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

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

Whitman County had the highest poverty rate (US five-year survey estimate) of 39 counties in 2021, at 24.7%. Snohomish County had the lowest, at 7.3%. The median was 12.3% and the figure for Washington was 10%. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

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Highest24.7Whitman County
Lowest7.3Snohomish County
Median12.339 counties
Washington10History

Map of counties, 2021

Adams County: 20.9 %Asotin County: 13 %Benton County: 10.6 %Chelan County: 10.7 %Clallam County: 12.3 %Clark County: 9.1 %Columbia County: 9.3 %Cowlitz County: 12.8 %Douglas County: 9.7 %Ferry County: 15 %Franklin County: 15.1 %Garfield County: 9.2 %Grant County: 13 %Grays Harbor County: 15.1 %Island County: 7.6 %Jefferson County: 14.2 %King County: 8.4 %Kitsap County: 8 %Kittitas County: 14.8 %Klickitat County: 14.7 %Lewis County: 13.2 %Lincoln County: 11.9 %Mason County: 12.8 %Okanogan County: 20.2 %Pacific County: 13.7 %Pend Oreille County: 11.2 %Pierce County: 8.8 %San Juan County: 10.9 %Skagit County: 11.1 %Skamania County: 9.5 %Snohomish County: 7.3 %Spokane County: 12.5 %Stevens County: 12.9 %Thurston County: 9.7 %Wahkiakum County: 10.6 %Walla Walla County: 11.1 %Whatcom County: 13.4 %Whitman County: 24.7 %Yakima County: 15.8 %
  • Under 9.3
  • 9.3 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.

All counties, 2021

Whitman County: 24.7 %Whitman County24.7Adams County: 20.9 %Adams County20.9Okanogan County: 20.2 %Okanogan County20.2Yakima County: 15.8 %Yakima County15.8Grays Harbor County: 15.1 %Grays Harbor County15.1Franklin County: 15.1 %Franklin County15.1Ferry County: 15 %Ferry County15Kittitas County: 14.8 %Kittitas County14.8Klickitat County: 14.7 %Klickitat County14.7Jefferson County: 14.2 %Jefferson County14.2Pacific County: 13.7 %Pacific County13.7Whatcom County: 13.4 %Whatcom County13.4Lewis County: 13.2 %Lewis County13.2Grant County: 13 %Grant County13Asotin County: 13 %Asotin County13Stevens County: 12.9 %Stevens County12.9Mason County: 12.8 %Mason County12.8Cowlitz County: 12.8 %Cowlitz County12.8Spokane County: 12.5 %Spokane County12.5Clallam County: 12.3 %Clallam County12.3Lincoln County: 11.9 %Lincoln County11.9Pend Oreille County: 11.2 %Pend Oreille County11.2Walla Walla County: 11.1 %Walla Walla County11.1Skagit County: 11.1 %Skagit County11.1San Juan County: 10.9 %San Juan County10.9Chelan County: 10.7 %Chelan County10.7Wahkiakum County: 10.6 %Wahkiakum County10.6Benton County: 10.6 %Benton County10.6Thurston County: 9.7 %Thurston County9.7Douglas County: 9.7 %Douglas County9.7Skamania County: 9.5 %Skamania County9.5Columbia County: 9.3 %Columbia County9.3Garfield County: 9.2 %Garfield County9.2Clark County: 9.1 %Clark County9.1Pierce County: 8.8 %Pierce County8.8King County: 8.4 %King County8.4Kitsap County: 8 %Kitsap County8Island County: 7.6 %Island County7.6Snohomish County: 7.3 %Snohomish County7.3Whitman County: 24.7 %Whitman County24.7Adams County: 20.9 %Adams County20.9Okanogan County: 20.2 %Okanogan County20.2Yakima County: 15.8 %Yakima County15.8Grays Harbor County: 15.1 %Grays Harbor County15.1Franklin County: 15.1 %Franklin County15.1Ferry County: 15 %Ferry County15Kittitas County: 14.8 %Kittitas County14.8Klickitat County: 14.7 %Klickitat County14.7Jefferson County: 14.2 %Jefferson County14.2Pacific County: 13.7 %Pacific County13.7Whatcom County: 13.4 %Whatcom County13.4Lewis County: 13.2 %Lewis County13.2Grant County: 13 %Grant County13Asotin County: 13 %Asotin County13Stevens County: 12.9 %Stevens County12.9Mason County: 12.8 %Mason County12.8Cowlitz County: 12.8 %Cowlitz County12.8Spokane County: 12.5 %Spokane County12.5Clallam County: 12.3 %Clallam County12.3Lincoln County: 11.9 %Lincoln County11.9Pend Oreille County: 11.2 %Pend Oreille County11.2Walla Walla County: 11.1 %Walla Walla County11.1Skagit County: 11.1 %Skagit County11.1San Juan County: 10.9 %San Juan County10.9Chelan County: 10.7 %Chelan County10.7Wahkiakum County: 10.6 %Wahkiakum County10.6Benton County: 10.6 %Benton County10.6Thurston County: 9.7 %Thurston County9.7Douglas County: 9.7 %Douglas County9.7Skamania County: 9.5 %Skamania County9.5Columbia County: 9.3 %Columbia County9.3Garfield County: 9.2 %Garfield County9.2Clark County: 9.1 %Clark County9.1Pierce County: 8.8 %Pierce County8.8King County: 8.4 %King County8.4Kitsap County: 8 %Kitsap County8Island County: 7.6 %Island County7.6Snohomish County: 7.3 %Snohomish County7.3
%. Source: Invokely calculation with data from U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankCounties2021 (%)
1Whitman County24.7
2Adams County20.9
3Okanogan County20.2
4Yakima County15.8
5Grays Harbor County15.1
6Franklin County15.1
7Ferry County15
8Kittitas County14.8
9Klickitat County14.7
10Jefferson County14.2
11Pacific County13.7
12Whatcom County13.4
13Lewis County13.2
14Grant County13
15Asotin County13
16Stevens County12.9
17Mason County12.8
18Cowlitz County12.8
19Spokane County12.5
20Clallam County12.3
21Lincoln County11.9
22Pend Oreille County11.2
23Walla Walla County11.1
24Skagit County11.1
25San Juan County10.9
26Chelan County10.7
27Wahkiakum County10.6
28Benton County10.6
29Thurston County9.7
30Douglas County9.7
31Skamania County9.5
32Columbia County9.3
33Garfield County9.2
34Clark County9.1
35Pierce County8.8
36King County8.4
37Kitsap County8
38Island County7.6
39Snohomish County7.3

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 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, Counties 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-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 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-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 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-counties?period=2021 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{census_counties_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: Counties 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-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 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-counties?period=2021
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/poverty-rate-acs/washington-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  -
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Questions

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

Whitman County, with 24.7% in 2021, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

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

Snohomish County, with 7.3% 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 Washington: more rankings