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Mapping Poverty: The Poverty Rates in Each U.S. State Over Time

Back in 2019, the U.S. had seen five years of declined poverty rates and recorded the lowest average poverty rate ever at 10.5%. When the COVID-19 pandemic hit one year later, this number rose by 8.5% to 11.4%, followed by a slight increase to 11.6% in 2021. [1] U.S. Census Bureau, ‘Historical Poverty Tables: People and Families - 1959 to 2021’ https://www.census.gov/data/tables/time-series/demo/income-poverty/historical-poverty-people.html

Using U.S. Census Bureau data, this report analyzes the poverty rates in each state over time to find out which states have seen the highest and lowest poverty rates historically and what this looks like in recent years. 

Contents

Key U.S. poverty statistics

What is poverty and how is it defined? 

To clarify it’s worth defining what poverty is in the U.S. The poverty threshold depends on factors such as age and family size. In 2022, the official poverty threshold for one person under the age of 65 with no children was an average yearly income of $15,225, in 2021, the same threshold was $14,097.

In 2022, for a household consisting of two adults and two children, the threshold would be $29,678. [2] U.S. Census Bureau, ‘Poverty Thresholds’ https://www.census.gov/data/tables/time-series/demo/income-poverty/historical-poverty-thresholds.html

Circumstances cause the definition of poverty to differ between every home and every state. In 2021, 37.93 million people were below the poverty threshold in the U.S. 

Poverty rates across the U.S.

The below map reveals how poverty rates have changed in each state over time from 1980 to 2021 (the latest data available at the time of publishing). 

Poverty rates in each state map animation

How poverty rates change in each U.S. region

The Southern states are the most poverty-stricken, and in 2020, the South saw an average poverty rate of 13.2%, a 0.1% decrease from 2020, but an increase of 1.2% compared to 2019.

Western states saw an average rate of 10.6% in 2020, rising to 11% in 2021. Midwestern states had an average poverty rate of 10.4%, while northeastern states had the lowest poverty rate at 10.1%. 

Regional poverty rates Northeast Midwest West South
2019 9.40% 9.70% 9.50% 12%
2020 10.20% 10.10% 10.60% 13.30%
2021 10.10% 10.40% 11% 13.20%

Source [1] U.S. Census Bureau, ‘Historical Poverty Tables: People and Families - 1959 to 2021’ https://www.census.gov/data/tables/time-series/demo/income-poverty/historical-poverty-people.html

COVID-19 pandemic poverty rates

When the COVID-19 pandemic hit in 2020, the poverty rate increased in 39 of the 50 states, compared to 2019 levels. Reviewing the data for 2021, we can see that 38 states have now seen higher levels of poverty, with New York remaining the same from 2019 and 2021.

With a jump of nearly 86.5%, New Hampshire saw the largest growth in poverty out of all states. Despite this rise, the state's population still experiences the joint-lowest poverty rate (6.9%) in the country alongside Minnesota. 

The state that saw the second largest growth in poverty was Delaware, where the poverty rate rose by 804% from 6.5% in 2019 to 10.5% in 2020 to 11.7% in 2021. 

In New York, the poverty rate remained the same between 2019 and 2021, while 12 other states saw a decrease. Kansas saw the most substantial decline with a drop from 9.5% to 7.1% (-25.3%) allowed by South Dakota (-20.8%). 

The full breakdown of how each state’s poverty levels have changed throughout the pandemic period can be seen in the table below. 2022 data will be updated when it is released by the U.S. Census Bureau and should be considered as part of a pandemic analysis. 

Percentage of population living in poverty
State 2019 2020 2021 2019-2021 Change
StateNew Hampshire 20193.70% 20206.20% 20216.90% 2019-2021 Change86.5%
StateDelaware 20196.50% 202010.50% 202111.70% 2019-2021 Change80.0%
StateOklahoma 201910.80% 202015.50% 202115.10% 2019-2021 Change39.8%
StateIdaho 20197.10% 20209.20% 20219.30% 2019-2021 Change31.0%
StateMissouri 20199.40% 202010.60% 202112.30% 2019-2021 Change30.9%
StateHawaii 20198.40% 202010.90% 202110.90% 2019-2021 Change29.8%
StateArizona 20199.90% 202010.80% 202112.60% 2019-2021 Change27.3%
StatePennsylvania 20198.70% 202010.60% 202110.80% 2019-2021 Change24.1%
StateAlabama 201912.90% 202014.90% 202115.90% 2019-2021 Change23.3%
StateNevada 201910.40% 202012.90% 202112.80% 2019-2021 Change23.1%
StateTexas 201911.10% 202014.00% 202113.50% 2019-2021 Change21.6%
StateWest Virginia 201913.90% 202014.10% 202116.90% 2019-2021 Change21.6%
StateMinnesota 20195.70% 20208.40% 20216.90% 2019-2021 Change21.1%
StateNew Jersey 20196.30% 20208.20% 20217.60% 2019-2021 Change20.6%
StateArkansas 201914.10% 202014.20% 202116.80% 2019-2021 Change19.1%
StateKentucky 201913.60% 202013.90% 202116.20% 2019-2021 Change19.1%
StateCalifornia 201910.10% 202011.00% 202111.90% 2019-2021 Change17.8%
StateNew Mexico 201915.30% 202016.50% 202118.00% 2019-2021 Change17.6%
StateGeorgia 201912.10% 202013.20% 202114.00% 2019-2021 Change15.7%
StateIllinois 20199.30% 20208.00% 202110.70% 2019-2021 Change15.1%
StateMichigan 201910.20% 202011.10% 202111.70% 2019-2021 Change14.7%
StateOregon 20198.10% 20209.40% 20219.20% 2019-2021 Change13.6%
StateDistrict of Columbia 201912.50% 202016.70% 202114.00% 2019-2021 Change12.0%
StateAlaska 201910.20% 202013.30% 202111.40% 2019-2021 Change11.8%
StateVirginia 20198.80% 20207.80% 20219.80% 2019-2021 Change11.4%
StateWisconsin 20198.40% 20208.00% 20219.30% 2019-2021 Change10.7%
StateMontana 20199.70% 202011.00% 202110.70% 2019-2021 Change10.3%
StateMaryland 20197.00% 20209.20% 20217.70% 2019-2021 Change10.0%
StateWashington 20197.00% 20208.30% 20217.70% 2019-2021 Change10.0%
StateFlorida 201911.50% 202013.20% 202112.60% 2019-2021 Change9.6%
StateUtah 20197.30% 20207.40% 20217.90% 2019-2021 Change8.2%
StateNorth Dakota 20198.10% 202010.70% 20218.50% 2019-2021 Change4.9%
StateIndiana 201910.10% 202012.00% 202110.40% 2019-2021 Change3.0%
StateLouisiana 201917.90% 202015.40% 202118.40% 2019-2021 Change2.8%
StateWyoming 20199.20% 20209.80% 20219.40% 2019-2021 Change2.2%
StateRhode Island 20199.20% 20208.50% 20219.40% 2019-2021 Change2.2%
StateIowa 20199.50% 20209.00% 20219.70% 2019-2021 Change2.1%
StateMassachusetts 20197.50% 20208.40% 20217.60% 2019-2021 Change1.3%
StateNew York 201912.50% 202011.80% 202112.50% 2019-2021 Change0.0%
StateConnecticut 20198.30% 202011.20% 20218.00% 2019-2021 Change-3.6%
StateOhio 201912.40% 202012.70% 202111.60% 2019-2021 Change-6.5%
StateNebraska 20198.70% 20208.30% 20218.10% 2019-2021 Change-6.9%
StateNorth Carolina 201912.70% 202013.70% 202111.80% 2019-2021 Change-7.1%
StateSouth Carolina 201915.10% 202013.30% 202113.70% 2019-2021 Change-9.3%
StateMississippi 201919.20% 202017.50% 202117.40% 2019-2021 Change-9.4%
StateMaine 201910.40% 20208.00% 20219.10% 2019-2021 Change-12.5%
StateVermont 20198.60% 20208.60% 20217.50% 2019-2021 Change-12.8%
StateColorado 20199.30% 20209.50% 20217.90% 2019-2021 Change-15.1%
StateTennessee 201913.10% 202013.20% 202110.60% 2019-2021 Change-19.1%
StateSouth Dakota 201910.60% 202011.60% 20218.40% 2019-2021 Change-20.8%
StateKansas 20199.50% 20209.10% 20217.10% 2019-2021 Change-25.3%

Source [1] U.S. Census Bureau, ‘Historical Poverty Tables: People and Families - 1959 to 2021’ https://www.census.gov/data/tables/time-series/demo/income-poverty/historical-poverty-people.html

How poverty affects different demographics

The demographic groups most financially affected by the pandemic are women, young people, Hispanics, and Black people.

Gender and poverty

12.6% of women lived in poverty in the U.S. in 2021, the same as 2020, an increase of 9.6% compared to the previous year (11.5%). The poverty rates also increased for men as a result of the pandemic, from 9.4% in 2019, to 10.5% in 2021, an increase of 11.7%. 

While men have seen slightly more of an increase in poverty rates, women are still far more likely to experience poverty in America (12.6% compared to 10.5%).

Year Men Women
2019 9.40% 11.50%
2020 10.30% 12.60%
2021 10.50% 12.60%

Source [1] U.S. Census Bureau, ‘Historical Poverty Tables: People and Families - 1959 to 2021’ https://www.census.gov/data/tables/time-series/demo/income-poverty/historical-poverty-people.html

Age and poverty

For young people (under 18 years), the poverty rates rose from 14.4% in 2019 to 16% in 2020, and then slightly declined to 15.3% in 2021. In recent years, younger people saw the highest levels of poverty in 2010 when 22% were experiencing poverty. 

Initial data from 2020 showed that people aged 65 years and older experienced the least significant financial hit during the pandemic as there was 8.9% in poverty in both 2019 and 2020. However, 2021 data shows that this same age group saw an increase of 15.7% with 10.3% of those aged 65 and older in poverty in 2021.

Age  2019 2020 2021
Under 18 years 14.40% 16% 15.30%
18-64 9.40% 10.50% 10.50%
65 and over 8.90% 8.90% 10.30%

Source [1] U.S. Census Bureau, ‘Historical Poverty Tables: People and Families - 1959 to 2021’ https://www.census.gov/data/tables/time-series/demo/income-poverty/historical-poverty-people.html

Race and poverty 

All races analyzed by the U.S. Census Bureau saw an increase in poverty rates from 2019 to 2021, however, Asian and Hispanic people saw a much sharper rise than other groups. 

In 2019, 7.3% of the Asian community experienced poverty which changed to 9.3% in 2021, a 27.4% increase, the highest increase of any race group measured by the U.S. Census Bureau. 

For the same time period, the Hispanic population saw a slightly less dramatic change of 8.9%  from 15.7% to 17.1%. 

White and Black people did not see such a sharp increase in the percentage of the population in poverty from 2019 to 2021, however, both groups did see increases. 18.8% of Black people were experiencing poverty in 2019, compared to 19.5% in 2021, while only 9.1% of white people in 2019 were living in poverty conditions, which changed to 10% in 2021. 

Race 2019 2020 2021
Black 18.8% 19.6% 19.5%
Hispanic 15.7% 17% 17.1%
White 9.1% 10.1% 10%
Asian 7.3% 8.1% 9.3%
White, not Hispanic 7.3% 8.2% 8.1%

Source [1] U.S. Census Bureau, ‘Historical Poverty Tables: People and Families - 1959 to 2021’ https://www.census.gov/data/tables/time-series/demo/income-poverty/historical-poverty-people.html

States with the highest poverty rates over time 

Between 1980 and 2021, Mississippi has seen the highest poverty rate out of all states for 22 non-consecutive years.  New Mexico has topped the list eight times, while Louisiana has ranked highest six times. 

Over the past 40 years, Mississippi has seen an average poverty rate of 21.3%, while Louisiana and New Mexico have seen an average poverty rate of 19.95% and 19.63% respectively.

State Average Poverty Rate (%) (1980-2021) Number of years state ranks highest for poverty rate (1980-2021)
Mississippi 21.30 22
Louisiana 19.95 6
New Mexico 19.63 8
District of Columbia 18.42 3
Arkansas 17.99 1
West Virginia 17.65 1
Alabama 17.24 0
Kentucky 16.68 0
Texas 16.10 0
Tennessee 15.98 0

Source [1] U.S. Census Bureau, ‘Historical Poverty Tables: People and Families - 1959 to 2021’ https://www.census.gov/data/tables/time-series/demo/income-poverty/historical-poverty-people.html

States with the lowest poverty rates over time 

At an average of 6.87%, New Hampshire is the state with the lowest average poverty rate between 1980-2021. Over the past 41 years, the state has experienced the lowest poverty rate for 27 non-consecutive years however, the state was hit significantly by the pandemic and saw the 12th biggest percentage increase in poverty rates out of all other states at 11.29%.

The state with the second lowest poverty rate is Connecticut with an average poverty rate of 8.53%, followed by New Jersey at 9.06%. 

The lowest poverty rate (3.7%) over the past 40 years has been recorded two times, both times in New Hampshire. The first time was in 1986 and the latest was in 2019. 

State Average % Poverty Rate 1980-2021 Number of years state ranks lowest for poverty rate (1980-2021)
New Hampshire 6.87 27
Connecticut 8.53 4
New Jersey 9.06 0
Maryland 9.11 1
Utah 9.55 3
Minnesota 9.69 1
Delaware 9.90 1
Wisconsin 9.92 1
Vermont 10.01 1
Massachusetts 10.03 1

Source [1] U.S. Census Bureau, ‘Historical Poverty Tables: People and Families - 1959 to 2021’ https://www.census.gov/data/tables/time-series/demo/income-poverty/historical-poverty-people.html

Poverty rate over time

At 10.5%, 2019 saw the lowest poverty rate in the U.S. since records began, which was quickly reversed by the pandemic. The highest-ever poverty rate nationwide was back in 1959 when 22.4% of the population was living in poverty.

In 2020, the poverty rate saw its sharpest rise since the Great Recession, increasing by one percentage point. This is an increase of 9.5% compared to the previous year to 11.5%, bringing the total number of Americans living in poverty up by 3.3 million people to 37.55 million. 

In 2021, 11.6% of Americans were experiencing poverty, a marginal increase from 2020. This equates to around 37.93 million Americans.

Although the pandemic increase is substantial, it is not as large as the increase associated with the Great Recession where the poverty rate rose by 14.4% between 2007 and 2009. 

Year Percentage of Americans Experiencing Poverty
2021 11.6
2020 11.5
2019 10.5
2018 11.8
2017 12.3
2016 12.7
2015 13.5
2014 14.8
2013 14.5
2012 15
2011 15
2010 15.1
2009 14.3
2008 13.2
2007 12.5
2006 12.3
2005 12.6
2004 12.7
2003 12.5
2002 12.1
2001 11.7
2000 11.3
1999 11.9
1998 12.7
1997 13.3
1996 13.7
1995 13.8
1994 14.5
1993 15.1
1992 14.8
1991 14.2
1990 13.5
1989 12.8
1988 13
1987 13.4
1986 13.6
1985 14
1984 14.4
1983 15.2
1982 15
1981 14
1980 13
1979 11.7
1978 11.4
1977 11.6
1976 11.8
1975 12.3
1974 11.2
1973 11.1
1972 11.9
1971 12.5
1970 12.6
1969 12.1
1968 12.8
1967 14.2
1966 14.7
1965 17.3
1964 19
1963 19.5
1962 21
1961 21.9
1960 22.2
1959 22.4

Source [1] U.S. Census Bureau, ‘Historical Poverty Tables: People and Families - 1959 to 2021’ https://www.census.gov/data/tables/time-series/demo/income-poverty/historical-poverty-people.html

Sources

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