What state has the worst poverty?

Mississippi consistently ranks as the state with the highest poverty rate in the U.S., often followed closely by Louisiana, New Mexico, West Virginia, and Arkansas, with Southern and Southwestern states generally having higher rates due to factors like lower wages and limited economic opportunities, though California also appears high due to its high cost of living.

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 the top 10 poorest state in the United States?

The 10 poorest states in the U.S., based on recent data for low median household income and high poverty rates, consistently include Mississippi, Louisiana, West Virginia, Arkansas, Kentucky, Alabama, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Tennessee, and South Carolina, with Mississippi often ranking lowest due to high poverty rates and income inequality. These states generally face economic challenges like low wages, lack of opportunity, and poverty, with specific figures varying slightly by report year.
 

Which state is the most poor state?

Mississippi is consistently ranked as the poorest U.S. state, often leading in poverty rates, low median household income, and high child poverty, with other states like Louisiana, New Mexico, West Virginia, and Arkansas frequently appearing in the bottom rankings due to similar economic challenges. These states struggle with various factors, including lower wages, limited job opportunities, and disparities in education and healthcare access, despite some recent efforts to improve.
 

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).
 

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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.
 

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 rich?

There isn't one single "richest" state, as it depends on the metric, but Massachusetts, Connecticut, Maryland, New Jersey, and California consistently rank among the wealthiest by factors like per capita income, household net worth, and GDP, with Massachusetts often leading in per capita income and California having the largest overall economy.
 

What is the poorest white state?

Even though West Virginia has the highest white poverty level, Hawaii has the lowest white poverty level. The white poverty level of Hawaii is approximately 2.3 percent. Different races and ethnicities have different levels of poverty.

Which state makes the least amount of money?

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

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. 

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 is the most undeveloped state in America?

There isn't one single "most undeveloped" state, as it depends on metrics, but Mississippi consistently ranks as one of the poorest and least economically developed, often leading in low median income and high poverty rates, alongside states like West Virginia, Louisiana, New Mexico, and Arkansas, all facing significant challenges in economic opportunity and quality of life.
 

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". 

Which state has low poverty?

New Hampshire consistently ranks as the state with the lowest poverty rate, often followed closely by states like Utah, Minnesota, and Vermont, according to recent U.S. Census Bureau data and analyses by organizations like U.S. News & World Report and Forbes. For example, in 2023, New Hampshire's rate was around 7.2%, making it the lowest among all states, while Utah also showed a very low rate.
 

Why is Mississippi the poorest state?

Mississippi's poverty stems from a deeply rooted agricultural past, particularly slavery, which stifled industrialization and infrastructure, combined with ongoing challenges like low wages, underfunded education, poor healthcare access, brain drain, systemic racial barriers, and political factors that hinder economic development, creating a cycle of limited opportunities despite some recent improvements in education.
 

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.
 

Which US state is the least white?

The state with the lowest percentage of white people is Hawaii, where non-whites make up a majority, followed by California, New Mexico, Texas, and Nevada, which also have majority-minority populations. While Hawaii has the lowest proportion, the District of Columbia also has a very low percentage, with other states like Maryland and Mississippi having significantly lower white populations compared to the national average.
 

What state has the poorest economy?

There isn't one single "worst" economy, as it depends on the metrics, but recent reports often point to Iowa, West Virginia, Hawaii, and Alaska as having some of the weakest economies due to low economic activity, lagging innovation, or over-reliance on single industries like oil (Alaska). Metrics like GDP growth, job creation, startup activity, and median income place these states at the bottom in various 2025 analyses, though economists suggest context is important.
 

Which state do most billionaires live in?

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. 

Which state has the best economy?

There isn't one single "best" state; it depends on the metric, but California leads in overall economic size (GDP), while Texas, Florida, and New York are also dominant. For growth and dynamism, Utah and North Carolina often rank high, with Texas showing strong growth in energy and tech, Florida in tourism, and California in tech, finance, and agriculture, though high taxes and cost of living are factors in some states. 

Where is the wealthiest place in the US?

Rank City State Total Private Wealth 1 New York City New York $4 trillion 2 San Francisco Bay Area California $2.7 trillion 3 Los Angeles California $1.5 trillion 4 Houston Texas $975 billion 5 Washington D.C. D.C.

Where do most poor people live in the US?

Four populous states—California, Texas, Florida, and New York—account for 13.5 million low-income residents, or more than one-third of all Americans in poverty. California alone has 4.5 million people struggling to make ends meet, roughly the population of metropolitan Phoenix. 🇺🇸 U.S. 🇺🇸 U.S.

Why are people moving out of Philly?

People are leaving Philadelphia due to a combination of factors, primarily job opportunities, crime/safety concerns, cost of living, and issues with schools, with different demographics citing different priorities, though employment and safety are consistently top reasons for those leaving the city. Young professionals often seek better career growth, while families prioritize better schools and lower crime rates, often moving to nearby suburbs with higher-quality public education and lower taxes like the city wage tax. 

What is the poorest city on Earth?

There isn't one single "poorest city" definitively named year after year, but Monrovia, Liberia, has frequently been cited by organizations like the UN as among the world's poorest, struggling with devastating infrastructure, lack of water/electricity, and post-conflict challenges, while other sub-Saharan African cities like those in Mali, Niger, Guinea, and the DRC often appear on lists due to similar issues, with countries like South Sudan and Burundi topping poorest country lists.