Large cities and metropolitan areas have long been hubs of economic activity and prosperity in the United States. Places like Boston, Chicago, Dallas, New York, and San Francisco are home to large employers that can afford to pay enough to attract top talent from around the country. As a result, these cities, and many others like them, have a high concentration of high-income residents. (Here is a look at the cities where wages will rise the most by 2060.)
While some American cities stand out for the economic opportunity they offer, many others are notable for the opposite reason. There are 384 metropolitan areas in the United States, and in dozens of them, incomes are far lower than average, and serious financial hardship is widespread.
Using metro area level data from the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2021 American Community Survey, 24/7 Wall St. identified America’s poorest big cities. Metro areas are ranked by median household income in 2021. Supplemental measures are also from the ACS.
Among the places on this list, which are disproportionately concentrated in the South, median household incomes range from just under $52,000 down to $38,700. For context, the typical American household earned $69,717 in 2021. In all but one of these metro areas, the share of residents living below the poverty line exceeds the national poverty rate of 12.8%.
A college education is a primary driver of upward economic mobility in the United States and to higher incomes. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the typical worker with a four-year college degree earns about 65% more than the typical worker with just a high school diploma. Low incomes in many of the cities on this list are likely tied to lower educational attainment. The share of adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher exceeds the 35% national share in only one metro area on this list.
Low incomes in many of these places are also tied to a lack of employment opportunities. According to ACS estimates, the 2021 unemployment rate exceeded the national rate of 6.3% in the majority of metropolitan areas on this list. (Here is a look at the states recovering the fastest from high unemployment.)
Click here for America’s poorest big cities.
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50. Laredo, TX
> Median household income: $51,867
> Poverty rate: 22.4% — 10th highest of 384 metros
> Households with annual incomes under $10,000: 10.3% — 17th highest of 384 metros
> Adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher: 20.6% — 40th lowest of 382 metros
> 2021 unemployment: 6.4% — 123rd highest of 384 metros
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49. El Centro, CA
> Median household income: $51,809
> Poverty rate: 16.4% — 89th highest of 384 metros
> Households with annual incomes under $10,000: 8.2% — 63rd highest of 384 metros
> Adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher: 13.5% — 2nd lowest of 382 metros
> 2021 unemployment: 14.5% — 2nd highest of 384 metros
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48. Rocky Mount, NC
> Median household income: $51,769
> Poverty rate: 15.1% — 113th highest of 384 metros
> Households with annual incomes under $10,000: 8.9% — 37th highest of 384 metros
> Adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher: 21.2% — 50th lowest of 382 metros
> 2021 unemployment: 5.7% — 176th highest of 384 metros
47. Florence-Muscle Shoals, AL
> Median household income: $51,639
> Poverty rate: 17.4% — 59th highest of 384 metros
> Households with annual incomes under $10,000: 7.6% — 85th highest of 384 metros
> Adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher: 24.8% — 106th lowest of 382 metros
> 2021 unemployment: 3.8% — 55th lowest of 384 metros
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46. Lima, OH
> Median household income: $51,497
> Poverty rate: 15.5% — 105th highest of 384 metros
> Households with annual incomes under $10,000: 6.4% — 154th highest of 384 metros
> Adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher: 18.5% — 21st lowest of 382 metros
> 2021 unemployment: 8.2% — 37th highest of 384 metros
45. Cumberland, MD-WV
> Median household income: $51,440
> Poverty rate: 13.5% — 170th highest of 384 metros
> Households with annual incomes under $10,000: 6.8% — 126th highest of 384 metros
> Adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher: 22.8% — 68th lowest of 382 metros
> 2021 unemployment: 5.3% — 173rd lowest of 384 metros
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44. Youngstown-Warren-Boardman, OH-PA
> Median household income: $51,194
> Poverty rate: 16.6% — 84th highest of 384 metros
> Households with annual incomes under $10,000: 8.7% — 44th highest of 384 metros
> Adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher: 25.0% — 111th lowest of 382 metros
> 2021 unemployment: 6.0% — 150th highest of 384 metros
43. Mansfield, OH
> Median household income: $51,158
> Poverty rate: 12.3% — 165th lowest of 384 metros
> Households with annual incomes under $10,000: 7.2% — 105th highest of 384 metros
> Adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher: 17.4% — 11th lowest of 382 metros
> 2021 unemployment: 5.2% — 167th lowest of 384 metros
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42. Johnson City, TN
> Median household income: $51,119
> Poverty rate: 15.1% — 117th highest of 384 metros
> Households with annual incomes under $10,000: 8.1% — 65th highest of 384 metros
> Adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher: 29.8% — 185th lowest of 382 metros
> 2021 unemployment: 5.9% — 157th highest of 384 metros
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41. El Paso, TX
> Median household income: $51,002
> Poverty rate: 20.1% — 23rd highest of 384 metros
> Households with annual incomes under $10,000: 8.7% — 43rd highest of 384 metros
> Adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher: 26.0% — 121st lowest of 382 metros
> 2021 unemployment: 7.9% — 43rd highest of 384 metros
40. Carbondale-Marion, IL
> Median household income: $50,953
> Poverty rate: 17.1% — 66th highest of 384 metros
> Households with annual incomes under $10,000: 9.0% — 36th highest of 384 metros
> Adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher: 28.9% — 167th lowest of 382 metros
> 2021 unemployment: 7.7% — 51st highest of 384 metros
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39. Saginaw, MI
> Median household income: $50,606
> Poverty rate: 21.8% — 13th highest of 384 metros
> Households with annual incomes under $10,000: 10.2% — 18th highest of 384 metros
> Adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher: 22.5% — 65th lowest of 382 metros
> 2021 unemployment: 8.1% — 39th highest of 384 metros
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38. Muncie, IN
> Median household income: $50,497
> Poverty rate: 18.1% — 48th highest of 384 metros
> Households with annual incomes under $10,000: 8.8% — 42nd highest of 384 metros
> Adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher: 24.5% — 98th lowest of 382 metros
> 2021 unemployment: 8.7% — 30th highest of 384 metros
37. Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH
> Median household income: $50,456
> Poverty rate: 17.3% — 61st highest of 384 metros
> Households with annual incomes under $10,000: 9.2% — 31st highest of 384 metros
> Adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher: 22.7% — 67th lowest of 382 metros
> 2021 unemployment: 6.7% — 105th highest of 384 metros
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36. Terre Haute, IN
> Median household income: $50,440
> Poverty rate: 18.0% — 50th highest of 384 metros
> Households with annual incomes under $10,000: 9.3% — 26th highest of 384 metros
> Adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher: 19.7% — 28th lowest of 382 metros
> 2021 unemployment: 6.3% — 125th highest of 384 metros
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35. Texarkana, TX-AR
> Median household income: $50,070
> Poverty rate: 18.1% — 47th highest of 384 metros
> Households with annual incomes under $10,000: 9.3% — 28th highest of 384 metros
> Adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher: 20.9% — 45th lowest of 382 metros
> 2021 unemployment: 5.1% — 157th lowest of 384 metros
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34. College Station-Bryan, TX
> Median household income: $49,927
> Poverty rate: 23.4% — 7th highest of 384 metros
> Households with annual incomes under $10,000: 11.0% — 14th highest of 384 metros
> Adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher: 38.1% — 83rd highest of 382 metros
> 2021 unemployment: 5.8% — 166th highest of 384 metros
33. Hinesville, GA
> Median household income: $49,733
> Poverty rate: 19.3% — 36th highest of 384 metros
> Households with annual incomes under $10,000: 9.3% — 27th highest of 384 metros
> Adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher: 20.8% — 42nd lowest of 382 metros
> 2021 unemployment: 5.5% — 189th highest of 384 metros
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32. æFlorence, SC
> Median household income: $49,724
> Poverty rate: 19.3% — 37th highest of 384 metros
> Households with annual incomes under $10,000: 10.1% — 19th highest of 384 metros
> Adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher: 21.4% — 52nd lowest of 382 metros
> 2021 unemployment: 5.1% — 156th lowest of 384 metros
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31. Mobile, AL
> Median household income: $49,691
> Poverty rate: 17.9% — 53rd highest of 384 metros
> Households with annual incomes under $10,000: 9.2% — 32nd highest of 384 metros
> Adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher: 22.3% — 62nd lowest of 382 metros
> 2021 unemployment: 7.0% — 86th highest of 384 metros
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30. Lawton, OK
> Median household income: $49,422
> Poverty rate: 20.1% — 22nd highest of 384 metros
> Households with annual incomes under $10,000: 7.5% — 93rd highest of 384 metros
> Adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher: 24.3% — 94th lowest of 382 metros
> 2021 unemployment: 7.5% — 63rd highest of 384 metros
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29. Weirton-Steubenville, WV-OH
> Median household income: $49,362
> Poverty rate: 16.9% — 77th highest of 384 metros
> Households with annual incomes under $10,000: 7.9% — 77th highest of 384 metros
> Adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher: 22.5% — 64th lowest of 382 metros
> 2021 unemployment: 7.7% — 49th highest of 384 metros
28. Danville, IL
> Median household income: $49,091
> Poverty rate: 20.9% — 17th highest of 384 metros
> Households with annual incomes under $10,000: 7.5% — 91st highest of 384 metros
> Adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher: 15.9% — 6th lowest of 382 metros
> 2021 unemployment: 6.6% — 109th highest of 384 metros
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27. Fort Smith, AR-OK
> Median household income: $49,065
> Poverty rate: 19.6% — 27th highest of 384 metros
> Households with annual incomes under $10,000: 8.5% — 54th highest of 384 metros
> Adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher: 20.3% — 33rd lowest of 382 metros
> 2021 unemployment: 5.8% — 165th highest of 384 metros
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26. Grants Pass, OR
> Median household income: $48,785
> Poverty rate: 16.7% — 80th highest of 384 metros
> Households with annual incomes under $10,000: 5.5% — 146th lowest of 384 metros
> Adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher: 21.0% — 46th lowest of 382 metros
> 2021 unemployment: 9.7% — 16th highest of 384 metros
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25. Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA
> Median household income: $48,771
> Poverty rate: 16.9% — 74th highest of 384 metros
> Households with annual incomes under $10,000: 8.8% — 41st highest of 384 metros
> Adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher: 21.9% — 59th lowest of 382 metros
> 2021 unemployment: 6.6% — 108th highest of 384 metros
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24. Albany, GA
> Median household income: $48,659
> Poverty rate: 18.7% — 41st highest of 384 metros
> Households with annual incomes under $10,000: 8.4% — 56th highest of 384 metros
> Adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher: 23.0% — 71st lowest of 382 metros
> 2021 unemployment: 7.6% — 56th highest of 384 metros
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