National ranking
The poorest cities and towns in America, by poverty rate
Isla Vista, CA ranks first by share of residents below the poverty line (70.4%). Ranked: 5,265 places with 10,000 or more residents in 2020 and a reliable estimate. Poverty is measured against the federal thresholds for each family size; college towns rank high where students report little income.
Which U.S. cities and towns have the highest poverty rates?
The poorest cities and towns in America, by poverty rate, first to fifth: Isla Vista, CA (70.4%), Aguadilla zona urbana, PR (60.6%), Caño Martin Peña, PR (59.5%), Mayagüez zona urbana, PR (54.7%) and Boone, NC (51.2%).
| Rank | Place | Share of residents below the poverty line |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Isla Vista, CA | 70.4%±4.5 pts |
| 2 | Aguadilla zona urbana, PRwithin the margin | 60.6%±4.8 pts |
| 3 | Caño Martin Peña, PRwithin the margin | 59.5%±4.9 pts |
| 4 | Mayagüez zona urbana, PRwithin the margin | 54.7%±2.2 pts |
| 5 | Boone, NCwithin the margin | 51.2%±5.6 pts |
| 6 | Manatí zona urbana, PRwithin the margin | 50.9%±5.9 pts |
| 7 | Ponce zona urbana, PRwithin the margin | 49.6%±1.9 pts |
| 8 | Monsey, NYwithin the margin | 49.1%±6.5 pts |
| 9 | Crowley, LAwithin the margin | 47.7%±7.7 pts |
| 10 | Cayey zona urbana, PRwithin the margin | 47.5%±4.9 pts |
| 11 | Yazoo City, MSwithin the margin | 46.7%±8.2 pts |
| 12 | Guayama zona urbana, PRwithin the margin | 46.4%±5.2 pts |
| 13 | Oxford, OHwithin the margin | 45.5%±7.5 pts |
| 14 | Storrs, CTwithin the margin | 44.7%±9.3 pts |
| 15 | Blacksburg, VAwithin the margin | 42.7%±2.6 pts |
| 16 | Fajardo zona urbana, PRwithin the margin | 42.4%±3.6 pts |
| 17 | Cataño zona urbana, PRwithin the margin | 42.2%±4.5 pts |
| 18 | Humacao zona urbana, PRwithin the margin | 42.0%±6.4 pts |
| 19 | Vega Baja zona urbana, PRwithin the margin | 41.9%±4.3 pts |
| 20 | Riverdale, ILwithin the margin | 41.5%±6.6 pts |
| 21 | Donna, TXwithin the margin | 40.7%±6.9 pts |
| 21 | East Cleveland, OHwithin the margin | 40.7%±6.3 pts |
| 21 | Arecibo zona urbana, PRwithin the margin | 40.7%±3.2 pts |
| 24 | Milledgeville, GAwithin the margin | 40.5%±5.5 pts |
| 25 | Oxford Township, Butler County, OHwithin the margin | 40.4%±6.5 pts |
| 26 | Clarksdale, MSwithin the margin | 40.3%±6.1 pts |
| 27 | Athens, OHwithin the margin | 40.0%±4.2 pts |
| 28 | Hamtramck, MIwithin the margin | 39.9%±5.8 pts |
| 29 | Ruston, LAwithin the margin | 39.8%±4.6 pts |
| 29 | Caguas zona urbana, PRwithin the margin | 39.8%±2.4 pts |
| 31 | Bogalusa, LAwithin the margin | 39.4%±6.8 pts |
| 32 | Melvindale, MIwithin the margin | 39.1%±10.8 pts |
| 32 | Yauco zona urbana, PRwithin the margin | 39.1%±4.9 pts |
| 34 | Río Grande zona urbana, PRwithin the margin | 38.7%±6.7 pts |
| 35 | San Juan zona urbana, PRwithin the margin | 38.2%±1.1 pts |
| 36 | State College, PAwithin the margin | 38.1%±3.7 pts |
| 37 | Forrest City, ARwithin the margin | 37.7%±6.9 pts |
| 38 | Kiryas Joel, NYwithin the margin | 37.6%±5.4 pts |
| 39 | La Homa, TXwithin the margin | 37.4%±9.2 pts |
| 39 | Carbondale, ILwithin the margin | 37.4%±4.0 pts |
| 39 | Opelousas, LAwithin the margin | 37.4%±5.5 pts |
| 42 | West Lafayette, INwithin the margin | 37.3%±2.9 pts |
| 42 | Palatka, FLwithin the margin | 37.3%±6.9 pts |
| 42 | Youngstown, OHwithin the margin | 37.3%±2.1 pts |
| 42 | Hormigueros zona urbana, PRwithin the margin | 37.3%±5.8 pts |
| 46 | Roma, TXwithin the margin | 37.1%±6.8 pts |
| 47 | University (Hillsborough County), FLwithin the margin | 37.0%±3.4 pts |
| 48 | Franklin Township, Franklin County, OHwithin the margin | 36.8%±5.4 pts |
| 49 | Dublin, GAwithin the margin | 36.3%±5.2 pts |
| 50 | Clemson, SCwithin the margin | 36.0%±4.5 pts |
| 50 | Statesboro, GAwithin the margin | 36.0%±4.3 pts |
| 52 | Town of Shawangunk, NYwithin the margin | 35.9%±2.1 pts |
| 52 | Monroe, LAwithin the margin | 35.9%±3.3 pts |
| 52 | Natchitoches, LAwithin the margin | 35.9%±2.9 pts |
| 55 | Portsmouth, OHwithin the margin | 35.4%±4.1 pts |
| 55 | Lamont, CAwithin the margin | 35.4%±5.2 pts |
| 57 | Gardere, LAwithin the margin | 35.3%±7.4 pts |
| 58 | Inkster, MIwithin the margin | 35.2%±4.6 pts |
| 59 | Arvin, CAwithin the margin | 34.6%±6.0 pts |
| 60 | Clarkston, GAwithin the margin | 34.4%±8.3 pts |
| 61 | Meridian, MSwithin the margin | 34.3%±3.7 pts |
| 62 | Bayamón zona urbana, PRwithin the margin | 34.2%±1.3 pts |
| 63 | Flint, MIwithin the margin | 34.1%±2.1 pts |
| 64 | Saginaw, MIwithin the margin | 34.0%±3.4 pts |
| 65 | Monroe, GAwithin the margin | 33.8%±7.7 pts |
| 66 | Natchez, MSwithin the margin | 33.7%±4.8 pts |
| 67 | Bloomington Township, INwithin the margin | 33.6%±3.1 pts |
| 68 | Carbondale Township, ILwithin the margin | 33.5%±3.7 pts |
| 69 | Wabash Township, Tippecanoe County, INwithin the margin | 33.4%±2.5 pts |
| 70 | Canton, MSwithin the margin | 33.3%±6.9 pts |
| 71 | College Park, MDwithin the margin | 33.2%±3.2 pts |
| 72 | Lindsay, CAwithin the margin | 33.1%±8.7 pts |
| 72 | Gary, INwithin the margin | 33.1%±2.6 pts |
| 72 | Benton Charter Township, MIwithin the margin | 33.1%±5.9 pts |
| 75 | East Lansing, MIwithin the margin | 33.0%±2.8 pts |
| 75 | Athens Township, Athens County, OHwithin the margin | 33.0%±3.5 pts |
| 77 | Rock Island Township, ILwithin the margin | 32.9%±5.6 pts |
| 78 | East St. Louis, ILwithin the margin | 32.8%±6.5 pts |
| 79 | Detroit, MIwithin the margin | 32.7%±0.8 pts |
| 79 | Americus, GAwithin the margin | 32.7%±6.2 pts |
| 79 | Waycross, GAwithin the margin | 32.7%±4.9 pts |
| 82 | Binghamton, NYwithin the margin | 32.6%±3.0 pts |
| 82 | Centreville Township, ILwithin the margin | 32.6%±6.3 pts |
| 82 | Orangeburg, SCwithin the margin | 32.6%±8.1 pts |
| 85 | Rexburg, IDwithin the margin | 32.5%±4.0 pts |
| 85 | Fort Payne, ALwithin the margin | 32.5%±5.9 pts |
| 87 | Florida City, FLwithin the margin | 32.4%±7.0 pts |
| 87 | Fairfield, ALwithin the margin | 32.4%±8.9 pts |
| 87 | Abbeville, LAwithin the margin | 32.4%±6.5 pts |
| 90 | Atlantic City, NJwithin the margin | 32.3%±3.7 pts |
| 91 | Robstown, TXwithin the margin | 32.2%±7.5 pts |
| 92 | New Brunswick, NJwithin the margin | 32.0%±3.5 pts |
| 92 | Lemon Hill, CAwithin the margin | 32.0%±6.4 pts |
| 92 | Las Vegas, NMwithin the margin | 32.0%±4.8 pts |
| 92 | McKeesport, PAwithin the margin | 32.0%±4.9 pts |
| 96 | Warren, OHwithin the margin | 31.9%±3.1 pts |
| 96 | Johnstown, PAwithin the margin | 31.9%±3.2 pts |
| 98 | Center Township, Grant County, INwithin the margin | 31.7%±3.9 pts |
| 99 | Nacogdoches, TXwithin the margin | 31.5%±3.2 pts |
| 99 | Newberry, SC | 31.5%±8.6 pts |
Source: ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau · Check it at data.census.gov
How is this ranking made?
One figure is read for each of the places with 10,000 or more residents in 2020 and a reliable estimate: the share of residents below the poverty line. Places whose survey estimate has a coefficient of variation over 40% are left out, because the survey cannot place them reliably. Equal published figures share a rank. A ranking measures one number; it is not a judgment of a place.
Towns and townships are ranked beside cities, villages and census-designated places, and a census-designated place can lie inside a township, so one area can appear twice, once as each.
Across the 100 places shown, the share of residents below the poverty line runs from 31.5% (Newberry, SC) to 70.4% (Isla Vista, CA); the middle place on the list stands at 36.0%.
Source: PlainCities ranking method applied to the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau · How ranks are computed
How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections