Income and poverty in the states
Mississippi has the lowest median household income ($59,346 in 2025) and Louisiana the highest poverty rate (18.1%), with Mississippi within its margin of error; West Virginia comes next on both. At the top, the District of Columbia has the highest median income ($109,5051) and New Hampshire the lowest poverty rate (6.2%2).
Data as of October 29, 2026 (newest release used on this page).
Source: Census Bureau, American Community Survey 1-year estimates, 2025, table B17001; Census Bureau, 2024 Cartographic Boundary Files. Darker states are higher; DC is the dot. Period: 2025.
Show the numbers
| State | Poverty rate |
|---|---|
| Louisiana | 18.1% |
| Mississippi | 18.0% |
| West Virginia | 16.0% |
| District of Columbia | 15.9% |
| Kentucky | 15.9% |
| New Mexico | 15.5% |
| Arkansas | 15.0% |
| Alabama | 14.7% |
| Oklahoma | 14.4% |
| New York | 13.8% |
| South Carolina | 13.3% |
| Texas | 12.7% |
| Michigan | 12.6% |
| Tennessee | 12.6% |
| Ohio | 12.4% |
| Georgia | 12.3% |
| North Carolina | 12.1% |
| Indiana | 11.9% |
| Arizona | 11.8% |
| South Dakota | 11.8% |
| Oregon | 11.7% |
| Illinois | 11.5% |
| Missouri | 11.5% |
| California | 11.4% |
| Nevada | 11.4% |
| Florida | 11.2% |
| Pennsylvania | 11.2% |
| Montana | 11.1% |
| Alaska | 11.0% |
| Iowa | 11.0% |
| Washington | 10.3% |
| Wisconsin | 10.3% |
| Kansas | 10.2% |
| Nebraska | 10.2% |
| Wyoming | 10.1% |
| Maine | 9.9% |
| Massachusetts | 9.8% |
| Idaho | 9.7% |
| Maryland | 9.6% |
| Delaware | 9.5% |
| Rhode Island | 9.5% |
| Virginia | 9.4% |
| Hawaii | 9.3% |
| Colorado | 9.2% |
| Vermont | 9.2% |
| Connecticut | 9.1% |
| Minnesota | 9.0% |
| North Dakota | 9.0% |
| New Jersey | 8.7% |
| Utah | 8.6% |
| New Hampshire | 6.2% |
The same three states at the bottom
Whichever income measure is used, Mississippi, West Virginia and Louisiana are at or near the bottom. In the 2025 American Community Survey, Mississippi's median household income, $59,346 (±$1,510), was the lowest in the nation and $25,434 (30%) below the US figure ($84,780). West Virginia ($61,340) and Louisiana ($65,1391) followed. The poverty rate, the share of residents whose income is below the federal poverty line, puts the same three states first: Louisiana 18.1% (±0.8 percentage points), Mississippi 18.0% and West Virginia 16.0%, against 11.8%2 for the country.
Two more measures agree. Mississippi has the largest share of residents with income below twice the poverty line (38.6%3), followed by Louisiana and West Virginia, and the largest share of households with income under $25,000 (21.5%4). In BEA's accounts of personal income, Mississippi ($54,433 per resident in 2025) and West Virginia ($58,217) are the two lowest, with Alabama5 third.
The table sets the main measures side by side for every state, sorted by poverty rate. Click a column heading to sort by another measure.
| Louisiana | 18.1% ±0.8 | 25.2% ±1.2 | $65,139 ±$1,183 | $64,103 | 36.1% ±1.1 | 8.7% ±0.4 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mississippi | 18.0% ±0.7 | 24.6% ±1.3 | $59,346 ±$1,510 | $54,433 | 38.6% ±1.3 | 6.2% ±0.4 |
| West Virginia | 16.0% ±0.8 | 19.0% ±1.3 | $61,340 ±$1,301 | $58,217 | 35.1% ±1.3 | 6.3% ±0.5 |
| District of Columbia | 15.9% ±1.9 | 24.5% ±4.0 | $109,505 ±$7,573 | $119,772 | 24.5% ±2.6 | 26.2% ±1.3 |
| Kentucky | 15.9% ±0.5 | 19.8% ±0.9 | $66,447 ±$962 | $60,835 | 34.1% ±0.9 | 8.2% ±0.4 |
| New Mexico | 15.5% ±0.8 | 19.2% ±1.4 | $70,342 ±$1,508 | $62,089 | 34.2% ±1.3 | 10.2% ±0.6 |
| Arkansas | 15.0% ±0.7 | 20.1% ±1.1 | $65,588 ±$976 | $61,697 | 34.8% ±1.1 | 8.1% ±0.4 |
| Alabama | 14.7% ±0.6 | 19.8% ±1.0 | $67,663 ±$1,147 | $59,754 | 31.6% ±0.9 | 9.0% ±0.4 |
| Oklahoma | 14.4% ±0.5 | 18.5% ±0.8 | $68,441 ±$911 | $66,055 | 33.3% ±0.8 | 8.3% ±0.3 |
| New York | 13.8% ±0.3 | 17.9% ±0.5 | $89,210 ±$934 | $91,504 | 27.8% ±0.5 | 18.6% ±0.3 |
| South Carolina | 13.3% ±0.5 | 17.6% ±0.9 | $73,672 ±$1,216 | $63,435 | 29.7% ±0.9 | 10.4% ±0.4 |
| Texas | 12.7% ±0.3 | 16.7% ±0.4 | $82,625 ±$670 | $73,156 | 29.6% ±0.5 | 13.9% ±0.2 |
| Michigan | 12.6% ±0.4 | 16.5% ±0.6 | $75,832 ±$691 | $67,245 | 27.7% ±0.6 | 10.9% ±0.2 |
| Tennessee | 12.6% ±0.4 | 16.5% ±0.7 | $75,875 ±$816 | $69,274 | 29.4% ±0.7 | 10.9% ±0.4 |
| Ohio | 12.4% ±0.3 | 16.4% ±0.6 | $74,804 ±$615 | $67,584 | 27.6% ±0.5 | 9.9% ±0.2 |
| Georgia | 12.3% ±0.4 | 16.6% ±0.7 | $81,847 ±$761 | $65,111 | 27.7% ±0.6 | 13.0% ±0.3 |
| North Carolina | 12.1% ±0.4 | 15.8% ±0.6 | $77,638 ±$876 | $68,274 | 28.1% ±0.6 | 12.0% ±0.3 |
| Indiana | 11.9% ±0.4 | 15.0% ±0.7 | $74,516 ±$875 | $66,455 | 28.4% ±0.7 | 9.2% ±0.3 |
| Arizona | 11.8% ±0.5 | 14.3% ±0.8 | $82,940 ±$1,117 | $68,373 | 27.3% ±0.8 | 12.6% ±0.4 |
| South Dakota | 11.8% ±0.9 | 15.1% ±1.7 | $80,506 ±$1,946 | $78,999 | 26.0% ±1.5 | 8.9% ±0.7 |
| Oregon | 11.7% ±0.6 | 13.4% ±1.0 | $86,953 ±$1,920 | $73,283 | 25.8% ±0.9 | 13.9% ±0.5 |
| Illinois | 11.5% ±0.3 | 14.2% ±0.6 | $86,676 ±$814 | $78,987 | 24.4% ±0.5 | 15.1% ±0.3 |
| Missouri | 11.5% ±0.4 | 13.7% ±0.6 | $75,485 ±$937 | $69,836 | 28.0% ±0.6 | 10.3% ±0.3 |
| California | 11.4% ±0.2 | 13.8% ±0.3 | $102,159 ±$390 | $90,957 | 25.7% ±0.3 | 21.7% ±0.2 |
| Nevada | 11.4% ±0.6 | 15.7% ±1.2 | $85,198 ±$1,837 | $73,767 | 27.0% ±1.1 | 13.4% ±0.7 |
| Florida | 11.2% ±0.3 | 13.9% ±0.5 | $80,846 ±$521 | $78,345 | 26.7% ±0.4 | 12.9% ±0.3 |
| Pennsylvania | 11.2% ±0.3 | 14.4% ±0.6 | $81,473 ±$603 | $75,370 | 25.3% ±0.5 | 13.2% ±0.2 |
| Montana | 11.1% ±0.8 | 11.9% ±1.1 | $77,099 ±$2,479 | $72,066 | 27.0% ±1.2 | 10.1% ±0.8 |
| Alaska | 11.0% ±1.2 | 15.4% ±1.9 | $95,220 ±$4,301 | $80,510 | 26.7% ±2.0 | 16.5% ±1.2 |
| Iowa | 11.0% ±0.5 | 11.9% ±0.8 | $76,483 ±$958 | $67,321 | 26.2% ±0.9 | 9.5% ±0.4 |
| Washington | 10.3% ±0.4 | 12.7% ±0.7 | $101,946 ±$719 | $88,944 | 21.9% ±0.5 | 20.4% ±0.4 |
| Wisconsin | 10.3% ±0.4 | 12.4% ±0.7 | $80,213 ±$703 | $71,219 | 24.0% ±0.6 | 10.7% ±0.3 |
| Kansas | 10.2% ±0.5 | 11.8% ±0.8 | $77,824 ±$1,333 | $69,149 | 26.2% ±1.0 | 11.1% ±0.4 |
| Nebraska | 10.2% ±0.7 | 12.1% ±1.1 | $81,614 ±$1,319 | $76,055 | 23.9% ±1.1 | 11.5% ±0.6 |
| Wyoming | 10.1% ±1.2 | 9.9% ±1.6 | $80,894 ±$3,128 | $91,109 | 25.9% ±2.2 | 11.2% ±1.3 |
| Maine | 9.9% ±0.6 | 10.7% ±1.3 | $81,760 ±$1,561 | $71,742 | 23.5% ±1.1 | 11.6% ±0.6 |
| Massachusetts | 9.8% ±0.4 | 11.1% ±0.7 | $106,539 ±$1,459 | $98,700 | 19.9% ±0.6 | 23.8% ±0.4 |
| Idaho | 9.7% ±0.7 | 11.0% ±1.0 | $84,234 ±$1,941 | $64,200 | 25.5% ±1.2 | 11.2% ±0.6 |
| Maryland | 9.6% ±0.4 | 12.0% ±0.8 | $107,700 ±$1,661 | $82,387 | 20.2% ±0.7 | 22.4% ±0.4 |
| Delaware | 9.5% ±1.1 | 11.7% ±2.0 | $92,520 ±$3,776 | $68,630 | 21.3% ±1.8 | 14.7% ±1.2 |
| Rhode Island | 9.5% ±1.0 | 11.9% ±2.1 | $91,039 ±$2,617 | $75,233 | 22.2% ±1.7 | 15.2% ±1.1 |
| Virginia | 9.4% ±0.4 | 11.0% ±0.6 | $99,322 ±$1,105 | $80,903 | 21.1% ±0.5 | 19.8% ±0.4 |
| Hawaii | 9.3% ±0.7 | 10.9% ±1.4 | $105,013 ±$3,065 | $76,966 | 20.6% ±1.2 | 20.1% ±1.0 |
| Colorado | 9.2% ±0.4 | 10.0% ±0.7 | $99,729 ±$1,273 | $86,342 | 20.2% ±0.7 | 18.8% ±0.5 |
| Vermont | 9.2% ±0.8 | 9.9% ±1.6 | $86,018 ±$2,458 | $75,723 | 22.4% ±1.6 | 13.0% ±1.0 |
| Connecticut | 9.1% ±0.6 | 11.3% ±1.1 | $100,056 ±$1,570 | $102,307 | 21.1% ±0.9 | 20.5% ±0.5 |
| Minnesota | 9.0% ±0.4 | 10.0% ±0.6 | $92,297 ±$1,085 | $78,197 | 20.6% ±0.6 | 14.8% ±0.3 |
| North Dakota | 9.0% ±0.9 | 7.5% ±1.1 | $81,545 ±$2,073 | $77,438 | 22.8% ±1.6 | 10.8% ±0.8 |
| New Jersey | 8.7% ±0.4 | 10.6% ±0.6 | $107,797 ±$1,374 | $89,720 | 20.2% ±0.6 | 23.0% ±0.5 |
| Utah | 8.6% ±0.6 | 8.6% ±0.7 | $99,311 ±$2,056 | $70,323 | 21.8% ±0.9 | 16.1% ±0.6 |
| New Hampshire | 6.2% ±0.6 | 7.5% ±1.1 | $106,759 ±$2,502 | $88,145 | 15.3% ±0.9 | 20.1% ±0.8 |
| United States | 11.8% ±0.1 | 14.8% ±0.1 | $84,780 ±$215 | $77,028 | 26.5% ±0.1 | 14.8% ±0.1 |
Source: Census Bureau, American Community Survey 1-year estimates, 2025, table B17001; Census Bureau, American Community Survey 1-year estimates, 2025, table B19013; BEA, SAINC1 State annual personal income summary; Census Bureau, American Community Survey 1-year estimates, 2025, table C17002; Census Bureau, American Community Survey 1-year estimates, 2025, table B19001. ± is the 90% margin of error.
At the top, the order is crowded
The highest median household incomes are close together. The District of Columbia ($109,505), New Jersey ($107,797), Maryland ($107,700), New Hampshire ($106,759) and Massachusetts ($106,539) have overlapping margins of error: each of the four states could rank anywhere between 1st and 6th, and the District between 1st and 8th1. By this measure the survey cannot name a single richest state.
Other yardsticks give other leaders. Per resident, BEA puts the District first ($119,772) and Connecticut ($102,307) and Massachusetts ($98,7005) at the head of the states. By the share of households with $200,000 or more a year, the leaders are the District (26.2%), Massachusetts (23.8%) and New Jersey (23.0%4). By the lowest poverty rate, they are New Hampshire (6.2%, the lowest in the nation), Utah (8.6%) and New Jersey (8.7%2). New Jersey is the one state in the top three of both the income and the low-poverty lists.
Across the country, 19 states, counting DC, have a median household income significantly above the national $84,780 and 29 significantly below it. The typical state sits below the national figure: the middle value of the 51 is $81,7601. The full list is on median household income by state.
Where poverty rates are highest
High poverty rates run across the South, from Louisiana and Mississippi through Kentucky (15.9%), Arkansas (15.0%), Alabama (14.7%) and Oklahoma (14.4%), and into New Mexico (15.5%2), the highest in the West. Each region has its own extremes:
- Northeast: highest in New York (13.8%), lowest in New Hampshire (6.2%).
- Midwest: highest in Michigan (12.6%), lowest in North Dakota (9.0%).
- South: highest in Louisiana (18.1%), lowest in Virginia (9.4%).
- West: highest in New Mexico (15.5%), lowest in Utah (8.6%2).
16 states, counting DC, have a poverty rate significantly above the national figure and 252 significantly below it. Every state's rate, with its margin of error and change from 2024, is on poverty rate by state.
Children and older residents
Nationally, 14.8% of Americans under 18 lived below the poverty line in 2025, against 10.8% of adults 18 to 64 and 11.2% of people 65 and older. The spread between states is wider for children than for the population as a whole. Louisiana (25.2%), Mississippi (24.6%) and the District of Columbia (24.5%) have the highest child poverty rates; North Dakota and New Hampshire (both 7.5%) and Utah (8.6%2) the lowest. A child in Louisiana is more than three times as likely to be poor as a child in North Dakota.
Source: Census Bureau, American Community Survey 1-year estimates, 2025, table B17001. Whiskers show the 90% margin of error; states whose whiskers overlap may not differ significantly. Period: 2025.
Show the numbers
| State | Child poverty rate | MOE |
|---|---|---|
| Louisiana | 25.2% | ±1.2 |
| Mississippi | 24.6% | ±1.3 |
| District of Columbia | 24.5% | ±4.0 |
| Arkansas | 20.1% | ±1.1 |
| Alabama | 19.8% | ±1.0 |
| Kentucky | 19.8% | ±0.9 |
| New Mexico | 19.2% | ±1.4 |
| West Virginia | 19.0% | ±1.3 |
| Oklahoma | 18.5% | ±0.8 |
| New York | 17.9% | ±0.5 |
| South Carolina | 17.6% | ±0.9 |
| Texas | 16.7% | ±0.4 |
| Georgia | 16.6% | ±0.7 |
| Michigan | 16.5% | ±0.6 |
| Tennessee | 16.5% | ±0.7 |
| United States | 14.8% | ±0.1 |
For residents 65 and older the order changes. The District of Columbia (17.8%), Louisiana (15.5%) and New York (14.1%) have the highest rates, and New Hampshire and Alaska (both 7.0%) and Wyoming (8.0%) the lowest. New York ranks 10th highest for poverty overall but 3rd highest for older residents; Mississippi, 2nd highest overall, is 4th highest2 for older residents.
The District of Columbia, at both ends
The District sits at both ends of the distribution. It has the highest median household income, the highest personal income per resident and the largest share of households with $200,000 or more. It also has a poverty rate 4.1 percentage points above the US figure (11.8%)2, the highest share of residents in deep poverty (income below half the poverty line) and the highest poverty rate among residents 65 and older.
| Measure | District of Columbia | US | Rank of 51 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $109,505 ±$7,573 | $84,780 | 1st (1st–8th) |
| Households with income of $200,000 or more | 26.2% ±1.3 | 14.8% | 1st |
| Per capita personal income | $119,772 | $77,028 | 1st |
| Poverty rate | 15.9% ±1.9 | 11.8% | 4th (3rd–9th) |
| Child poverty rate | 24.5% ±4.0 | 14.8% | 3rd (1st–3rd) |
| Poverty rate, 65 and older | 17.8% ±2.6 | 11.2% | 1st (1st–2nd) |
| Deep poverty | 9.2% ±1.4 | 5.9% | 1st (1st–5th) |
| Gini index | 0.515 ±0.012 | 0.482 | 2nd (1st–2nd) |
Source: Census Bureau, American Community Survey 1-year estimates, 2025, table B19013; Census Bureau, American Community Survey 1-year estimates, 2025, table B19001; BEA, SAINC1 State annual personal income summary; Census Bureau, American Community Survey 1-year estimates, 2025, table B17001; Census Bureau, American Community Survey 1-year estimates, 2025, table C17002; Census Bureau, American Community Survey 1-year estimates, 2025, table B19083. Rank 1 is the highest value. Where survey margins of error overlap, the range in brackets shows the ranks the state could hold.
The Gini index, a measure of how unevenly income is spread among households (0 means everyone has the same income, 1 means one household has it all), confirms the picture: the District's 0.515 is 2nd most unequal7.
How unequal incomes are within each state
New York has the most unequal household incomes (0.519), followed by the District and Connecticut (0.495). The most equal are Utah (0.435), New Hampshire and Alaska (both 0.442). The national index, 0.482, is higher than that of most states: 36 states are significantly below it and only 57, counting DC, significantly above. The national index also includes the differences between states, which is one reason it can sit above most state figures.
Inequality and average income are separate questions. Connecticut and New York combine incomes above the national median with high inequality; New Hampshire and Utah combine high incomes with low inequality and low poverty. Among the low-income states the index differs: Louisiana's (0.490) is 2% above the US figure (0.482), while Mississippi's (0.478) is not statistically different from the US figure (0.482)7. More detail is on income inequality by state.
Prices move states up and down
A dollar does not buy the same everywhere. BEA's regional price parities compare each state's price level with the national average (US = 100). In 2024 the most expensive were California (110.7), Hawaii (110.0) and the District (109.9); the least expensive were Arkansas (86.9), Mississippi (87.0) and Oklahoma (87.8). The three lowest-income states all have low prices: Mississippi is the 2nd least expensive, Louisiana the 5th least expensive and West Virginia the 9th least expensive8. That narrows the gap in what incomes buy without closing it.
BEA divides personal income per resident by these price levels to get real per capita personal income. After that adjustment, Mississippi ($48,465) and West Virginia ($50,051) are still the two lowest, and New Mexico8 is third. The big moves are elsewhere:
- Hawaii drops furthest. Its personal income per resident ($76,966 in 2025) is 19th highest; adjusted for its prices, it is 5th lowest ($52,272 in 2024).
- Florida, California and New York also fall: Florida from 16th highest to 22nd lowest, California from 6th highest to 13th highest, New York from 4th highest to 11th highest.
- The Plains rise: South Dakota is 5th highest, Nebraska 6th highest and North Dakota 7th highest on the adjusted measure, against 14th highest, 20th highest and 18th highest5 before it. Iowa and Oklahoma climb the most places, to 19th highest and 23rd highest.
- Wyoming becomes the highest of any state (the District of Columbia is higher) ($75,501), with prices at 92.78 percent of the national level.
The two measures are a year apart (the price-adjusted figures run to 2024), so moves of one or two places say little; the moves listed above are much larger.
Source: BEA, SARPP Regional Price Parities by state. Period: 2024.
Show the numbers
| State | Real per capita income |
|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $81,872 |
| Wyoming | $75,501 |
| Connecticut | $74,254 |
| South Dakota | $69,153 |
| California | $63,028 |
| United States | $59,195 |
| Hawaii | $52,272 |
| New Mexico | $51,121 |
| West Virginia | $50,051 |
| Mississippi | $48,465 |
The price-level ranking is on cost of living by state and both income-per-person measures on per capita income by state.
Poverty with housing costs, taxes and benefits
The official poverty line is the same in every state, and it counts cash income before taxes. The Census Bureau's guidance notes that the official thresholds do not vary geographically and that the income counted leaves out noncash benefits such as food stamps and housing subsidies. The Supplemental Poverty Measure also takes account of tax payments and work expenses, and its thresholds are adjusted for geographic differences in the cost of housing. State rates come from the Current Population Survey, averaged over three years.
On that measure, averaged over 2023–2025, Louisiana is still highest (19.0%), but California is second (17.8%) and Florida fourth (16.4%). In the same survey, California's official rate was 10.7%, not statistically different from the US figure (10.7%). Several states with low price levels move the other way: West Virginia's supplemental rate is not statistically different from the US figure (13.0%), and so is New Mexico's. Maine has the lowest rate (6.4%), followed by Nebraska (7.5%) and Wisconsin (7.9%9).
Maine 6.4%Louisiana 19.0%
Source: Census Bureau, Poverty in the United States. Each dot is a state. Period: 2023-2025.
Show the numbers
| State | SPM rate |
|---|---|
| Louisiana | 19.0% |
| California | 17.8% |
| Mississippi | 16.8% |
| Florida | 16.4% |
| District of Columbia | 15.7% |
| Nevada | 15.3% |
| New York | 15.1% |
| Alabama | 14.4% |
| Texas | 14.4% |
| Georgia | 14.0% |
| Arizona | 13.7% |
| North Carolina | 13.5% |
| Kentucky | 13.2% |
| New Mexico | 13.2% |
| Arkansas | 12.8% |
| Massachusetts | 12.5% |
| New Jersey | 12.1% |
| West Virginia | 12.1% |
| Hawaii | 11.7% |
| Illinois | 11.6% |
| Oklahoma | 11.1% |
| South Carolina | 11.1% |
| Tennessee | 11.1% |
| Oregon | 11.0% |
| Maryland | 10.9% |
| Colorado | 10.8% |
| Pennsylvania | 10.7% |
| Michigan | 10.6% |
| Rhode Island | 10.6% |
| Virginia | 10.6% |
| Washington | 10.5% |
| Alaska | 10.4% |
| Connecticut | 10.4% |
| Indiana | 10.3% |
| Ohio | 9.9% |
| Utah | 9.9% |
| Montana | 9.5% |
| Idaho | 9.4% |
| Missouri | 9.4% |
| Delaware | 8.9% |
| North Dakota | 8.9% |
| Vermont | 8.9% |
| Wyoming | 8.7% |
| Iowa | 8.3% |
| Kansas | 8.1% |
| New Hampshire | 8.0% |
| South Dakota | 8.0% |
| Minnesota | 7.9% |
| Wisconsin | 7.9% |
| Nebraska | 7.5% |
| Maine | 6.4% |
What changed in 2025
Nationally, the 2025 survey shows higher income and lower poverty than 2024. Median household income was $84,780, up from $83,751 in 2024 (in 2025 dollars)1. The poverty rate was 11.8%, down from 12.1% in 2024, and the child poverty rate 14.8%, down from 15.5% in 20242.
In most states the one-year change is within the margin of error. Where it is not:
- Median household income rose in New Hampshire (up from $102,408 in 2024 (in 2025 dollars)), Virginia (up from $94,513 in 2024 (in 2025 dollars)), Louisiana (up from $62,591 in 2024 (in 2025 dollars)), Arkansas (up from $63,740 in 2024 (in 2025 dollars)) and several other states, including Minnesota, Rhode Island, Maine, Pennsylvania and Florida. It fell in California (down from $102,784 in 2024 (in 2025 dollars)1).
- The poverty rate fell in Texas (down from 13.4% in 2024), Michigan, Tennessee, Missouri, California, Florida, Rhode Island (down from 12.2% in 2024), Connecticut, North Dakota and New Hampshire. It rose in South Dakota (up from 10.4% in 20242).
The chart follows the poverty rate in the two highest-poverty states, the lowest and the country since 2005.
Source: Census Bureau, American Community Survey 1-year estimates, 2005-2019 and 2021-2025. ACS 1-year estimates; no standard 1-year release for 2020. Shaded band: 90% margin of error.
Show the numbers
| Year | Louisiana | Mississippi | New Hampshire | United States |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | 19.8% ±0.6 | 21.3% ±0.6 | 7.5% ±0.6 | 13.3% ±0.1 |
| 2006 | 19.0% ±0.6 | 21.1% ±0.7 | 8.0% ±0.6 | 13.3% ±0.1 |
| 2007 | 18.6% ±0.5 | 20.6% ±0.7 | 7.1% ±0.6 | 13.0% ±0.1 |
| 2008 | 17.3% ±0.6 | 21.2% ±0.9 | 7.6% ±0.6 | 13.2% ±0.1 |
| 2009 | 17.3% ±0.5 | 21.9% ±0.6 | 8.5% ±0.6 | 14.3% ±0.1 |
| 2010 | 18.7% ±0.5 | 22.4% ±0.8 | 8.3% ±0.6 | 15.3% ±0.1 |
| 2011 | 20.4% ±0.5 | 22.6% ±0.7 | 8.8% ±0.7 | 15.9% ±0.1 |
| 2012 | 19.9% ±0.5 | 24.2% ±0.8 | 10.0% ±0.8 | 15.9% ±0.1 |
| 2013 | 19.8% ±0.5 | 24.0% ±0.8 | 8.7% ±0.7 | 15.8% ±0.1 |
| 2014 | 19.8% ±0.5 | 21.5% ±0.6 | 9.2% ±0.6 | 15.5% ±0.1 |
| 2015 | 19.6% ±0.5 | 22.0% ±0.7 | 8.2% ±0.7 | 14.7% ±0.1 |
| 2016 | 20.2% ±0.6 | 20.8% ±0.7 | 7.3% ±0.6 | 14.0% ±0.1 |
| 2017 | 19.7% ±0.6 | 19.8% ±0.5 | 7.7% ±0.6 | 13.4% ±0.1 |
| 2018 | 18.6% ±0.5 | 19.7% ±0.6 | 7.6% ±0.5 | 13.1% ±0.1 |
| 2019 | 19.0% ±0.6 | 19.6% ±0.8 | 7.3% ±0.6 | 12.3% ±0.1 |
| 2021 | 19.6% ±0.7 | 19.4% ±0.6 | 7.2% ±0.5 | 12.8% ±0.1 |
| 2022 | 18.6% ±0.5 | 19.1% ±0.6 | 7.2% ±0.5 | 12.6% ±0.1 |
| 2023 | 18.9% ±0.6 | 18.0% ±0.8 | 7.2% ±0.6 | 12.5% ±0.1 |
| 2024 | 18.7% ±0.6 | 17.8% ±0.8 | 7.2% ±0.6 | 12.1% ±0.1 |
| 2025 | 18.1% ±0.8 | 18.0% ±0.7 | 6.2% ±0.6 | 11.8% ±0.1 |
The national rate was 13.3% in 2005, 15.9% in 2011, 12.3% in 2019 and 11.8% in 2025. In 2025 dollars, the national median household income was $78,785 in 2007, $72,034 in 2012 and $82,75010 in 2019. There is no 2020 value: the Census Bureau did not release standard 1-year estimates for 2020 because of the pandemic's effect on data collection.
Food and health care assistance
Two program counts complement the survey. They are administrative records, not survey estimates, and each program has its own eligibility rules, so they do not track poverty rates exactly.
- SNAP (food assistance). An average of 42.1 million people received benefits each month in fiscal year 2025, 12.3% of the population. The share was highest in New Mexico (21.9%), the District (20.3%) and Oregon (18.0%), and lowest in Wyoming (4.7%), Utah (5.0%) and New Hampshire (5.4%11).
- Medicaid and CHIP. 73.7 million people were enrolled in June 2026, equal to 21.5% of the population; enrollment changed by −5.8% from June 2025. The District (34.6%), New York (32.0%) and New Mexico (31.8%) have the highest shares; Utah (9.2%), Wyoming (10.2%) and New Hampshire (12.0%12) the lowest.
Program shares do not follow poverty rates closely. Louisiana ranks 4th highest for SNAP and 7th highest for Medicaid, but Mississippi, with almost the same poverty rate, ranks 20th highest11 and 22nd lowest12. Details by state are on SNAP and Medicaid by state.
Three sources, and which to use
This page draws on three federal sources. They measure different things and should not be mixed in one comparison.
- American Community Survey (Census Bureau, 2025, 1-year). Household income, the official poverty rate, child and senior poverty, and the Gini index, with 90% margins of error. The Census Bureau recommends it for single-year income and poverty estimates for states. It is the main source on this page and in the site's rankings.
- Current Population Survey (Census Bureau). The source of the official national poverty rate and of the Supplemental Poverty Measure. State figures are three-year averages (here 2023–2025), the form the Census Bureau advises for comparing states. Its official rate for a state can differ from the ACS rate: for the US it was 10.7%9 on average over 2023–2025, against 11.8%2 in the 2025 ACS.
- BEA personal income and price parities. Personal income per resident in 2025 ($77,0285 for the US) and price levels for 2024. These come from economic accounts, not a household survey, and are published without margins of error. Personal income per resident is an average, so it is pulled up by high incomes in a way the median is not.
Median household income and income per person also count different units. Utah, which has the largest in the nation average household size (2.8813 people), is 12th highest1 on household income but 22nd lowest5 on personal income per resident.
A few more points when comparing figures:
- Dollars. ACS incomes are in 2025 dollars; earlier years are adjusted for inflation in the trend figures. BEA's real income is in constant dollars and is not comparable with the nominal figures.
- Significance. "Higher", "lower", "rose" and "fell" are used here only where the difference passes the Census Bureau's 90% confidence test. Ranks next to each other often do not.
- Next releases. The 2026 ACS is due around September 2027; BEA's price parities for 2025 on December 10, 2026.
Questions about income and poverty by state
What are the poorest states in the US?
Mississippi, West Virginia and Louisiana. They have the three lowest median household incomes ($59,346, $61,340 and $65,1391 in 2025) and the three highest poverty rates (18.0%, 16.0% and 18.1%2), according to the American Community Survey. Mississippi and West Virginia also have the lowest personal income per resident in BEA's accounts.
What is the richest state?
By median household income, the District of Columbia ($109,505, ±$7,573) and, among the states, New Jersey ($107,7971). The margins of error are wide enough that Maryland, New Hampshire, Massachusetts or Hawaii could also be first among the states. By personal income per resident, Connecticut leads the states with $102,3075 in 2025.
What is the poverty rate by state adjusted for cost of living?
The Census Bureau's Supplemental Poverty Measure adjusts the poverty line for local housing costs and counts taxes and noncash benefits. Averaged over 2023–2025, it was highest in Louisiana (19.0%) and California (17.8%) and lowest in Maine (6.4%). The national rate was 13.0%9.
Which state has the most people in poverty?
California, with 4.4 million residents below the poverty line in 2025, then Texas (3.9 million), New York (2.7 million) and Florida (2.6 million). Nationally the count was 39.3 million. As a share of residents, California's rate (11.4%) is 0.4 percentage points below the US figure (11.8%)2.
Is West Virginia one of the poorest states?
Yes, on most measures. Its median household income of $61,340 is the 2nd lowest1, its poverty rate of 16.0% is the 3rd highest2, and its personal income per resident is the 2nd lowest5. Its housing price level is the least expensive8 in the country, and on the supplemental poverty measure, which adjusts for housing costs, its rate (12.1%) is not statistically different from the US figure (13.0%)9.
Rankings on this topic
Sources
- Census Bureau, American Community Survey 1-year estimates, 2025, table B19013; 2025; released October 29, 2026. data.census.gov
- Census Bureau, American Community Survey 1-year estimates, 2025, table B17001; 2025; released October 29, 2026. data.census.gov
- Census Bureau, American Community Survey 1-year estimates, 2025, table C17002; 2025; released October 29, 2026. data.census.gov
- Census Bureau, American Community Survey 1-year estimates, 2025, table B19001; 2025; released October 29, 2026. data.census.gov
- BEA, SAINC1 State annual personal income summary; table SAINC1__ALL_AREAS_1929_2025.csv lines 1-3; 2025 (annual); released September 30, 2026. apps.bea.gov
- Census Bureau, 2024 Cartographic Boundary Files; table cb_2024_us_state_20m; 2024; released April 10, 2025. www2.census.gov
- Census Bureau, American Community Survey 1-year estimates, 2025, table B19083; 2025; released October 29, 2026. data.census.gov
- BEA, SARPP Regional Price Parities by state; 2024; released February 19, 2026. apps.bea.gov
- Census Bureau, Poverty in the United States; CPS ASEC 2024-2026 (calendar years 2023, 2024, 2025); released September 15, 2026. www2.census.gov
- Census Bureau, American Community Survey 1-year estimates, 2005-2019 and 2021-2025; 2005-2025 (no standard 2020 1-year release); released October 29, 2026. api.census.gov
- USDA Food and Nutrition Service (FNS), SNAP Monthly State Participation and Benefit Summary, Fiscal Year 2025; FY2025 (Oct 2024-Sep 2025); released October 8, 2026. www.fns.usda.gov
- CMS (Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services), State Medicaid and CHIP Applications, Eligibility Determinations, and Enrollment Data; released October 30, 2026. data.medicaid.gov
- Census Bureau, American Community Survey 1-year estimates, 2025, table B25010; 2025; released October 29, 2026. data.census.gov
Margins of error (±) are at the 90% confidence level. A difference is called significant only when it passes the Census Bureau's test at that level. How every figure is built: methodology. Found an error? Write to [email protected]; corrections are listed on the updates page.