More than 60 years have passed since President Lyndon Johnson declared war on poverty, and yet, poverty remains endemic in the United States. In any given year over the last three decades, anywhere from 31.6 million to 48.8 million Americans were living below the poverty line. Over that period, the annual U.S. poverty rate climbed as high as 15.9%, and never fell below 11.3%.
The effects of poverty extend far beyond economics. According to the latest Pulse Survey from the U.S. Census Bureau, 38% of American adults earning less than $25,000 reported feeling depressed or hopeless on most days, compared to 17% of all adults. Additionally, 27% of adults in the lowest income bracket reported not having enough to eat within the last week, three times the food insufficiency rate among all adults.
In most of the country, including Washington state, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services sets the poverty line at an annual income of $15,060 for individuals and $31,200 for a family of four. In Washington, 9.9% of the population live below these thresholds — and in many towns across the state, the poverty rate is far higher.
Using five-year estimates from the Census’ 2022 American Community Survey, 24/7 Wall St. identified the towns in Washington with the highest poverty rates. We considered all places — including cities, towns, and unincorporated communities — with populations between 5,000 and 50,000. Because the presence of colleges and universities can distort economic realities in a given area, places where 20% or more of the population are enrolled in a post-secondary institution were excluded from analysis.
Among the 35 places on this list, poverty rates range from 13.0% to over 25%, and in all but two of these places, the typical household earns less than the statewide median household income of $90,325.
Widespread financial hardship in these areas is partially attributable to a lack of economic opportunity. In most places on this list, the five-year average unemployment rate is higher than the comparable 4.9% jobless rate across Washington.
Incomes and job security tend to rise with educational attainment. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the typical worker with a bachelor’s degree earns 66% more than those with no more than a high school diploma. Additionally, workers with only a high school education are far more likely to be unemployed than college graduates. In nearly every town on this list, the share of adults with a bachelor’s degree is below the 38.0% statewide bachelor’s degree attainment rate.
Why It Matters
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The United States is, in many ways, the center of gravity of the global economy. The U.S. dollar has been the world’s leading reserve currency since the end of World War II, and American gross domestic product accounts for over a quarter of economic activity worldwide. Despite these advantages, more than one in every 10 Americans have been living below the poverty line for decades. For those facing serious financial hardship, the effects are far reaching. Poverty can negatively impact mental health, social relationships, and life expectancy.
35. Lake Stickney
Source: Jim Hardy / iStock via Getty Images
- Poverty rate: 13.0%
- Median household income: $80,717
- 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 5.5%
- Adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher: 34.6%
- Population: 14,668
34. Tukwila
Source: gmc3101 / iStock via Getty Images
- Poverty rate: 13.3%
- Median household income: $76,331
- 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 6.2%
- Adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher: 25.8%
- Population: 21,569
33. Parkland
Source: Public Domain
- Poverty rate: 13.4%
- Median household income: $66,162
- 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 5.8%
- Adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher: 16.1%
- Population: 39,398
32. Longview
Source: Maxvis / iStock via Getty Images
- Poverty rate: 13.6%
- Median household income: $57,920
- 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 4.5%
- Adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher: 15.7%
- Population: 37,722
31. Walla Walla
Source: JohnnyH5 / iStock via Getty Images
- Poverty rate: 13.6%
- Median household income: $58,179
- 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 6.1%
- Adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher: 29.3%
- Population: 33,842
30. Sunnyside
- Poverty rate: 13.6%
- Median household income: $49,134
- 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 8.9%
- Adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher: 8.2%
- Population: 16,329
29. Port Townsend
- Poverty rate: 14.0%
- Median household income: $59,193
- 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 13.6%
- Adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher: 54.7%
- Population: 10,161
28. Connell
Source: Feifei Cui-Paoluzzo / Moment via Getty Images
- Poverty rate: 14.0%
- Median household income: $61,000
- 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 11.5%
- Adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher: 9.8%
- Population: 5,175
27. Bremerton
Source: Ceri Breeze / iStock Editorial via Getty Images
- Poverty rate: 14.3%
- Median household income: $68,556
- 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 4.4%
- Adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher: 25.9%
- Population: 43,983
26. Ephrata
Source: searagen / iStock via Getty Images
- Poverty rate: 14.7%
- Median household income: $57,958
- 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 4.7%
- Adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher: 13.1%
- Population: 8,419
25. North Fort Lewis
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
- Poverty rate: 14.8%
- Median household income: $67,708
- 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 2.9%
- Adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher: 33.7%
- Population: 6,022
24. Lynnwood
Source: Colleen Michaels / iStock Editorial via Getty Images
- Poverty rate: 14.9%
- Median household income: $72,241
- 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 4.1%
- Adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher: 30.6%
- Population: 39,867
23. Sedro-Woolley
Source: Edmund Lowe Photography / Moment via Getty Images
- Poverty rate: 15.1%
- Median household income: $72,281
- 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 4.5%
- Adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher: 16.4%
- Population: 12,470
22. Grandview
Source: gmc3101 / iStock via Getty Images
- Poverty rate: 15.1%
- Median household income: $61,635
- 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 4.3%
- Adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher: 5.3%
- Population: 10,922
21. Blaine
Source: JeffGoulden / iStock via Getty Images
- Poverty rate: 15.3%
- Median household income: $78,633
- 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 9.7%
- Adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher: 32.1%
- Population: 5,865
20. Sequim
Source: Wirestock / iStock via Getty Images
- Poverty rate: 15.4%
- Median household income: $48,015
- 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 5.9%
- Adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher: 34.3%
- Population: 8,073
19. Fort Lewis
Source: Joe Mabel / Wikimedia Commons
- Poverty rate: 16.3%
- Median household income: $51,679
- 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 0.7%
- Adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher: 22.7%
- Population: 13,440
18. White Center
Source: Joe Mabel / Wikimedia Commons
- Poverty rate: 16.4%
- Median household income: $79,432
- 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 5.6%
- Adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher: 33.3%
- Population: 15,479
17. Hoquiam
Source: Joe Mabel / Wikimedia Commons
- Poverty rate: 16.4%
- Median household income: $47,614
- 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 9.9%
- Adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher: 18.7%
- Population: 8,742
16. Quincy
Source: Feng Wei Photography / Moment Open via Getty Images
- Poverty rate: 16.6%
- Median household income: $69,628
- 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 2.3%
- Adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher: 17.1%
- Population: 7,754
15. Toppenish
- Poverty rate: 16.6%
- Median household income: $64,327
- 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 8.1%
- Adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher: 8.4%
- Population: 8,820
14. Midland
Source: Arkyan / Wikimedia Commons
- Poverty rate: 16.7%
- Median household income: $69,653
- 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 6.6%
- Adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher: 14.6%
- Population: 9,081
13. Rochester
Source: Adam Peterson / Wikimedia Commons
- Poverty rate: 17.6%
- Median household income: $92,883
- 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 0.4%
- Adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher: 14.7%
- Population: 6,282
12. Mount Vernon
Source: july7th / iStock Unreleased via Getty Images
- Poverty rate: 17.7%
- Median household income: $69,227
- 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 6.2%
- Adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher: 24.7%
- Population: 35,120
11. Union Gap
Source: Cacophony / Wikimedia Commons
- Poverty rate: 18.6%
- Median household income: $55,667
- 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 11.3%
- Adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher: 5.3%
- Population: 6,512
10. Clarkston
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
- Poverty rate: 18.7%
- Median household income: $48,587
- 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 9.9%
- Adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher: 16.5%
- Population: 7,222
9. Manchester
Source: JLR02 / Wikimedia Commons
- Poverty rate: 19.5%
- Median household income: $99,933
- 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 1.7%
- Adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher: 29.9%
- Population: 6,033
8. Kelso
Source: jdornoff / iStock Editorial via Getty Images
- Poverty rate: 20.0%
- Median household income: $59,405
- 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 6.0%
- Adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher: 11.4%
- Population: 12,661
7. Prosser
Source: Robert Holmes / Corbis via Getty Images
- Poverty rate: 20.5%
- Median household income: $64,622
- 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 10.3%
- Adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher: 25.8%
- Population: 6,138
6. Aberdeen
Source: George Dodd / iStock via Getty Images
- Poverty rate: 21.0%
- Median household income: $50,008
- 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 6.3%
- Adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher: 16.6%
- Population: 16,969
5. Airway Heights
Source: Will Maupin / Wikimedia Commons
- Poverty rate: 21.3%
- Median household income: $57,857
- 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 8.7%
- Adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher: 17.3%
- Population: 10,570
4. Centralia
Source: dschreiber29 / iStock via Getty Images
- Poverty rate: 21.6%
- Median household income: $50,422
- 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 6.4%
- Adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher: 17.1%
- Population: 18,234
3. Othello
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
- Poverty rate: 21.9%
- Median household income: $63,824
- 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 8.7%
- Adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher: 12.3%
- Population: 8,582
2. West Clarkston-Highland
Source: Arkyan / Wikimedia Commons
- Poverty rate: 25.0%
- Median household income: $50,172
- 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 4.1%
- Adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher: 17.0%
- Population: 6,080
1. Shelton
Source: Sean A. Lotz / Wikimedia Commons
- Poverty rate: 26.5%
- Median household income: $57,907
- 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 5.2%
- Adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher: 19.1%
- Population: 10,484
| Rank | Place | Poverty rate (%) | Median household income ($) | Unemployment rate (%) | Adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher (%) | Total population |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Shelton, Washington | 26.5 | 57,907 | 5.2 | 19.1 | 10,484 |
| 2 | West Clarkston-Highland, Washington | 25.0 | 50,172 | 4.1 | 17.0 | 6,080 |
| 3 | Othello, Washington | 21.9 | 63,824 | 8.7 | 12.3 | 8,582 |
| 4 | Centralia, Washington | 21.6 | 50,422 | 6.4 | 17.1 | 18,234 |
| 5 | Airway Heights, Washington | 21.3 | 57,857 | 8.7 | 17.3 | 10,570 |
| 6 | Aberdeen, Washington | 21.0 | 50,008 | 6.3 | 16.6 | 16,969 |
| 7 | Prosser, Washington | 20.5 | 64,622 | 10.3 | 25.8 | 6,138 |
| 8 | Kelso, Washington | 20.0 | 59,405 | 6.0 | 11.4 | 12,661 |
| 9 | Manchester, Washington | 19.5 | 99,933 | 1.7 | 29.9 | 6,033 |
| 10 | Clarkston, Washington | 18.7 | 48,587 | 9.9 | 16.5 | 7,222 |
| 11 | Union Gap, Washington | 18.6 | 55,667 | 11.3 | 5.3 | 6,512 |
| 12 | Mount Vernon, Washington | 17.7 | 69,227 | 6.2 | 24.7 | 35,120 |
| 13 | Rochester, Washington | 17.6 | 92,883 | 0.4 | 14.7 | 6,282 |
| 14 | Midland, Washington | 16.7 | 69,653 | 6.6 | 14.6 | 9,081 |
| 15 | Toppenish, Washington | 16.6 | 64,327 | 8.1 | 8.4 | 8,820 |
| 16 | Quincy, Washington | 16.6 | 69,628 | 2.3 | 17.1 | 7,754 |
| 17 | Hoquiam, Washington | 16.4 | 47,614 | 9.9 | 18.7 | 8,742 |
| 18 | White Center, Washington | 16.4 | 79,432 | 5.6 | 33.3 | 15,479 |
| 19 | Fort Lewis, Washington | 16.3 | 51,679 | 0.7 | 22.7 | 13,440 |
| 20 | Sequim, Washington | 15.4 | 48,015 | 5.9 | 34.3 | 8,073 |
| 21 | Blaine, Washington | 15.3 | 78,633 | 9.7 | 32.1 | 5,865 |
| 22 | Grandview, Washington | 15.1 | 61,635 | 4.3 | 5.3 | 10,922 |
| 23 | Sedro-Woolley, Washington | 15.1 | 72,281 | 4.5 | 16.4 | 12,470 |
| 24 | Lynnwood, Washington | 14.9 | 72,241 | 4.1 | 30.6 | 39,867 |
| 25 | North Fort Lewis, Washington | 14.8 | 67,708 | 2.9 | 33.7 | 6,022 |
| 26 | Ephrata, Washington | 14.7 | 57,958 | 4.7 | 13.1 | 8,419 |
| 27 | Bremerton, Washington | 14.3 | 68,556 | 4.4 | 25.9 | 43,983 |
| 28 | Connell, Washington | 14.0 | 61,000 | 11.5 | 9.8 | 5,175 |
| 29 | Port Townsend, Washington | 14.0 | 59,193 | 13.6 | 54.7 | 10,161 |
| 30 | Sunnyside, Washington | 13.6 | 49,134 | 8.9 | 8.2 | 16,329 |
| 31 | Walla Walla, Washington | 13.6 | 58,179 | 6.1 | 29.3 | 33,842 |
| 32 | Longview, Washington | 13.6 | 57,920 | 4.5 | 15.7 | 37,722 |
| 33 | Parkland, Washington | 13.4 | 66,162 | 5.8 | 16.1 | 39,398 |
| 34 | Tukwila, Washington | 13.3 | 76,331 | 6.2 | 25.8 | 21,569 |
| 35 | Lake Stickney, Washington | 13.0 | 80,717 | 5.5 | 34.6 | 14,668 |
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