More than 40 million Americans live below the poverty line – an income threshold of about $35 per day, or $1,073 a month. Of those facing such extreme financial hardship, children are disproportionately affected.
The United States has one of the worst child poverty rates among wealthy, developed countries – and nearly 12.6 million children and youth under age 18 live in households with poverty level incomes. Not only are children at higher risk of poverty, they are also especially vulnerable to poverty’s harmful effects, both in the immediate and long-term.Â
Childhood poverty can negatively impact brain development and has been linked with a greater likelihood of chronic illness, shorter life expectancy, and poor emotional and behavioral health. Those who spend some or all of their childhood in poverty are also less likely to succeed in school or be financially secure later in life.Â
Nationwide, an estimated 17.5% of children under age 18 live below the poverty line. This share varies from place to place, however, and in some parts of the country, child poverty is far more common than average. Using data from the U.S. Census Bureau, 24/7 Wall St. identified the county or county equivalent in every state with the highest poverty rate.Â
Among the places on this list, the child poverty rate ranges from about 15% to over 70% and exceeds the overall statewide child poverty rate in every case. Here is a look at the income a family needs to cover normal living expenses in every state.Â
Children raised in mother-only households are far more likely to live in poverty than those in two-adult households, and in most counties on this list, the share of households headed by single mothers exceeds the comparable statewide share.Â
Families in nearly every county on this list are also more likely to rely on government assistance to afford basic necessities than families across much of the state. The share of households with children receiving SNAP benefits, or food stamps, exceeds the statewide share in all but one county on this list. Here is a look at the cities with the most people on food stamps. Â
Click here to see the county with the highest child poverty rate in every stateÂ
Click here to read our detailed methodology
Source: BOB WESTON / iStock via Getty Images
Alabama: Perry County
> Child poverty rate: 62.8% (Alabama: 22.7%)
> Median family income, households with children: $22,117 (Alabama: $64,790)
> Share of households with children receiving SNAP benefits: 52.3% (Alabama: 22.4%)
> Households headed by single mothers: 22.6% (Alabama: 13.3%)
> No. of counties considered in ranking: 67
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Alaska: Kusilvak Census Area
> Child poverty rate: 43.6% (Alaska: 13.8%)
> Median family income, households with children: $33,516 (Alaska: $88,245)
> Share of households with children receiving SNAP benefits: 65.4% (Alaska: 15.9%)
> Households headed by single mothers: 30.0% (Alaska: 10.6%)
> No. of counties considered in ranking: 20
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Arizona: Apache County
> Child poverty rate: 46.0% (Arizona: 20.0%)
> Median family income, households with children: $34,141 (Arizona: $69,758)
> Share of households with children receiving SNAP benefits: 41.4% (Arizona: 19.3%)
> Households headed by single mothers: 20.2% (Arizona: 11.9%)
> No. of counties considered in ranking: 15
Source: BOB WESTON / iStock via Getty Images
Arkansas: Phillips County
> Child poverty rate: 46.9% (Arkansas: 22.0%)
> Median family income, households with children: $29,652 (Arkansas: $59,204)
> Share of households with children receiving SNAP benefits: 45.4% (Arkansas: 18.7%)
> Households headed by single mothers: 26.5% (Arkansas: 13.2%)
> No. of counties considered in ranking: 75
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California: Imperial County
> Child poverty rate: 30.3% (California: 16.8%)
> Median family income, households with children: $53,566 (California: $84,790)
> Share of households with children receiving SNAP benefits: 37.3% (California: 16.1%)
> Households headed by single mothers: 15.7% (California: 10.8%)
> No. of counties considered in ranking: 56
Colorado: Costilla County
> Child poverty rate: 35.5% (Colorado: 11.5%)
> Median family income, households with children: $31,023 (Colorado: $91,425)
> Share of households with children receiving SNAP benefits: 60.4% (Colorado: 11.6%)
> Households headed by single mothers: 16.3% (Colorado: 9.0%)
> No. of counties considered in ranking: 49
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Connecticut: New Haven County
> Child poverty rate: 15.8% (Connecticut: 13.0%)
> Median family income, households with children: $83,470 (Connecticut: $100,115)
> Share of households with children receiving SNAP benefits: 20.1% (Connecticut: 15.3%)
> Households headed by single mothers: 13.7% (Connecticut: 11.4%)
> No. of counties considered in ranking: 8
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Delaware: Sussex County
> Child poverty rate: 22.3% (Delaware: 17.2%)
> Median family income, households with children: $65,578 (Delaware: $79,268)
> Share of households with children receiving SNAP benefits: 24.1% (Delaware: 19.7%)
> Households headed by single mothers: 9.7% (Delaware: 12.1%)
> No. of counties considered in ranking: 3
Source: Michael Warren / iStock via Getty Images
Florida: Madison County
> Child poverty rate: 44.7% (Florida: 18.7%)
> Median family income, households with children: $45,757 (Florida: $65,053)
> Share of households with children receiving SNAP benefits: 27.0% (Florida: 22.7%)
> Households headed by single mothers: 15.3% (Florida: 11.4%)
> No. of counties considered in ranking: 65
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Georgia: Early County
> Child poverty rate: 55.7% (Georgia: 20.1%)
> Median family income, households with children: $25,000 (Georgia: $70,326)
> Share of households with children receiving SNAP benefits: 50.0% (Georgia: 19.6%)
> Households headed by single mothers: 21.8% (Georgia: 14.3%)
> No. of counties considered in ranking: 156
Source: Lorraine Boogich / iStock via Getty Images
Hawaii: Hawaii County
> Child poverty rate: 18.1% (Hawaii: 11.7%)
> Median family income, households with children: $68,481 (Hawaii: $91,696)
> Share of households with children receiving SNAP benefits: 32.6% (Hawaii: 17.0%)
> Households headed by single mothers: 11.3% (Hawaii: 9.7%)
> No. of counties considered in ranking: 4
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Idaho: Boundary County
> Child poverty rate: 34.3% (Idaho: 14.4%)
> Median family income, households with children: $56,250 (Idaho: $69,851)
> Share of households with children receiving SNAP benefits: 20.0% (Idaho: 15.3%)
> Households headed by single mothers: 5.1% (Idaho: 8.4%)
> No. of counties considered in ranking: 40
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Source: Roberto Galan / iStock Editorial via Getty Images
Illinois: Alexander County
> Child poverty rate: 41.3% (Illinois: 16.2%)
> Median family income, households with children: $25,000 (Illinois: $83,907)
> Share of households with children receiving SNAP benefits: 47.6% (Illinois: 19.4%)
> Households headed by single mothers: 15.9% (Illinois: 11.7%)
> No. of counties considered in ranking: 100
Indiana: Crawford County
> Child poverty rate: 33.1% (Indiana: 17.6%)
> Median family income, households with children: $57,348 (Indiana: $70,859)
> Share of households with children receiving SNAP benefits: 21.7% (Indiana: 16.0%)
> Households headed by single mothers: 4.7% (Indiana: 12.0%)
> No. of counties considered in ranking: 91
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Source: BOB WESTON / iStock via Getty Images
Iowa: Appanoose County
> Child poverty rate: 30.2% (Iowa: 13.3%)
> Median family income, households with children: $47,337 (Iowa: $79,139)
> Share of households with children receiving SNAP benefits: 28.9% (Iowa: 16.7%)
> Households headed by single mothers: 9.0% (Iowa: 10.3%)
> No. of counties considered in ranking: 98
Source: Ammodramus / Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
Kansas: Stanton County
> Child poverty rate: 37.3% (Kansas: 13.9%)
> Median family income, households with children: $54,196 (Kansas: $74,882)
> Share of households with children receiving SNAP benefits: 17.0% (Kansas: 11.6%)
> Households headed by single mothers: 6.6% (Kansas: 10.4%)
> No. of counties considered in ranking: 90
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Kentucky: Clay County
> Child poverty rate: 47.2% (Kentucky: 22.2%)
> Median family income, households with children: $33,358 (Kentucky: $65,096)
> Share of households with children receiving SNAP benefits: 49.9% (Kentucky: 20.8%)
> Households headed by single mothers: 15.5% (Kentucky: 12.2%)
> No. of counties considered in ranking: 119
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Louisiana: East Carroll Parish
> Child poverty rate: 71.9% (Louisiana: 26.3%)
> Median family income, households with children: $25,208 (Louisiana: $61,722)
> Share of households with children receiving SNAP benefits: 55.5% (Louisiana: 24.9%)
> Households headed by single mothers: 24.7% (Louisiana: 16.0%)
> No. of counties considered in ranking: 63
Maine: Somerset County
> Child poverty rate: 28.4% (Maine: 14.0%)
> Median family income, households with children: $51,045 (Maine: $76,852)
> Share of households with children receiving SNAP benefits: 25.8% (Maine: 18.4%)
> Households headed by single mothers: 9.9% (Maine: 9.1%)
> No. of counties considered in ranking: 16
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Maryland: Somerset County
> Child poverty rate: 28.7% (Maryland: 11.6%)
> Median family income, households with children: $34,154 (Maryland: $103,641)
> Share of households with children receiving SNAP benefits: 46.4% (Maryland: 15.5%)
> Households headed by single mothers: 18.0% (Maryland: 12.2%)
> No. of counties considered in ranking: 24
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Massachusetts: Suffolk County
> Child poverty rate: 24.1% (Massachusetts: 12.2%)
> Median family income, households with children: $68,711 (Massachusetts: $109,908)
> Share of households with children receiving SNAP benefits: 27.0% (Massachusetts: 15.8%)
> Households headed by single mothers: 17.6% (Massachusetts: 11.1%)
> No. of counties considered in ranking: 12
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Michigan: Clare County
> Child poverty rate: 33.4% (Michigan: 18.8%)
> Median family income, households with children: $46,218 (Michigan: $73,187)
> Share of households with children receiving SNAP benefits: 27.5% (Michigan: 19.7%)
> Households headed by single mothers: 9.1% (Michigan: 11.5%)
> No. of counties considered in ranking: 82
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Minnesota: Mahnomen County
> Child poverty rate: 27.6% (Minnesota: 11.6%)
> Median family income, households with children: $41,583 (Minnesota: $95,628)
> Share of households with children receiving SNAP benefits: 44.2% (Minnesota: 11.6%)
> Households headed by single mothers: 20.2% (Minnesota: 9.8%)
> No. of counties considered in ranking: 87
Source: CRobertson / iStock Editorial via Getty Images
Mississippi: Claiborne County
> Child poverty rate: 54.5% (Mississippi: 27.6%)
> Median family income, households with children: $19,716 (Mississippi: $54,822)
> Share of households with children receiving SNAP benefits: 56.4% (Mississippi: 24.2%)
> Households headed by single mothers: 23.5% (Mississippi: 16.8%)
> No. of counties considered in ranking: 81
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Missouri: Pemiscot County
> Child poverty rate: 44.2% (Missouri: 17.4%)
> Median family income, households with children: $35,227 (Missouri: $72,033)
> Share of households with children receiving SNAP benefits: 44.6% (Missouri: 17.2%)
> Households headed by single mothers: 20.0% (Missouri: 11.5%)
> No. of counties considered in ranking: 112
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Montana: Blaine County
> Child poverty rate: 42.5% (Montana: 15.2%)
> Median family income, households with children: $41,367 (Montana: $71,986)
> Share of households with children receiving SNAP benefits: 31.2% (Montana: 16.2%)
> Households headed by single mothers: 18.4% (Montana: 8.4%)
> No. of counties considered in ranking: 36
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Nebraska: Sheridan County
> Child poverty rate: 35.9% (Nebraska: 12.2%)
> Median family income, households with children: $44,681 (Nebraska: $77,982)
> Share of households with children receiving SNAP benefits: 30.8% (Nebraska: 13.9%)
> Households headed by single mothers: 8.1% (Nebraska: 10.4%)
> No. of counties considered in ranking: 70
Nevada: Mineral County
> Child poverty rate: 28.3% (Nevada: 17.6%)
> Median family income, households with children: $41,944 (Nevada: $67,738)
> Share of households with children receiving SNAP benefits: 26.4% (Nevada: 18.7%)
> Households headed by single mothers: 20.1% (Nevada: 12.8%)
> No. of counties considered in ranking: 12
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New Hampshire: Coos County
> Child poverty rate: 15.4% (New Hampshire: 8.9%)
> Median family income, households with children: $63,500 (New Hampshire: $100,798)
> Share of households with children receiving SNAP benefits: 24.3% (New Hampshire: 11.3%)
> Households headed by single mothers: 8.1% (New Hampshire: 8.2%)
> No. of counties considered in ranking: 10
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New Jersey: Salem County
> Child poverty rate: 23.7% (New Jersey: 13.3%)
> Median family income, households with children: $81,198 (New Jersey: $106,937)
> Share of households with children receiving SNAP benefits: 20.8% (New Jersey: 12.6%)
> Households headed by single mothers: 13.2% (New Jersey: 10.3%)
> No. of counties considered in ranking: 21
New Mexico: McKinley County
> Child poverty rate: 45.6% (New Mexico: 25.6%)
> Median family income, households with children: $33,518 (New Mexico: $54,886)
> Share of households with children receiving SNAP benefits: 45.4% (New Mexico: 28.4%)
> Households headed by single mothers: 23.7% (New Mexico: 14.0%)
> No. of counties considered in ranking: 28
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New York: Bronx County
> Child poverty rate: 36.8% (New York: 18.7%)
> Median family income, households with children: $40,727 (New York: $83,272)
> Share of households with children receiving SNAP benefits: 44.0% (New York: 19.4%)
> Households headed by single mothers: 27.7% (New York: 12.4%)
> No. of counties considered in ranking: 62
North Carolina: Washington County
> Child poverty rate: 45.7% (North Carolina: 20.0%)
> Median family income, households with children: $25,156 (North Carolina: $68,688)
> Share of households with children receiving SNAP benefits: 46.6% (North Carolina: 20.0%)
> Households headed by single mothers: 23.4% (North Carolina: 12.5%)
> No. of counties considered in ranking: 99
North Dakota: Benson County
> Child poverty rate: 47.6% (North Dakota: 11.1%)
> Median family income, households with children: $31,917 (North Dakota: $86,414)
> Share of households with children receiving SNAP benefits: 39.4% (North Dakota: 10.9%)
> Households headed by single mothers: 21.5% (North Dakota: 9.2%)
> No. of counties considered in ranking: 33
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Ohio: Adams County
> Child poverty rate: 31.4% (Ohio: 19.1%)
> Median family income, households with children: $51,369 (Ohio: $72,130)
> Share of households with children receiving SNAP benefits: 26.2% (Ohio: 19.8%)
> Households headed by single mothers: 13.5% (Ohio: 12.8%)
> No. of counties considered in ranking: 88
Oklahoma: Texas County
> Child poverty rate: 37.5% (Oklahoma: 20.7%)
> Median family income, households with children: $50,897 (Oklahoma: $62,535)
> Share of households with children receiving SNAP benefits: 12.2% (Oklahoma: 20.6%)
> Households headed by single mothers: 12.1% (Oklahoma: 12.5%)
> No. of counties considered in ranking: 77
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Oregon: Malheur County
> Child poverty rate: 30.3% (Oregon: 15.0%)
> Median family income, households with children: $45,016 (Oregon: $78,939)
> Share of households with children receiving SNAP benefits: 41.3% (Oregon: 21.6%)
> Households headed by single mothers: 15.7% (Oregon: 9.9%)
> No. of counties considered in ranking: 32
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Pennsylvania: Philadelphia County
> Child poverty rate: 32.2% (Pennsylvania: 16.7%)
> Median family income, households with children: $47,539 (Pennsylvania: $81,257)
> Share of households with children receiving SNAP benefits: 40.5% (Pennsylvania: 20.3%)
> Households headed by single mothers: 22.7% (Pennsylvania: 11.1%)
> No. of counties considered in ranking: 66
Source: SeanPavonePhoto / iStock via Getty Images
Rhode Island: Providence County
> Child poverty rate: 19.4% (Rhode Island: 15.6%)
> Median family income, households with children: $69,307 (Rhode Island: $83,161)
> Share of households with children receiving SNAP benefits: 25.8% (Rhode Island: 21.0%)
> Households headed by single mothers: 15.1% (Rhode Island: 12.5%)
> No. of counties considered in ranking: 5
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Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
South Carolina: Barnwell County
> Child poverty rate: 47.9% (South Carolina: 21.2%)
> Median family income, households with children: $31,107 (South Carolina: $64,942)
> Share of households with children receiving SNAP benefits: 39.2% (South Carolina: 20.0%)
> Households headed by single mothers: 20.9% (South Carolina: 13.4%)
> No. of counties considered in ranking: 46
South Dakota: Todd County
> Child poverty rate: 69.7% (South Dakota: 16.1%)
> Median family income, households with children: $22,686 (South Dakota: $76,789)
> Share of households with children receiving SNAP benefits: 47.7% (South Dakota: 15.8%)
> Households headed by single mothers: 39.6% (South Dakota: 10.3%)
> No. of counties considered in ranking: 55
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Tennessee: Hancock County
> Child poverty rate: 47.5% (Tennessee: 20.8%)
> Median family income, households with children: $29,620 (Tennessee: $65,852)
> Share of households with children receiving SNAP benefits: 56.3% (Tennessee: 20.9%)
> Households headed by single mothers: 11.1% (Tennessee: 12.4%)
> No. of counties considered in ranking: 93
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Texas: Presidio County
> Child poverty rate: 65.7% (Texas: 20.0%)
> Median family income, households with children: $17,177 (Texas: $71,693)
> Share of households with children receiving SNAP benefits: 43.4% (Texas: 19.3%)
> Households headed by single mothers: 12.7% (Texas: 13.2%)
> No. of counties considered in ranking: 221
Source: AlexMcGuffie / Getty Images
Utah: San Juan County
> Child poverty rate: 26.9% (Utah: 9.9%)
> Median family income, households with children: $59,222 (Utah: $84,298)
> Share of households with children receiving SNAP benefits: 25.0% (Utah: 9.4%)
> Households headed by single mothers: 11.9% (Utah: 7.7%)
> No. of counties considered in ranking: 23
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Vermont: Essex County
> Child poverty rate: 25.0% (Vermont: 12.3%)
> Median family income, households with children: $52,216 (Vermont: $81,902)
> Share of households with children receiving SNAP benefits: 22.6% (Vermont: 15.2%)
> Households headed by single mothers: 12.3% (Vermont: 9.5%)
> No. of counties considered in ranking: 14
Source: Nyttend / Public Domain / Nyttend / Wikimedia Commons
Virginia: Lee County
> Child poverty rate: 45.0% (Virginia: 13.1%)
> Median family income, households with children: $41,331 (Virginia: $93,828)
> Share of households with children receiving SNAP benefits: 37.5% (Virginia: 13.1%)
> Households headed by single mothers: 13.2% (Virginia: 10.8%)
> No. of counties considered in ranking: 124
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Washington: Adams County
> Child poverty rate: 33.3% (Washington: 12.6%)
> Median family income, households with children: $50,897 (Washington: $90,447)
> Share of households with children receiving SNAP benefits: 28.8% (Washington: 16.0%)
> Households headed by single mothers: 17.8% (Washington: 9.4%)
> No. of counties considered in ranking: 36
West Virginia: Calhoun County
> Child poverty rate: 44.6% (West Virginia: 23.1%)
> Median family income, households with children: $45,982 (West Virginia: $59,938)
> Share of households with children receiving SNAP benefits: 40.9% (West Virginia: 26.8%)
> Households headed by single mothers: 6.4% (West Virginia: 10.3%)
> No. of counties considered in ranking: 54
Source: Michael-Tatman / iStock via Getty Images
Wisconsin: Menominee County
> Child poverty rate: 41.9% (Wisconsin: 14.2%)
> Median family income, households with children: $33,155 (Wisconsin: $81,197)
> Share of households with children receiving SNAP benefits: 35.5% (Wisconsin: 16.6%)
> Households headed by single mothers: 29.8% (Wisconsin: 10.2%)
> No. of counties considered in ranking: 72
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Wyoming: Niobrara County
> Child poverty rate: 27.3% (Wyoming: 12.3%)
> Median family income, households with children: $45,500 (Wyoming: $80,825)
> Share of households with children receiving SNAP benefits: 15.7% (Wyoming: 9.2%)
> Households headed by single mothers: 6.4% (Wyoming: 8.7%)
> No. of counties considered in ranking: 20
MethodologyÂ
To determine the county with the highest child poverty rate in every state, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed five-year estimates of child poverty rates from the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2020 American Community Survey.
Counties and county equivalents were excluded if the child poverty rate was not available in the 2020 ACS, if the number of children for whom poverty status was determined was lower than 500, or if the sampling error associated with a county’s data was deemed too high.
The sampling error was defined as too high if the coefficient of variation — a statistical assessment of how reliable an estimate is — for a county’s child poverty rate was above 15% and greater than two standard deviations above the mean CV for all counties’ child poverty rates. We similarly excluded counties that had a sampling error too high for their population, using the same definition.
Counties were ranked based on the share of children living in poverty. To break ties, we used the number of children living in poverty.
Additional information on median income for families with children, the share of households with children receiving benefits from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, and the share of households headed by single mothers are also five-year estimates from the 2020 ACS. Because the Census Bureau didn’t release one-year estimates for 2020 due to data collection issues caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, all ACS data are five-year estimates.
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