Southern United States Sees Highest Rates of Poverty 🏚️

What We're Showing

The three-year average of poverty rates by U.S. state from 2020 to 2022.

The poverty rates are calculated using the official poverty measure, which defines poverty by comparing the pre-tax annual income to a specific national threshold adjusted for family size.

Figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau and are updated as of September 2023.

Southern U.S. Generally More Poor

U.S. poverty rates are relatively higher in the South, compared to northern states.

Many of the states with the highest poverty rates, including New Mexico (18.2%), Mississippi (17.8%), Louisiana (16.9%), Arkansas (15.9%), and Kentucky (15.8%), are characterized by large rural areas which are historically poorer than urban areas.

Many of these Southern states also have low levels of education attainment and labor force participation, which contribute to slow economic growth and low personal income levels.