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

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

Pemiscot County had the highest poverty rate (US five-year survey estimate) of 115 counties in 2021, at 27.5%. St. Charles County had the lowest, at 4.7%. The median was 15.4% and the figure for Missouri was 12.8%. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

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Highest27.5Pemiscot County
Lowest4.7St. Charles County
Median15.4115 counties
Missouri12.8History

Map of counties, 2021

Adair County: 22.9 %Andrew County: 7.5 %Atchison County: 11.7 %Audrain County: 16.8 %Barry County: 17.9 %Barton County: 22.1 %Bates County: 16.7 %Benton County: 18.4 %Bollinger County: 13.9 %Boone County: 16.8 %Buchanan County: 15.9 %Butler County: 21.3 %Caldwell County: 17.2 %Callaway County: 10 %Camden County: 13.3 %Cape Girardeau County: 14.5 %Carroll County: 10.2 %Carter County: 22 %Cass County: 7.7 %Cedar County: 18.5 %Chariton County: 13.2 %Christian County: 9.4 %Clark County: 13.2 %Clay County: 8.2 %Clinton County: 9.9 %Cole County: 9.5 %Cooper County: 13 %Crawford County: 16.5 %Dade County: 17.5 %Dallas County: 21.1 %Daviess County: 12.4 %DeKalb County: 10.3 %Dent County: 16.9 %Douglas County: 21.3 %Dunklin County: 22.1 %Franklin County: 9.3 %Gasconade County: 10.2 %Gentry County: 15.2 %Greene County: 14.9 %Grundy County: 16.1 %Harrison County: 16.6 %Henry County: 15.1 %Hickory County: 15.4 %Holt County: 10.6 %Howard County: 9.8 %Howell County: 23.5 %Iron County: 21.7 %Jackson County: 13.4 %Jasper County: 17.9 %Jefferson County: 8.7 %Johnson County: 11.8 %Knox County: 14.3 %Laclede County: 15.7 %Lafayette County: 10.3 %Lawrence County: 16.2 %Lewis County: 18.9 %Lincoln County: 10.7 %Linn County: 15.6 %Livingston County: 11.1 %McDonald County: 18.1 %Macon County: 11.1 %Madison County: 11.6 %Maries County: 15.8 %Marion County: 17.8 %Mercer County: 13.5 %Miller County: 14.9 %Mississippi County: 23.4 %Moniteau County: 11.5 %Monroe County: 15.4 %Montgomery County: 15.2 %Morgan County: 20 %New Madrid County: 19.6 %Newton County: 14.7 %Nodaway County: 20.7 %Oregon County: 25.4 %Osage County: 8.2 %Ozark County: 21.9 %Pemiscot County: 27.5 %Perry County: 9.5 %Pettis County: 16.1 %Phelps County: 18.8 %Pike County: 16.5 %Platte County: 6 %Polk County: 15.9 %Pulaski County: 14.6 %Putnam County: 12.1 %Ralls County: 12.8 %Randolph County: 16.2 %Ray County: 10.8 %Reynolds County: 15.6 %Ripley County: 21.3 %St. Charles County: 4.7 %St. Clair County: 15.1 %Ste. Genevieve County: 10.2 %St. Francois County: 16.7 %St. Louis County: 9.6 %Saline County: 13.6 %Schuyler County: 10.5 %Scotland County: 10.9 %Scott County: 16.4 %Shannon County: 23.4 %Shelby County: 14.4 %Stoddard County: 17.2 %Stone County: 14.4 %Sullivan County: 15.7 %Taney County: 14.6 %Texas County: 19.1 %Vernon County: 16.1 %Warren County: 10.7 %Washington County: 19.2 %Wayne County: 23.6 %Webster County: 14.7 %Worth County: 15.7 %Wright County: 19.7 %St. Louis city: 19.6 %
  • Under 10
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  • 20 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

Pemiscot County: 27.5 %Pemiscot County27.5Oregon County: 25.4 %Oregon County25.4Wayne County: 23.6 %Wayne County23.6Howell County: 23.5 %Howell County23.5Shannon County: 23.4 %Shannon County23.4Mississippi County: 23.4 %Mississippi County23.4Adair County: 22.9 %Adair County22.9Barton County: 22.1 %Barton County22.1Dunklin County: 22.1 %Dunklin County22.1Carter County: 22 %Carter County22Ozark County: 21.9 %Ozark County21.9Iron County: 21.7 %Iron County21.7Douglas County: 21.3 %Douglas County21.3Ripley County: 21.3 %Ripley County21.3Butler County: 21.3 %Butler County21.3Dallas County: 21.1 %Dallas County21.1Nodaway County: 20.7 %Nodaway County20.7Morgan County: 20 %Morgan County20Wright County: 19.7 %Wright County19.7St. Louis city: 19.6 %St. Louis city19.6New Madrid County: 19.6 %New Madrid County19.6Washington County: 19.2 %Washington County19.2Texas County: 19.1 %Texas County19.1Lewis County: 18.9 %Lewis County18.9Phelps County: 18.8 %Phelps County18.8Cedar County: 18.5 %Cedar County18.5Benton County: 18.4 %Benton County18.4McDonald County: 18.1 %McDonald County18.1Barry County: 17.9 %Barry County17.9Jasper County: 17.9 %Jasper County17.9Marion County: 17.8 %Marion County17.8Dade County: 17.5 %Dade County17.5Caldwell County: 17.2 %Caldwell County17.2Stoddard County: 17.2 %Stoddard County17.2Dent County: 16.9 %Dent County16.9Boone County: 16.8 %Boone County16.8Audrain County: 16.8 %Audrain County16.8St. Francois County: 16.7 %St. Francois County16.7Bates County: 16.7 %Bates County16.7Harrison County: 16.6 %Harrison County16.6Pemiscot County: 27.5 %Pemiscot County27.5Oregon County: 25.4 %Oregon County25.4Wayne County: 23.6 %Wayne County23.6Howell County: 23.5 %Howell County23.5Shannon County: 23.4 %Shannon County23.4Mississippi County: 23.4 %Mississippi County23.4Adair County: 22.9 %Adair County22.9Barton County: 22.1 %Barton County22.1Dunklin County: 22.1 %Dunklin County22.1Carter County: 22 %Carter County22Ozark County: 21.9 %Ozark County21.9Iron County: 21.7 %Iron County21.7Douglas County: 21.3 %Douglas County21.3Ripley County: 21.3 %Ripley County21.3Butler County: 21.3 %Butler County21.3Dallas County: 21.1 %Dallas County21.1Nodaway County: 20.7 %Nodaway County20.7Morgan County: 20 %Morgan County20Wright County: 19.7 %Wright County19.7St. Louis city: 19.6 %St. Louis city19.6New Madrid County: 19.6 %New Madrid County19.6Washington County: 19.2 %Washington County19.2Texas County: 19.1 %Texas County19.1Lewis County: 18.9 %Lewis County18.9Phelps County: 18.8 %Phelps County18.8Cedar County: 18.5 %Cedar County18.5Benton County: 18.4 %Benton County18.4McDonald County: 18.1 %McDonald County18.1Barry County: 17.9 %Barry County17.9Jasper County: 17.9 %Jasper County17.9Marion County: 17.8 %Marion County17.8Dade County: 17.5 %Dade County17.5Caldwell County: 17.2 %Caldwell County17.2Stoddard County: 17.2 %Stoddard County17.2Dent County: 16.9 %Dent County16.9Boone County: 16.8 %Boone County16.8Audrain County: 16.8 %Audrain County16.8St. Francois County: 16.7 %St. Francois County16.7Bates County: 16.7 %Bates County16.7Harrison County: 16.6 %Harrison County16.6
%. Source: Invokely calculation with data from U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankCounties2021 (%)
1Pemiscot County27.5
2Oregon County25.4
3Wayne County23.6
4Howell County23.5
5Shannon County23.4
6Mississippi County23.4
7Adair County22.9
8Barton County22.1
9Dunklin County22.1
10Carter County22
11Ozark County21.9
12Iron County21.7
13Douglas County21.3
14Ripley County21.3
15Butler County21.3
16Dallas County21.1
17Nodaway County20.7
18Morgan County20
19Wright County19.7
20St. Louis city19.6
21New Madrid County19.6
22Washington County19.2
23Texas County19.1
24Lewis County18.9
25Phelps County18.8
26Cedar County18.5
27Benton County18.4
28McDonald County18.1
29Barry County17.9
30Jasper County17.9
31Marion County17.8
32Dade County17.5
33Caldwell County17.2
33Stoddard County17.2
35Dent County16.9
36Boone County16.8
37Audrain County16.8
38St. Francois County16.7
39Bates County16.7
40Harrison County16.6
41Crawford County16.5
42Pike County16.5
43Scott County16.4
44Lawrence County16.2
45Randolph County16.2
46Grundy County16.1
46Vernon County16.1
48Pettis County16.1
49Polk County15.9
50Buchanan County15.9
51Maries County15.8
52Laclede County15.7
53Sullivan County15.7
54Worth County15.7
55Reynolds County15.6
56Linn County15.6
57Hickory County15.4
58Monroe County15.4
59Montgomery County15.2
60Gentry County15.2
61Henry County15.1
62St. Clair County15.1
63Greene County14.9
64Miller County14.9
65Newton County14.7
66Webster County14.7
67Taney County14.6
68Pulaski County14.6
69Cape Girardeau County14.5
70Shelby County14.4
71Stone County14.4
72Knox County14.3
73Bollinger County13.9
74Saline County13.6
75Mercer County13.5
76Jackson County13.4
77Camden County13.3
78Clark County13.2
79Chariton County13.2
80Cooper County13
81Ralls County12.8
82Daviess County12.4
83Putnam County12.1
84Johnson County11.8
85Atchison County11.7
86Madison County11.6
87Moniteau County11.5
88Livingston County11.1
89Macon County11.1
90Scotland County10.9
91Ray County10.8
92Lincoln County10.7
93Warren County10.7
94Holt County10.6
95Schuyler County10.5
96DeKalb County10.3
97Lafayette County10.3
98Carroll County10.2
99Gasconade County10.2
100Ste. Genevieve County10.2
101Callaway County10
102Clinton County9.9
103Howard County9.8
104St. Louis County9.6
105Cole County9.5
106Perry County9.5
107Christian County9.4
108Franklin County9.3
109Jefferson County8.7
110Clay County8.2
111Osage County8.2
112Cass County7.7
113Andrew County7.5
114Platte County6
115St. Charles County4.7

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 Missouri 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 Missouri 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/missouri-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 Missouri 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/missouri-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 Missouri 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/missouri-counties?period=2021 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{census_counties_in_missouri_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 Missouri 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/missouri-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 Missouri 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/missouri-counties?period=2021
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/poverty-rate-acs/missouri-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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Questions

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

Pemiscot County, with 27.5% in 2021, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

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

St. Charles County, with 4.7% 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 Missouri: more rankings