CFED Assets & Opportunity Scorecard
Percentage of households with income below the federal poverty threshold, 2014.
Income poverty is a fundamental indicator of financial insecurity and instability. If a household’s total income is below the poverty threshold, then they are considered poor. Official poverty estimates are calculated each year by the Census Bureau using a set of income thresholds that vary by family size and composition.
The official poverty measure was developed about a half-century ago and is based on the assumption that families spend one third of their after-tax income on food. For years, poverty experts and researchers have contended that the official poverty measure is misleading and does not reflect the full amount of income that a family needs to live and thrive in the current economy. In addition, the official poverty measure does not account for government benefits like food stamps and the Earned Income Tax Credit and differences in the cost of living across geographies, which vary dramatically. The Census Bureau has begun to release research on a supplemental poverty measure to address many of these criticisms.
To see the data disaggregated by race and ethnicity, where available, click on the Data by Race tab below.
Income Poverty Rate, 2014
| State | Income Poverty Rate (%) | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| United States | 14.5% | |
| Alabama | 18.6% | 47 |
| Alaska | 9.0% | 2 |
| Arizona | 16.0% | 40 |
| Arkansas | 17.9% | 45 |
| California | 14.7% | 28 |
| Colorado | 11.5% | 11 |
| Connecticut | 10.6% | 4 |
| Delaware | 11.5% | 12 |
| District of Columbia | 16.9% | 43 |
| Florida | 15.3% | 36 |
| Georgia | 16.8% | 42 |
| Hawaii | 11.0% | 7 |
| Idaho | 14.4% | 27 |
| Illinois | 13.5% | 24 |
| Indiana | 14.3% | 26 |
| Iowa | 11.9% | 14 |
| Kansas | 13.2% | 21 |
| Kentucky | 19.0% | 48 |
| Louisiana | 19.4% | 49 |
| Maine | 14.0% | 25 |
| Maryland | 9.7% | 3 |
| Massachusetts | 12.2% | 17 |
| Michigan | 15.0% | 32 |
| Minnesota | 11.0% | 6 |
| Mississippi | 20.8% | 51 |
| Missouri | 15.0% | 31 |
| Montana | 14.8% | 29 |
| Nebraska | 12.1% | 15 |
| Nevada | 13.5% | 23 |
| New Hampshire | 8.8% | 1 |
| New Jersey | 10.7% | 5 |
| New Mexico | 19.9% | 50 |
| New York | 15.2% | 35 |
| North Carolina | 16.0% | 39 |
| North Dakota | 11.7% | 13 |
| Ohio | 15.1% | 33 |
| Oklahoma | 15.9% | 38 |
| Oregon | 15.1% | 34 |
| Pennsylvania | 13.0% | 20 |
| Rhode Island | 15.0% | 30 |
| South Carolina | 16.7% | 41 |
| South Dakota | 13.2% | 22 |
| Tennessee | 17.4% | 44 |
| Texas | 15.7% | 37 |
| Utah | 11.1% | 8 |
| Vermont | 12.3% | 18 |
| Virginia | 11.3% | 10 |
| Washington | 12.2% | 16 |
| West Virginia | 18.1% | 46 |
| Wisconsin | 12.4% | 19 |
| Wyoming | 11.2% | 9 |
Income Poverty Rate by Race and Ethnicity
| Income Poverty Rate (%) | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| State | White HHs | HHs of Color | Black HHs | Asian HHs | Hispanic HHs | Native American HHs | |
| United States | 10.9% | 22.6% | 26.1% | 13.5% | 23.5% | 27.8% | |
| Alabama | 13.6% | 29.6% | 30.6% | 17.1% | 32.5% | 16.3% | |
| Alaska | 7.0% | 18.9% | 21.7% | 15.7% | 8.8% | 21.2% | |
| Arizona | 11.1% | 24.5% | 23.1% | 15.2% | 26.6% | 37.0% | |
| Arkansas | 14.5% | 29.4% | 31.4% | 13.3% | 29.3% | 15.8% | |
| California | 10.0% | 16.6% | 23.6% | 13.0% | 21.7% | 26.4% | |
| Colorado | 8.9% | 19.4% | 20.2% | 15.6% | 21.1% | 22.9% | |
| Connecticut | 6.5% | 15.9% | 19.4% | 6.1% | 27.1% | 26.8% | |
| Delaware | 9.2% | 18.8% | 20.3% | 6.5% | 11.7% | 24.1% | |
| District of Columbia | 7.3% | 23.5% | 24.3% | 15.0% | 13.7% | 38.5% | |
| Florida | 11.3% | 24.1% | 26.3% | 14.4% | 22.0% | 23.5% | |
| Georgia | 11.9% | 24.2% | 25.7% | 11.0% | 26.9% | 22.1% | |
| Hawaii | 10.1% | 10.7% | 8.3% | 8.6% | 15.4% | — | |
| Idaho | 13.9% | 19.5% | 19.8% | 14.0% | 22.7% | 28.0% | |
| Illinois | 9.4% | 25.0% | 29.4% | 12.6% | 19.6% | 30.0% | |
| Indiana | 11.7% | 29.3% | 31.8% | 18.1% | 26.1% | 27.5% | |
| Iowa | 10.5% | 28.4% | 33.6% | 17.8% | 18.7% | 39.5% | |
| Kansas | 11.2% | 21.4% | 24.0% | 14.3% | 26.9% | 33.2% | |
| Kentucky | 17.1% | 28.9% | 30.8% | 23.6% | 30.3% | 61.2% | |
| Louisiana | 12.9% | 31.9% | 33.1% | 13.6% | 19.7% | 25.2% | |
| Maine | 13.7% | 32.1% | 59.3% | 17.6% | 11.6% | 55.9% | |
| Maryland | 7.2% | 13.3% | 13.8% | 10.7% | 12.7% | 9.7% | |
| Massachusetts | 8.7% | 19.7% | 22.8% | 16.0% | 32.7% | 27.9% | |
| Michigan | 12.0% | 29.0% | 31.9% | 15.3% | 24.2% | 23.1% | |
| Minnesota | 8.5% | 28.6% | 34.9% | 16.7% | 21.7% | 32.2% | |
| Mississippi | 14.3% | 34.1% | 34.5% | 24.2% | 24.1% | 18.8% | |
| Missouri | 13.1% | 26.6% | 27.1% | 20.2% | 25.0% | 24.2% | |
| Montana | 13.8% | 30.1% | 36.5% | 40.3% | 29.0% | 32.4% | |
| Nebraska | 10.1% | 25.1% | 27.4% | 15.9% | 22.5% | 42.2% | |
| Nevada | 10.0% | 17.4% | 24.0% | 9.9% | 18.9% | 19.8% | |
| New Hampshire | 8.5% | 8.2% | 9.6% | 4.8% | 22.9% | — | |
| New Jersey | 6.9% | 14.2% | 18.8% | 6.9% | 20.9% | 11.8% | |
| New Mexico | 13.8% | 28.2% | 19.4% | 15.1% | 25.1% | 32.9% | |
| New York | 10.1% | 20.8% | 22.3% | 18.3% | 26.5% | 21.8% | |
| North Carolina | 11.7% | 24.7% | 25.9% | 11.3% | 30.4% | 26.6% | |
| North Dakota | 9.6% | 37.4% | 45.1% | 39.9% | 27.3% | 38.8% | |
| Ohio | 11.9% | 31.1% | 33.4% | 17.6% | 26.3% | 23.1% | |
| Oklahoma | 13.0% | 22.9% | 28.4% | 16.3% | 26.2% | 22.8% | |
| Oregon | 13.1% | 25.1% | 37.5% | 14.7% | 25.1% | 26.9% | |
| Pennsylvania | 10.2% | 25.5% | 27.7% | 17.5% | 31.7% | 30.7% | |
| Rhode Island | 11.5% | 21.5% | 21.2% | 17.2% | 35.3% | 47.4% | |
| South Carolina | 11.9% | 27.9% | 28.6% | 12.7% | 26.5% | 30.0% | |
| South Dakota | 10.5% | 39.9% | 33.8% | 25.8% | 33.2% | 49.1% | |
| Tennessee | 14.4% | 27.9% | 28.8% | 15.4% | 34.8% | 15.1% | |
| Texas | 9.5% | 19.9% | 22.7% | 12.2% | 24.4% | 11.0% | |
| Utah | 8.9% | 20.7% | 19.1% | 18.8% | 24.1% | 31.5% | |
| Vermont | 10.5% | 20.6% | 35.9% | 14.2% | — | 19.7% | |
| Virginia | 9.0% | 17.7% | 20.4% | 8.8% | 14.6% | 21.6% | |
| Washington | 10.4% | 17.9% | 23.3% | 13.2% | 20.9% | 27.1% | |
| West Virginia | 17.6% | 27.9% | 28.3% | 19.7% | 25.0% | 36.9% | |
| Wisconsin | 9.9% | 31.5% | 35.4% | 25.7% | 24.8% | 30.9% | |
| Wyoming | 9.7% | 30.3% | 18.0% | 46.6% | 24.5% | 34.4% | |
"—" indicates that no data is available.
Estimates for White households are generated for the White, non-Hispanic population. Likewise, estimates for Hispanic households include all households of Hispanic or Latino origin, regardless of race.
Change in Income Poverty Rate
| Income Poverty Rate (%) | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| State | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 |
| United States | 13.1% | 12.7% | 12.3% | 12.6% | 13.4% | 14.0% | 14.6% | 14.7% | 14.7% | 14.5% |
| Alabama | 17.4% | 17.2% | 16.7% | 16.0% | 17.3% | 18.1% | 18.3% | 18.4% | 18.2% | 18.6% |
| Alaska | 10.3% | 9.2% | 8.5% | 7.2% | 7.6% | 8.5% | 8.5% | 8.5% | 8.0% | 9.0% |
| Arizona | 12.6% | 12.2% | 12.0% | 12.3% | 13.9% | 14.7% | 16.1% | 15.7% | 15.9% | 16.0% |
| Arkansas | 17.2% | 17.2% | 17.6% | 17.2% | 18.0% | 17.6% | 18.9% | 18.2% | 18.8% | 17.9% |
| California | 11.8% | 11.5% | 11.0% | 11.8% | 12.4% | 13.8% | 14.6% | 15.0% | 15.0% | 14.7% |
| Colorado | 11.0% | 11.4% | 11.1% | 10.9% | 11.9% | 12.5% | 12.3% | 12.6% | 12.0% | 11.5% |
| Connecticut | 8.9% | 8.6% | 8.1% | 9.4% | 9.5% | 10.0% | 10.6% | 10.4% | 10.5% | 10.6% |
| Delaware | 9.6% | 10.1% | 10.0% | 9.7% | 9.6% | 11.0% | 10.4% | 11.0% | 11.1% | 11.5% |
| District of Columbia | 16.7% | 17.0% | 14.7% | 15.4% | 15.9% | 15.5% | 16.1% | 15.2% | 16.7% | 16.9% |
| Florida | 12.5% | 12.2% | 11.4% | 12.5% | 13.8% | 14.9% | 15.2% | 15.4% | 15.6% | 15.3% |
| Georgia | 14.2% | 14.0% | 13.3% | 13.8% | 15.2% | 16.0% | 17.4% | 17.4% | 17.4% | 16.8% |
| Hawaii | 10.5% | 10.1% | 8.8% | 10.1% | 10.3% | 11.1% | 11.4% | 11.2% | 10.4% | 11.0% |
| Idaho | 13.8% | 12.5% | 11.5% | 12.4% | 13.0% | 14.9% | 15.1% | 14.9% | 14.7% | 14.4% |
| Illinois | 11.8% | 11.8% | 11.4% | 11.7% | 12.5% | 12.7% | 13.6% | 13.8% | 14.0% | 13.5% |
| Indiana | 12.0% | 12.0% | 11.7% | 12.4% | 13.6% | 13.8% | 14.4% | 14.2% | 14.9% | 14.3% |
| Iowa | 11.0% | 11.3% | 10.9% | 11.4% | 11.6% | 11.9% | 12.0% | 12.5% | 12.4% | 11.9% |
| Kansas | 12.2% | 12.3% | 10.8% | 11.3% | 12.6% | 13.1% | 12.8% | 12.8% | 13.4% | 13.2% |
| Kentucky | 17.5% | 17.4% | 17.2% | 17.2% | 18.1% | 18.1% | 18.7% | 18.9% | 18.7% | 19.0% |
| Louisiana | 19.7% | 18.4% | 18.1% | 16.9% | 17.1% | 17.7% | 19.7% | 19.1% | 19.0% | 19.4% |
| Maine | 13.0% | 12.9% | 12.5% | 13.1% | 12.3% | 12.9% | 14.6% | 14.0% | 14.2% | 14.0% |
| Maryland | 8.3% | 7.5% | 8.0% | 7.9% | 8.7% | 9.1% | 9.4% | 9.7% | 9.7% | 9.7% |
| Massachusetts | 11.3% | 10.6% | 10.5% | 10.6% | 10.8% | 12.0% | 12.1% | 12.3% | 12.1% | 12.2% |
| Michigan | 12.8% | 12.8% | 13.0% | 13.6% | 14.9% | 15.0% | 15.7% | 15.8% | 15.8% | 15.0% |
| Minnesota | 9.4% | 9.7% | 9.5% | 9.8% | 10.6% | 11.0% | 11.2% | 10.9% | 10.9% | 11.0% |
| Mississippi | 21.1% | 20.8% | 19.8% | 20.3% | 20.7% | 20.8% | 21.2% | 22.4% | 22.6% | 20.8% |
| Missouri | 13.5% | 13.4% | 13.1% | 13.1% | 14.3% | 14.6% | 15.0% | 15.4% | 15.2% | 15.0% |
| Montana | 14.1% | 13.6% | 13.6% | 13.6% | 13.8% | 13.1% | 13.3% | 14.8% | 15.6% | 14.8% |
| Nebraska | 11.6% | 11.7% | 11.2% | 10.6% | 12.2% | 12.3% | 12.8% | 12.4% | 12.5% | 12.1% |
| Nevada | 10.8% | 9.7% | 9.3% | 10.2% | 11.0% | 13.1% | 14.0% | 14.3% | 13.9% | 13.5% |
| New Hampshire | 8.1% | 8.2% | 7.4% | 8.3% | 9.0% | 8.4% | 9.0% | 9.0% | 8.8% | 8.8% |
| New Jersey | 9.2% | 8.7% | 8.6% | 8.8% | 9.1% | 9.9% | 10.1% | 10.5% | 11.1% | 10.7% |
| New Mexico | 17.6% | 17.3% | 16.8% | 16.1% | 16.8% | 17.8% | 19.3% | 19.2% | 19.6% | 19.9% |
| New York | 14.0% | 13.7% | 13.2% | 13.4% | 13.6% | 14.1% | 15.0% | 14.9% | 15.0% | 15.2% |
| North Carolina | 14.8% | 14.3% | 14.1% | 14.0% | 15.4% | 16.0% | 16.2% | 16.4% | 16.3% | 16.0% |
| North Dakota | 12.8% | 13.2% | 13.2% | 12.5% | 12.8% | 13.0% | 12.5% | 11.6% | 12.2% | 11.7% |
| Ohio | 13.1% | 13.1% | 13.0% | 13.3% | 14.7% | 14.6% | 15.4% | 15.2% | 15.2% | 15.1% |
| Oklahoma | 16.6% | 16.0% | 15.4% | 15.5% | 15.8% | 15.6% | 16.2% | 16.2% | 15.9% | 15.9% |
| Oregon | 13.9% | 12.8% | 12.6% | 13.0% | 13.2% | 14.4% | 15.6% | 15.6% | 15.1% | 15.1% |
| Pennsylvania | 12.2% | 12.0% | 11.5% | 12.0% | 12.1% | 12.7% | 13.0% | 13.1% | 13.1% | 13.0% |
| Rhode Island | 12.4% | 11.7% | 12.1% | 12.6% | 12.0% | 14.0% | 14.0% | 14.1% | 14.0% | 15.0% |
| South Carolina | 15.7% | 15.4% | 14.6% | 15.4% | 16.1% | 16.8% | 17.3% | 17.1% | 17.5% | 16.7% |
| South Dakota | 13.5% | 13.9% | 12.7% | 12.3% | 13.4% | 13.2% | 13.1% | 12.0% | 12.9% | 13.2% |
| Tennessee | 16.0% | 16.1% | 15.2% | 15.1% | 16.4% | 16.4% | 17.0% | 16.9% | 16.6% | 17.4% |
| Texas | 16.2% | 15.5% | 14.6% | 14.6% | 15.5% | 15.7% | 16.2% | 16.0% | 15.7% | 15.7% |
| Utah | 10.6% | 10.2% | 9.1% | 9.3% | 10.6% | 12.3% | 12.7% | 11.9% | 11.9% | 11.1% |
| Vermont | 12.1% | 10.7% | 10.2% | 11.2% | 11.4% | 12.6% | 11.3% | 11.7% | 12.6% | 12.3% |
| Virginia | 10.4% | 9.7% | 9.8% | 10.0% | 10.3% | 10.5% | 11.0% | 11.2% | 11.2% | 11.3% |
| Washington | 11.9% | 11.2% | 10.8% | 10.7% | 11.2% | 11.9% | 12.5% | 12.2% | 12.9% | 12.2% |
| West Virginia | 18.2% | 17.2% | 17.1% | 17.4% | 17.6% | 17.4% | 18.4% | 17.6% | 18.1% | 18.1% |
| Wisconsin | 10.2% | 10.5% | 10.4% | 10.4% | 12.0% | 12.1% | 12.3% | 12.4% | 12.9% | 12.4% |
| Wyoming | 10.2% | 10.1% | 8.4% | 10.0% | 9.8% | 10.8% | 10.5% | 11.4% | 10.9% | 11.2% |
Definition
Percentage of households with income below the federal poverty threshold, 2014.
The threshold used to determine the income poverty rate varies by family size. A family of four with income less than $24,250 per year in 2015 is income poor.
Source
2014 American Community Survey. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Commerce, Census Bureau, 2015.
Note: The Census Bureau recommends using the ACS for single-year estimates of income and poverty at the state level.
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