Income

Once Home to the Richest Town in America, Now Half of This County Is Poor

24/7 Wall St. Staff

Published: August 13, 2024 1:10 pm

24/7 Wall St. Insights

• We used data from the Census 2022 American Community Survey.
• Among the 35 places on this list, poverty rates range from 23.4% to 46.7%.
• Also, Discover “The Next NVIDIA”

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. These facts are still the case despite President Lyndon Johnson declaring war on poverty over 60 years ago. 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%.

In most of the country, including Florida, 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 Florida, 12.9% of the population lives 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 Florida 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 post-secondary institutions were excluded from the analysis.

Among the 35 places on this list, poverty rates range from 23.4% to 46.7%, and in each of these places, the typical household earns less than the statewide median household income of $67,917.

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 5.0% jobless rate across Florida.

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 every town on this list, the share of adults with a bachelor’s degree is below the 32.3% 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 has 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. Warrington

• Poverty rate: 23.4%
• Median household income: $51,016
• 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 7.4%
• Adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher: 24.9%
• Population: 16,567

34. Immokalee

• Poverty rate: 23.8%
• Median household income: $46,700
• 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 5.8%
• Adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher: 6.3%
• Population: 27,753

33. Mango

• Poverty rate: 23.8%
• Median household income: $43,571
• 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 5.3%
• Adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher: 12.8%
• Population: 12,400

32. Lauderdale Lakes

• Poverty rate: 23.9%
• Median household income: $41,644
• 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 9.0%
• Adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher: 15.2%
• Population: 35,914

31. Westview

• Poverty rate: 25.0%
• Median household income: $44,538
• 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 2.0%
• Adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher: 16.2%
• Population: 10,992

30. West Pensacola

• Poverty rate: 25.3%
• Median household income: $38,263
• 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 6.8%
• Adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher: 13.7%
• Population: 21,246

29. Dundee

• Poverty rate: 25.3%
• Median household income: $44,936
• 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 0.2%
• Adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher: 5.8%
• Population: 5,373

28. Southeast Arcadia

• Poverty rate: 25.5%
• Median household income: $44,659
• 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 15.0%
• Adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher: 3.2%
• Population: 7,675

27. Indian River Estates

• Poverty rate: 25.7%
• Median household income: $47,023
• 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 4.7%
• Adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher: 21.7%
• Population: 6,965

26. Pembroke Park

• Poverty rate: 25.9%
• Median household income: $41,875
• 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 6.8%
• Adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher: 20.0%
• Population: 6,266

25. Westgate

• Poverty rate: 26.6%
• Median household income: $42,449
• 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 8.6%
• Adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher: 5.9%
• Population: 8,340

24. Oak Ridge

• Poverty rate: 27.2%
• Median household income: $50,322
• 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 6.2%
• Adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher: 13.8%
• Population: 24,476

23. Inwood

• Poverty rate: 27.3%
• Median household income: $34,815
• 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 7.0%
• Adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher: 7.6%
• Population: 7,054

22. Fort Pierce North

• Poverty rate: 27.6%
• Median household income: $31,458
• 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 5.2%
• Adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher: 12.9%
• Population: 6,519

21. Opa-locka

• Poverty rate: 28.0%
• Median household income: $30,101
• 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 5.2%
• Adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher: 7.6%
• Population: 16,230

20. Sebring

Welcome to Sebring, Florida (CC BY-SA 2.0 DEED) by Chuck Schultz from Anniston, AL, USA, upload by Herrick

• Poverty rate: 28.6%
• Median household income: $38,024
• 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 12.7%
• Adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher: 16.3%
• Population: 11,006

19. Palatka

palatka mural (CC BY-SA 2.0) by romana klee

• Poverty rate: 29.0%
• Median household income: $30,945
• 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 10.1%
• Adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher: 12.0%
• Population: 10,471

18. Fort Pierce

• Poverty rate: 29.0%
• Median household income: $45,121
• 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 10.4%
• Adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher: 20.1%
• Population: 47,153

17. Wimauma

• Poverty rate: 29.5%
• Median household income: $56,321
• 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 2.8%
• Adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher: 17.6%
• Population: 12,439

16. Orlovista

• Poverty rate: 29.7%
• Median household income: $43,333
• 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 12.3%
• Adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher: 13.4%
• Population: 6,661

15. Brownsville

• Poverty rate: 29.7%
• Median household income: $34,779
• 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 7.5%
• Adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher: 14.3%
• Population: 17,817

14. Starke

• Poverty rate: 31.7%
• Median household income: $42,976
• 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 3.9%
• Adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher: 12.0%
• Population: 5,756

13. Pahokee

• Poverty rate: 31.8%
• Median household income: $36,289
• 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 23.0%
• Adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher: 16.8%
• Population: 5,548

12. Gladeview

• Poverty rate: 32.3%
• Median household income: $42,490
• 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 6.7%
• Adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher: 16.0%
• Population: 14,698

11. Belle Glade

• Poverty rate: 32.5%
• Median household income: $42,314
• 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 12.5%
• Adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher: 13.4%
• Population: 16,896

10. Florida City

• Poverty rate: 32.6%
• Median household income: $44,774
• 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 8.8%
• Adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher: 6.6%
• Population: 12,841

9. Willow Oak

• Poverty rate: 32.7%
• Median household income: $50,108
• 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 4.3%
• Adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher: 12.8%
• Population: 6,885

8. Indiantown

• Poverty rate: 32.7%
• Median household income: $47,627
• 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 3.2%
• Adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher: 6.4%
• Population: 6,624

7. Naranja

• Poverty rate: 33.6%
• Median household income: $46,045
• 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 10.2%
• Adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher: 18.5%
• Population: 13,261

6. Marianna

• Poverty rate: 33.6%
• Median household income: $27,296
• 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 5.2%
• Adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher: 12.8%
• Population: 6,681

5. South Apopka

• Poverty rate: 34.4%
• Median household income: $44,056
• 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 5.4%
• Adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher: 17.6%
• Population: 7,653

4. Arcadia

• Poverty rate: 35.2%
• Median household income: $34,598
• 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 8.3%
• Adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher: 14.9%
• Population: 7,480

3. Crystal Lake

• Poverty rate: 36.4%
• Median household income: $45,166
• 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 7.4%
• Adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher: 13.0%
• Population: 6,048

2. Cocoa West

• Poverty rate: 37.9%
• Median household income: $31,266
• 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 1.9%
• Adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher: 10.9%
• Population: 5,727

1. Quincy

• Poverty rate: 46.7%
• Median household income: $33,786
• 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 3.6%
• Adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher: 16.5%
• Population: 7,811