The COVID-19 pandemic sent the U.S. unemployment rate to 14.8% in April 2020, its highest level since the Great Depression. Normally, such an economic shock would result in a spike in the national poverty rate. However, a steep increase will likely be mitigated by the three rounds of federal stimulus payments.
As of 2019, the most recent year with an official poverty rate released by the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey, 13.4% of the U.S. population lived below the poverty line.
Of course, the poverty rate varies considerably across the country, and there is at least one town in every state where poverty was virtually nonexistent.
Using five-year estimates from the Census’ 2019 ACS, 24/7 Wall St. identified the ZIP code with the lowest poverty rate in every state.
The poverty threshold is based on income, and in most of the country, an individual with an annual income of less than $12,880, or a family of four earning less than $26,500, is considered to be living in poverty. Not surprisingly, in nearly every ZIP code on this list, the median household income is higher than it is across the state as a whole. Here is a look at the richest town in every state.
Click here to see the ZIP code with the lowest poverty rate in every state
Click here to see our detailed methodology
Alabama: 36528
> Location: Dauphin Island, Alabama
> Poverty rate: 2.3% (Alabama: 16.7%)
> Number of people living below poverty line: 30 (Alabama: 795,989)
> Households receiving SNAP benefits: 1.7% (Alabama: 14.0%)
> Median household income: $87,596 (Alabama: $50,536)
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Alaska: 99516
> Location: Anchorage, Alaska
> Poverty rate: 2.7% (Alaska: 10.7%)
> Number of people living below poverty line: 569 (Alaska: 76,933)
> Households receiving SNAP benefits: 2.3% (Alaska: 10.5%)
> Median household income: $155,354 (Alaska: $77,640)
Arizona: 85355
> Location: Citrus Park, Arizona
> Poverty rate: 2.1% (Arizona: 15.1%)
> Number of people living below poverty line: 278 (Arizona: 1,043,764)
> Households receiving SNAP benefits: 12.0% (Arizona: 11.1%)
> Median household income: $91,533 (Arizona: $58,945)
Arkansas: 72715
> Location: Bella Vista, Arkansas
> Poverty rate: 3.4% (Arkansas: 17.0%)
> Number of people living below poverty line: 529 (Arkansas: 496,260)
> Households receiving SNAP benefits: 1.6% (Arkansas: 12.1%)
> Median household income: $64,901 (Arkansas: $47,597)
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California: 92278
> Location: Twentynine Palms, California
> Poverty rate: 0.0% reported (California: 13.4%)
> Number of people living below poverty line: 0 reported (California: 5,149,742)
> Households receiving SNAP benefits: 0.0% reported (California: 8.9%)
> Median household income: $51,818 (California: $75,235)
Colorado: 80136
> Location: Strasburg, Colorado
> Poverty rate: 1.7% (Colorado: 10.3%)
> Number of people living below poverty line: 95 (Colorado: 565,873)
> Households receiving SNAP benefits: 4.5% (Colorado: 7.5%)
> Median household income: $85,504 (Colorado: $72,331)
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Connecticut: 06073
> Location: South Glastonbury, Connecticut
> Poverty rate: 0.8% (Connecticut: 9.9%)
> Number of people living below poverty line: 44 (Connecticut: 344,146)
> Households receiving SNAP benefits: 0.8% (Connecticut: 11.9%)
> Median household income: $149,226 (Connecticut: $78,444)
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Delaware: 19707
> Location: Hockessin, Delaware
> Poverty rate: 2.1% (Delaware: 11.8%)
> Number of people living below poverty line: 324 (Delaware: 109,400)
> Households receiving SNAP benefits: 0.5% (Delaware: 10.9%)
> Median household income: $128,947 (Delaware: $68,287)
Florida: 32081
> Location: Nocatee, Florida
> Poverty rate: 1.3% (Florida: 14.0%)
> Number of people living below poverty line: 198 (Florida: 2,870,487)
> Households receiving SNAP benefits: 1.6% (Florida: 13.6%)
> Median household income: $119,105 (Florida: $55,660)
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Georgia: 31808
> Location: Columbus, Georgia
> Poverty rate: 1.6% (Georgia: 15.1%)
> Number of people living below poverty line: 122 (Georgia: 1,528,558)
> Households receiving SNAP benefits: 3.5% (Georgia: 12.8%)
> Median household income: $98,021 (Georgia: $58,700)
Hawaii: 96821
> Location: East Honolulu, Hawaii
> Poverty rate: 3.4% (Hawaii: 9.4%)
> Number of people living below poverty line: 622 (Hawaii: 130,649)
> Households receiving SNAP benefits: 2.2% (Hawaii: 10.8%)
> Median household income: $143,032 (Hawaii: $81,275)
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Idaho: 83427
> Location: Iona, Idaho
> Poverty rate: 2.8% (Idaho: 13.1%)
> Number of people living below poverty line: 59 (Idaho: 221,256)
> Households receiving SNAP benefits: 5.8% (Idaho: 9.8%)
> Median household income: $80,227 (Idaho: $55,785)
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Illinois: 62535
> Location: Forsyth, Illinois
> Poverty rate: 0.9% (Illinois: 12.5%)
> Number of people living below poverty line: 26 (Illinois: 1,557,873)
> Households receiving SNAP benefits: 0.0% reported (Illinois: 12.8%)
> Median household income: $91,544 (Illinois: $65,886)
Indiana: 46259
> Location: Indianapolis, Indiana
> Poverty rate: 1.1% (Indiana: 13.4%)
> Number of people living below poverty line: 125 (Indiana: 867,996)
> Households receiving SNAP benefits: 1.5% (Indiana: 9.8%)
> Median household income: $112,833 (Indiana: $56,303)
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Iowa: 52411
> Location: Cedar Rapids, Iowa
> Poverty rate: 1.0% (Iowa: 11.5%)
> Number of people living below poverty line: 83 (Iowa: 348,122)
> Households receiving SNAP benefits: 0.7% (Iowa: 10.2%)
> Median household income: $133,333 (Iowa: $60,523)
Kansas: 66209
> Location: Leawood, Kansas
> Poverty rate: 1.0% (Kansas: 12.0%)
> Number of people living below poverty line: 207 (Kansas: 337,739)
> Households receiving SNAP benefits: 0.1% (Kansas: 7.5%)
> Median household income: $121,586 (Kansas: $59,597)
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Kentucky: 40026
> Location: Goshen, Kentucky
> Poverty rate: 1.9% (Kentucky: 17.3%)
> Number of people living below poverty line: 124 (Kentucky: 747,010)
> Households receiving SNAP benefits: 1.9% (Kentucky: 14.0%)
> Median household income: $118,431 (Kentucky: $50,589)
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Louisiana: 70447
> Location: Madisonville, Louisiana
> Poverty rate: 4.0% (Louisiana: 19.2%)
> Number of people living below poverty line: 621 (Louisiana: 871,467)
> Households receiving SNAP benefits: 1.3% (Louisiana: 15.4%)
> Median household income: $106,090 (Louisiana: $49,469)
Maine: 03903
> Location: South Eliot, Maine
> Poverty rate: 2.2% (Maine: 11.8%)
> Number of people living below poverty line: 143 (Maine: 153,131)
> Households receiving SNAP benefits: 4.1% (Maine: 13.5%)
> Median household income: $79,835 (Maine: $57,918)
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Maryland: 20736
> Location: Owings, Maryland
> Poverty rate: 1.3% (Maryland: 9.2%)
> Number of people living below poverty line: 116 (Maryland: 539,991)
> Households receiving SNAP benefits: 2.3% (Maryland: 10.2%)
> Median household income: $142,128 (Maryland: $84,805)
Massachusetts: 01731
> Location: Hanscom AFB, Massachusetts
> Poverty rate: 0.0% reported (Massachusetts: 10.3%)
> Number of people living below poverty line: 0 reported (Massachusetts: 680,962)
> Households receiving SNAP benefits: 2.3% (Massachusetts: 11.7%)
> Median household income: $107,778 (Massachusetts: $81,215)
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Michigan: 48306
> Location: Rochester Hills, Michigan
> Poverty rate: 1.5% (Michigan: 14.4%)
> Number of people living below poverty line: 409 (Michigan: 1,398,527)
> Households receiving SNAP benefits: 0.8% (Michigan: 13.3%)
> Median household income: $145,299 (Michigan: $57,144)
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Minnesota: 55054
> Location: Elko New Market, Minnesota
> Poverty rate: 0.0% reported (Minnesota: 9.7%)
> Number of people living below poverty line: 0 reported (Minnesota: 526,065)
> Households receiving SNAP benefits: 2.3% (Minnesota: 7.9%)
> Median household income: $123,667 (Minnesota: $71,306)
Mississippi: 39047
> Location: Flowood, Mississippi
> Poverty rate: 3.0% (Mississippi: 20.3%)
> Number of people living below poverty line: 1,198 (Mississippi: 585,786)
> Households receiving SNAP benefits: 2.5% (Mississippi: 15.4%)
> Median household income: $87,110 (Mississippi: $45,081)
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Missouri: 64157
> Location: Kansas City, Missouri
> Poverty rate: 1.3% (Missouri: 13.7%)
> Number of people living below poverty line: 260 (Missouri: 810,045)
> Households receiving SNAP benefits: 2.3% (Missouri: 11.1%)
> Median household income: $112,159 (Missouri: $55,461)
Montana: 59932
> Location: Somers, Montana
> Poverty rate: 0.0% reported (Montana: 13.1%)
> Number of people living below poverty line: 0 reported (Montana: 134,605)
> Households receiving SNAP benefits: 0.0% reported (Montana: 9.2%)
> Median household income: $77,258 (Montana: $54,970)
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Nebraska: 68523
> Location: Yankee Hill, Nebraska
> Poverty rate: 0.0% reported (Nebraska: 11.1%)
> Number of people living below poverty line: 0 reported (Nebraska: 206,579)
> Households receiving SNAP benefits: 0.0% reported (Nebraska: 8.3%)
> Median household income: $119,861 (Nebraska: $61,439)
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Nevada: 89519
> Location: Reno, Nevada
> Poverty rate: 2.6% (Nevada: 13.1%)
> Number of people living below poverty line: 231 (Nevada: 384,690)
> Households receiving SNAP benefits: 0.8% (Nevada: 11.8%)
> Median household income: $113,125 (Nevada: $60,365)
New Hampshire: 03810
> Location: Alton Bay, New Hampshire
> Poverty rate: 0.0% reported (New Hampshire: 7.6%)
> Number of people living below poverty line: 0 reported (New Hampshire: 98,682)
> Households receiving SNAP benefits: 3.2% (New Hampshire: 6.9%)
> Median household income: $94,018 (New Hampshire: $76,768)
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New Jersey: 07423
> Location: Ho-Ho-Kus, New Jersey
> Poverty rate: 0.0% reported (New Jersey: 10.0%)
> Number of people living below poverty line: 2 (New Jersey: 869,081)
> Households receiving SNAP benefits: 0.3% (New Jersey: 8.7%)
> Median household income: $216,875 (New Jersey: $82,545)
New Mexico: 87122
> Location: Albuquerque, New Mexico
> Poverty rate: 2.9% (New Mexico: 19.1%)
> Number of people living below poverty line: 540 (New Mexico: 392,065)
> Households receiving SNAP benefits: 1.6% (New Mexico: 17.2%)
> Median household income: $120,325 (New Mexico: $49,754)
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New York: 11569
> Location: Point Lookout, New York
> Poverty rate: 0.0% reported (New York: 14.1%)
> Number of people living below poverty line: 0 reported (New York: 2,681,277)
> Households receiving SNAP benefits: 0.0% reported (New York: 14.7%)
> Median household income: $156,750 (New York: $68,486)
North Carolina: 28594
> Location: Emerald Isle, North Carolina
> Poverty rate: 2.7% (North Carolina: 14.7%)
> Number of people living below poverty line: 101 (North Carolina: 1,467,591)
> Households receiving SNAP benefits: 1.5% (North Carolina: 12.6%)
> Median household income: $78,241 (North Carolina: $54,602)
North Dakota: 58047
> Location: Horace, North Dakota
> Poverty rate: 1.1% (North Dakota: 10.7%)
> Number of people living below poverty line: 46 (North Dakota: 78,198)
> Households receiving SNAP benefits: 1.9% (North Dakota: 6.7%)
> Median household income: $133,792 (North Dakota: $64,894)
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Ohio: 45828
> Location: Coldwater, Ohio
> Poverty rate: 1.6% (Ohio: 14.0%)
> Number of people living below poverty line: 97 (Ohio: 1,588,343)
> Households receiving SNAP benefits: 6.5% (Ohio: 13.1%)
> Median household income: $63,636 (Ohio: $56,602)
Oklahoma: 73025
> Location: Edmond, Oklahoma
> Poverty rate: 2.7% (Oklahoma: 15.7%)
> Number of people living below poverty line: 367 (Oklahoma: 598,373)
> Households receiving SNAP benefits: 2.4% (Oklahoma: 12.8%)
> Median household income: $129,464 (Oklahoma: $52,919)
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Oregon: 97106
> Location: Banks, Oregon
> Poverty rate: 1.6% (Oregon: 13.2%)
> Number of people living below poverty line: 80 (Oregon: 533,527)
> Households receiving SNAP benefits: 4.6% (Oregon: 15.8%)
> Median household income: $103,958 (Oregon: $62,818)
Pennsylvania: 19025
> Location: Oreland, Pennsylvania
> Poverty rate: 1.5% (Pennsylvania: 12.4%)
> Number of people living below poverty line: 88 (Pennsylvania: 1,539,183)
> Households receiving SNAP benefits: 2.6% (Pennsylvania: 13.3%)
> Median household income: $133,514 (Pennsylvania: $61,744)
Rhode Island: 02828
> Location: Greenville, Rhode Island
> Poverty rate: 1.8% (Rhode Island: 12.4%)
> Number of people living below poverty line: 133 (Rhode Island: 125,826)
> Households receiving SNAP benefits: 3.3% (Rhode Island: 15.3%)
> Median household income: $86,772 (Rhode Island: $67,167)
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South Carolina: 29708
> Location: Tega Cay, South Carolina
> Poverty rate: 2.1% (South Carolina: 15.2%)
> Number of people living below poverty line: 773 (South Carolina: 741,650)
> Households receiving SNAP benefits: 1.2% (South Carolina: 12.3%)
> Median household income: $114,070 (South Carolina: $53,199)
South Dakota: 57223
> Location: Castlewood, South Dakota
> Poverty rate: 1.8% (South Dakota: 13.1%)
> Number of people living below poverty line: 22 (South Dakota: 110,553)
> Households receiving SNAP benefits: 2.8% (South Dakota: 9.2%)
> Median household income: $70,484 (South Dakota: $58,275)
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Tennessee: 37135
> Location: Nolensville, Tennessee
> Poverty rate: 1.4% (Tennessee: 15.2%)
> Number of people living below poverty line: 204 (Tennessee: 996,930)
> Households receiving SNAP benefits: 1.7% (Tennessee: 13.6%)
> Median household income: $126,175 (Tennessee: $53,320)
Texas: 79012
> Location: Bushland, Texas
> Poverty rate: 0.0% reported (Texas: 14.7%)
> Number of people living below poverty line: 0 reported (Texas: 4,072,194)
> Households receiving SNAP benefits: 0.0% reported (Texas: 11.8%)
> Median household income: $115,481 (Texas: $61,874)
Utah: 84025
> Location: Farmington, Utah
> Poverty rate: 2.1% (Utah: 9.8%)
> Number of people living below poverty line: 478 (Utah: 298,537)
> Households receiving SNAP benefits: 2.6% (Utah: 6.7%)
> Median household income: $106,535 (Utah: $71,621)
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Vermont: 05494
> Location: Westford, Vermont
> Poverty rate: 1.4% (Vermont: 10.9%)
> Number of people living below poverty line: 26 (Vermont: 65,652)
> Households receiving SNAP benefits: 6.0% (Vermont: 11.3%)
> Median household income: $92,292 (Vermont: $61,973)
Virginia: 22027
> Location: Dunn Loring, Virginia
> Poverty rate: 0.0% reported (Virginia: 10.6%)
> Number of people living below poverty line: 0 reported (Virginia: 865,691)
> Households receiving SNAP benefits: 0.0% reported (Virginia: 8.2%)
> Median household income: $250,000+ (Virginia: $74,222)
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Washington: 98065
> Location: Snoqualmie, Washington
> Poverty rate: 1.5% (Washington: 10.8%)
> Number of people living below poverty line: 230 (Washington: 785,244)
> Households receiving SNAP benefits: 2.4% (Washington: 11.9%)
> Median household income: $144,320 (Washington: $73,775)
West Virginia: 25560
> Location: Teays Valley, West Virginia
> Poverty rate: 2.0% (West Virginia: 17.6%)
> Number of people living below poverty line: 160 (West Virginia: 310,044)
> Households receiving SNAP benefits: 0.4% (West Virginia: 16.8%)
> Median household income: $90,216 (West Virginia: $46,711)
Wisconsin: 53103
> Location: Big Bend, Wisconsin
> Poverty rate: 1.4% (Wisconsin: 11.3%)
> Number of people living below poverty line: 51 (Wisconsin: 639,160)
> Households receiving SNAP benefits: 2.4% (Wisconsin: 10.8%)
> Median household income: $91,210 (Wisconsin: $61,747)
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Wyoming: 82721
> Location: Moorcroft, Wyoming
> Poverty rate: 4.1% (Wyoming: 11.0%)
> Number of people living below poverty line: 125 (Wyoming: 62,257)
> Households receiving SNAP benefits: 2.0% (Wyoming: 5.4%)
> Median household income: $78,600 (Wyoming: $64,049)
Methodology
To determine the ZIP code with the lowest poverty rate in every state, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed five-year estimates of the percentage of people for whom poverty status had been determined as living below the poverty line from the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2019 American Community Survey.
We used ZIP Code Tabulation Areas — a census geography type which defines areal representations of United States Postal Service ZIP codes (USPS ZIP codes do not define geographic boundaries but instead are a network of mail delivery routes in a service area). We refer to Census ZCTAs as ZIP codes.
Of the 33,120 ZIP codes the Census publishes data for, 32,936 had boundaries that fell within one of the 50 states, while the rest were in the District of Columbia or Puerto Rico.
ZIP codes were excluded if poverty rates were not available in the 2019 ACS, if the population for which the poverty status had been determined was less than 1,000, or if the sampling error associated with a ZIP code’s data was deemed too high.
The sampling error was defined as too high if the coefficient of variation — a statistical assessment of how reliable an estimate is — for a ZIP code’s poverty rate was above 15% and greater than two standard deviations above the mean CV for all ZIP codes’ poverty rates. We similarly excluded ZIP codes that had a sampling error too high for their population for which poverty status had been determined, using the same definition.
The remaining 21,172 places were ranked within their state based on their poverty rates. To break ties, we used median household income.
Additional information on the number of people living below the poverty line, median household income, and the share of households receiving SNAP benefits are also five-year estimates from the 2019 ACS.
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