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

Counties in Missouri by poverty rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2024

Pemiscot County had the highest poverty rate (US five-year survey estimate) of 115 counties in 2024, at 29.6%. St. Charles County had the lowest, at 5.2%. The median was 14.1% and the figure for Missouri was 12.6%. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

Keep it in a collection in your library.
Highest29.6Pemiscot County
Lowest5.2St. Charles County
Median14.1115 counties
Missouri12.6History

Map of counties, 2024

Adair County: 22 %Andrew County: 6.2 %Atchison County: 11.6 %Audrain County: 17.8 %Barry County: 15.2 %Barton County: 20.2 %Bates County: 15.9 %Benton County: 19.9 %Bollinger County: 13.6 %Boone County: 16.6 %Buchanan County: 16 %Butler County: 20.5 %Caldwell County: 10.3 %Callaway County: 11.7 %Camden County: 12.6 %Cape Girardeau County: 14 %Carroll County: 13.7 %Carter County: 20.8 %Cass County: 6.2 %Cedar County: 17 %Chariton County: 8.8 %Christian County: 8.2 %Clark County: 11.2 %Clay County: 8.5 %Clinton County: 12.3 %Cole County: 9.1 %Cooper County: 11.7 %Crawford County: 14.1 %Dade County: 12.6 %Dallas County: 20.5 %Daviess County: 11.4 %DeKalb County: 8.7 %Dent County: 12.2 %Douglas County: 17.6 %Dunklin County: 22 %Franklin County: 8.2 %Gasconade County: 12.6 %Gentry County: 17.9 %Greene County: 13.7 %Grundy County: 17.6 %Harrison County: 19.6 %Henry County: 14.3 %Hickory County: 19.8 %Holt County: 10.2 %Howard County: 12 %Howell County: 20.3 %Iron County: 19.3 %Jackson County: 14.1 %Jasper County: 17 %Jefferson County: 9 %Johnson County: 11.8 %Knox County: 11.9 %Laclede County: 18.2 %Lafayette County: 9.3 %Lawrence County: 14.5 %Lewis County: 12.7 %Lincoln County: 10.2 %Linn County: 13.7 %Livingston County: 11.9 %McDonald County: 16.8 %Macon County: 9.5 %Madison County: 13.2 %Maries County: 13.5 %Marion County: 14.2 %Mercer County: 13.5 %Miller County: 14.4 %Mississippi County: 19 %Moniteau County: 10.3 %Monroe County: 14.2 %Montgomery County: 13.9 %Morgan County: 18.3 %New Madrid County: 17.7 %Newton County: 13.5 %Nodaway County: 17.1 %Oregon County: 23.6 %Osage County: 8.6 %Ozark County: 21.5 %Pemiscot County: 29.6 %Perry County: 13.9 %Pettis County: 15.6 %Phelps County: 16.8 %Pike County: 16 %Platte County: 7 %Polk County: 16.3 %Pulaski County: 12.7 %Putnam County: 15.5 %Ralls County: 11.4 %Randolph County: 13.9 %Ray County: 12.6 %Reynolds County: 17.3 %Ripley County: 24.8 %St. Charles County: 5.2 %St. Clair County: 14.7 %Ste. Genevieve County: 8.2 %St. Francois County: 15.9 %St. Louis County: 9.8 %Saline County: 16.4 %Schuyler County: 8.6 %Scotland County: 7.3 %Scott County: 12.8 %Shannon County: 18 %Shelby County: 15.9 %Stoddard County: 15.1 %Stone County: 13.9 %Sullivan County: 13.7 %Taney County: 15.6 %Texas County: 19.8 %Vernon County: 18.8 %Warren County: 8 %Washington County: 17.4 %Wayne County: 25.7 %Webster County: 15.2 %Worth County: 20.6 %Wright County: 18.8 %St. Louis city: 20.6 %
  • Under 10
  • 10 to 13
  • 13 to 14
  • 14 to 16
  • 16 to 19
  • 19 and over
%, 2024. Source: Invokely calculation with data from U.S. Census Bureau. Boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau cartographic boundary files.

Top 40 counties, 2024

Pemiscot County: 29.6 %Pemiscot County29.6Wayne County: 25.7 %Wayne County25.7Ripley County: 24.8 %Ripley County24.8Oregon County: 23.6 %Oregon County23.6Dunklin County: 22 %Dunklin County22Adair County: 22 %Adair County22Ozark County: 21.5 %Ozark County21.5Carter County: 20.8 %Carter County20.8St. Louis city: 20.6 %St. Louis city20.6Worth County: 20.6 %Worth County20.6Butler County: 20.5 %Butler County20.5Dallas County: 20.5 %Dallas County20.5Howell County: 20.3 %Howell County20.3Barton County: 20.2 %Barton County20.2Benton County: 19.9 %Benton County19.9Texas County: 19.8 %Texas County19.8Hickory County: 19.8 %Hickory County19.8Harrison County: 19.6 %Harrison County19.6Iron County: 19.3 %Iron County19.3Mississippi County: 19 %Mississippi County19Vernon County: 18.8 %Vernon County18.8Wright County: 18.8 %Wright County18.8Morgan County: 18.3 %Morgan County18.3Laclede County: 18.2 %Laclede County18.2Shannon County: 18 %Shannon County18Gentry County: 17.9 %Gentry County17.9Audrain County: 17.8 %Audrain County17.8New Madrid County: 17.7 %New Madrid County17.7Grundy County: 17.6 %Grundy County17.6Douglas County: 17.6 %Douglas County17.6Washington County: 17.4 %Washington County17.4Reynolds County: 17.3 %Reynolds County17.3Nodaway County: 17.1 %Nodaway County17.1Cedar County: 17 %Cedar County17Jasper County: 17 %Jasper County17McDonald County: 16.8 %McDonald County16.8Phelps County: 16.8 %Phelps County16.8Boone County: 16.6 %Boone County16.6Saline County: 16.4 %Saline County16.4Polk County: 16.3 %Polk County16.3Pemiscot County: 29.6 %Pemiscot County29.6Wayne County: 25.7 %Wayne County25.7Ripley County: 24.8 %Ripley County24.8Oregon County: 23.6 %Oregon County23.6Dunklin County: 22 %Dunklin County22Adair County: 22 %Adair County22Ozark County: 21.5 %Ozark County21.5Carter County: 20.8 %Carter County20.8St. Louis city: 20.6 %St. Louis city20.6Worth County: 20.6 %Worth County20.6Butler County: 20.5 %Butler County20.5Dallas County: 20.5 %Dallas County20.5Howell County: 20.3 %Howell County20.3Barton County: 20.2 %Barton County20.2Benton County: 19.9 %Benton County19.9Texas County: 19.8 %Texas County19.8Hickory County: 19.8 %Hickory County19.8Harrison County: 19.6 %Harrison County19.6Iron County: 19.3 %Iron County19.3Mississippi County: 19 %Mississippi County19Vernon County: 18.8 %Vernon County18.8Wright County: 18.8 %Wright County18.8Morgan County: 18.3 %Morgan County18.3Laclede County: 18.2 %Laclede County18.2Shannon County: 18 %Shannon County18Gentry County: 17.9 %Gentry County17.9Audrain County: 17.8 %Audrain County17.8New Madrid County: 17.7 %New Madrid County17.7Grundy County: 17.6 %Grundy County17.6Douglas County: 17.6 %Douglas County17.6Washington County: 17.4 %Washington County17.4Reynolds County: 17.3 %Reynolds County17.3Nodaway County: 17.1 %Nodaway County17.1Cedar County: 17 %Cedar County17Jasper County: 17 %Jasper County17McDonald County: 16.8 %McDonald County16.8Phelps County: 16.8 %Phelps County16.8Boone County: 16.6 %Boone County16.6Saline County: 16.4 %Saline County16.4Polk County: 16.3 %Polk County16.3
%. Source: Invokely calculation with data from U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankCounties2024 (%)Change on 2023
1Pemiscot County29.6+2.2 pts
2Wayne County25.7+0.6 pts
3Ripley County24.8+5.1 pts
4Oregon County23.6+1.6 pts
5Dunklin County22+0.6 pts
6Adair County22+0.8 pts
7Ozark County21.5-0.2 pts
8Carter County20.8+1.6 pts
9St. Louis city20.6+0.9 pts
10Worth County20.6+3 pts
11Butler County20.5+0.2 pts
12Dallas County20.5-0.9 pts
13Howell County20.3-1.1 pts
14Barton County20.2-2 pts
15Benton County19.9+3.2 pts
16Texas County19.8+0.5 pts
17Hickory County19.8+0.2 pts
18Harrison County19.6+3.5 pts
19Iron County19.3-1.4 pts
20Mississippi County19-4 pts
21Vernon County18.8-0.2 pts
22Wright County18.8+1.2 pts
23Morgan County18.3+1.4 pts
24Laclede County18.2-0.4 pts
25Shannon County18+1.3 pts
26Gentry County17.9+2.3 pts
27Audrain County17.8-0.2 pts
28New Madrid County17.7-0.9 pts
29Grundy County17.6+0.7 pts
30Douglas County17.6+0.7 pts
31Washington County17.4-0.8 pts
32Reynolds County17.3-0.5 pts
33Nodaway County17.1-1.6 pts
34Cedar County17-0 pts
35Jasper County17-1.4 pts
36McDonald County16.8-0.4 pts
36Phelps County16.8-0.4 pts
38Boone County16.6-0.6 pts
39Saline County16.4+1.8 pts
40Polk County16.3-1.6 pts
41Buchanan County16-0.9 pts
42Pike County16-0.3 pts
43St. Francois County15.9-1.1 pts
44Shelby County15.9+0.3 pts
45Bates County15.9-2.9 pts
46Taney County15.6+1.2 pts
47Pettis County15.6+2.2 pts
48Putnam County15.5-0.7 pts
49Webster County15.2-0.9 pts
50Barry County15.2-1.5 pts
51Stoddard County15.1-1.8 pts
52St. Clair County14.7-1.6 pts
53Lawrence County14.5-2 pts
54Miller County14.4-0.2 pts
55Henry County14.3-2 pts
56Marion County14.2+0.6 pts
57Monroe County14.2-1.8 pts
58Jackson County14.1+0.3 pts
59Crawford County14.1+0.4 pts
60Cape Girardeau County14-0.1 pts
61Stone County13.9-0.1 pts
62Montgomery County13.9-0.6 pts
63Randolph County13.9-1.9 pts
64Perry County13.9+2.8 pts
65Linn County13.7-2.5 pts
66Carroll County13.7+2.9 pts
67Sullivan County13.7-1.1 pts
68Greene County13.7-0.7 pts
69Bollinger County13.6+1.5 pts
70Maries County13.5-1.4 pts
71Newton County13.5+0.1 pts
72Mercer County13.5-1.3 pts
73Madison County13.2-0.8 pts
74Scott County12.8-1.7 pts
75Lewis County12.7-2.6 pts
76Pulaski County12.7-0.1 pts
77Camden County12.6-0.6 pts
78Gasconade County12.6+1.3 pts
79Dade County12.6-1.5 pts
80Ray County12.6+0.5 pts
81Clinton County12.3-0.5 pts
82Dent County12.2-2.1 pts
83Howard County12-0.8 pts
84Livingston County11.9-0.3 pts
85Knox County11.9-2.8 pts
86Johnson County11.8-0.1 pts
87Cooper County11.7+0.8 pts
88Callaway County11.7+0.2 pts
89Atchison County11.6-0.9 pts
90Daviess County11.4-1.8 pts
91Ralls County11.4-1.2 pts
92Clark County11.2+1.8 pts
93Caldwell County10.3-2.7 pts
94Moniteau County10.3-0.2 pts
95Holt County10.2+0.4 pts
95Lincoln County10.2-0.4 pts
97St. Louis County9.8+0.2 pts
98Macon County9.5-0.5 pts
99Lafayette County9.3-0.4 pts
100Cole County9.1-0.3 pts
101Jefferson County9+0.5 pts
102Chariton County8.8-3.1 pts
103DeKalb County8.70 pts
104Osage County8.6-1.5 pts
105Schuyler County8.6-1.1 pts
106Clay County8.5-0 pts
107Christian County8.2-0.5 pts
108Franklin County8.2-0.1 pts
109Ste. Genevieve County8.2+0.2 pts
110Warren County8-1.3 pts
111Scotland County7.3+0.2 pts
112Platte County7+0.2 pts
113Cass County6.2-0.2 pts
114Andrew County6.2-1.2 pts
115St. Charles County5.2+0.5 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/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 (Counties in Missouri 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, Counties in Missouri 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/missouri-counties. 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 Missouri 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/missouri-counties.

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 Missouri 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/missouri-counties (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{census_counties_in_missouri_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: Counties in Missouri 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/missouri-counties. 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/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: Counties in Missouri 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/missouri-counties
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/poverty-rate-acs/missouri-counties.
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/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2024-b17001.dat. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER  -
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Questions

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

Pemiscot County, with 29.6% in 2024, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

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

St. Charles County, with 5.2% 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. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

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

Counties in Missouri: more rankings