What is the poorest community in the United States?

There isn't one single "poorest community," as poverty varies by region, city, county, and demographic, but areas consistently cited for extreme poverty include McDowell County, West Virginia, parts of Appalachia (like Owsley County, Kentucky), and deindustrialized cities such as Detroit, Michigan, Flint, Michigan, and Gary, Indiana. Native Americans and African Americans often experience the highest poverty rates among demographic groups, with some areas like New York's 15th Congressional District also being among the poorest districts.

What is the poorest community in America?

In the United States (in 2017), the place with the lowest median household income was Little River, California (population 117), while the place with the lowest median household income with a population of more than 1,000 was Comerío Zona Urbana in Comerío, Puerto Rico (population 4,312).

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.

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 are the 10 poorest counties in the United States?

The poorest counties in the U.S. consistently cluster in the South (Mississippi, Louisiana, Kentucky, West Virginia) and include locations like Issaquena County, MS, Holmes County, MS, East Carroll Parish, LA, and McDowell County, WV, often facing deep economic challenges from coal industry decline or persistent poverty, with figures varying slightly by study, but showing very low median incomes and high poverty rates. 

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

What is the #1 richest county in America?

Summary. As of 2020, Loudoun County, Virginia, a suburb of Washington, D.C. in Virginia has a median household income of $147,111, the highest of any county in the nation.

What are the top 5 poorest states in the USA?

The poorest states in the U.S., based on high poverty rates and low median incomes, consistently include Mississippi, Louisiana, New Mexico, West Virginia, Kentucky, and Alabama, often appearing in the bottom five across different reports for 2024-2025, with Mississippi frequently ranking as the poorest overall by poverty percentage and income. 

What is the wealthiest state in the USA?

The richest U.S. state depends on the metric, but Massachusetts often leads in income (median household, per capita) due to its tech/finance/biotech sectors, while California boasts the largest total economy (GDP) and most millionaires, and Washington and New York also rank high in various wealth indicators like GDP per capita, fueled by tech and finance. 

Is $40,000 a year considered poverty?

Whether $40,000 a year is considered poverty depends heavily on your household size and location, but generally, it's well above the official poverty line for individuals and small families but can feel like poverty in high-cost areas or for larger families, as it's often considered lower-middle class, not poverty. For a single person in the contiguous U.S. in 2025, the poverty guideline is about $15,650; for a family of four, it's around $32,150, meaning $40k is above poverty, but proximity to the poverty line for larger families or high-cost states (AK/HI) makes it much tighter, with some federal programs using 130-200% of FPL to define "low income". 

What city in the U.S. has the highest poverty rate?

The U.S. cities with the highest poverty rates often include places like Flint, Michigan; Gary, Indiana; Camden, New Jersey; Detroit, Michigan; Cleveland, Ohio; and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, with rates varying by data source and year, but these industrial cities and some Southern cities like Albany, Georgia, and Memphis, Tennessee, consistently appear on lists for high poverty percentages, often linked to job loss, economic decline, and lower median incomes.
 

Where do most of the extreme poor live?

The vast majority of those in extreme poverty reside in South Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa. As of 2018, it is estimated that the country with the most people living in extreme poverty is Nigeria, at 86 million. In the past, the vast majority of the world population lived in conditions of extreme poverty.

What is the poorest district in America?

The poorest congressional district in the U.S. is consistently identified as New York's 15th Congressional District (NY-15), which covers parts of the Bronx, with a very high percentage (over 36%) of its constituents living below the poverty line, making it the most impoverished district in the nation. While the exact data can vary slightly by year and source, this district, represented by Ritchie Torres, consistently ranks as the nation's poorest by measures like median household income and poverty rates. 

What's considered poor in America?

Being considered "poor" in America is officially defined by the Federal Poverty Level (FPL), an income threshold set by the government that varies by family size, with about $15,060 for an individual and $31,200 for a family of four in the contiguous U.S. for 2024, but this often doesn't reflect the high cost of living, leading many working families to struggle despite earning more. The FPL determines eligibility for programs like Medicaid, but many experts argue it's too low, especially in high-cost areas, with "low income" sometimes defined as up to 200% of the FPL for assistance. 

Who is the poorest race in the USA?

American Indians/Alaska Natives and Black populations consistently experience the highest poverty rates in the U.S., with Native Americans often showing the highest percentages, followed closely by Black individuals, while White and Asian populations generally have significantly lower rates, according to data from sources like the National Equity Atlas and U.S. Census Bureau.
 

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.
 

Which state is very poor in the USA?

Mississippi, New Mexico, West Virginia, Kentucky, Louisiana, and Arkansas consistently rank among the poorest U.S. states, often cited due to high poverty rates, low median incomes, and economic challenges, though California also faces high poverty according to some measures. These states often struggle with factors like lower economic opportunity, impacting overall quality of life despite varying costs of living.
 

Can I buy a home if I make $40,000 a year?

If you earn around $40,000 per year, the kind of house you can afford typically depends on your debt, down payment, and local housing costs, but generally, you could afford a home mortgage loan of around $120,000.

What are the 4 levels of income?

The World Bank classifies economies for analytical purposes into four income groups: low, lower-middle, upper-middle, and high income.

What state has the most billionaires?

California has the most billionaires in the U.S., consistently leading with nearly 200 residents, followed by New York and Florida, with these three states housing a significant majority of America's ultra-wealthy, primarily from the tech, finance, and entertainment sectors. 

What is the average salary in the United States?

The national average salary is $63,795. That is the sum of all incomes divided by the number of workers. Where someone lives, their industry, education level, and current demand for that job all contribute to how much a worker earns per year.

What state is ranked #1 in the economy?

California remains the largest state economy, responsible for 14.5% of U.S. GDP. California, Texas, New York, and Florida collectively generate over 37% of national GDP. The median U.S. state contributes roughly 1% to 2% of U.S. GDP.

Which US state is the least developed?

Mississippi, Louisiana, and New Mexico consistently rank among the most underdeveloped U.S. states, primarily due to the highest poverty rates, low median household incomes, and significant disparities in education and economic opportunity, with Southern states generally facing greater structural challenges, leading to persistent poverty and economic hardship.
 

Which US state makes the least money?

The lowest income states in the U.S., based on recent median household income data, consistently include Mississippi, West Virginia, Louisiana, and Arkansas, with Mississippi often having the absolute lowest income and highest poverty rate, followed by states like Kentucky, Alabama, and New Mexico, reflecting ongoing economic challenges and lower opportunities in the South and Appalachia.
 

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).