Data / Rankings / Poverty rate (US five-year survey estimate) / Cities in Pennsylvania

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

State College, PA had the highest poverty rate (US five-year survey estimate) of 68 cities in 2022, at 42.1%. Jefferson Hills, PA had the lowest, at 3%. The median was 18.3% and the figure for Pennsylvania was 11.8%. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

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Highest42.1State College, PA
Lowest3Jefferson Hills, PA
Median18.368 cities
Pennsylvania11.8History

Top 40 cities, 2022

State College, PA: 42.1 %State College, PA42.1Darby, PA: 33.8 %Darby, PA33.8Johnstown, PA: 32.9 %Johnstown, PA32.9Bloomsburg, PA: 32 %Bloomsburg, PA32McKeesport, PA: 28.9 %McKeesport, PA28.9Reading, PA: 28.6 %Reading, PA28.6Chester, PA: 28.3 %Chester, PA28.3Harrisburg, PA: 28.3 %Harrisburg, PA28.3New Castle, PA: 26.4 %New Castle, PA26.4Hazleton, PA: 25.7 %Hazleton, PA25.7Williamsport, PA: 25.4 %Williamsport, PA25.4Indiana, PA: 24.7 %Indiana, PA24.7York, PA: 24.6 %York, PA24.6Coatesville, PA: 24.3 %Coatesville, PA24.3Erie, PA: 24.3 %Erie, PA24.3Lebanon, PA: 23.3 %Lebanon, PA23.3Wilkinsburg, PA: 23 %Wilkinsburg, PA23Philadelphia, PA: 22.7 %Philadelphia, PA22.7Wilkes-Barre, PA: 21.8 %Wilkes-Barre, PA21.8Butler, PA: 21.7 %Butler, PA21.7Allentown, PA: 21.4 %Allentown, PA21.4West Chester, PA: 21 %West Chester, PA21Pottsville, PA: 20.8 %Pottsville, PA20.8Sharon, PA: 20.3 %Sharon, PA20.3Scranton, PA: 19.6 %Scranton, PA19.6New Kensington, PA: 19.4 %New Kensington, PA19.4Pittsburgh, PA: 19.4 %Pittsburgh, PA19.4Washington, PA: 19.4 %Washington, PA19.4Altoona, PA: 19.3 %Altoona, PA19.3Carlisle, PA: 18.9 %Carlisle, PA18.9Kingston, PA: 18.8 %Kingston, PA18.8Lancaster, PA: 18.7 %Lancaster, PA18.7Nanticoke, PA: 18.5 %Nanticoke, PA18.5Norristown, PA: 18.4 %Norristown, PA18.4Bethlehem, PA: 18.3 %Bethlehem, PA18.3Berwick, PA: 18.1 %Berwick, PA18.1Meadville, PA: 18.1 %Meadville, PA18.1Columbia, PA: 16.5 %Columbia, PA16.5Easton, PA: 16.5 %Easton, PA16.5Greensburg, PA: 15.4 %Greensburg, PA15.4State College, PA: 42.1 %State College, PA42.1Darby, PA: 33.8 %Darby, PA33.8Johnstown, PA: 32.9 %Johnstown, PA32.9Bloomsburg, PA: 32 %Bloomsburg, PA32McKeesport, PA: 28.9 %McKeesport, PA28.9Reading, PA: 28.6 %Reading, PA28.6Chester, PA: 28.3 %Chester, PA28.3Harrisburg, PA: 28.3 %Harrisburg, PA28.3New Castle, PA: 26.4 %New Castle, PA26.4Hazleton, PA: 25.7 %Hazleton, PA25.7Williamsport, PA: 25.4 %Williamsport, PA25.4Indiana, PA: 24.7 %Indiana, PA24.7York, PA: 24.6 %York, PA24.6Coatesville, PA: 24.3 %Coatesville, PA24.3Erie, PA: 24.3 %Erie, PA24.3Lebanon, PA: 23.3 %Lebanon, PA23.3Wilkinsburg, PA: 23 %Wilkinsburg, PA23Philadelphia, PA: 22.7 %Philadelphia, PA22.7Wilkes-Barre, PA: 21.8 %Wilkes-Barre, PA21.8Butler, PA: 21.7 %Butler, PA21.7Allentown, PA: 21.4 %Allentown, PA21.4West Chester, PA: 21 %West Chester, PA21Pottsville, PA: 20.8 %Pottsville, PA20.8Sharon, PA: 20.3 %Sharon, PA20.3Scranton, PA: 19.6 %Scranton, PA19.6New Kensington, PA: 19.4 %New Kensington, PA19.4Pittsburgh, PA: 19.4 %Pittsburgh, PA19.4Washington, PA: 19.4 %Washington, PA19.4Altoona, PA: 19.3 %Altoona, PA19.3Carlisle, PA: 18.9 %Carlisle, PA18.9Kingston, PA: 18.8 %Kingston, PA18.8Lancaster, PA: 18.7 %Lancaster, PA18.7Nanticoke, PA: 18.5 %Nanticoke, PA18.5Norristown, PA: 18.4 %Norristown, PA18.4Bethlehem, PA: 18.3 %Bethlehem, PA18.3Berwick, PA: 18.1 %Berwick, PA18.1Meadville, PA: 18.1 %Meadville, PA18.1Columbia, PA: 16.5 %Columbia, PA16.5Easton, PA: 16.5 %Easton, PA16.5Greensburg, PA: 15.4 %Greensburg, PA15.4
%. Source: Invokely calculation with data from U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankCities2022 (%)Change on 2021
1State College, PA42.1-1.3 pts
2Darby, PA33.8+6.1 pts
3Johnstown, PA32.9-0.8 pts
4Bloomsburg, PA32+3.9 pts
5McKeesport, PA28.9+1.5 pts
6Reading, PA28.6-0.7 pts
7Chester, PA28.3-0.2 pts
8Harrisburg, PA28.3+0.1 pts
9New Castle, PA26.4+0.2 pts
10Hazleton, PA25.7+2.1 pts
11Williamsport, PA25.4+1 pts
12Indiana, PA24.7-3.6 pts
13York, PA24.6-4.1 pts
14Coatesville, PA24.3-2.5 pts
15Erie, PA24.3-0.4 pts
16Lebanon, PA23.3-1.9 pts
17Wilkinsburg, PA23-0.5 pts
18Philadelphia, PA22.7-0.1 pts
19Wilkes-Barre, PA21.8+1.4 pts
20Butler, PA21.7-2.1 pts
21Allentown, PA21.4-1.9 pts
22West Chester, PA21-1.2 pts
23Pottsville, PA20.8+0.2 pts
24Sharon, PA20.3-2.8 pts
25Scranton, PA19.6-0.5 pts
26New Kensington, PA19.4-3.5 pts
26Pittsburgh, PA19.4-0.3 pts
28Washington, PA19.4-0.2 pts
29Altoona, PA19.3-1 pts
30Carlisle, PA18.9+3.4 pts
31Kingston, PA18.8+2.6 pts
32Lancaster, PA18.7-0.4 pts
33Nanticoke, PA18.5+1.1 pts
34Norristown, PA18.4+1.3 pts
35Bethlehem, PA18.3+1.5 pts
36Berwick, PA18.1-1.1 pts
37Meadville, PA18.1-1.5 pts
38Columbia, PA16.5+0.3 pts
39Easton, PA16.5-1.1 pts
40Greensburg, PA15.4-0.5 pts
41Pottstown, PA15.1-0.3 pts
42Chambersburg, PA13.7+0.3 pts
43West Mifflin, PA13.3-0.6 pts
44Munhall, PA13.3+0.9 pts
45Waynesboro, PA13-1.5 pts
46Hanover, PA12.5-0.5 pts
47Hermitage, PA12.3+0.3 pts
48Lansdowne, PA10.5-0.9 pts
49Phoenixville, PA10.1-2.3 pts
50Ephrata, PA9.3-0.4 pts
51Dunmore, PA9.2-0 pts
52Northampton, PA9.1-1.6 pts
53St. Marys, PA9+0.2 pts
54Whitehall, PA8.8-1 pts
55Yeadon, PA8.4-0.4 pts
56Lansdale, PA8.3+0.3 pts
57Monroeville, PA8.1-0.5 pts
58Elizabethtown, PA8-1.9 pts
59Baldwin, PA7.5+0.1 pts
60Emmaus, PA7+0.2 pts
61Lower Burrell, PA5.7+0.3 pts
62Mechanicsburg, PA5.5-0.6 pts
63Bethel Park, PA4.7+0.6 pts
64Wyomissing, PA4.7-0.3 pts
65Murrysville, PA3.5+0.1 pts
66Franklin Park, PA3.3+0.4 pts
67Plum, PA3.2-0.4 pts
68Jefferson Hills, PA3-0.1 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 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/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, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more) (Cities in Pennsylvania 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, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more), Cities in Pennsylvania 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/pennsylvania-cities?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, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more). Cities in Pennsylvania 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/pennsylvania-cities?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, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more), Cities in Pennsylvania 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/pennsylvania-cities?period=2022 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{census_cities_in_pennsylvania_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, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more): Cities in Pennsylvania 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/pennsylvania-cities?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, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more). 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, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more): Cities in Pennsylvania 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/pennsylvania-cities?period=2022
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/poverty-rate-acs/pennsylvania-cities?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, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more). 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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Rank Cities in Pennsylvania by poverty rate (US five-year survey estimate) using official data, and cite the source.
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Questions

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

State College, PA, with 42.1% in 2022, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

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

Jefferson Hills, PA, with 3% 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, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more). Retrieved 2026-10-12.

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

Cities in Pennsylvania: more rankings