norwalk, CA9.7+0.7 pts
196West Covina, CA9.7+0.4 pts
198East Palo Alto, CA9.7-2.5 pts
199La Habra, CA9.7-0.1 pts
200Pico Rivera, CA9.60 pts
201Menifee, CA9.6+0.6 pts
202Emeryville, CA9.6-2.6 pts
203Santa Rosa, CA9.5-0.5 pts
204Hayward, CA9.5-0.1 pts
204Temple City, CA9.5-0.7 pts
206Lake Elsinore, CA9.4-1 pts
207Los Alamitos, CA9.3+0.6 pts
208Calabasas, CA9.2+0.2 pts
209Beaumont, CA9.2+1.3 pts
210San Dimas, CA9.2-0.1 pts
211Orange, CA9.2-0.1 pts
212Downey, CA9.1-0.3 pts
213Diamond Bar, CA9.1+0.5 pts
214Signal Hill, CA9.1-0.4 pts
215Corona, CA9.1+0.5 pts
215La Quinta, CA9.1-0.5 pts
217Beverly Hills, CA9-1.2 pts
218Upland, CA9-1.5 pts
219Carson, CA9-0.2 pts
220Novato, CA9+0.3 pts
221Costa Mesa, CA8.9-0.5 pts
221Covina, CA8.9+1.2 pts
223Artesia, CA8.9+1.6 pts
223Concord, CA8.9-0.3 pts
225Yucaipa, CA8.9+0.4 pts
226Whittier, CA8.8+0.1 pts
227Canyon Lake, CA8.7-0.3 pts
228Napa, CA8.7+0.6 pts
229Suisun City, CA8.7-0.3 pts
230San Leandro, CA8.6+0.3 pts
231Buena Park, CA8.6-0.2 pts
232Lathrop, CA8.6+0.1 pts
232Walnut, CA8.6+0.8 pts
234Patterson, CA8.6+0.7 pts
235Placentia, CA8.5+0.3 pts
235Santee, CA8.5+0.1 pts
237Sonoma, CA8.5-0.3 pts
238Chula Vista, CA8.4-0.4 pts
239Dixon, CA8.4+1.3 pts
240Moraga, CA8.4+0.6 pts
241Kingsburg, CA8.4-1.2 pts
242Lake Forest, CA8.3+1 pts
243Albany, CA8.3-0.8 pts
244La Verne, CA8.2-0.3 pts
245Woodland, CA8.2-1.2 pts
246Oceanside, CA8.1-1.1 pts
247Rancho Cucamonga, CA8+0.5 pts
247Thousand Oaks, CA8+0.2 pts
249Rio Vista, CA8-1.2 pts
250San Mateo, CA7.9+0.7 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/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-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), 2023) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-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), 2023. U.S. Census Bureau, 29 Jan. 2026, https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-b17001.dat. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/poverty-rate-acs/california-cities?period=2023. 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), 2023. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-b17001.dat. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/poverty-rate-acs/california-cities?period=2023.

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), 2023 [Dataset]. Available at: https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-b17001.dat, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/poverty-rate-acs/california-cities?period=2023 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{census_cities_in_california_by_2023,
  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), 2023}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-b17001.dat},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/poverty-rate-acs/california-cities?period=2023. 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/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-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), 2023
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/01/29
PB  - U.S. Census Bureau
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-b17001.dat
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/poverty-rate-acs/california-cities?period=2023
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/poverty-rate-acs/california-cities?period=2023.
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/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-b17001.dat. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER  - 
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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}
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Questions

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

Arvin, CA, with 31.7% in 2023, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

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

Orinda, CA, with 2.1% 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, 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