Income

Towns in New York With the Worst Poverty

Samuel Stebbins

Published: May 9, 2024 8:50 am

More than 60 years have passed since President Lyndon Johnson declared war on poverty, and yet, poverty remains endemic in the United States. In any given year over the last three decades, anywhere from 31.6 million to 48.8 million Americans were living below the poverty line. Over that period, the annual U.S. poverty rate climbed as high as 15.9%, and never fell below 11.3%.

The effects of poverty extend far beyond economics. According to the latest Pulse Survey from the U.S. Census Bureau, 38% of American adults earning less than $25,000 reported feeling depressed or hopeless on most days, compared to 17% of all adults. Additionally, 27% of adults in the lowest income bracket reported not having enough to eat within the last week, three times the food insufficiency rate among all adults.

In most of the country, including New York state, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services sets the poverty line at an annual income of $15,060 for individuals and $31,200 for a family of four. In New York, 13.6% of the population live below these thresholds — and in many towns across the state, the poverty rate is far higher.

Using five-year estimates from the Census’ 2022 American Community Survey, 24/7 Wall St. identified the towns in New York with the highest poverty rates. We considered all places — including cities, towns, and unincorporated communities — with populations between 5,000 and 50,000. Because the presence of colleges and universities can distort economic realities in a given area, places where 20% or more of the population are enrolled in a post-secondary institution were excluded from analysis.

Among the 35 places on this list, poverty rates range from 18.8% to over 60%, and in all but one of these places, the typical household earns less than the statewide median household income of $81,386.

Widespread financial hardship in these areas is partially attributable to a lack of economic opportunity. In most places on this list, the five-year average unemployment rate is higher than the comparable 6.2% jobless rate across New York.

Incomes and job security tend to rise with educational attainment. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the typical worker with a bachelor’s degree earns 66% more than those with no more than a high school diploma. Additionally, workers with only a high school education are far more likely to be unemployed than college graduates. In nearly every town on this list, the share of adults with a bachelor’s degree is below the 38.8% statewide bachelor’s degree attainment rate.

Why It Matters

The United States is, in many ways, the center of gravity of the global economy. The U.S. dollar has been the world’s leading reserve currency since the end of World War II, and American gross domestic product accounts for over a quarter of economic activity worldwide. Despite these advantages, more than one in every 10 Americans have been living below the poverty line for decades. For those facing serious financial hardship, the effects are far reaching. Poverty can negatively impact mental health, social relationships, and life expectancy.

35. Hornell

• Poverty rate: 18.8%
• Median household income: $47,632
• 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 8.5%
• Adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher: 16.3%
• Population: 8,208

34. Watertown

• Poverty rate: 19.5%
• Median household income: $49,722
• 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 5.8%
• Adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher: 25.3%
• Population: 24,859

33. Cohoes

• Poverty rate: 19.6%
• Median household income: $62,679
• 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 7.3%
• Adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher: 26.4%
• Population: 17,960

32. Rensselaer

• Poverty rate: 19.9%
• Median household income: $68,284
• 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 2.7%
• Adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher: 27.9%
• Population: 9,252

31. Auburn

• Poverty rate: 19.9%
• Median household income: $48,203
• 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 5.9%
• Adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher: 19.1%
• Population: 26,674

30. Watervliet

• Poverty rate: 20.2%
• Median household income: $51,092
• 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 4.7%
• Adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher: 18.9%
• Population: 10,325

29. Johnson City

• Poverty rate: 20.3%
• Median household income: $50,611
• 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 11.2%
• Adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher: 28.1%
• Population: 15,229

28. Mechanicville

• Poverty rate: 20.7%
• Median household income: $45,686
• 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 6.4%
• Adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher: 20.2%
• Population: 5,177

27. Gloversville

Fulton County Museum, Gloversville (CC BY-SA 4.0) by Beyond My Ken

• Poverty rate: 20.7%
• Median household income: $47,205
• 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 7.2%
• Adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher: 15.3%
• Population: 15,113

26. Flanders

• Poverty rate: 21.0%
• Median household income: $79,100
• 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 2.6%
• Adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher: 16.5%
• Population: 6,411

25. Lackawanna

Ridge Road - Lackawanna, New Y... (CC BY-SA 2.0) by Doug Kerr

• Poverty rate: 21.5%
• Median household income: $46,869
• 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 5.4%
• Adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher: 19.8%
• Population: 19,762

24. Massena

• Poverty rate: 21.6%
• Median household income: $48,161
• 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 6.7%
• Adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher: 26.0%
• Population: 10,218

23. Plattsburgh

• Poverty rate: 21.7%
• Median household income: $55,049
• 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 6.0%
• Adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher: 39.8%
• Population: 19,907

22. Amsterdam

• Poverty rate: 22.0%
• Median household income: $46,338
• 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 9.2%
• Adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher: 19.4%
• Population: 18,244

21. Hudson

• Poverty rate: 23.3%
• Median household income: $46,293
• 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 12.8%
• Adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher: 34.0%
• Population: 5,923

20. Port Jervis

• Poverty rate: 23.6%
• Median household income: $38,804
• 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 7.9%
• Adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher: 14.8%
• Population: 8,725

19. Olean

• Poverty rate: 23.8%
• Median household income: $45,078
• 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 6.6%
• Adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher: 26.7%
• Population: 13,890

18. Fulton

• Poverty rate: 23.9%
• Median household income: $51,243
• 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 9.0%
• Adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher: 15.6%
• Population: 11,381

17. Dunkirk

• Poverty rate: 24.9%
• Median household income: $46,800
• 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 4.6%
• Adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher: 16.9%
• Population: 12,668

16. Niagara Falls

• Poverty rate: 25.1%
• Median household income: $45,932
• 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 9.1%
• Adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher: 22.0%
• Population: 48,502

15. Spring Valley

Spring Valley, NY, post office (CC BY-SA 3.0) by Daniel Case

• Poverty rate: 25.3%
• Median household income: $50,749
• 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 5.6%
• Adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher: 18.5%
• Population: 32,963

14. Oswego

• Poverty rate: 25.4%
• Median household income: $50,266
• 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 10.6%
• Adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher: 27.8%
• Population: 17,092

13. Viola

• Poverty rate: 25.5%
• Median household income: $93,844
• 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 12.5%
• Adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher: 35.3%
• Population: 7,385

12. Monticello

• Poverty rate: 25.6%
• Median household income: $45,531
• 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 9.3%
• Adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher: 18.0%
• Population: 7,224

11. Salamanca

Salamanca City Central School District Overhead (CC BY-SA 4.0) by Vpezzy45

• Poverty rate: 25.8%
• Median household income: $38,472
• 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 7.8%
• Adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher: 14.2%
• Population: 5,906

10. Malone

• Poverty rate: 26.3%
• Median household income: $49,531
• 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 2.7%
• Adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher: 25.7%
• Population: 5,507

9. Newburgh

• Poverty rate: 26.5%
• Median household income: $48,555
• 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 7.8%
• Adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher: 19.7%
• Population: 28,751

8. Elmira

Elmira is a Town in Upstate New York on the Chemung River (Shutterstock.com) by Jacob Boomsma

• Poverty rate: 27.6%
• Median household income: $41,073
• 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 9.8%
• Adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher: 17.1%
• Population: 26,494

7. Jamestown

• Poverty rate: 28.2%
• Median household income: $39,507
• 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 9.1%
• Adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher: 21.0%
• Population: 28,679

6. Endicott

Endicott New York ~ Endicott ... (CC BY-SA 2.0) by Onasill ~ Bill - Onasill ~ Bill - Be Safe

• Poverty rate: 29.5%
• Median household income: $43,509
• 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 7.5%
• Adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher: 19.1%
• Population: 13,540

5. Binghamton

• Poverty rate: 31.7%
• Median household income: $42,031
• 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 10.1%
• Adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher: 30.7%
• Population: 47,617

4. Kiryas Joel

Kiryas Joel crop (CC BY-SA 3.0) by Daniel Case

• Poverty rate: 43.3%
• Median household income: $40,218
• 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 3.4%
• Adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher: 6.3%
• Population: 34,368

3. Monsey

• Poverty rate: 45.8%
• Median household income: $49,630
• 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 8.2%
• Adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher: 14.2%
• Population: 28,287

2. Kaser

Clarkstown NY Landscape (CC BY-SA 3.0) by Alexisrael

• Poverty rate: 60.4%
• Median household income: $30,320
• 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 7.2%
• Adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher: 5.0%
• Population: 5,501

1. New Square

• Poverty rate: 64.2%
• Median household income: $27,488
• 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 8.1%
• Adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher: 2.4%
• Population: 9,578