Data / Rankings / Poverty rate (US five-year survey estimate) / US cities

US cities by poverty rate (US five-year survey estimate)

New Square, NY had the highest poverty rate (US five-year survey estimate) of 3211 cities in 2021, at 60.6%. Snoqualmie, WA had the lowest, at 0.2%. The median was 11.4% and the figure for the United States was 12.6%. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

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Highest60.6New Square, NY
Lowest0.2Snoqualmie, WA
Median11.43211 cities
United States12.6History

Top 40 cities, 2021

New Square, NY: 60.6 %New Square, NY60.6Boone, NC: 55.3 %Boone, NC55.3Blacksburg, VA: 45.2 %Blacksburg, VA45.2Oxford, OH: 44.8 %Oxford, OH44.8State College, PA: 43.4 %State College, PA43.4Donna, TX: 43.2 %Donna, TX43.2Athens, OH: 43.1 %Athens, OH43.1Hamtramck, MI: 43.1 %Hamtramck, MI43.1Crowley, LA: 42.3 %Crowley, LA42.3Clarksdale, MS: 41.6 %Clarksdale, MS41.6Kiryas Joel, NY: 40.5 %Kiryas Joel, NY40.5Carbondale, IL: 40.5 %Carbondale, IL40.5Cedartown, GA: 39.5 %Cedartown, GA39.5Milledgeville, GA: 39.1 %Milledgeville, GA39.1East Cleveland, OH: 39 %East Cleveland, OH39Inkster, MI: 37.8 %Inkster, MI37.8West Lafayette, IN: 37.5 %West Lafayette, IN37.5Mendota, CA: 37.5 %Mendota, CA37.5Natchitoches, LA: 37.4 %Natchitoches, LA37.4Opelousas, LA: 37.2 %Opelousas, LA37.2Atlantic City, NJ: 37 %Atlantic City, NJ37Hammond, LA: 37 %Hammond, LA37Clemson, SC: 36.4 %Clemson, SC36.4Statesboro, GA: 36 %Statesboro, GA36Saginaw, MI: 35.6 %Saginaw, MI35.6Ruston, LA: 35.6 %Ruston, LA35.6Flint, MI: 35.5 %Flint, MI35.5East Lansing, MI: 35.5 %East Lansing, MI35.5McComb, MS: 35.5 %McComb, MS35.5Opa-locka, FL: 35.4 %Opa-locka, FL35.4Radford, VA: 35.4 %Radford, VA35.4Youngstown, OH: 35.3 %Youngstown, OH35.3New Brunswick, NJ: 35.3 %New Brunswick, NJ35.3Bridgeton, NJ: 35.1 %Bridgeton, NJ35.1Monroe, LA: 35 %Monroe, LA35Roma, TX: 34.9 %Roma, TX34.9Carthage, MO: 34.8 %Carthage, MO34.8Portsmouth, OH: 34.7 %Portsmouth, OH34.7Arcata, CA: 34.7 %Arcata, CA34.7Belle Glade, FL: 34.6 %Belle Glade, FL34.6New Square, NY: 60.6 %New Square, NY60.6Boone, NC: 55.3 %Boone, NC55.3Blacksburg, VA: 45.2 %Blacksburg, VA45.2Oxford, OH: 44.8 %Oxford, OH44.8State College, PA: 43.4 %State College, PA43.4Donna, TX: 43.2 %Donna, TX43.2Athens, OH: 43.1 %Athens, OH43.1Hamtramck, MI: 43.1 %Hamtramck, MI43.1Crowley, LA: 42.3 %Crowley, LA42.3Clarksdale, MS: 41.6 %Clarksdale, MS41.6Kiryas Joel, NY: 40.5 %Kiryas Joel, NY40.5Carbondale, IL: 40.5 %Carbondale, IL40.5Cedartown, GA: 39.5 %Cedartown, GA39.5Milledgeville, GA: 39.1 %Milledgeville, GA39.1East Cleveland, OH: 39 %East Cleveland, OH39Inkster, MI: 37.8 %Inkster, MI37.8West Lafayette, IN: 37.5 %West Lafayette, IN37.5Mendota, CA: 37.5 %Mendota, CA37.5Natchitoches, LA: 37.4 %Natchitoches, LA37.4Opelousas, LA: 37.2 %Opelousas, LA37.2Atlantic City, NJ: 37 %Atlantic City, NJ37Hammond, LA: 37 %Hammond, LA37Clemson, SC: 36.4 %Clemson, SC36.4Statesboro, GA: 36 %Statesboro, GA36Saginaw, MI: 35.6 %Saginaw, MI35.6Ruston, LA: 35.6 %Ruston, LA35.6Flint, MI: 35.5 %Flint, MI35.5East Lansing, MI: 35.5 %East Lansing, MI35.5McComb, MS: 35.5 %McComb, MS35.5Opa-locka, FL: 35.4 %Opa-locka, FL35.4Radford, VA: 35.4 %Radford, VA35.4Youngstown, OH: 35.3 %Youngstown, OH35.3New Brunswick, NJ: 35.3 %New Brunswick, NJ35.3Bridgeton, NJ: 35.1 %Bridgeton, NJ35.1Monroe, LA: 35 %Monroe, LA35Roma, TX: 34.9 %Roma, TX34.9Carthage, MO: 34.8 %Carthage, MO34.8Portsmouth, OH: 34.7 %Portsmouth, OH34.7Arcata, CA: 34.7 %Arcata, CA34.7Belle Glade, FL: 34.6 %Belle Glade, FL34.6
%. Source: Invokely calculation with data from U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankCities2021 (%)
1New Square, NY60.6
2Boone, NC55.3
3Blacksburg, VA45.2
4Oxford, OH44.8
5State College, PA43.4
6Donna, TX43.2
7Athens, OH43.1
8Hamtramck, MI43.1
9Crowley, LA42.3
10Clarksdale, MS41.6
11Kiryas Joel, NY40.5
12Carbondale, IL40.5
13Cedartown, GA39.5
14Milledgeville, GA39.1
15East Cleveland, OH39
16Inkster, MI37.8
17West Lafayette, IN37.5
18Mendota, CA37.5
19Natchitoches, LA37.4
20Opelousas, LA37.2
21Atlantic City, NJ37
22Hammond, LA37
23Clemson, SC36.4
24Statesboro, GA36
25Saginaw, MI35.6
26Ruston, LA35.6
27Flint, MI35.5
28East Lansing, MI35.5
28McComb, MS35.5
30Opa-locka, FL35.4
31Radford, VA35.4
32Youngstown, OH35.3
33New Brunswick, NJ35.3
34Bridgeton, NJ35.1
35Monroe, LA35
36Roma, TX34.9
37Carthage, MO34.8
38Portsmouth, OH34.7
39Arcata, CA34.7
40Belle Glade, FL34.6
41Warren, OH34.6
42Ithaca, NY34.5
43Waycross, GA34.3
44Cheney, WA34.2
45Morgantown, WV34.1
45Mount Pleasant, MI34.1
47West Plains, MO34.1
48Dublin, GA33.8
49Laurel, MS33.8
50Monroe, GA33.7
51Johnstown, PA33.7
52Pullman, WA33.6
53Camden, NJ33.6
54Whitewater, WI33.6
55Rexburg, ID33.3
56San Elizario, TX33.3
57Laurinburg, NC33.2
58Natchez, MS33.2
59Palatka, FL33.2
60Forrest City, AR33
61Carrollton, GA32.9
62Brunswick, GA32.8
63Raymondville, TX32.8
64Pharr, TX32.6
65Greenville, MS32.4
66Bloomington, IN32.3
66Bogalusa, LA32.3
68Orangeburg, SC32.1
69Gary, IN32
70Binghamton, NY32
70Hattiesburg, MS32
70San Benito, TX32
73Florida City, FL31.9
74Dinuba, CA31.9
75Detroit, MI31.9
76Minden, LA31.5
77Cleveland, OH31.4
78Kingsville, TX31.3
79Ashtabula, OH31.3
80Stillwater, OK31.2
81Cambridge, OH31.1
82Lumberton, NC31.1
83Valdosta, GA31.1
84Bowling Green, OH31
85Canton, MS30.9
86Abbeville, LA30.6
87Alton, TX30.6
88San Marcos, TX30.6
89Somerset, KY30.6
90Maryville, MO30.5
91Nacogdoches, TX30.4
92Muncie, IN30.4
93Meridian, MS30.4
94Canton, OH30.3
94Las Vegas, NM30.3
96Huntington, WV30.2
97Grenada, MS30.2
98Parlier, CA30.2
99Riverdale, IL30.1
100Prichard, AL30.1
101Syracuse, NY30.1
102Greenwood, MS30
102Smithfield, NC30
104Robstown, TX30
105Galena Park, TX29.8
106Cleveland, MS29.8
106Nogales, AZ29.8
108Barstow, CA29.8
109Eufaula, AL29.7
110Hidalgo, TX29.6
111San Luis Obispo, CA29.6
112Lindsay, CA29.5
112Rio Grande City, TX29.5
114Selma, AL29.4
115Reading, PA29.4
115Rochester, NY29.4
117McFarland, CA29.3
118East St. Louis, IL29.3
119Mount Airy, NC29.3
120Jennings, MO29.2
120Martin, TN29.2
122Pittsburg, KS29.2
123Oxford, MS29.1
124Sunland Park, NM29.1
125Cudahy, CA29.1
126West Monroe, LA28.9
127Ypsilanti, MI28.9
128Bessemer, AL28.8
129Starkville, MS28.8
130Kirksville, MO28.7
131Americus, GA28.7
131York, PA28.7
133Dayton, OH28.6
134Chester, PA28.5
134Gainesville, FL28.5
136Harvey, IL28.5
137Marion, IN28.5
137Reidsville, NC28.5
139Albany, GA28.5
140Danville, IL28.5
141Hartford, CT28.4
142Harrisburg, PA28.2
142Kankakee, IL28.2
144Indiana, PA28.2
145College Station, TX28.2
146Douglas, GA28.2
147Gallup, NM28.2
148Jamestown, NY28.1
149Bloomsburg, PA28.1
150Lawrenceburg, TN28.1
151Huntsville, TX28.1
152Utica, NY28
153Melvindale, MI28
154Arvin, CA27.9
155Kinston, NC27.9
156Deming, NM27.9
157Kalamazoo, MI27.8
158Vicksburg, MS27.8
159East Chicago, IN27.8
160New Iberia, LA27.8
161McMinnville, TN27.7
162Darby, PA27.7
162Pontiac, MI27.7
164Trenton, NJ27.7
165Corcoran, CA27.6
166Buffalo, NY27.6
167McKeesport, PA27.4
168Madera, CA27.4
169Troy, AL27.3
170Glasgow, KY27.3
171Guymon, OK27.2
172Paris, TN27.2
173Gadsden, AL27.2
174Alexandria, LA27.1
175Fort Pierce, FL27.1
176Urbana, IL27.1
177Mercedes, TX27
177Poplar Bluff, MO27
179Morganton, NC27
180Columbus, MS26.9
180Red Bluff, CA26.9
182Iowa City, IA26.9
183Coatesville, PA26.8
184DeKalb, IL26.8
185Talladega, AL26.8
186Sebring, FL26.7
187Zanesville, OH26.7
188Charleston, IL26.7
188Macomb, IL26.7
190Jacksonville, AL26.7
191Endicott, NY26.7
192Dunkirk, NY26.7
193Harlingen, TX26.7
194Athens, GA26.6
194Merced, CA26.6
196Picayune, MS26.6
197Brownsville, TX26.5
197Clearlake, CA26.5
199Holyoke, MA26.5
200Brookhaven, MS26.4
200Marquette, MI26.4
202Magnolia, AR26.4
203Ferguson, MO26.4
204Ames, IA26.4
204Davis, CA26.4
204Phenix City, AL26.4
207Desert Hot Springs, CA26.3
208Springfield, MA26.3
209Lorain, OH26.3
210Greenville, NC26.2
211Weslaco, TX26.2
212New Castle, PA26.2
213Malvern, AR26.2
214Jackson, MS26.1
215Newark, DE26.1
216Adrian, MI26
217San Juan, TX26
217Terre Haute, IN26
219Tifton, GA25.9
220Manhattan, KS25.9
221Clarkston, GA25.9
222Alliance, OH25.9
223Griffin, GA25.8
224Brawley, CA25.8
224Eagle Pass, TX25.8
224Harrisonburg, VA25.8
224Port Arthur, TX25.8
228Newark, NJ25.8
229Ironton, OH25.8
230LaGrange, GA25.7
231Henderson, NC25.6
232Corvallis, OR25.6
233Bell Gardens, CA25.6
233Platteville, WI25.6
235Avenal, CA25.6
235Normal, IL25.6
237Gulfport, MS25.6
238Bowling Green, KY25.6
239Birmingham, AL25.5
240Elmira, NY25.5
240Hagerstown, MD25.5
242Morristown, TN25.5
242Trotwood, OH25.5
244Steubenville, OH25.4
245California City, CA25.4
246Martinsville, VA25.4
247Mansfield, OH25.4
248Circleville, OH25.4
249College Park, MD25.3
249Passaic, NJ25.3

Showing the top 250 of 3211. The Excel download has every row.

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. 8 cities with data in other periods have no value for 2021 and are left out rather than filled from another source. 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/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, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more) (US cities 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, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more), US cities 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/us-cities?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, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more). US cities 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/us-cities?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, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more), US cities 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/us-cities?period=2021 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{census_us_cities_by_poverty_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, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more): US cities 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/us-cities?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, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more). 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, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more): US cities 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/us-cities?period=2021
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/poverty-rate-acs/us-cities?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, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more). 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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Rank US cities by poverty rate (US five-year survey estimate) using official data, and cite the source.
rank_places {"indicator":"poverty_rate_acs","level":"municipality","within":"United States","limit":10}
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Questions

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

New Square, NY, with 60.6% in 2021, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

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

Snoqualmie, WA, with 0.2% 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, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more). Retrieved 2026-10-12. 8 cities have no value for 2021 and are not ranked.

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

US cities: more rankings