Income

Towns in Washington State With the Worst Poverty

Samuel Stebbins

Published: May 13, 2024 11:50 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 Washington 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 Washington, 9.9% 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 Washington 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 13.0% to over 25%, and in all but two of these places, the typical household earns less than the statewide median household income of $90,325.

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 4.9% jobless rate across Washington.

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 38.0% 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. Lake Stickney

• Poverty rate: 13.0%
• Median household income: $80,717
• 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 5.5%
• Adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher: 34.6%
• Population: 14,668

34. Tukwila

• Poverty rate: 13.3%
• Median household income: $76,331
• 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 6.2%
• Adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher: 25.8%
• Population: 21,569

33. Parkland

• Poverty rate: 13.4%
• Median household income: $66,162
• 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 5.8%
• Adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher: 16.1%
• Population: 39,398

32. Longview

• Poverty rate: 13.6%
• Median household income: $57,920
• 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 4.5%
• Adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher: 15.7%
• Population: 37,722

31. Walla Walla

• Poverty rate: 13.6%
• Median household income: $58,179
• 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 6.1%
• Adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher: 29.3%
• Population: 33,842

30. Sunnyside

Sunnyside (CC BY 2.0) by Eden, Janine and Jim

• Poverty rate: 13.6%
• Median household income: $49,134
• 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 8.9%
• Adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher: 8.2%
• Population: 16,329

29. Port Townsend

Port Townsend (CC BY-SA 2.0) by Joseph

• Poverty rate: 14.0%
• Median household income: $59,193
• 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 13.6%
• Adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher: 54.7%
• Population: 10,161

28. Connell

• Poverty rate: 14.0%
• Median household income: $61,000
• 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 11.5%
• Adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher: 9.8%
• Population: 5,175

27. Bremerton

• Poverty rate: 14.3%
• Median household income: $68,556
• 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 4.4%
• Adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher: 25.9%
• Population: 43,983

26. Ephrata

• Poverty rate: 14.7%
• Median household income: $57,958
• 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 4.7%
• Adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher: 13.1%
• Population: 8,419

25. North Fort Lewis

• Poverty rate: 14.8%
• Median household income: $67,708
• 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 2.9%
• Adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher: 33.7%
• Population: 6,022

24. Lynnwood

• Poverty rate: 14.9%
• Median household income: $72,241
• 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 4.1%
• Adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher: 30.6%
• Population: 39,867

23. Sedro-Woolley

• Poverty rate: 15.1%
• Median household income: $72,281
• 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 4.5%
• Adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher: 16.4%
• Population: 12,470

22. Grandview

• Poverty rate: 15.1%
• Median household income: $61,635
• 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 4.3%
• Adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher: 5.3%
• Population: 10,922

21. Blaine

• Poverty rate: 15.3%
• Median household income: $78,633
• 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 9.7%
• Adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher: 32.1%
• Population: 5,865

20. Sequim

• Poverty rate: 15.4%
• Median household income: $48,015
• 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 5.9%
• Adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher: 34.3%
• Population: 8,073

19. Fort Lewis

• Poverty rate: 16.3%
• Median household income: $51,679
• 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 0.7%
• Adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher: 22.7%
• Population: 13,440

18. White Center

• Poverty rate: 16.4%
• Median household income: $79,432
• 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 5.6%
• Adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher: 33.3%
• Population: 15,479

17. Hoquiam

• Poverty rate: 16.4%
• Median household income: $47,614
• 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 9.9%
• Adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher: 18.7%
• Population: 8,742

16. Quincy

• Poverty rate: 16.6%
• Median household income: $69,628
• 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 2.3%
• Adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher: 17.1%
• Population: 7,754

15. Toppenish

Toppenish, Washington. (CC BY 2.0) by Rodrigo Paredes

• Poverty rate: 16.6%
• Median household income: $64,327
• 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 8.1%
• Adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher: 8.4%
• Population: 8,820

14. Midland

• Poverty rate: 16.7%
• Median household income: $69,653
• 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 6.6%
• Adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher: 14.6%
• Population: 9,081

13. Rochester

• Poverty rate: 17.6%
• Median household income: $92,883
• 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 0.4%
• Adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher: 14.7%
• Population: 6,282

12. Mount Vernon

• Poverty rate: 17.7%
• Median household income: $69,227
• 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 6.2%
• Adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher: 24.7%
• Population: 35,120

11. Union Gap

• Poverty rate: 18.6%
• Median household income: $55,667
• 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 11.3%
• Adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher: 5.3%
• Population: 6,512

10. Clarkston

• Poverty rate: 18.7%
• Median household income: $48,587
• 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 9.9%
• Adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher: 16.5%
• Population: 7,222

9. Manchester

• Poverty rate: 19.5%
• Median household income: $99,933
• 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 1.7%
• Adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher: 29.9%
• Population: 6,033

8. Kelso

• Poverty rate: 20.0%
• Median household income: $59,405
• 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 6.0%
• Adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher: 11.4%
• Population: 12,661

7. Prosser

• Poverty rate: 20.5%
• Median household income: $64,622
• 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 10.3%
• Adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher: 25.8%
• Population: 6,138

6. Aberdeen

• Poverty rate: 21.0%
• Median household income: $50,008
• 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 6.3%
• Adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher: 16.6%
• Population: 16,969

5. Airway Heights

• Poverty rate: 21.3%
• Median household income: $57,857
• 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 8.7%
• Adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher: 17.3%
• Population: 10,570

4. Centralia

• Poverty rate: 21.6%
• Median household income: $50,422
• 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 6.4%
• Adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher: 17.1%
• Population: 18,234

3. Othello

• Poverty rate: 21.9%
• Median household income: $63,824
• 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 8.7%
• Adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher: 12.3%
• Population: 8,582

2. West Clarkston-Highland

• Poverty rate: 25.0%
• Median household income: $50,172
• 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 4.1%
• Adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher: 17.0%
• Population: 6,080

1. Shelton

• Poverty rate: 26.5%
• Median household income: $57,907
• 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 5.2%
• Adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher: 19.1%
• Population: 10,484