What are the 10 poorest states in America?

The 10 poorest states in the U.S. consistently include Mississippi, Louisiana, West Virginia, Arkansas, New Mexico, Kentucky, Alabama, Oklahoma, Tennessee, and South Carolina, often ranked by high poverty rates or low median household income, with Mississippi usually leading in poverty. These states frequently appear at the bottom due to factors like regional economic struggles, industrial decline (like coal in Appalachia), and persistent disparities, notes World Population Review and End Poverty Now.

What is the top 10 poorest state?

The top 10 poorest U.S. states, based on recent poverty rates and low median incomes, consistently include Mississippi, Louisiana, West Virginia, New Mexico, Arkansas, Alabama, Kentucky, Oklahoma, South Carolina, and Tennessee, with some variations depending on the specific data year, but these states generally feature high percentages of residents below the poverty line and lower median household earnings. Mississippi, Louisiana, and New Mexico frequently top the list due to significant economic challenges like low wages, lack of opportunity, and disparities in education, while states like West Virginia and Kentucky struggle with the decline of traditional industries.
 

What state has the lowest income?

Mississippi consistently ranks as the state with the lowest median household income in the U.S., often followed by West Virginia, Louisiana, and Arkansas, with incomes significantly below the national average and higher poverty rates, according to data from sources like the U.S. Census Bureau, Investopedia, and World Population Review. 

Which state is #1 in poverty?

Louisiana and Mississippi consistently rank as states with the highest poverty rates in the U.S., often swapping the top spot depending on the specific year and data source (like U.S. Census Bureau or Supplemental Poverty Measure), with New Mexico, West Virginia, and Kentucky also frequently appearing in the top five. Recent data (2024/2025) indicates Louisiana leading with around 18.9%, closely followed by Mississippi (around 18-18.8%), and sometimes tied with California when using the comprehensive Supplemental Poverty Measure.
 

What are the 10 richest states in America?

The top 10 richest U.S. states, primarily measured by Median Household Income, consistently feature Massachusetts, Maryland, New Jersey, New Hampshire, California, Hawaii, Washington, Utah, Colorado, and Connecticut, often with Massachusetts leading due to strong tech/biotech and high-paying jobs, followed by Maryland and New Jersey, though rankings vary slightly by source and the specific metric (income, GDP, net worth) used.
 

Top 10 States with Highest Poverty In America [Poorest States 2023]

What is the most expensive state to live in?

Hawaii is consistently ranked as the most expensive U.S. state to live in, primarily due to its remote island location requiring costly shipping for most goods, leading to significantly higher prices for housing, groceries, utilities, and transportation, often reaching nearly double the national average. Following Hawaii, other high-cost states usually include California, Massachusetts, New York, and Alaska, driven by housing markets and isolated supply chains. 

Which U.S. state has the most billionaires?

California consistently has the most billionaires of any U.S. state, followed by New York and Florida, with these three states home to a significant majority of the nation's ultra-wealthy population, primarily due to tech and finance industries. Recent data from 2025 confirms California leads, though specific numbers vary slightly by source, placing Florida ahead of New York in some counts. 

In which state is there no poverty?

Kerala becomes the first Indian state to claim zero extreme poverty. Reflects success of localized planning, micro-level targeting, and welfare convergence. Reinforces Kerala's legacy in human development, education, and social justice.

Which city is the poorest in the USA?

There isn't one single "poorest city" as it depends on the metric (income, poverty rate, population size), but Detroit, Michigan, consistently ranks among the poorest due to high poverty and unemployment following deindustrialization, while Gainesville, Florida, sometimes tops lists for overall poverty rates in smaller cities, and Houston, Texas, recently had the highest poverty rate among America's largest cities, notes. Other cities frequently cited for high poverty include Cleveland, Dayton (OH), Jackson (MS), and Springfield (MA).
 

What is the richest state vs. poorest state?

The states with the highest median household income are Maryland, Massachusetts, and New Jersey. The states with the lowest median household income are Mississippi, West Virginia, and Arkansas.

Which US state has the lowest income?

Median annual income in the U.S. in 2023

Mississippi has the lowest-earning population in the U.S. with a median annual wage of just $37,500, according to the BLS.

What state has the lowest paying jobs?

These states have the lowest minimum wage rates in the U.S.: Georgia: $5.15. Wyoming: $5.15. Iowa: $7.25.

Which state has the least taxes?

States with the lowest combined sales taxes:

• New Hampshire: 0%
• Oregon: 0%
• Alaska: While there's technically no state-level sales tax, some localities may impose their own taxes, averaging a low combined rate of 1.82%.
• Hawaii: 4.50%
• Wyoming: 5.44%
• Maine: 5.50%
• Wisconsin: 5.70%
• Virginia: 5.77%

Where do poor people live in the USA?

Those with the most severe poverty are found in poor areas of the Southeast, including the Mississippi Delta and Appalachia, as well as on Native American lands. Pockets of high poverty are increasingly found in other regions, such as nonmetro areas of the Southwest and northern sections of the Midwest.

Which state is the richest state?

Massachusetts is often cited as the richest U.S. state by median household income, driven by its educated workforce and strong tech/finance sectors, though California leads in total economic size (GDP) and has the most billionaires, while metrics like GDP per capita might place states like New York or Connecticut at the top, depending on the source and year.
 

Who is the top 10 richest in the United States?

10 Richest People in America

• Elon Musk: Net Worth Around $430 Billion. ...
• Larry Ellison: Net Worth Around $351 Billion. ...
• Mark Zuckerberg: Net Worth Around $248 Billion. ...
• Jeff Bezos: Net Worth Around $240 Billion. ...
• Larry Page: Net Worth Around $209 Billion. ...
• Sergey Brin: Net Worth Around $195 Billion.

What state is #1 in poverty?

Mississippi consistently ranks as the U.S. state with the highest poverty rate, often followed closely by states like Louisiana, New Mexico, West Virginia, and Kentucky, though rankings shift slightly by year and data source (Official vs. Supplemental Poverty Measure). Mississippi struggles with low median incomes, low educational attainment, and high rates of child poverty, making it the poorest state by several metrics, according to World Population Review and other sources.
 

What is America's poorest big city?

Based on recent U.S. Census data from late 2024/early 2025, Houston, Texas, has become the poorest big city in America, surpassing Philadelphia, with over 21% of its residents living below the poverty line, a significant increase from previous years. Philadelphia, once holding the title, saw its poverty rate drop below 20%, while factors like low-wage jobs and immigrant influx contribute to Houston's situation.
 

What is the poorest city on Earth?

There isn't one single "poorest city" universally agreed upon, as poverty is complex, but Monrovia, Liberia, often cited by sources like The Guardian and smapse.com, stands out due to civil war devastation, lack of basic services (water, power, sanitation), and ongoing challenges. Other cities facing extreme poverty due to conflict, instability, or climate crises include locations in the Sahel region (like Timbuktu, Mali), Harare, Zimbabwe, and cities in South Sudan, which is also ranked as the poorest country by some metrics.
 

In which state is poverty the main problem?

Bihar is consistently identified as the poorest state, followed by Uttar Pradesh and Jharkhand.

Where is the most poverty in the United states?

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the national poverty rate was 12.7% in 2023, up from 12.4% in 2022. These states and territory have the highest percentages of poverty in the country: Puerto Rico, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Mexico, West Virginia, Kentucky, Oklahoma, Arkansas, New York and Tennessee.

Which state has the largest poverty?

According to the Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI) 2021, Bihar has the highest poverty rate in India.

Who owns 90% of America's wealth?

The top 10% own 87.2%, and the bottom half owned 1.1%. Corporate equities and real estate facilitated the accumulation of wealth for baby boomers. In 2024, the Silent Generation and baby boomers represented 25% of the population, but held 65% of all wealth in the US.

What states have 0 billionaires?

As of 2024, there are 756 billionaires living in 43 of the 50 US states or Washington, D.C. The only states with no billionaire residents are Alaska, Delaware, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Dakota, and West Virginia.

What city is full of billionaires?

Billionaire cities are major global urban centers where the wealthiest individuals reside, with New York City consistently leading as the top city with the most billionaires, followed by major financial hubs like London, Hong Kong, Beijing, and Mumbai, according to reports from Forbes and Hurun Research Institute in 2025. These cities attract the super-rich due to strong financial sectors, real estate, corporate presence, and significant wealth concentration, though some Chinese cities have seen recent declines due to economic shifts.