Between June and November of last year, in the heart of the pandemic, the overall percentage of Americans living below the poverty line rose from 9.3% to 11.7% — the highest single-year increase since the government started keeping records — according to a report released in December by financial experts at the University of Notre Dame, the University of Chicago, and China’s Zhejiang University.
The federal government draws the poverty line in the continental U.S. at $12,880 for individuals, $26,500 for families of four (the rates are slightly higher for Alaska and Hawaii). Of course, these numbers are woefully inadequate in the real world. This is the income a family really needs to avoid poverty in every state.
The poverty rate soars even higher for certain groups — those without a college degree, African-Americans, and children under the age of 17 — about 2.3 million of whom fell into poverty between June and November. You will be shocked, in fact, at how many children live in poverty in your state.
Of the ten poorest big cities in America, four are in the South, all of those in Texas — Houston (with a poverty rate of 19.7%), El Paso (18.5%), Dallas (17.5%), and San Antonio (16.8%). But the poorest places in the region are mostly small towns, like Hiseville, Ky. (pop. 204) and Calvert, Ala. (pop. 609).
Click here to see the poorest places in the South.
If Texas is home to the four of the country’s poorest big cities, it is also the state with the majority of the 25 poorest small towns — some 11 out of the 25 on this list. The rest are pretty well distributed around the South, with three in Kentucky, two each in North Carolina, Florida, Mississippi, and West Virginia, and one apiece in Louisiana, Virginia, and Alabama.
There are pockets of affluence in all these states, of course, especially in Virginia, Texas, and Florida. But all too many corners of the South are economically depressed, especially those with African-American, Native American, and other historically marginalized populations.
Federal stimulus efforts might well help such places, but they will doubtless remain among the country’s most economically vulnerable locations.
To identify the poorest places in the South, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed the poverty rate — the percentage of all people who live in poverty — in the approximately 20,000 places with 500 or more residents using data from the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2019 American Community Survey.
The areas reviewed include cities, towns, as well as unincorporated areas known as Census Designated Places, or CDPs. These are the 50 places with the highest poverty rates. Each area’s median household income and population totals also came from the ACS. All data are 5-year averages through 2019, and do not reflect impacts associated with the COVID-19 pandemic. We only considered places where less than 25% of the population are enrolled in college or graduate school.
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
25. Light Oak, North Carolina
> Poverty rate in 2019: 58.8% — #333 out of 29,320 places
> Median household income in 2019: Not applicable
> Adults with a bachelor’s degree in 2019: 2.9% — #27,204 out of 29,320 places
> Total adult population in 2019: 1,140
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Source: Z28scrambler / Wikimedia Commons
24. Simmesport, Louisiana
> Poverty rate in 2019: 59.9% — #314 out of 29,320 places
> Median household income in 2019: $17,120 — #27,010 out of 29,320 places
> Adults with a bachelor’s degree in 2019: 5.2% — #26,203 out of 29,320 places
> Total adult population in 2019: 1,622
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Source: Ebyabe / Wikimedia Commons
23. Palmona Park, Florida
> Poverty rate in 2019: 60.7% — #295 out of 29,320 places
> Median household income in 2019: $22,257 — #26,662 out of 29,320 places
> Adults with a bachelor’s degree in 2019: 5.1% — #26,247 out of 29,320 places
> Total adult population in 2019: 1,209
Source: iStock / Getty Images
22. Scissors, Texas
> Poverty rate in 2019: 60.9% — #287 out of 29,320 places
> Median household income in 2019: $22,887 — #26,591 out of 29,320 places
> Adults with a bachelor’s degree in 2019: 5.5% — #26,033 out of 29,320 places
> Total adult population in 2019: 3,594
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21. Rosedale, Mississippi
> Poverty rate in 2019: 60.9% — #287 out of 29,320 places
> Median household income in 2019: $15,615 — #27,066 out of 29,320 places
> Adults with a bachelor’s degree in 2019: 6.1% — #25,661 out of 29,320 places
> Total adult population in 2019: 1,627
Source: charliellewellin / Flickr
20. Medina, Texas
> Poverty rate in 2019: 61.2% — #284 out of 29,320 places
> Median household income in 2019: $29,958 — #25,199 out of 29,320 places
> Adults with a bachelor’s degree in 2019: 5.2% — #26,203 out of 29,320 places
> Total adult population in 2019: 4,727
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Source: Marduk / Wikimedia Commons
19. Chelyan, West Virginia
> Poverty rate in 2019: 61.9% — #274 out of 29,320 places
> Median household income in 2019: $25,237 — #26,266 out of 29,320 places
> Adults with a bachelor’s degree in 2019: 3.5% — #26,993 out of 29,320 places
> Total adult population in 2019: 994
Source: gerrydincher / Flickr
18. Brunswick, North Carolina
> Poverty rate in 2019: 62.1% — #271 out of 29,320 places
> Median household income in 2019: $18,056 — #26,980 out of 29,320 places
> Adults with a bachelor’s degree in 2019: 6.5% — #25,388 out of 29,320 places
> Total adult population in 2019: 983
Source: BOB WESTON / Getty Images
17. Hiseville, Kentucky
> Poverty rate in 2019: 62.3% — #268 out of 29,320 places
> Median household income in 2019: Not applicable
> Adults with a bachelor’s degree in 2019: 0.0% — #27,746 out of 29,320 places
> Total adult population in 2019: 204
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Source: Billy Hathorn / Wikimedia Commons
16. Ranchitos East, Texas
> Poverty rate in 2019: 64.4% — #239 out of 29,320 places
> Median household income in 2019: Not applicable
> Adults with a bachelor’s degree in 2019: 5.4% — #26,083 out of 29,320 places
> Total adult population in 2019: 506
Source: Leonard J. DeFrancisci / Wikimedia Commons
15. Pastoria, Virginia
> Poverty rate in 2019: 65.1% — #226 out of 29,320 places
> Median household income in 2019: $22,450 — #26,637 out of 29,320 places
> Adults with a bachelor’s degree in 2019: 2.8% — #27,246 out of 29,320 places
> Total adult population in 2019: 996
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Source: Danny20111993 / Wikimedia Commons
14. Citrus, Texas
> Poverty rate in 2019: 65.1% — #226 out of 29,320 places
> Median household income in 2019: $16,818 — #27,028 out of 29,320 places
> Adults with a bachelor’s degree in 2019: 2.3% — #27,404 out of 29,320 places
> Total adult population in 2019: 3,288
Source: BOB WESTON / iStock via Getty Images
13. Whitley, Kentucky
> Poverty rate in 2019: 65.1% — #226 out of 29,320 places
> Median household income in 2019: $15,270 — #27,073 out of 29,320 places
> Adults with a bachelor’s degree in 2019: 10.9% — #21,607 out of 29,320 places
> Total adult population in 2019: 1,400
Source: BOB WESTON / Getty Images
12. Tucker, Mississippi
> Poverty rate in 2019: 65.3% — #222 out of 29,320 places
> Median household income in 2019: Not applicable
> Adults with a bachelor’s degree in 2019: 0.0% — #27,746 out of 29,320 places
> Total adult population in 2019: 731
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Source: John Moore / Getty Images
11. Hargill, Texas
> Poverty rate in 2019: 66.0% — #211 out of 29,320 places
> Median household income in 2019: $24,095 — #26,443 out of 29,320 places
> Adults with a bachelor’s degree in 2019: 5.3% — #26,132 out of 29,320 places
> Total adult population in 2019: 963
Source: John Moore / Getty Images
10. Indian Hills, Texas
> Poverty rate in 2019: 68.6% — #185 out of 29,320 places
> Median household income in 2019: $23,117 — #26,575 out of 29,320 places
> Adults with a bachelor’s degree in 2019: 0.0% — #27,746 out of 29,320 places
> Total adult population in 2019: 3,001
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Source: kenlund / Flickr
9. Breckinridge Center, Kentucky
> Poverty rate in 2019: 69.1% — #177 out of 29,320 places
> Median household income in 2019: $43,750 — #18,412 out of 29,320 places
> Adults with a bachelor’s degree in 2019: 1.3% — #27,655 out of 29,320 places
> Total adult population in 2019: 2,109
Source: Jaedza / Wikimedia Commons
8. Las Palmas II, Texas
> Poverty rate in 2019: 73.1% — #151 out of 29,320 places
> Median household income in 2019: $12,453 — #27,116 out of 29,320 places
> Adults with a bachelor’s degree in 2019: 0.0% — #27,746 out of 29,320 places
> Total adult population in 2019: 1,783
Source: montezano / Wikimedia Commons
7. Mikes, Texas
> Poverty rate in 2019: 74.7% — #142 out of 29,320 places
> Median household income in 2019: $20,481 — #26,835 out of 29,320 places
> Adults with a bachelor’s degree in 2019: 0.0% — #27,746 out of 29,320 places
> Total adult population in 2019: 897
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Source: John Moore / Getty Images
6. La Tina Ranch, Texas
> Poverty rate in 2019: 76.3% — #132 out of 29,320 places
> Median household income in 2019: $13,662 — #27,102 out of 29,320 places
> Adults with a bachelor’s degree in 2019: 0.0% — #27,746 out of 29,320 places
> Total adult population in 2019: 666
Source: Famartin / Wikimedia Commons
5. Jefferson, West Virginia
> Poverty rate in 2019: 77.8% — #125 out of 29,320 places
> Median household income in 2019: $19,201 — #26,920 out of 29,320 places
> Adults with a bachelor’s degree in 2019: 4.2% — #26,669 out of 29,320 places
> Total adult population in 2019: 630
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Source: Scottposey / Wikimedia Commons
4. Calvert, Alabama
> Poverty rate in 2019: 83.6% — #94 out of 29,320 places
> Median household income in 2019: $27,148 — #25,859 out of 29,320 places
> Adults with a bachelor’s degree in 2019: 10.1% — #22,401 out of 29,320 places
> Total adult population in 2019: 609
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Source: formulanone / Flickr
3. Mi Ranchito Estate, Texas
> Poverty rate in 2019: 90.2% — #71 out of 29,320 places
> Median household income in 2019: Not applicable
> Adults with a bachelor’s degree in 2019: 0.0% — #27,746 out of 29,320 places
> Total adult population in 2019: 602
Source: felixmizioznikov / iStock via Getty Images
2. Homestead Base, Florida
> Poverty rate in 2019: 91.7% — #69 out of 29,320 places
> Median household income in 2019: $16,168 — #27,054 out of 29,320 places
> Adults with a bachelor’s degree in 2019: 4.7% — #26,454 out of 29,320 places
> Total adult population in 2019: 1,054
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Source: Larry D. Moore CC BY-SA 3.0 / Wikimedia Commons
1. South La Paloma, Texas
> Poverty rate in 2019: 92.5% — #65 out of 29,320 places
> Median household income in 2019: $35,068 — #23,173 out of 29,320 places
> Adults with a bachelor’s degree in 2019: 0.0% — #27,746 out of 29,320 places
> Total adult population in 2019: 530
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