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 2023, at 22%. Chester County had the lowest, at 5.9%. The median was 11.7% and the figure for Pennsylvania was 11.8%. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

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Median11.767 counties
Pennsylvania11.8History

Map of counties, 2023

Adams County: 8.4 %Allegheny County: 11.2 %Armstrong County: 11.3 %Beaver County: 10.1 %Bedford County: 11 %Berks County: 11.7 %Blair County: 13 %Bradford County: 13.5 %Bucks County: 6.1 %Butler County: 8 %Cambria County: 14.2 %Cameron County: 16 %Carbon County: 12.1 %Centre County: 16.9 %Chester County: 5.9 %Clarion County: 13.9 %Clearfield County: 13.8 %Clinton County: 14.2 %Columbia County: 15.7 %Crawford County: 12.8 %Cumberland County: 7.8 %Dauphin County: 12.3 %Delaware County: 10.2 %Elk County: 9.1 %Erie County: 15.4 %Fayette County: 17.5 %Forest County: 14.7 %Franklin County: 7.8 %Fulton County: 11.7 %Greene County: 12.5 %Huntingdon County: 11 %Indiana County: 12.8 %Jefferson County: 15.3 %Juniata County: 10 %Lackawanna County: 14 %Lancaster County: 8.7 %Lawrence County: 11.6 %Lebanon County: 10.6 %Lehigh County: 11.9 %Luzerne County: 15.4 %Lycoming County: 12.5 %McKean County: 13.7 %Mercer County: 12.8 %Mifflin County: 16 %Monroe County: 11.3 %Montgomery County: 6.5 %Montour County: 8.8 %Northampton County: 8.8 %Northumberland County: 12.2 %Perry County: 8 %Philadelphia County: 22 %Pike County: 9.3 %Potter County: 11.7 %Schuylkill County: 12.5 %Snyder County: 8.6 %Somerset County: 11.2 %Sullivan County: 11 %Susquehanna County: 10.9 %Tioga County: 11.8 %Union County: 9.7 %Venango County: 12.8 %Warren County: 11.4 %Washington County: 9.4 %Wayne County: 12.2 %Westmoreland County: 10 %Wyoming County: 11.4 %York County: 8.6 %
  • Under 8.8
  • 8.8 to 11
  • 11 to 12
  • 12 to 13
  • 13 to 14
  • 14 and over
%, 2023. Source: Invokely calculation with data from U.S. Census Bureau. Boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau cartographic boundary files.

Top 40 counties, 2023

Philadelphia County: 22 %Philadelphia County22Fayette County: 17.5 %Fayette County17.5Centre County: 16.9 %Centre County16.9Mifflin County: 16 %Mifflin County16Cameron County: 16 %Cameron County16Columbia County: 15.7 %Columbia County15.7Luzerne County: 15.4 %Luzerne County15.4Erie County: 15.4 %Erie County15.4Jefferson County: 15.3 %Jefferson County15.3Forest County: 14.7 %Forest County14.7Clinton County: 14.2 %Clinton County14.2Cambria County: 14.2 %Cambria County14.2Lackawanna County: 14 %Lackawanna County14Clarion County: 13.9 %Clarion County13.9Clearfield County: 13.8 %Clearfield County13.8McKean County: 13.7 %McKean County13.7Bradford County: 13.5 %Bradford County13.5Blair County: 13 %Blair County13Crawford County: 12.8 %Crawford County12.8Venango County: 12.8 %Venango County12.8Indiana County: 12.8 %Indiana County12.8Mercer County: 12.8 %Mercer County12.8Greene County: 12.5 %Greene County12.5Schuylkill County: 12.5 %Schuylkill County12.5Lycoming County: 12.5 %Lycoming County12.5Dauphin County: 12.3 %Dauphin County12.3Northumberland County: 12.2 %Northumberland County12.2Wayne County: 12.2 %Wayne County12.2Carbon County: 12.1 %Carbon County12.1Lehigh County: 11.9 %Lehigh County11.9Tioga County: 11.8 %Tioga County11.8Potter County: 11.7 %Potter County11.7Fulton County: 11.7 %Fulton County11.7Berks County: 11.7 %Berks County11.7Lawrence County: 11.6 %Lawrence County11.6Warren County: 11.4 %Warren County11.4Wyoming County: 11.4 %Wyoming County11.4Armstrong County: 11.3 %Armstrong County11.3Monroe County: 11.3 %Monroe County11.3Allegheny County: 11.2 %Allegheny County11.2Philadelphia County: 22 %Philadelphia County22Fayette County: 17.5 %Fayette County17.5Centre County: 16.9 %Centre County16.9Mifflin County: 16 %Mifflin County16Cameron County: 16 %Cameron County16Columbia County: 15.7 %Columbia County15.7Luzerne County: 15.4 %Luzerne County15.4Erie County: 15.4 %Erie County15.4Jefferson County: 15.3 %Jefferson County15.3Forest County: 14.7 %Forest County14.7Clinton County: 14.2 %Clinton County14.2Cambria County: 14.2 %Cambria County14.2Lackawanna County: 14 %Lackawanna County14Clarion County: 13.9 %Clarion County13.9Clearfield County: 13.8 %Clearfield County13.8McKean County: 13.7 %McKean County13.7Bradford County: 13.5 %Bradford County13.5Blair County: 13 %Blair County13Crawford County: 12.8 %Crawford County12.8Venango County: 12.8 %Venango County12.8Indiana County: 12.8 %Indiana County12.8Mercer County: 12.8 %Mercer County12.8Greene County: 12.5 %Greene County12.5Schuylkill County: 12.5 %Schuylkill County12.5Lycoming County: 12.5 %Lycoming County12.5Dauphin County: 12.3 %Dauphin County12.3Northumberland County: 12.2 %Northumberland County12.2Wayne County: 12.2 %Wayne County12.2Carbon County: 12.1 %Carbon County12.1Lehigh County: 11.9 %Lehigh County11.9Tioga County: 11.8 %Tioga County11.8Potter County: 11.7 %Potter County11.7Fulton County: 11.7 %Fulton County11.7Berks County: 11.7 %Berks County11.7Lawrence County: 11.6 %Lawrence County11.6Warren County: 11.4 %Warren County11.4Wyoming County: 11.4 %Wyoming County11.4Armstrong County: 11.3 %Armstrong County11.3Monroe County: 11.3 %Monroe County11.3Allegheny County: 11.2 %Allegheny County11.2
%. Source: Invokely calculation with data from U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankCounties2023 (%)Change on 2022
1Philadelphia County22-0.7 pts
2Fayette County17.5+1.3 pts
3Centre County16.9-0.1 pts
4Mifflin County16-0.6 pts
5Cameron County16+1.1 pts
6Columbia County15.7+0.4 pts
7Luzerne County15.4+0.5 pts
8Erie County15.40 pts
9Jefferson County15.3+1.2 pts
10Forest County14.7-4.5 pts
11Clinton County14.2+1 pts
12Cambria County14.2-0.2 pts
13Lackawanna County14+1 pts
14Clarion County13.9+0.2 pts
15Clearfield County13.80 pts
16McKean County13.7-0.4 pts
17Bradford County13.5+0.3 pts
18Blair County13-0.2 pts
19Crawford County12.8+0.1 pts
20Venango County12.8-0.6 pts
21Indiana County12.8-0.2 pts
22Mercer County12.8-0.8 pts
23Greene County12.5-0.4 pts
24Schuylkill County12.5+0.2 pts
25Lycoming County12.50 pts
26Dauphin County12.3+0.1 pts
27Northumberland County12.2-0.2 pts
28Wayne County12.2+1.2 pts
29Carbon County12.1+0.3 pts
30Lehigh County11.9-0.1 pts
31Tioga County11.8-0.3 pts
32Potter County11.7-0.5 pts
33Fulton County11.7+1 pts
34Berks County11.7-0.1 pts
35Lawrence County11.6-0.8 pts
36Warren County11.4-0.2 pts
37Wyoming County11.4+0.1 pts
38Armstrong County11.3+0.9 pts
39Monroe County11.3-0.1 pts
40Allegheny County11.2+0.1 pts
41Somerset County11.2+0.3 pts
42Huntingdon County11-0.3 pts
43Sullivan County11-1.2 pts
44Bedford County11+0.2 pts
45Susquehanna County10.9-0.2 pts
46Lebanon County10.6-0.3 pts
47Delaware County10.2+0.5 pts
48Beaver County10.1-0.3 pts
49Westmoreland County10+0.3 pts
50Juniata County10+1 pts
51Union County9.7-1.2 pts
52Washington County9.4-0.1 pts
53Pike County9.3-0.7 pts
54Elk County9.1+0.1 pts
55Montour County8.8+0.1 pts
56Northampton County8.8-0.4 pts
57Lancaster County8.7+0.5 pts
58Snyder County8.6+0.2 pts
59York County8.6-0 pts
60Adams County8.4+0.5 pts
61Perry County8-0.1 pts
62Butler County8+0.1 pts
63Franklin County7.8-1.2 pts
64Cumberland County7.80 pts
65Montgomery County6.5+0.2 pts
66Bucks County6.1+0.4 pts
67Chester County5.9-0 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/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-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), 2023) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-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), 2023. U.S. Census Bureau, 29 Jan. 2026, https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-b17001.dat. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/poverty-rate-acs/pennsylvania-counties?period=2023. 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), 2023. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-b17001.dat. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/poverty-rate-acs/pennsylvania-counties?period=2023.

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), 2023 [Dataset]. Available at: https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-b17001.dat, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/poverty-rate-acs/pennsylvania-counties?period=2023 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{census_counties_in_pennsylvania_by_2023,
  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), 2023}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-b17001.dat},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/poverty-rate-acs/pennsylvania-counties?period=2023. 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/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-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), 2023
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/01/29
PB  - U.S. Census Bureau
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-b17001.dat
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/poverty-rate-acs/pennsylvania-counties?period=2023
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/poverty-rate-acs/pennsylvania-counties?period=2023.
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/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-b17001.dat. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER  - 
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Questions

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

Philadelphia County, with 22% in 2023, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

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

Chester County, with 5.9% in 2023.

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