Where poverty rates were highest across states in the 2023 ACS

A verified full-distribution view of state poverty-rate estimates in the 2019–2023 ACS 5-year estimates.

PublishedAugust 26, 2026

Observation period2019–2023 ACS 5-year estimates

Source familyCensus ACS

Reader brief

What to know

Puerto Rico had the highest reported poverty rate at 41.6%, compared with a median state rate of 11.95%. The gap between the highest and lowest reported rates was 34.4 percentage points.

Puerto Rico: 41.6%
Mississippi: 19.1%
Louisiana: 18.9%
New Mexico: 18.1%
West Virginia: 16.6%
Kentucky: 16.1%
Arkansas: 16%
Alabama: 15.6%
Oklahoma: 15.3%
District of Columbia: 14.5%
South Carolina: 14.2%
Tennessee: 13.8%
Texas: 13.8%
New York: 13.7%
Georgia: 13.5%
North Carolina: 13.2%
Ohio: 13.2%
Michigan: 13.1%
Arizona: 12.8%
Florida: 12.6%
Missouri: 12.6%
Nevada: 12.6%
Indiana: 12.2%
California: 12%
Montana: 12%
South Dakota: 12%
Oregon: 11.9%
Pennsylvania: 11.8%
Illinois: 11.7%
Kansas: 11.5%
Iowa: 11%
Rhode Island: 10.9%
Maine: 10.8%
Delaware: 10.7%
Wyoming: 10.7%
Idaho: 10.6%
North Dakota: 10.6%
Wisconsin: 10.6%
Nebraska: 10.3%
Vermont: 10.3%
Alaska: 10.2%
Connecticut: 10%
Hawaii: 10%
Massachusetts: 10%
Virginia: 9.9%
Washington: 9.9%
New Jersey: 9.8%
Colorado: 9.4%
Maryland: 9.3%
Minnesota: 9.2%
Utah: 8.6%
New Hampshire: 7.2%

Summary facts

State-level observations: 52 states
Median state poverty rate: 11.95 percent
Lowest reported state poverty rate: 7.2 percent
Highest reported state poverty rate: 41.6 percent
Difference between highest and lowest state rates: 34.4 percentage points

Where highest/lowest

Highest and lowest reported point estimates

This table shows the deterministic order of reported ACS poverty point estimates for the same period, unit, and coverage. It is not an overall judgment about states.

Highest reported point estimate: Puerto Rico: 41.6 percent
Lowest reported point estimate: New Hampshire: 7.2 percent
Observation period: 2019–2023 ACS 5-year estimates
Reported observations: 52

Reported ACS poverty point estimates for 2019–2023 ACS 5-year estimates
Rank	Geography	Reported point estimate
1	Puerto Rico	41.6 percent
2	Mississippi	19.1 percent
3	Louisiana	18.9 percent
4	New Mexico	18.1 percent
5	West Virginia	16.6 percent
6	Kentucky	16.1 percent
7	Arkansas	16 percent
8	Alabama	15.6 percent
9	Oklahoma	15.3 percent
10	District of Columbia	14.5 percent
11	South Carolina	14.2 percent
12	Tennessee	13.8 percent
13	Texas	13.8 percent
14	New York	13.7 percent
15	Georgia	13.5 percent
16	North Carolina	13.2 percent
17	Ohio	13.2 percent
18	Michigan	13.1 percent
19	Arizona	12.8 percent
20	Florida	12.6 percent
21	Missouri	12.6 percent
22	Nevada	12.6 percent
23	Indiana	12.2 percent
24	California	12 percent
25	Montana	12 percent
26	South Dakota	12 percent
27	Oregon	11.9 percent
28	Pennsylvania	11.8 percent
29	Illinois	11.7 percent
30	Kansas	11.5 percent
31	Iowa	11 percent
32	Rhode Island	10.9 percent
33	Maine	10.8 percent
34	Delaware	10.7 percent
35	Wyoming	10.7 percent
36	Idaho	10.6 percent
37	North Dakota	10.6 percent
38	Wisconsin	10.6 percent
39	Nebraska	10.3 percent
40	Vermont	10.3 percent
41	Alaska	10.2 percent
42	Connecticut	10 percent
43	Hawaii	10 percent
44	Massachusetts	10 percent
45	Virginia	9.9 percent
46	Washington	9.9 percent
47	New Jersey	9.8 percent
48	Colorado	9.4 percent
49	Maryland	9.3 percent
50	Minnesota	9.2 percent
51	Utah	8.6 percent
52	New Hampshire	7.2 percent

These are reported point estimates; the order does not establish statistically significant differences. The order does not establish statistically significant differences.

Source and methodology

The report preserves every available state-level DP03_0128PE estimate and orders states from highest to lowest reported percentage.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2023 ACS 5-Year Estimates Data Profiles, DP03_0128PE, state geography.
Computation: Validate finite percentages from 0 through 100; retain all available states; sort descending with state FIPS as the tie-break; compute median, minimum, maximum, and range from the retained values.

Evidence and limitations

Evidence

Source datasetMetrics: DP03_0128PE

Caveats

Estimate: ACS percentages are estimates; this report does not include margins of error or statistical significance testing.
Definition: The measure is the share of people below the federal poverty level; it is not a complete measure of material hardship, wealth, housing cost, or wellbeing.
Causation: The single-vintage distribution does not explain why rates differ and does not support causal, trend, or policy-effect claims.

Claim boundaries

Supported by this story

the supplied state names, FIPS codes, and DP03_0128PE estimates
the full available-state ordering and grounded distribution summary
the reviewed Census ACS dataset, vintage, variable, geography, and method

Not supported by this story

causes of poverty differences
poverty trend or change over time
rankings by household hardship, wealth, affordability, or wellbeing
statistical significance between states
policy effectiveness or causal claims

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