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

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

Philadelphia County had the highest poverty rate (US five-year survey estimate) of 67 counties in 2021, at 22.8%. Bucks County had the lowest, at 5.5%. The median was 12.1% and the figure for Pennsylvania was 11.8%. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

Keep it in a collection in your library.
Highest22.8Philadelphia County
Lowest5.5Bucks County
Median12.167 counties
Pennsylvania11.8History

Map of counties, 2021

Adams County: 7.8 %Allegheny County: 11.1 %Armstrong County: 10.4 %Beaver County: 10.6 %Bedford County: 10.6 %Berks County: 11.8 %Blair County: 13.5 %Bradford County: 12.9 %Bucks County: 5.5 %Butler County: 7.8 %Cambria County: 13.9 %Cameron County: 16.1 %Carbon County: 12.5 %Centre County: 17.2 %Chester County: 6.1 %Clarion County: 15.2 %Clearfield County: 14.8 %Clinton County: 13.9 %Columbia County: 14.9 %Crawford County: 13.1 %Cumberland County: 7.3 %Dauphin County: 12.1 %Delaware County: 9.6 %Elk County: 9.3 %Erie County: 15.7 %Fayette County: 16.1 %Forest County: 16.7 %Franklin County: 9.3 %Fulton County: 11.3 %Greene County: 12.6 %Huntingdon County: 11.6 %Indiana County: 13.5 %Jefferson County: 14.6 %Juniata County: 9.6 %Lackawanna County: 13.5 %Lancaster County: 8.6 %Lawrence County: 12.5 %Lebanon County: 10.8 %Lehigh County: 12.1 %Luzerne County: 14.2 %Lycoming County: 12.3 %McKean County: 14.8 %Mercer County: 13.6 %Mifflin County: 15.3 %Monroe County: 10.6 %Montgomery County: 5.9 %Montour County: 8.7 %Northampton County: 9 %Northumberland County: 12.4 %Perry County: 8.8 %Philadelphia County: 22.8 %Pike County: 9.4 %Potter County: 13.4 %Schuylkill County: 12.7 %Snyder County: 9 %Somerset County: 10.7 %Sullivan County: 12.1 %Susquehanna County: 11.6 %Tioga County: 12.5 %Union County: 12.5 %Venango County: 12.9 %Warren County: 11.5 %Washington County: 8.8 %Wayne County: 10.8 %Westmoreland County: 9.9 %Wyoming County: 10.8 %York County: 8.7 %
  • Under 8.9
  • 8.9 to 11
  • 11 to 12
  • 12 to 13
  • 13 to 15
  • 15 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

Philadelphia County: 22.8 %Philadelphia County22.8Centre County: 17.2 %Centre County17.2Forest County: 16.7 %Forest County16.7Cameron County: 16.1 %Cameron County16.1Fayette County: 16.1 %Fayette County16.1Erie County: 15.7 %Erie County15.7Mifflin County: 15.3 %Mifflin County15.3Clarion County: 15.2 %Clarion County15.2Columbia County: 14.9 %Columbia County14.9McKean County: 14.8 %McKean County14.8Clearfield County: 14.8 %Clearfield County14.8Jefferson County: 14.6 %Jefferson County14.6Luzerne County: 14.2 %Luzerne County14.2Cambria County: 13.9 %Cambria County13.9Clinton County: 13.9 %Clinton County13.9Mercer County: 13.6 %Mercer County13.6Lackawanna County: 13.5 %Lackawanna County13.5Blair County: 13.5 %Blair County13.5Indiana County: 13.5 %Indiana County13.5Potter County: 13.4 %Potter County13.4Crawford County: 13.1 %Crawford County13.1Bradford County: 12.9 %Bradford County12.9Venango County: 12.9 %Venango County12.9Schuylkill County: 12.7 %Schuylkill County12.7Greene County: 12.6 %Greene County12.6Carbon County: 12.5 %Carbon County12.5Lawrence County: 12.5 %Lawrence County12.5Tioga County: 12.5 %Tioga County12.5Union County: 12.5 %Union County12.5Northumberland County: 12.4 %Northumberland County12.4Lycoming County: 12.3 %Lycoming County12.3Sullivan County: 12.1 %Sullivan County12.1Lehigh County: 12.1 %Lehigh County12.1Dauphin County: 12.1 %Dauphin County12.1Berks County: 11.8 %Berks County11.8Susquehanna County: 11.6 %Susquehanna County11.6Huntingdon County: 11.6 %Huntingdon County11.6Warren County: 11.5 %Warren County11.5Fulton County: 11.3 %Fulton County11.3Allegheny County: 11.1 %Allegheny County11.1Philadelphia County: 22.8 %Philadelphia County22.8Centre County: 17.2 %Centre County17.2Forest County: 16.7 %Forest County16.7Cameron County: 16.1 %Cameron County16.1Fayette County: 16.1 %Fayette County16.1Erie County: 15.7 %Erie County15.7Mifflin County: 15.3 %Mifflin County15.3Clarion County: 15.2 %Clarion County15.2Columbia County: 14.9 %Columbia County14.9McKean County: 14.8 %McKean County14.8Clearfield County: 14.8 %Clearfield County14.8Jefferson County: 14.6 %Jefferson County14.6Luzerne County: 14.2 %Luzerne County14.2Cambria County: 13.9 %Cambria County13.9Clinton County: 13.9 %Clinton County13.9Mercer County: 13.6 %Mercer County13.6Lackawanna County: 13.5 %Lackawanna County13.5Blair County: 13.5 %Blair County13.5Indiana County: 13.5 %Indiana County13.5Potter County: 13.4 %Potter County13.4Crawford County: 13.1 %Crawford County13.1Bradford County: 12.9 %Bradford County12.9Venango County: 12.9 %Venango County12.9Schuylkill County: 12.7 %Schuylkill County12.7Greene County: 12.6 %Greene County12.6Carbon County: 12.5 %Carbon County12.5Lawrence County: 12.5 %Lawrence County12.5Tioga County: 12.5 %Tioga County12.5Union County: 12.5 %Union County12.5Northumberland County: 12.4 %Northumberland County12.4Lycoming County: 12.3 %Lycoming County12.3Sullivan County: 12.1 %Sullivan County12.1Lehigh County: 12.1 %Lehigh County12.1Dauphin County: 12.1 %Dauphin County12.1Berks County: 11.8 %Berks County11.8Susquehanna County: 11.6 %Susquehanna County11.6Huntingdon County: 11.6 %Huntingdon County11.6Warren County: 11.5 %Warren County11.5Fulton County: 11.3 %Fulton County11.3Allegheny County: 11.1 %Allegheny County11.1
%. Source: Invokely calculation with data from U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankCounties2021 (%)
1Philadelphia County22.8
2Centre County17.2
3Forest County16.7
4Cameron County16.1
4Fayette County16.1
6Erie County15.7
7Mifflin County15.3
8Clarion County15.2
9Columbia County14.9
10McKean County14.8
11Clearfield County14.8
12Jefferson County14.6
13Luzerne County14.2
14Cambria County13.9
15Clinton County13.9
16Mercer County13.6
17Lackawanna County13.5
18Blair County13.5
19Indiana County13.5
20Potter County13.4
21Crawford County13.1
22Bradford County12.9
23Venango County12.9
24Schuylkill County12.7
25Greene County12.6
26Carbon County12.5
26Lawrence County12.5
26Tioga County12.5
29Union County12.5
30Northumberland County12.4
31Lycoming County12.3
32Sullivan County12.1
33Lehigh County12.1
34Dauphin County12.1
35Berks County11.8
36Susquehanna County11.6
37Huntingdon County11.6
38Warren County11.5
39Fulton County11.3
40Allegheny County11.1
41Lebanon County10.8
41Wyoming County10.8
43Wayne County10.8
44Somerset County10.7
45Beaver County10.6
46Monroe County10.6
47Bedford County10.6
48Armstrong County10.4
49Westmoreland County9.9
50Delaware County9.6
51Juniata County9.6
52Pike County9.4
53Elk County9.3
54Franklin County9.3
55Snyder County9
56Northampton County9
57Perry County8.8
58Washington County8.8
59York County8.7
60Montour County8.7
61Lancaster County8.6
62Butler County7.8
63Adams County7.8
64Cumberland County7.3
65Chester County6.1
66Montgomery County5.9
67Bucks County5.5

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 Pennsylvania 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 Pennsylvania 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/pennsylvania-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 Pennsylvania 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/pennsylvania-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 Pennsylvania 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/pennsylvania-counties?period=2021 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{census_counties_in_pennsylvania_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 Pennsylvania 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/pennsylvania-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 Pennsylvania 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/pennsylvania-counties?period=2021
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/poverty-rate-acs/pennsylvania-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  -
Embed this chart

Paste this code into a web page or a blog post. The chart shows the latest figures as they are published, with the source and a link back to this page.

Sites that read oEmbed links, such as WordPress, can show the chart when you paste the link to this page.

Use this data in your AI agent

Invokely serves this figure to AI assistants through MCP and to code through a REST API, with the source and citation attached. Ask your assistant:

Rank Counties in Pennsylvania by poverty rate (US five-year survey estimate) using official data, and cite the source.
rank_places {"indicator":"poverty_rate_acs","level":"province","within":"Pennsylvania","limit":10}
GET https://invokely.ai/api/v1/rank?indicator=poverty_rate_acs&level=province&within=Pennsylvania&limit=10

Connect Claude, ChatGPT or Cursor in one step. The trial answers 25 calls a day without an account.

Questions

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

Philadelphia County, with 22.8% in 2021, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

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

Bucks County, with 5.5% 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 Pennsylvania: more rankings