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

Trinity County had the highest poverty rate (US five-year survey estimate) of 58 counties in 2022, at 22%. San Mateo County had the lowest, at 6.4%. The median was 13.1% and the figure for California was 12.1%. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

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Median13.158 counties
California12.1History

Map of counties, 2022

Alameda County: 9.2 %Alpine County: 13.7 %Amador County: 7.8 %Butte County: 18.2 %Calaveras County: 13.1 %Colusa County: 10.9 %Contra Costa County: 8.3 %Del Norte County: 14.3 %El Dorado County: 8.6 %Fresno County: 19.6 %Glenn County: 15.3 %Humboldt County: 19.8 %Imperial County: 21.1 %Inyo County: 11.9 %Kern County: 19.3 %Kings County: 16.2 %Lake County: 16.6 %Lassen County: 15.2 %Los Angeles County: 13.7 %Madera County: 20.1 %Marin County: 7 %Mariposa County: 16 %Mendocino County: 16.2 %Merced County: 18.5 %Modoc County: 16.9 %Mono County: 11.3 %Monterey County: 12.3 %Napa County: 7.9 %Nevada County: 10.4 %Orange County: 9.7 %Placer County: 6.8 %Plumas County: 10.9 %Riverside County: 11.4 %Sacramento County: 13.1 %San Benito County: 7.5 %San Bernardino County: 13.8 %San Diego County: 10.6 %San Francisco County: 10.5 %San Joaquin County: 12.9 %San Luis Obispo County: 12.6 %San Mateo County: 6.4 %Santa Barbara County: 13.5 %Santa Clara County: 6.9 %Santa Cruz County: 11.4 %Shasta County: 13.3 %Sierra County: 12.6 %Siskiyou County: 16.7 %Solano County: 9 %Sonoma County: 8.9 %Stanislaus County: 13.7 %Sutter County: 13.3 %Tehama County: 16.2 %Trinity County: 22 %Tulare County: 18.5 %Tuolumne County: 11.4 %Ventura County: 9 %Yolo County: 17.4 %Yuba County: 15.4 %
  • Under 8.9
  • 8.9 to 11
  • 11 to 13
  • 13 to 15
  • 15 to 17
  • 17 and over
%, 2022. Source: Invokely calculation with data from U.S. Census Bureau. Boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau cartographic boundary files.

All counties, 2022

Trinity County: 22 %Trinity County22Imperial County: 21.1 %Imperial County21.1Madera County: 20.1 %Madera County20.1Humboldt County: 19.8 %Humboldt County19.8Fresno County: 19.6 %Fresno County19.6Kern County: 19.3 %Kern County19.3Merced County: 18.5 %Merced County18.5Tulare County: 18.5 %Tulare County18.5Butte County: 18.2 %Butte County18.2Yolo County: 17.4 %Yolo County17.4Modoc County: 16.9 %Modoc County16.9Siskiyou County: 16.7 %Siskiyou County16.7Lake County: 16.6 %Lake County16.6Kings County: 16.2 %Kings County16.2Tehama County: 16.2 %Tehama County16.2Mendocino County: 16.2 %Mendocino County16.2Mariposa County: 16 %Mariposa County16Yuba County: 15.4 %Yuba County15.4Glenn County: 15.3 %Glenn County15.3Lassen County: 15.2 %Lassen County15.2Del Norte County: 14.3 %Del Norte County14.3San Bernardino County: 13.8 %San Bernardino County13.8Los Angeles County: 13.7 %Los Angeles County13.7Alpine County: 13.7 %Alpine County13.7Stanislaus County: 13.7 %Stanislaus County13.7Santa Barbara County: 13.5 %Santa Barbara County13.5Sutter County: 13.3 %Sutter County13.3Shasta County: 13.3 %Shasta County13.3Sacramento County: 13.1 %Sacramento County13.1Calaveras County: 13.1 %Calaveras County13.1San Joaquin County: 12.9 %San Joaquin County12.9San Luis Obispo County: 12.6 %San Luis Obispo County12.6Sierra County: 12.6 %Sierra County12.6Monterey County: 12.3 %Monterey County12.3Inyo County: 11.9 %Inyo County11.9Riverside County: 11.4 %Riverside County11.4Santa Cruz County: 11.4 %Santa Cruz County11.4Tuolumne County: 11.4 %Tuolumne County11.4Mono County: 11.3 %Mono County11.3Colusa County: 10.9 %Colusa County10.9Plumas County: 10.9 %Plumas County10.9San Diego County: 10.6 %San Diego County10.6San Francisco County: 10.5 %San Francisco County10.5Nevada County: 10.4 %Nevada County10.4Orange County: 9.7 %Orange County9.7Alameda County: 9.2 %Alameda County9.2Solano County: 9 %Solano County9Ventura County: 9 %Ventura County9Sonoma County: 8.9 %Sonoma County8.9El Dorado County: 8.6 %El Dorado County8.6Contra Costa County: 8.3 %Contra Costa County8.3Napa County: 7.9 %Napa County7.9Amador County: 7.8 %Amador County7.8San Benito County: 7.5 %San Benito County7.5Marin County: 7 %Marin County7Santa Clara County: 6.9 %Santa Clara County6.9Placer County: 6.8 %Placer County6.8San Mateo County: 6.4 %San Mateo County6.4Trinity County: 22 %Trinity County22Imperial County: 21.1 %Imperial County21.1Madera County: 20.1 %Madera County20.1Humboldt County: 19.8 %Humboldt County19.8Fresno County: 19.6 %Fresno County19.6Kern County: 19.3 %Kern County19.3Merced County: 18.5 %Merced County18.5Tulare County: 18.5 %Tulare County18.5Butte County: 18.2 %Butte County18.2Yolo County: 17.4 %Yolo County17.4Modoc County: 16.9 %Modoc County16.9Siskiyou County: 16.7 %Siskiyou County16.7Lake County: 16.6 %Lake County16.6Kings County: 16.2 %Kings County16.2Tehama County: 16.2 %Tehama County16.2Mendocino County: 16.2 %Mendocino County16.2Mariposa County: 16 %Mariposa County16Yuba County: 15.4 %Yuba County15.4Glenn County: 15.3 %Glenn County15.3Lassen County: 15.2 %Lassen County15.2Del Norte County: 14.3 %Del Norte County14.3San Bernardino County: 13.8 %San Bernardino County13.8Los Angeles County: 13.7 %Los Angeles County13.7Alpine County: 13.7 %Alpine County13.7Stanislaus County: 13.7 %Stanislaus County13.7Santa Barbara County: 13.5 %Santa Barbara County13.5Sutter County: 13.3 %Sutter County13.3Shasta County: 13.3 %Shasta County13.3Sacramento County: 13.1 %Sacramento County13.1Calaveras County: 13.1 %Calaveras County13.1San Joaquin County: 12.9 %San Joaquin County12.9San Luis Obispo County: 12.6 %San Luis Obispo County12.6Sierra County: 12.6 %Sierra County12.6Monterey County: 12.3 %Monterey County12.3Inyo County: 11.9 %Inyo County11.9Riverside County: 11.4 %Riverside County11.4Santa Cruz County: 11.4 %Santa Cruz County11.4Tuolumne County: 11.4 %Tuolumne County11.4Mono County: 11.3 %Mono County11.3Colusa County: 10.9 %Colusa County10.9Plumas County: 10.9 %Plumas County10.9San Diego County: 10.6 %San Diego County10.6San Francisco County: 10.5 %San Francisco County10.5Nevada County: 10.4 %Nevada County10.4Orange County: 9.7 %Orange County9.7Alameda County: 9.2 %Alameda County9.2Solano County: 9 %Solano County9Ventura County: 9 %Ventura County9Sonoma County: 8.9 %Sonoma County8.9El Dorado County: 8.6 %El Dorado County8.6Contra Costa County: 8.3 %Contra Costa County8.3Napa County: 7.9 %Napa County7.9Amador County: 7.8 %Amador County7.8San Benito County: 7.5 %San Benito County7.5Marin County: 7 %Marin County7Santa Clara County: 6.9 %Santa Clara County6.9Placer County: 6.8 %Placer County6.8San Mateo County: 6.4 %San Mateo County6.4
%. Source: Invokely calculation with data from U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankCounties2022 (%)Change on 2021
1Trinity County22-0.5 pts
2Imperial County21.10 pts
3Madera County20.1+0.5 pts
4Humboldt County19.8-0.4 pts
5Fresno County19.6-0.6 pts
6Kern County19.3-0.1 pts
7Merced County18.5-0.8 pts
8Tulare County18.5-1.3 pts
9Butte County18.2+0.5 pts
10Yolo County17.4+0.2 pts
11Modoc County16.9-2.7 pts
12Siskiyou County16.7-0 pts
13Lake County16.6-0.3 pts
14Kings County16.2-0.2 pts
15Tehama County16.2-1.8 pts
16Mendocino County16.2+0.3 pts
17Mariposa County16+2.8 pts
18Yuba County15.4+0.3 pts
19Glenn County15.3+0.2 pts
20Lassen County15.2+1.4 pts
21Del Norte County14.3-3 pts
22San Bernardino County13.8-0.5 pts
23Los Angeles County13.7-0.1 pts
24Alpine County13.7+0.8 pts
24Stanislaus County13.7+0.1 pts
26Santa Barbara County13.5+0.1 pts
27Sutter County13.3+0.7 pts
28Shasta County13.3-0.9 pts
29Sacramento County13.1-0.2 pts
30Calaveras County13.1-1.1 pts
31San Joaquin County12.9-0.6 pts
32San Luis Obispo County12.6+0.6 pts
32Sierra County12.6+4.4 pts
34Monterey County12.3+0.2 pts
35Inyo County11.9+1.1 pts
36Riverside County11.4-0.6 pts
37Santa Cruz County11.4+0.5 pts
38Tuolumne County11.4+1.5 pts
39Mono County11.3+1.3 pts
40Colusa County10.9-2.1 pts
41Plumas County10.9-1 pts
42San Diego County10.6-0.2 pts
43San Francisco County10.5+0.2 pts
44Nevada County10.4-0.1 pts
45Orange County9.7-0.2 pts
46Alameda County9.2+0.2 pts
47Solano County9+0.1 pts
48Ventura County9+0.1 pts
49Sonoma County8.9+0.2 pts
50El Dorado County8.6-0.1 pts
51Contra Costa County8.3+0.1 pts
52Napa County7.9+0.2 pts
53Amador County7.8-0.1 pts
54San Benito County7.5-0.2 pts
55Marin County70 pts
56Santa Clara County6.9+0.2 pts
57Placer County6.8-0.2 pts
58San Mateo County6.4+0.3 pts

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/2022/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2022-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 California by poverty rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2022) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2022/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2022-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 California by poverty rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2022. U.S. Census Bureau, 29 Jan. 2026, https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2022/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2022-b17001.dat. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/poverty-rate-acs/california-counties?period=2022. 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 California by poverty rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2022. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2022/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2022-b17001.dat. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/poverty-rate-acs/california-counties?period=2022.

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 California by poverty rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2022 [Dataset]. Available at: https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2022/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2022-b17001.dat, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/poverty-rate-acs/california-counties?period=2022 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{census_counties_in_california_by_2022,
  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 California by poverty rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2022}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2022/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2022-b17001.dat},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/poverty-rate-acs/california-counties?period=2022. 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/2022/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2022-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 California by poverty rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2022
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/01/29
PB  - U.S. Census Bureau
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2022/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2022-b17001.dat
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/poverty-rate-acs/california-counties?period=2022
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/poverty-rate-acs/california-counties?period=2022.
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/2022/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2022-b17001.dat. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER  - 
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Questions

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

Trinity County, with 22% in 2022, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

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

San Mateo County, with 6.4% 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, 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 California: more rankings