Article
Poorest counties by state
Income inequality is a growing problem in the U.S., and disparities can be seen in a analysis of counties.
Using the most recent data from the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey, 24/7 Wall Street found the poorest county in each state and compared it to statewide income averages.
USA Today reports the populations of nearly half of the poorest counties are predominantly rural. However, in some states the poorest counties were largely urban. The poorest counties in New York and Pennsylvania had 100 percent urban populations in 2010.
The reasons for poverty are myriad, but the common thread in the majority of these counties was lack of education and high levels of unemployment, according to USA Today.
In 45 of the 50 counties, the percentage of adults who had attained a bachelor’s degree was below the national average of 28.8 percent. In 36 of the 50 counties, the unemployment rate was above the national average of 7.4 percent.
The poorest counties in each state are:
1. Sumter County, Alabama
- County median household income, 2009-2013: $22,186
- State median household income, 2009-2013: $43,253
- Poverty rate, 2009-2013: 38.0 percent
- Unemployment, 2013: 9.9 percent
2. Bethel Census Area, Alaska
- County median household income, 2009-2013: $51,689
- State median household income, 2009-2013: $70,760
- Poverty rate, 2009-2013: 22.8 percent
- Unemployment, 2013: 15.4 percent
3. Apache County, Arizona
- County median household income, 2009-2013: $31,476
- State median household income, 2009-2013: $49,774
- Poverty rate, 2009-2013: 36.2 percent
- Unemployment, 2013: 19.8 percent
4. Lee County, Arkansas
- County median household income, 2009-2013: $25,034
- State median household income, 2009-2013: $40,768
- Poverty rate, 2009-2013: 31.5 percent
- Unemployment, 2013: 11.2 percent
5. Lake County, California
- County median household income, 2009-2013: $36,548
- State median household income, 2009-2013: $61,094
- Poverty rate, 2009-2013: 25.0 percent
- Unemployment, 2013: 11.9 percent
6. Otero County, Colorado
- County median household income, 2009-2013: $33,848
- State median household income, 2009-2013: $58,433
- Poverty rate, 2009-2013: 25.2 percent
- Unemployment, 2013: 8.8 percent
7. Windham County, Connecticut
- County median household income, 2009-2013: $59,333
- State median household income, 2009-2013: $69,461
- Poverty rate, 2009-2013: 11.4 percent
- Unemployment, 2013: 8.7 percent
8. Sussex County, Delaware
- County median household income, 2009-2013: $52,710
- State median household income, 2009-2013: $59,878
- Poverty rate, 2009-2013: 13.4 percent
- Unemployment, 2013: 6.7 percent
9. Putnam County, Florida
- County median household income, 2009-2013: $32,497
- State median household income, 2009-2013: $46,956
- Poverty rate, 2009-2013: 26.4 percent
- Unemployment, 2013: 9.4 percent
10. Telfair County, Georgia
- County median household income, 2009-2013: $26,634
- State median household income, 2009-2013: $49,179
- Poverty rate, 2009-2013: 30.5 percent
- Unemployment, 2013: 15.6 percent
11. Hawaii County, Hawaii
- County median household income, 2009-2013: $51,250
- State median household income, 2009-2013: $67,402
- Poverty rate, 2009-2013: 18.3 percent
- Unemployment, 2013: 6.8 percent
12. Madison County, Idaho
- County median household income, 2009-2013: $32,059
- State median household income, 2009-2013: $46,767
- Poverty rate, 2009-2013: 35.8 percent
- Unemployment, 2013: 4.6 percent
13. Jackson County, Illinois
- County median household income, 2009-2013: $33,479
- State median household income, 2009-2013: $56,797
- Poverty rate, 2009-2013: 30.4 percent
- Unemployment, 2013: 7.9 percent
14. Fayette County, Indiana
- County median household income, 2009-2013: $37,391
- State median household income, 2009-2013: $48,248
- Poverty rate, 2009-2013: 23.0 percent
- Unemployment, 2013: 10.3 percent
15. Appanoose County, Iowa
- County median household income, 2009-2013: $39,208
- State median household income, 2009-2013: $51,843
- Poverty rate, 2009-2013: 15.2 percent
- Unemployment, 2013: 6.4 percent
16. Crawford County, Kansas
- County median household income, 2009-2013: $37,378
- State median household income, 2009-2013: $51,332
- Poverty rate, 2009-2013: 20.6 percent
- Unemployment, 2013: 5.6 percent
17. McCreary County, Kentucky
- County median household income, 2009-2013: $20,972
- State median household income, 2009-2013: $43,036
- Poverty rate, 2009-2013: 30.3 percent
- Unemployment, 2013: 13.5 percent
18. Madison Parish, Louisiana
- County median household income, 2009-2013: $25,498
- State median household income, 2009-2013: $44,874
- Poverty rate, 2009-2013: 40.3 percent
- Unemployment, 2013: 9.7 percent
19. Piscataquis County, Maine
- County median household income, 2009-2013: $36,646
- State median household income, 2009-2013: $48,453
- Poverty rate, 2009-2013: 18.5 percent
- Unemployment, 2013: 9.6 percent
20. Somerset County, Maryland
- County median household income, 2009-2013: $38,447
- State median household income, 2009-2013: $73,538
- Poverty rate, 2009-2013: 23.4 percent
- Unemployment, 2013: 9.9 percent
21. Berkshire County, Massachusetts
- County median household income, 2009-2013: $48,450
- State median household income, 2009-2013: $66,866
- Poverty rate, 2009-2013: 12.8 percent
- Unemployment, 2013: 7.1 percent
22. Lake County, Michigan
- County median household income, 2009-2013: $29,379
- State median household income, 2009-2013: $48,411
- Poverty rate, 2009-2013: 27.9 percent
- Unemployment, 2013: 13.1 percent
23. Wadena County, Minnesota
- County median household income, 2009-2013: $36,928
- State median household income, 2009-2013: $59,836
- Poverty rate, 2009-2013: 16.9 percent
- Unemployment, 2013: 7.1 percent
24. Holmes County, Mississippi
- County median household income, 2009-2013: $22,325
- State median household income, 2009-2013: $39,031
- Poverty rate, 2009-2013: 43.5 percent
- Unemployment, 2013: 16.5 percent
25. Oregon County, Missouri
- County median household income, 2009-2013: $27,743
- State median household income, 2009-2013: $47,380
- Poverty rate, 2009-2013: 27.7 percent
- Unemployment, 2013: 6.6 percent
26. Sanders County, Montana
- County median household income, 2009-2013: $32,881
- State median household income, 2009-2013: $46,230
- Poverty rate, 2009-2013: 22.0 percent
- Unemployment, 2013: 12.6 percent
27. Red Willow County, Nebraska
- County median household income, 2009-2013: $42,345
- State median household income, 2009-2013: $51,672
- Poverty rate, 2009-2013: 12.7 percent
- Unemployment, 2013: 3.1 percent
28. Nye County, Nevada
- County median household income, 2009-2013: $39,876
- State median household income, 2009-2013: $52,800
- Poverty rate, 2009-2013: 18
- Unemployment, 2013: 11.9 percent
29. Coos County, New Hampshire
- County median household income, 2009-2013: $41,985
- State median household income, 2009-2013: $64,916
- Poverty rate, 2009-2013: 13.4 percent
- Unemployment, 2013: 6.4 percent
30. Cumberland County, New Jersey
- County median household income, 2009-2013: $50,750
- State median household income, 2009-2013: $71,629
- Poverty rate, 2009-2013: 17.5 percent
- Unemployment, 2013: 12.2 percent
31. Sierra County, New Mexico
- County median household income, 2009-2013: $27,430
- State median household income, 2009-2013: $44,927
- Poverty rate, 2009-2013: 22.6 percent
- Unemployment, 2013: 6.2 percent
32. Bronx County, New York
- County median household income, 2009-2013: $34,388
- State median household income, 2009-2013: $58,003
- Poverty rate, 2009-2013: 29.8 percent
- Unemployment, 2013: 11.8 percent
33. Scotland County, North Carolina
- County median household income, 2009-2013: $29,592
- State median household income, 2009-2013: $46,334
- Poverty rate, 2009-2013: 32.3 percent
- Unemployment, 2013: 14.6 percent
34. Rolette County, North Dakota
- County median household income, 2009-2013: $31,336
- State median household income, 2009-2013: $53,741
- Poverty rate, 2009-2013: 36.0 percent
- Unemployment, 2013: 12.9 percent
35. Athens County, Ohio
- County median household income, 2009-2013: $33,823
- State median household income, 2009-2013: $48,308
- Poverty rate, 2009-2013: 31.7 percent
- Unemployment, 2013: 8.4 percent
36. Pushmataha County, Oklahoma
- County median household income, 2009-2013: $29,897
- State median household income, 2009-2013: $45,339
- Poverty rate, 2009-2013: 26.5 percent
- Unemployment, 2013: 7.6 percent
37. Malheur County, Oregon
- County median household income, 2009-2013: $35,578
- State median household income, 2009-2013: $50,229
- Poverty rate, 2009-2013: 27.4 percent
- Unemployment, 2013: 8.7 percent
38. Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania
- County median household income, 2009-2013: $37,192
- State median household income, 2009-2013: $52,548
- Poverty rate, 2009-2013: 26.5 percent
- Unemployment, 2013: 10.0 percent
39. Providence County, Rhode Island
- County median household income, 2009-2013: $49,297
- State median household income, 2009-2013: $56,361
- Poverty rate, 2009-2013: 17.1 percent
- Unemployment, 2013: 10.2 percent
40. Allendale County, South Carolina
- County median household income, 2009-2013: $25,252
- State median household income, 2009-2013: $44,779
- Poverty rate, 2009-2013: 36.0 percent
- Unemployment, 2013: 14.0 percent
41. Shannon County, South Dakota
- County median household income, 2009-2013: $25,648
- State median household income, 2009-2013: $49,495
- Poverty rate, 2009-2013: 53.2 percent
- Unemployment, 2013: 12.9 percent
42. Grundy County, Tennessee
- County median household income, 2009-2013: $26,814
- State median household income, 2009-2013: $44,298
- Poverty rate, 2009-2013: 29.7 percent
- Unemployment, 2013: 9.5 percent
43. Starr County, Texas
- County median household income, 2009-2013: $24,927
- State median household income, 2009-2013: $51,900
- Poverty rate, 2009-2013: 39.2 percent
- Unemployment, 2013: 15.4 percent
44. San Juan County, Utah
- County median household income, 2009-2013: $40,492
- State median household income, 2009-2013: $58,821
- Poverty rate, 2009-2013: 27.1 percent
- Unemployment, 2013: 9.3 percent
45. Orleans County, Vermont
- County median household income, 2009-2013: $41,953
- State median household income, 2009-2013: $54,267
- Poverty rate, 2009-2013: 15.4 percent
- Unemployment, 2013: 6.2 percent
46. Martinsville, Virginia
- County median household income, 2009-2013: $28,116
- State median household income, 2009-2013: $63,907
- Poverty rate, 2009-2013: 27.2 percent
- Unemployment, 2013: 12.1 percent
47. Whitman County, Washington
- County median household income, 2009-2013: $36,257
- State median household income, 2009-2013: $59,478
- Poverty rate, 2009-2013: 32.6 percent
- Unemployment, 2013: 6.2 percent
48. McDowell County, West Virginia
- County median household income, 2009-2013: $22,252
- State median household income, 2009-2013: $41,043
- Poverty rate, 2009-2013: 36.3 percent
- Unemployment, 2013: 10.0 percent
49. Ashland County, Wisconsin
- County median household income, 2009-2013: $38,550
- State median household income, 2009-2013: $52,413
- Poverty rate, 2009-2013: 18.8 percent
- Unemployment, 2013: 9.0 percent
50. Albany County, Wyoming
- County median household income, 2009-2013: $42,774
- State median household income, 2009-2013: $57,406
- Poverty rate, 2009-2013: 26.0 percent
- Unemployment, 2013: 4.0 percent
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