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

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

Cheney, WA had the highest poverty rate (US five-year survey estimate) of 91 cities in 2021, at 34.2%. Snoqualmie, WA had the lowest, at 0.2%. The median was 9.6% and the figure for Washington was 10%. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

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Highest34.2Cheney, WA
Lowest0.2Snoqualmie, WA
Median9.691 cities
Washington10History

Top 40 cities, 2021

Cheney, WA: 34.2 %Cheney, WA34.2Pullman, WA: 33.6 %Pullman, WA33.6Aberdeen, WA: 25.2 %Aberdeen, WA25.2Shelton, WA: 24.5 %Shelton, WA24.5Ellensburg, WA: 22.7 %Ellensburg, WA22.7Centralia, WA: 22.1 %Centralia, WA22.1Kelso, WA: 21.1 %Kelso, WA21.1Bellingham, WA: 19.7 %Bellingham, WA19.7Sunnyside, WA: 18.6 %Sunnyside, WA18.6Airway Heights, WA: 17.9 %Airway Heights, WA17.9Yakima, WA: 17.6 %Yakima, WA17.6Mount Vernon, WA: 16.5 %Mount Vernon, WA16.5Spokane, WA: 15.6 %Spokane, WA15.6Lynnwood, WA: 15.6 %Lynnwood, WA15.6Pasco, WA: 15.4 %Pasco, WA15.4Port Townsend, WA: 14.9 %Port Townsend, WA14.9Bremerton, WA: 14.6 %Bremerton, WA14.6Burlington, WA: 14.3 %Burlington, WA14.3Grandview, WA: 14.3 %Grandview, WA14.3Kennewick, WA: 14.1 %Kennewick, WA14.1Olympia, WA: 14 %Olympia, WA14Washougal, WA: 14 %Washougal, WA14Longview, WA: 13.7 %Longview, WA13.7Lakewood, WA: 13.6 %Lakewood, WA13.6Walla Walla, WA: 13.5 %Walla Walla, WA13.5Wenatchee, WA: 13.3 %Wenatchee, WA13.3Fife, WA: 12.8 %Fife, WA12.8Vancouver, WA: 12.7 %Vancouver, WA12.7Sedro-Woolley, WA: 12.7 %Sedro-Woolley, WA12.7Tacoma, WA: 12.5 %Tacoma, WA12.5Tukwila, WA: 12.4 %Tukwila, WA12.4Burien, WA: 11.7 %Burien, WA11.7Port Angeles, WA: 11.5 %Port Angeles, WA11.5Des Moines, WA: 11.3 %Des Moines, WA11.3Kent, WA: 11.3 %Kent, WA11.3Federal Way, WA: 11.3 %Federal Way, WA11.3Ferndale, WA: 11.3 %Ferndale, WA11.3Everett, WA: 11 %Everett, WA11East Wenatchee, WA: 10.9 %East Wenatchee, WA10.9Poulsbo, WA: 10.9 %Poulsbo, WA10.9Cheney, WA: 34.2 %Cheney, WA34.2Pullman, WA: 33.6 %Pullman, WA33.6Aberdeen, WA: 25.2 %Aberdeen, WA25.2Shelton, WA: 24.5 %Shelton, WA24.5Ellensburg, WA: 22.7 %Ellensburg, WA22.7Centralia, WA: 22.1 %Centralia, WA22.1Kelso, WA: 21.1 %Kelso, WA21.1Bellingham, WA: 19.7 %Bellingham, WA19.7Sunnyside, WA: 18.6 %Sunnyside, WA18.6Airway Heights, WA: 17.9 %Airway Heights, WA17.9Yakima, WA: 17.6 %Yakima, WA17.6Mount Vernon, WA: 16.5 %Mount Vernon, WA16.5Spokane, WA: 15.6 %Spokane, WA15.6Lynnwood, WA: 15.6 %Lynnwood, WA15.6Pasco, WA: 15.4 %Pasco, WA15.4Port Townsend, WA: 14.9 %Port Townsend, WA14.9Bremerton, WA: 14.6 %Bremerton, WA14.6Burlington, WA: 14.3 %Burlington, WA14.3Grandview, WA: 14.3 %Grandview, WA14.3Kennewick, WA: 14.1 %Kennewick, WA14.1Olympia, WA: 14 %Olympia, WA14Washougal, WA: 14 %Washougal, WA14Longview, WA: 13.7 %Longview, WA13.7Lakewood, WA: 13.6 %Lakewood, WA13.6Walla Walla, WA: 13.5 %Walla Walla, WA13.5Wenatchee, WA: 13.3 %Wenatchee, WA13.3Fife, WA: 12.8 %Fife, WA12.8Vancouver, WA: 12.7 %Vancouver, WA12.7Sedro-Woolley, WA: 12.7 %Sedro-Woolley, WA12.7Tacoma, WA: 12.5 %Tacoma, WA12.5Tukwila, WA: 12.4 %Tukwila, WA12.4Burien, WA: 11.7 %Burien, WA11.7Port Angeles, WA: 11.5 %Port Angeles, WA11.5Des Moines, WA: 11.3 %Des Moines, WA11.3Kent, WA: 11.3 %Kent, WA11.3Federal Way, WA: 11.3 %Federal Way, WA11.3Ferndale, WA: 11.3 %Ferndale, WA11.3Everett, WA: 11 %Everett, WA11East Wenatchee, WA: 10.9 %East Wenatchee, WA10.9Poulsbo, WA: 10.9 %Poulsbo, WA10.9
%. Source: Invokely calculation with data from U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankCities2021 (%)
1Cheney, WA34.2
2Pullman, WA33.6
3Aberdeen, WA25.2
4Shelton, WA24.5
5Ellensburg, WA22.7
6Centralia, WA22.1
7Kelso, WA21.1
8Bellingham, WA19.7
9Sunnyside, WA18.6
10Airway Heights, WA17.9
11Yakima, WA17.6
12Mount Vernon, WA16.5
13Spokane, WA15.6
14Lynnwood, WA15.6
15Pasco, WA15.4
16Port Townsend, WA14.9
17Bremerton, WA14.6
18Burlington, WA14.3
19Grandview, WA14.3
20Kennewick, WA14.1
21Olympia, WA14
21Washougal, WA14
23Longview, WA13.7
24Lakewood, WA13.6
25Walla Walla, WA13.5
26Wenatchee, WA13.3
27Fife, WA12.8
28Vancouver, WA12.7
29Sedro-Woolley, WA12.7
30Tacoma, WA12.5
31Tukwila, WA12.4
32Burien, WA11.7
33Port Angeles, WA11.5
34Des Moines, WA11.3
34Kent, WA11.3
36Federal Way, WA11.3
37Ferndale, WA11.3
38Everett, WA11
39East Wenatchee, WA10.9
40Poulsbo, WA10.9
41SeaTac, WA10.7
42Spokane Valley, WA10.7
43Moses Lake, WA10.2
44Port Orchard, WA10.2
45Seattle, WA10
46Auburn, WA9.6
47Lacey, WA9.6
48Oak Harbor, WA8.6
49Tumwater, WA8.5
50Shoreline, WA8.4
51Anacortes, WA8.3
52Richland, WA8.1
53Renton, WA7.9
54Enumclaw, WA7.7
55Monroe, WA7.6
56University Place, WA7.6
57Issaquah, WA7.4
58Snohomish, WA7.2
59Bellevue, WA7
60Lynden, WA6.9
61Arlington, WA6.9
62Kirkland, WA6.8
63Puyallup, WA6.6
64Sumner, WA6.5
65Battle Ground, WA6.4
66Mountlake Terrace, WA6.4
67Marysville, WA6.1
68Kenmore, WA6.1
69Redmond, WA6
70Yelm, WA6
71West Richland, WA5.8
72Mukilteo, WA5.6
73Lake Stevens, WA5.4
74Bonney Lake, WA5.1
75Mercer Island, WA4.9
76Covington, WA4.8
77Gig Harbor, WA4.7
78Maple Valley, WA4.6
79Bothell, WA4.5
80Edmonds, WA4.4
81Camas, WA3.8
82Edgewood, WA3.8
83Mill Creek, WA3.7
84Liberty Lake, WA3.6
85Newcastle, WA3.6
86Lake Forest Park, WA3.3
87Woodinville, WA3.2
88Ridgefield, WA3.1
89Sammamish, WA3.1
90Bainbridge Island, WA2.6
91Snoqualmie, WA0.2

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/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) (Cities in Washington 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), Cities in Washington 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/washington-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). Cities in Washington 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/washington-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), Cities in Washington 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/washington-cities?period=2021 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{census_cities_in_washington_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, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more): Cities in Washington 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/washington-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): Cities in Washington 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/washington-cities?period=2021
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/poverty-rate-acs/washington-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 Cities in Washington 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)?

Cheney, WA, with 34.2% 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.

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

Cities in Washington: more rankings