Special Report
The Counties Where the Most People Live Below the Poverty Line
Published:
The World Bank predicts that the pandemic will have pushed somewhere between 88 million and 115 million people into extreme poverty some time this year. A number of Americans could certainly be among those falling into poverty this year, and in some parts of the country, COVID-19 has had an even greater impact. There are several dozen U.S. counties where more than a third of the population live in poverty.
Many Americans owe months of back rent, and many still face an unstable job situation or ongoing unemployment. According to a survey conducted between late June and early July by the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, 27% of American adults, 63 million in all, said that it was somewhat difficult or very difficult to afford their usual expenses.
To determine the county with the highest poverty rate in every state, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed five-year estimates of the percentage of people who live below the poverty line from the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2019 American Community Survey. For reference, the Department of Health and Human services sets the official poverty threshold at an annual income of no more than approximately $26,000 for a family of four.
According to the 2019 five-year estimate from the census,13.2% of Americans live below the poverty line. The 50 counties and county equivalents on this list have poverty rates of at least 33% and as high as 55%.
People struggling with poverty can be found all over the country, but the places where poverty is especially common are concentrated in 14 states, primarily in the South in states that have among the highest poverty rates. The state of Mississippi is home to 11 of the 50 counties on this list.
While poverty rates do not correspond perfectly with median incomes, counties with higher poverty rates tend to have lower incomes. They also tend to have higher shares of residents receiving Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits, formerly known as food stamps.
Click here to see the counties where the most people live below the poverty line
Click here to see our detailed methodology
50. McDowell County, West Virginia
> Poverty rate: 33.2%
> Number of people living below poverty line: 5,704 — 1,173rd highest of 2,985 counties
> Households receiving SNAP benefits: 34.6% — 22nd highest of 2,985 counties
> Median household income: $27,682 — 30th lowest of 2,985 counties
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49. Knox County, Kentucky
> Poverty rate: 33.2%
> Number of people living below poverty line: 10,113 — 739th highest of 2,985 counties
> Households receiving SNAP benefits: 31.2% — 47th highest of 2,985 counties (tied)
> Median household income: $30,181 — 57th lowest of 2,985 counties
48. McCreary County, Kentucky
> Poverty rate: 33.4%
> Number of people living below poverty line: 5,330 — 1,225th highest of 2,985 counties
> Households receiving SNAP benefits: 29.8% — 66th highest of 2,985 counties (tied)
> Median household income: $28,105 — 31st lowest of 2,985 counties
47. Turner County, Georgia
> Poverty rate: 33.6%
> Number of people living below poverty line: 2,558 — 1,057th lowest of 2,985 counties
> Households receiving SNAP benefits: 25.1% — 145th highest of 2,985 counties (tied)
> Median household income: $37,039 — 238th lowest of 2,985 counties
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46. Claiborne Parish, Louisiana
> Poverty rate: 33.6%
> Number of people living below poverty line: 4,625 — 1,363rd highest of 2,985 counties
> Households receiving SNAP benefits: 26.2% — 116th highest of 2,985 counties (tied)
> Median household income: $26,776 — 20th lowest of 2,985 counties
45. Letcher County, Kentucky
> Poverty rate: 33.6%
> Number of people living below poverty line: 7,409 — 949th highest of 2,985 counties
> Households receiving SNAP benefits: 32.3% — 38th highest of 2,985 counties (tied)
> Median household income: $29,886 — 51st lowest of 2,985 counties
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44. Dimmit County, Texas
> Poverty rate: 33.7%
> Number of people living below poverty line: 3,477 — 1,330th lowest of 2,985 counties
> Households receiving SNAP benefits: 28.4% — 76th highest of 2,985 counties (tied)
> Median household income: $27,161 — 23rd lowest of 2,985 counties
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43. Zavala County, Texas
> Poverty rate: 33.8%
> Number of people living below poverty line: 4,011 — 1,464th lowest of 2,985 counties
> Households receiving SNAP benefits: 40.0% — 5th highest of 2,985 counties
> Median household income: $34,459 — 146th lowest of 2,985 counties
42. Washington County, Mississippi
> Poverty rate: 33.9%
> Number of people living below poverty line: 15,399 — 504th highest of 2,985 counties
> Households receiving SNAP benefits: 28.9% — 72nd highest of 2,985 counties
> Median household income: $29,705 — 46th lowest of 2,985 counties
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41. Breathitt County, Kentucky
> Poverty rate: 34.4%
> Number of people living below poverty line: 4,367 — 1,416th highest of 2,985 counties
> Households receiving SNAP benefits: 33.9% — 24th highest of 2,985 counties
> Median household income: $27,344 — 26th lowest of 2,985 counties
40. Stewart County, Georgia
> Poverty rate: 34.5%
> Number of people living below poverty line: 1,416 — 579th lowest of 2,985 counties
> Households receiving SNAP benefits: 24.4% — 161st highest of 2,985 counties (tied)
> Median household income: $29,732 — 47th lowest of 2,985 counties
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39. Phillips County, Arkansas
> Poverty rate: 34.5%
> Number of people living below poverty line: 6,362 — 1,063rd highest of 2,985 counties
> Households receiving SNAP benefits: 31.0% — 50th highest of 2,985 counties (tied)
> Median household income: $29,320 — 41st lowest of 2,985 counties
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38. Zapata County, Texas
> Poverty rate: 34.5%
> Number of people living below poverty line: 4,888 — 1,316th highest of 2,985 counties (tied)
> Households receiving SNAP benefits: 31.2% — 47th highest of 2,985 counties (tied)
> Median household income: $33,952 — 135th lowest of 2,985 counties
37. Lee County, Kentucky
> Poverty rate: 34.6%
> Number of people living below poverty line: 2,236 — 930th lowest of 2,985 counties
> Households receiving SNAP benefits: 35.6% — 15th highest of 2,985 counties (tied)
> Median household income: $25,275 — 13th lowest of 2,985 counties
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36. Wilkinson County, Mississippi
> Poverty rate: 34.7%
> Number of people living below poverty line: 2,673 — 1,084th lowest of 2,985 counties
> Households receiving SNAP benefits: 23.4% — 192nd highest of 2,985 counties (tied)
> Median household income: $27,313 — 25th lowest of 2,985 counties
35. Starr County, Texas
> Poverty rate: 34.7%
> Number of people living below poverty line: 22,015 — 354th highest of 2,985 counties
> Households receiving SNAP benefits: 40.6% — 4th highest of 2,985 counties
> Median household income: $30,387 — 62nd lowest of 2,985 counties
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34. Tensas Parish, Louisiana
> Poverty rate: 34.7%
> Number of people living below poverty line: 1,578 — 650th lowest of 2,985 counties (tied)
> Households receiving SNAP benefits: 26.2% — 116th highest of 2,985 counties (tied)
> Median household income: $27,500 — 28th lowest of 2,985 counties
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33. Coahoma County, Mississippi
> Poverty rate: 34.8%
> Number of people living below poverty line: 7,882 — 894th highest of 2,985 counties
> Households receiving SNAP benefits: 35.1% — 19th highest of 2,985 counties (tied)
> Median household income: $29,121 — 40th lowest of 2,985 counties
32. McKinley County, New Mexico
> Poverty rate: 34.8%
> Number of people living below poverty line: 24,982 — 318th highest of 2,985 counties
> Households receiving SNAP benefits: 26.2% — 116th highest of 2,985 counties (tied)
> Median household income: $33,834 — 131st lowest of 2,985 counties
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31. Bolivar County, Mississippi
> Poverty rate: 35.0%
> Number of people living below poverty line: 10,593 — 716th highest of 2,985 counties
> Households receiving SNAP benefits: 28.1% — 84th highest of 2,985 counties
> Median household income: $29,854 — 49th lowest of 2,985 counties
30. Menominee County, Wisconsin
> Poverty rate: 35.3%
> Number of people living below poverty line: 1,593 — 656th lowest of 2,985 counties
> Households receiving SNAP benefits: 25.1% — 145th highest of 2,985 counties (tied)
> Median household income: $40,921 — 483rd lowest of 2,985 counties (tied)
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29. Apache County, Arizona
> Poverty rate: 35.5%
> Number of people living below poverty line: 24,963 — 319th highest of 2,985 counties
> Households receiving SNAP benefits: 25.9% — 126th highest of 2,985 counties (tied)
> Median household income: $32,508 — 106th lowest of 2,985 counties
28. Bell County, Kentucky
> Poverty rate: 35.5%
> Number of people living below poverty line: 9,218 — 789th highest of 2,985 counties
> Households receiving SNAP benefits: 33.6% — 26th highest of 2,985 counties (tied)
> Median household income: $26,272 — 15th lowest of 2,985 counties
27. Quitman County, Mississippi
> Poverty rate: 35.6%
> Number of people living below poverty line: 2,497 — 1,035th lowest of 2,985 counties (tied)
> Households receiving SNAP benefits: 33.3% — 30th highest of 2,985 counties (tied)
> Median household income: $25,283 — 14th lowest of 2,985 counties
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26. Bennett County, South Dakota
> Poverty rate: 35.9%
> Number of people living below poverty line: 1,193 — 479th lowest of 2,985 counties (tied)
> Households receiving SNAP benefits: 20.8% — 302nd highest of 2,985 counties (tied)
> Median household income: $47,500 — 1,064th lowest of 2,985 counties (tied)
25. Harlan County, Kentucky
> Poverty rate: 36.0%
> Number of people living below poverty line: 9,335 — 783rd highest of 2,985 counties
> Households receiving SNAP benefits: 28.4% — 76th highest of 2,985 counties (tied)
> Median household income: $26,478 — 16th lowest of 2,985 counties
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24. Issaquena County, Mississippi
> Poverty rate: 36.0%
> Number of people living below poverty line: 383 — 94th lowest of 2,985 counties (tied)
> Households receiving SNAP benefits: 30.0% — 63rd highest of 2,985 counties
> Median household income: $24,208 — 6th lowest of 2,985 counties
23. Humphreys County, Mississippi
> Poverty rate: 36.4%
> Number of people living below poverty line: 3,020 — 1,192nd lowest of 2,985 counties
> Households receiving SNAP benefits: 36.1% — 12th highest of 2,985 counties
> Median household income: $28,962 — 37th lowest of 2,985 counties
22. Madison Parish, Louisiana
> Poverty rate: 36.4%
> Number of people living below poverty line: 3,408 — 1,310th lowest of 2,985 counties
> Households receiving SNAP benefits: 29.3% — 69th highest of 2,985 counties
> Median household income: $30,350 — 61st lowest of 2,985 counties
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21. Clay County, Kentucky
> Poverty rate: 36.6%
> Number of people living below poverty line: 6,940 — 999th highest of 2,985 counties
> Households receiving SNAP benefits: 34.7% — 21st highest of 2,985 counties
> Median household income: $26,840 — 21st lowest of 2,985 counties
20. Leflore County, Mississippi
> Poverty rate: 36.8%
> Number of people living below poverty line: 10,260 — 733rd highest of 2,985 counties
> Households receiving SNAP benefits: 19.8% — 375th highest of 2,985 counties (tied)
> Median household income: $26,735 — 18th lowest of 2,985 counties
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19. Jefferson County, Mississippi
> Poverty rate: 37.6%
> Number of people living below poverty line: 2,530 — 1,045th lowest of 2,985 counties
> Households receiving SNAP benefits: 35.9% — 13th highest of 2,985 counties
> Median household income: $25,019 — 11th lowest of 2,985 counties
18. Leslie County, Kentucky
> Poverty rate: 38.0%
> Number of people living below poverty line: 3,680 — 1,382nd lowest of 2,985 counties
> Households receiving SNAP benefits: 25.6% — 133rd highest of 2,985 counties
> Median household income: $31,627 — 77th lowest of 2,985 counties
17. Greene County, Alabama
> Poverty rate: 38.1%
> Number of people living below poverty line: 3,140 — 1,226th lowest of 2,985 counties
> Households receiving SNAP benefits: 38.9% — 7th highest of 2,985 counties
> Median household income: $24,145 — 5th lowest of 2,985 counties
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16. Sioux County, North Dakota
> Poverty rate: 38.2%
> Number of people living below poverty line: 1,641 — 677th lowest of 2,985 counties
> Households receiving SNAP benefits: 23.7% — 184th highest of 2,985 counties (tied)
> Median household income: $38,939 — 354th lowest of 2,985 counties
15. Presidio County, Texas
> Poverty rate: 39.0%
> Number of people living below poverty line: 2,717 — 1,097th lowest of 2,985 counties (tied)
> Households receiving SNAP benefits: 31.5% — 46th highest of 2,985 counties
> Median household income: $25,098 — 12th lowest of 2,985 counties
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14. Kusilvak Census Area, Alaska
> Poverty rate: 39.0%
> Number of people living below poverty line: 3,195 — 1,244th lowest of 2,985 counties
> Households receiving SNAP benefits: 59.2% — 1st highest of 2,985 counties
> Median household income: $36,754 — 227th lowest of 2,985 counties
13. Clay County, Georgia
> Poverty rate: 39.5%
> Number of people living below poverty line: 1,144 — 449th lowest of 2,985 counties (tied)
> Households receiving SNAP benefits: 32.6% — 34th highest of 2,985 counties
> Median household income: $22,325 — 2nd lowest of 2,985 counties
12. Buffalo County, South Dakota
> Poverty rate: 39.7%
> Number of people living below poverty line: 794 — 296th lowest of 2,985 counties (tied)
> Households receiving SNAP benefits: 50.5% — 3rd highest of 2,985 counties
> Median household income: $34,808 — 157th lowest of 2,985 counties
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11. Clinch County, Georgia
> Poverty rate: 40.2%
> Number of people living below poverty line: 2,649 — 1,077th lowest of 2,985 counties
> Households receiving SNAP benefits: 18.4% — 494th highest of 2,985 counties (tied)
> Median household income: $27,658 — 29th lowest of 2,985 counties
10. Claiborne County, Mississippi
> Poverty rate: 41.0%
> Number of people living below poverty line: 3,419 — 1,313th lowest of 2,985 counties
> Households receiving SNAP benefits: 24.3% — 168th highest of 2,985 counties (tied)
> Median household income: $29,338 — 42nd lowest of 2,985 counties
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9. Brooks County, Texas
> Poverty rate: 41.4%
> Number of people living below poverty line: 2,724 — 1,100th lowest of 2,985 counties
> Households receiving SNAP benefits: 35.6% — 15th highest of 2,985 counties (tied)
> Median household income: $28,333 — 33rd lowest of 2,985 counties
8. Holmes County, Mississippi
> Poverty rate: 42.4%
> Number of people living below poverty line: 7,202 — 976th highest of 2,985 counties
> Households receiving SNAP benefits: 26.9% — 106th highest of 2,985 counties (tied)
> Median household income: $21,504 — 1st lowest of 2,985 counties
7. Ziebach County, South Dakota
> Poverty rate: 42.5%
> Number of people living below poverty line: 1,181 — 474th lowest of 2,985 counties
> Households receiving SNAP benefits: 33.6% — 26th highest of 2,985 counties (tied)
> Median household income: $37,400 — 261st lowest of 2,985 counties
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6. East Carroll Parish, Louisiana
> Poverty rate: 44.6%
> Number of people living below poverty line: 1,972 — 810th lowest of 2,985 counties (tied)
> Households receiving SNAP benefits: 30.5% — 56th highest of 2,985 counties (tied)
> Median household income: $22,346 — 3rd lowest of 2,985 counties
5. Corson County, South Dakota
> Poverty rate: 44.8%
> Number of people living below poverty line: 1,844 — 764th lowest of 2,985 counties
> Households receiving SNAP benefits: 27.5% — 93rd highest of 2,985 counties (tied)
> Median household income: $35,759 — 186th lowest of 2,985 counties
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4. Jackson County, South Dakota
> Poverty rate: 45.4%
> Number of people living below poverty line: 1,448 — 594th lowest of 2,985 counties
> Households receiving SNAP benefits: 21.1% — 286th highest of 2,985 counties (tied)
> Median household income: $33,295 — 117th lowest of 2,985 counties
3. Oglala Lakota County, South Dakota
> Poverty rate: 46.2%
> Number of people living below poverty line: 6,569 — 1,042nd highest of 2,985 counties
> Households receiving SNAP benefits: 55.8% — 2nd highest of 2,985 counties
> Median household income: $31,997 — 88th lowest of 2,985 counties
2. Mellette County, South Dakota
> Poverty rate: 52.8%
> Number of people living below poverty line: 1,042 — 411th lowest of 2,985 counties
> Households receiving SNAP benefits: 30.6% — 55th highest of 2,985 counties
> Median household income: $30,650 — 65th lowest of 2,985 counties
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1. Todd County, South Dakota
> Poverty rate: 55.5%
> Number of people living below poverty line: 5,584 — 1,191st highest of 2,985 counties
> Households receiving SNAP benefits: 38.7% — 9th highest of 2,985 counties
> Median household income: $24,331 — 8th lowest of 2,985 counties
Methodology
To determine the counties with the highest poverty rates in the nation, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed five-year estimates of the percentage of people who live below the poverty line from the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2019 American Community Survey.
Of the 3,220 counties or county equivalents, 3,142 had boundaries that fell within one of the 50 states or the District of Columbia.
Counties were excluded if poverty rates were not available in the 2019 ACS, if the population living below the poverty line was less than 1,000, if 25% or more of a town’s population were enrolled in undergraduate, professional, or graduate school during the same period, or if the sampling error associated with a county’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 county’s poverty rate was above 15% and greater than two standard deviations above the mean CV for all counties’ poverty rates. We similarly excluded counties that had a sampling error too high for their population, using the same definition.
The remaining 2,985 places were ranked based on their poverty rates. 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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