Most are rural,
many are tiny, and a few are huge and urban. The median household income
for these 50 counties also varies widely.
By Kali Geldis, MainStreet
The
number of Americans living in poverty has been on the rise since the
onset of the Great Recession, as many households have seen their incomes
drop and their debts mount during the past few years.
More than 15% of the population lived in poverty in 2010, the highest percentage since 1993, according to the most recent data from the Census Bureau. That means more than 46 million people fell below the poverty line, defined as $22,314 for a family of four. If you factor in the income spent on expenses such as medical costs, child care and mortgage payments, the number of Americans whose remaining income falls below the poverty line is closer to 50 million, or roughly 16% of the population.
Some regions in the U.S. are much worse off. In November, the Census Bureau released the poverty rates of every county in the U.S. in 2010. The data showed that in dozens of counties, more than a third of the population lives in poverty, and in a handful, overall poverty rates were closer to 50%.
MainStreet combed through the data to find the county in each state with the highest overall poverty rate. For those results, click through the following slides, listed alphabetically by state.
The jobless rate in the South is higher than the national average, at more than 9%. The median annual income of residents of this rural county between Montgomery and Mobile is less than half of the national median income. The county's high school graduation rate of 71.1% also trails Alabama's 80.8% average.
American Indians and Alaskan Natives make up about 95% of the population of this area about 300 miles west of Anchorage. That's a much higher percentage than for the state as a whole, where American Indians and Alaskan Natives make up about 14.8% of the population. Wade Hampton also has relatively small housing costs, with the median value of owner-occupied housing units at $80,300. Native Americans have historically been disenfranchised and have the highest poverty rate of any ethnicity in the country.
Another county with a large population of American Indians, Apache County has the 14th-highest poverty rate of the counties on our list. Apache County is rural, with an average of only 6.4 people per square mile. The terrain is quite beautiful, as the county is home to Petrified Forest National Park and Apache National Forest. If you've been to the Four Corners and stood on the Arizona side of that monument, you were standing in Apache County.
Lee County's population has dropped 17.1% from 2000 to 2010, despite the fact that Arkansas as a whole has seen a population increase in that period. The county borders the Mississippi River on the east side of the state, and it has a total population just over 10,000.
The poorest county in the Golden State isn't so sunny. While Fresno's poverty rate is relatively low compared with those of some of the other counties on our list, the county has a large number of people living below the poverty line -- 245,330 to be exact. Only two counties on our list have more residents living in poverty.
More than 30 miles east of Pueblo, Crowley County is one of the smallest counties on our list in terms of population. There are about as many households in Crowley (1,163) as there are people living below the poverty line (1,087)
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More than 15% of the population lived in poverty in 2010, the highest percentage since 1993, according to the most recent data from the Census Bureau. That means more than 46 million people fell below the poverty line, defined as $22,314 for a family of four. If you factor in the income spent on expenses such as medical costs, child care and mortgage payments, the number of Americans whose remaining income falls below the poverty line is closer to 50 million, or roughly 16% of the population.
Some regions in the U.S. are much worse off. In November, the Census Bureau released the poverty rates of every county in the U.S. in 2010. The data showed that in dozens of counties, more than a third of the population lives in poverty, and in a handful, overall poverty rates were closer to 50%.
MainStreet combed through the data to find the county in each state with the highest overall poverty rate. For those results, click through the following slides, listed alphabetically by state.
- Poverty rate: 39.6%
- Poverty rate of residents under 18: 52.5%
- Median household income: $21,611
The jobless rate in the South is higher than the national average, at more than 9%. The median annual income of residents of this rural county between Montgomery and Mobile is less than half of the national median income. The county's high school graduation rate of 71.1% also trails Alabama's 80.8% average.
- Poverty rate: 34.1%
- Poverty rate of residents under 18: 46%
- Median household income: $30,883
American Indians and Alaskan Natives make up about 95% of the population of this area about 300 miles west of Anchorage. That's a much higher percentage than for the state as a whole, where American Indians and Alaskan Natives make up about 14.8% of the population. Wade Hampton also has relatively small housing costs, with the median value of owner-occupied housing units at $80,300. Native Americans have historically been disenfranchised and have the highest poverty rate of any ethnicity in the country.
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- Poverty rate: 34.5%
- Poverty rate of residents under 18: 41.8%
- Median household income: $30,651
Another county with a large population of American Indians, Apache County has the 14th-highest poverty rate of the counties on our list. Apache County is rural, with an average of only 6.4 people per square mile. The terrain is quite beautiful, as the county is home to Petrified Forest National Park and Apache National Forest. If you've been to the Four Corners and stood on the Arizona side of that monument, you were standing in Apache County.
- Poverty rate: 37.5%
- Poverty rate of residents under 18: 46.1%
- Median household income: $25,944
Lee County's population has dropped 17.1% from 2000 to 2010, despite the fact that Arkansas as a whole has seen a population increase in that period. The county borders the Mississippi River on the east side of the state, and it has a total population just over 10,000.
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- Poverty rate: 26.8%
- Poverty rate of residents under 18: 38.2%
- Median household income: $44,869
The poorest county in the Golden State isn't so sunny. While Fresno's poverty rate is relatively low compared with those of some of the other counties on our list, the county has a large number of people living below the poverty line -- 245,330 to be exact. Only two counties on our list have more residents living in poverty.
- Poverty rate: 34.7%
- Poverty rate of residents under 18: 35.7%
- Median household income: $34,569
More than 30 miles east of Pueblo, Crowley County is one of the smallest counties on our list in terms of population. There are about as many households in Crowley (1,163) as there are people living below the poverty line (1,087)
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