Which state has the highest % Of Population Below Poverty Level?

Louisiana has the highest % Of Population Below Poverty Level, at 19.6%, followed by Mississippi (19.4%) and New Mexico (18.4%).

Which state has the lowest % Of Population Below Poverty Level?

New Hampshire has the lowest % Of Population Below Poverty Level, at 7.2%.

What is the median % Of Population Below Poverty Level across US states?

The median is 12.1% across the 51 US states with data.

Where does this poverty rate by state data come from?

Rankodex compiles it from World Population Review and the primary sources it cites: S1701: Poverty States in the Past 12 Months.

State rankings

Poverty Rate by State

Name: Poverty Rate by State
Creator: Rankodex

Louisiana has the highest % Of Population Below Poverty Level (19.6%), followed by Mississippi (19.4%) and New Mexico (18.4%). New Hampshire has the lowest (7.2%).

Economics Population51 states · 2 metricsUpdated Sep 12, 2023Original page

1 source

S1701: Poverty States in the Past 12 Months

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51 of 51 states

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% Of Population Below Poverty Level

Green is better, red is worse (lower is better). Click a place to highlight it.

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All 51 ranked

Best first.

Distribution Median and middle halfThe median is the middle value: half of places are above it, half below. The middle half is the range holding the central 50% of places.More in the glossary →

Each dot is one state; the lines mark the median and the middle half.

Median

12.1%

Middle half 10.8% – 14.0%

Average

12.6%

51 states

Lowest (best)

7.2%

New Hampshire

Highest (worst)

19.6%

Louisiana

Data

Click a column to sort, a row to highlight that place on the charts.

51 states · # = rank by % Of Population Below Poverty Level

#
1	New Hampshire	7.2%	97,403
2	Utah	8.6%	281,673
3	Minnesota	9.3%	519,731
4	Colorado	9.7%	553,272
5	Washington	9.9%	754,315
6	Connecticut	10.1%	354,166
7	New Jersey	10.2%	930,602
7	Virginia	10.2%	854,145
9	Maryland	10.3%	618,372
9	Vermont	10.3%	63,720
11	Massachusetts	10.4%	700,138
12	Alaska	10.5%	75,165
13	Wisconsin	10.8%	621,125
13	Nebraska	10.8%	205,852
15	Idaho	11.0%	205,702
16	Iowa	11.1%	344,696
16	North Dakota	11.1%	83,350
18	Hawaii	11.2%	156,735
19	Rhode Island	11.4%	120,055
19	Wyoming	11.4%	64,224
21	Maine	11.5%	154,117
22	Delaware	11.6%	113,450
23	Kansas	11.7%	333,518
24	Montana	11.9%	128,123
25	Pennsylvania	12.1%	1,519,032
25	Illinois	12.1%	1,498,523
27	Indiana	12.2%	803,021
27	Oregon	12.2%	507,829
29	California	12.3%	4,733,036
29	South Dakota	12.3%	106,548
31	Missouri	12.7%	761,311
32	Arizona	12.8%	908,961
33	Florida	13.1%	2,805,433
33	Michigan	13.1%	1,286,329
35	Ohio	13.4%	1,536,524
35	North Carolina	13.4%	1,378,621
37	Tennessee	13.6%	927,587
38	New York	13.9%	2,688,587
39	Georgia	14.0%	1,476,348
40	Nevada	14.1%	437,385
41	Texas	14.2%	4,122,538
42	South Carolina	14.6%	741,652
43	Oklahoma	15.6%	606,782
44	Alabama	16.1%	794,326
45	Arkansas	16.3%	480,153
46	Kentucky	16.5%	721,878
46	District of Columbia	16.5%	105,007
48	West Virginia	16.8%	291,930
49	New Mexico	18.4%	382,798
50	Mississippi	19.4%	554,152
51	Louisiana	19.6%	883,236

What correlates with % Of Population Below Poverty Level?

Pearson r against 2,074 other state metrics sharing at least 31 states. Ranks are read by standing: a better rank counts as higher, whether rank 1 is the best place on a list or the worst. Correlation is not causation.

Higher together

Places that have a higher % Of Population Below Poverty Level tend to score higher on these (or rank better)

ScoreMost Stressed States
r = +0.88 · very strong · n = 50
Plot
Pregnancy RateTeen Pregnancy Rates by State
r = +0.83 · very strong · n = 51
Plot
Premature Deaths Per 100kHealthiest States
r = +0.82 · very strong · n = 51
Plot
% of Median Income Spent On GroceriesGrocery Prices by State
r = +0.81 · very strong · n = 50
Plot
Teen Birth RateTeen Pregnancy Rates by State
r = +0.81 · very strong · n = 51
Plot
Most Unhealthy States Total ScoreMost Unhealthy States in the U.S.
r = +0.79 · very strong · n = 49
Plot

Opposite directions

Places that have a higher % Of Population Below Poverty Level tend to score lower on these (or rank worse)

Overall ScoreHealthiest States
r = −0.88 · very strong · n = 50
Plot
Education and Health (WalletHub)Best States to Live InA rank: rank 1 is the best
r = +0.86 · very strong · n = 50
Plot
Education and Health RankQuality of Life by StateA rank: rank 1 is the best
r = +0.85 · very strong · n = 50
Plot
Overall Education ScoreMost Educated U.S. States
r = −0.83 · very strong · n = 50
Plot
Smartest / Dumbest States Index (Penn Stakes)Dumbest States in the United States
r = −0.83 · very strong · n = 50
Plot
Educational Attainment RankMost Educated U.S. StatesA rank: rank 1 is the best
r = +0.82 · very strong · n = 50
Plot

Quick answers

Which state has the highest % Of Population Below Poverty Level?: Louisiana has the highest % Of Population Below Poverty Level, at 19.6%, followed by Mississippi (19.4%) and New Mexico (18.4%).
Which state has the lowest % Of Population Below Poverty Level?: New Hampshire has the lowest % Of Population Below Poverty Level, at 7.2%.
What is the median % Of Population Below Poverty Level across US states?: The median is 12.1% across the 51 US states with data.
Where does this poverty rate by state data come from?: Rankodex compiles it from World Population Review and the primary sources it cites: S1701: Poverty States in the Past 12 Months.