List of U.S. states by poverty rate

Map of poverty rate in the United States in 2008.
Legend:

  <6%

  6%-7.5%

  7.5%-9%

  9%-10.5%

  10.5%-12%

  12%-13.5%

  13.5%-15%

  15%-16.5%

  >16.5%

Map of estimated poverty rates in the United States by county, 2008. Legend:

   <5%

   <10%

   <15%

   <20%

   <25%

   <30%

   <35%

   <40%

   >40%

This article is a list of the 50 United States of America (U.S.) states, also including the District of Columbia, ordered by poverty rate. 2009 statistics are not identical to official poverty rates because they include children not counted in the official numbers (see Revised Tables link below). Supplemental Poverty Measure takes into account differences in cost of living between states (i.e. housing costs appreciably higher/lower than the national average). All data are from the United States Census Bureau.

States

Rank	State	Poverty Rate (by Household Income)	People in Poverty by Household Income (in thousands)	2009 Poverty Rates (includes unrelated children)	Supplemental Poverty Measure (Geographically Adjusted)
-	United States	12.6%	45,950
01	New Hampshire	5.6%	73	7.9%	10.4%
02	New Jersey	6.8%	592	9.5%	12.2%
03	Vermont	7.6%	47	9.6%	8.3%
04	Minnesota	8.1%	412	11.1%	10.7%
05	Hawaii	8.6%	110	12.6%	18.0%
06	Delaware	9.2%	78	12.4%	13.9%
07	Utah	9.2%	231	9.8%	9.5%
08	Virginia	9.2%	684	10.8%	11.7%
09	Connecticut	9.7%	326	8.6%	11.1%
10	Nebraska	9.5%	167	10.0%	9.1%
11	Maryland	9.7%	542	9.7%	14.0%
12	Idaho	9.9%	143	13.9%	11.6%
13	Alaska	10.0%	66	12.1%	11.0%
14	Massachusetts	10.1%	641	10.9%	13.6%
15	Washington	10.2%	636	11.9%	11.2%
16	Wisconsin	10.2%	553	11.1%	10.7%
17	Nevada	10.6%	260	13.1%	17.2%
18	Wyoming	10.6%	54	9.3%	9.0%
19	Florida	11.1%	2,250	14.6%	19.5%
20	North Dakota	11.2%	70	11.0%	8.4%
21	Pennsylvania	11.2%	1,372	11.2%	10.5%
22	Iowa	11.3%	327	10.9%	7.9%
23	Colorado	11.4%	530	12.4%	14.8%
24	Illinois	11.5%	1,441	13.3%	13.8%
25	Missouri	11.6%	659	15.6%	12.8%
26	South Dakota	11.8%	90	14.3%	11.6%
27	Michigan	12.0%	1,196	14.2%	12.4%
28	Oregon	12.0%	436	13.7%	13.3%
29	Rhode Island	12.1%	127	13.2%	12.2%
30	Ohio	12.3%	1,392	13.5%	11.5%
31	Kansas	12.5%	337	13.9%	11.1%
32	Indiana	12.6%	774	16.4%	14.8%
33	Maine	12.6%	166	11.6%	9.6%
34	North Carolina	13.1%	1,115	17.0%	14.3%
35	California	13.2%	4,716	15.5%	22.4%
36	Montana	13.8%	128	13.5%	10.5%
37	Georgia	14.4%	1,298	18.5%	18.8%
38	New York	14.5%	2,760	15.9%	17.6%
39	Kentucky	14.8%	599	17.1%	13.2%
40	Tennessee	15.0%	872	16.7%	14.3%
41	South Carolina	15.0%	626	13.8%	13.8%
42	Arizona	15.2%	917	21.3%	21.6%
43	West Virginia	15.4%	276	16.0%	11.3%
44	Oklahoma	15.6%	543	13.0%	10.8%
45	Arkansas	15.9%	509	19.1%	15.9%
46	Texas	16.2%	3,681	17.4%	16.5%
47	Alabama	16.7%	750	16.8%	15.9%
48	New Mexico	17.9%	347	19.6%	15.8%
49	Louisiana	18.3%	748	14.3%	12.8%
50	Mississippi	20.1%	571	23.2%	17%
51	District of Columbia	20.7%	15	18.0%	23.1%

See also

• Thank God for Mississippi

External links

• Total Number of People Living in Poverty based on Household Income (In Thousands), 2005. State Health Facts. December 14, 2007.
• Poverty Rate based on Household Income, 2005 . State Health Facts. December 14, 2007.
• Geographic Adjustments of Supplemental Poverty Measure Thresholds: Using the American Community Survey Five-Year Data on Housing Costs Accessed November 27, 2012.
• Geographically Adjusted Poverty Rates Revised Tables 2009 Accessed November 27, 2012.