Special Report

These Are the Poorest Counties in Florida

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Incomes are rising rapidly in the United States. According to estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau, the national median household income was nearly $75,000 in 2022, up from about $69,700 in 2021. The 7.2% increase was the largest recorded year-over-year since at least the mid-1990s.

While the typical American household is earning more than ever before, incomes have not been rising fast enough to offset inflation. Throughout 2022, the average rate of inflation hit a 40-year high of 8%, four times the Federal Reserve’s 2% target rate. Accounting for the rising cost of living, real incomes in the U.S. fell by nearly 5% between 2019 and 2022.

While no one has been spared from surging prices, Americans on the low end of the income spectrum have bore the brunt. During inflationary periods, higher-income Americans can cut back on spending and reduce the impact of rising costs. Meanwhile, lower earning Americans, who spend a larger share of their income on necessities such as food, housing, and gas, cannot.

Florida has a median household income of $67,917. But in many parts of the state, the typical household earns far less than the statewide median.

Using five-year estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2022 American Community Survey, 24/7 Wall St. identified the 35 poorest counties in Florida. Counties in the state are ranked on median household income. Population, poverty, and unemployment data are also five-year estimates from the 2022 ACS.

Among the counties on this list, median household incomes are anywhere from about $4,800 to nearly $31,000 below the statewide median. In many of these counties, levels of financial hardship are underscored by widespread poverty. In all but five counties on this list, the share of residents living below the poverty line exceeds the 12.9% statewide poverty rate.

In most of these places, lower than average incomes are attributable not only to low-paying jobs, but also to a lack of employment opportunities. According to the ACS, the average unemployment rate in Florida over the last five years stands at 5.0%. In 24 of the 35 counties on this list, the five-year average jobless rate exceeds the statewide average.

These are the poorest counties in Florida.

35. Volusia County

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  • Median household income: $63,075
  • Poverty rate: 12.2%
  • 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 4.1%
  • Population: 558,520

34. Charlotte County

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  • Median household income: $62,164
  • Poverty rate: 10.5%
  • 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 5.7%
  • Population: 189,900

33. Escambia County

Georgia Guercio / Wikimedia Commons
  • Median household income: $61,642
  • Poverty rate: 14.9%
  • 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 5.8%
  • Population: 321,296

32. Leon County

Michael Rivera / Wikimedia Commons
  • Median household income: $61,317
  • Poverty rate: 19.4%
  • 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 5.6%
  • Population: 294,128

31. Polk County

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  • Median household income: $60,901
  • Poverty rate: 14.8%
  • 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 4.6%
  • Population: 736,229

30. Hernando County

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  • Median household income: $59,202
  • Poverty rate: 12.5%
  • 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 5.9%
  • Population: 196,621

29. Franklin County

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  • Median household income: $58,107
  • Poverty rate: 21.7%
  • 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 8.9%
  • Population: 12,276

28. Lafayette County

  • Median household income: $57,852
  • Poverty rate: 19.3%
  • 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 8.4%
  • Population: 8,107

27. Alachua County

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  • Median household income: $57,566
  • Poverty rate: 20.2%
  • 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 5.1%
  • Population: 279,729

26. Gilchrist County

  • Median household income: $56,823
  • Poverty rate: 12.4%
  • 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 3.1%
  • Population: 18,070

25. Gulf County

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  • Median household income: $56,250
  • Poverty rate: 12.3%
  • 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 4.3%
  • Population: 15,002

24. Marion County

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  • Median household income: $55,265
  • Poverty rate: 14.4%
  • 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 5.9%
  • Population: 378,225

23. Bradford County

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  • Median household income: $54,759
  • Poverty rate: 18.2%
  • 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 5.8%
  • Population: 27,816

22. Highlands County

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  • Median household income: $53,679
  • Poverty rate: 15.6%
  • 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 6.8%
  • Population: 102,339

21. Columbia County

  • Median household income: $53,501
  • Poverty rate: 15.7%
  • 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 6.9%
  • Population: 69,832

20. Citrus County

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  • Median household income: $52,569
  • Poverty rate: 15.0%
  • 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 7.2%
  • Population: 155,173

19. Liberty County

  • Median household income: $51,723
  • Poverty rate: 21.8%
  • 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 8.2%
  • Population: 7,704

18. Jefferson County

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  • Median household income: $51,573
  • Poverty rate: 18.3%
  • 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 6.6%
  • Population: 14,458

17. Okeechobee County

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  • Median household income: $50,476
  • Poverty rate: 19.2%
  • 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 6.1%
  • Population: 39,870

16. Levy County

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  • Median household income: $49,933
  • Poverty rate: 15.7%
  • 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 4.4%
  • Population: 43,268

15. Suwannee County

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  • Median household income: $49,729
  • Poverty rate: 14.4%
  • 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 5.5%
  • Population: 43,881

14. Hendry County

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  • Median household income: $49,259
  • Poverty rate: 22.3%
  • 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 5.8%
  • Population: 39,902

13. Hamilton County

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  • Median household income: $47,668
  • Poverty rate: 26.4%
  • 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 9.2%
  • Population: 13,492

12. Washington County

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  • Median household income: $47,536
  • Poverty rate: 22.7%
  • 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 4.8%
  • Population: 25,014

11. Taylor County

  • Median household income: $46,239
  • Poverty rate: 15.1%
  • 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 5.8%
  • Population: 21,421

10. Jackson County

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  • Median household income: $46,144
  • Poverty rate: 19.2%
  • 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 4.7%
  • Population: 47,704

9. Holmes County

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  • Median household income: $46,063
  • Poverty rate: 16.6%
  • 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 4.7%
  • Population: 19,529

8. Gadsden County

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  • Median household income: $45,721
  • Poverty rate: 25.5%
  • 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 4.3%
  • Population: 43,746

7. Dixie County

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  • Median household income: $45,057
  • Poverty rate: 16.1%
  • 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 5.1%
  • Population: 16,737

6. DeSoto County

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  • Median household income: $45,000
  • Poverty rate: 26.4%
  • 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 9.7%
  • Population: 34,258

5. Putnam County

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  • Median household income: $44,852
  • Poverty rate: 22.8%
  • 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 8.9%
  • Population: 73,604

4. Hardee County

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  • Median household income: $44,665
  • Poverty rate: 28.5%
  • 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 8.6%
  • Population: 25,528

3. Madison County

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  • Median household income: $43,386
  • Poverty rate: 22.4%
  • 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 2.7%
  • Population: 17,986

2. Calhoun County

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  • Median household income: $41,526
  • Poverty rate: 19.9%
  • 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 3.7%
  • Population: 13,753

1. Glades County

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  • Median household income: $37,221
  • Poverty rate: 21.9%
  • 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 5.4%
  • Population: 12,179
Rank County Median household income ($) Poverty rate (%) 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate (%)
1 Glades, Florida 37,221 21.9 5.4
2 Calhoun, Florida 41,526 19.9 3.7
3 Madison, Florida 43,386 22.4 2.7
4 Hardee, Florida 44,665 28.5 8.6
5 Putnam, Florida 44,852 22.8 8.9
6 DeSoto, Florida 45,000 26.4 9.7
7 Dixie, Florida 45,057 16.1 5.1
8 Gadsden, Florida 45,721 25.5 4.3
9 Holmes, Florida 46,063 16.6 4.7
10 Jackson, Florida 46,144 19.2 4.7
11 Taylor, Florida 46,239 15.1 5.8
12 Washington, Florida 47,536 22.7 4.8
13 Hamilton, Florida 47,668 26.4 9.2
14 Hendry, Florida 49,259 22.3 5.8
15 Suwannee, Florida 49,729 14.4 5.5
16 Levy, Florida 49,933 15.7 4.4
17 Okeechobee, Florida 50,476 19.2 6.1
18 Jefferson, Florida 51,573 18.3 6.6
19 Liberty, Florida 51,723 21.8 8.2
20 Citrus, Florida 52,569 15.0 7.2
21 Columbia, Florida 53,501 15.7 6.9
22 Highlands, Florida 53,679 15.6 6.8
23 Bradford, Florida 54,759 18.2 5.8
24 Marion, Florida 55,265 14.4 5.9
25 Gulf, Florida 56,250 12.3 4.3
26 Gilchrist, Florida 56,823 12.4 3.1
27 Alachua, Florida 57,566 20.2 5.1
28 Lafayette, Florida 57,852 19.3 8.4
29 Franklin, Florida 58,107 21.7 8.9
30 Hernando, Florida 59,202 12.5 5.9
31 Polk, Florida 60,901 14.8 4.6
32 Leon, Florida 61,317 19.4 5.6
33 Escambia, Florida 61,642 14.9 5.8
34 Charlotte, Florida 62,164 10.5 5.7
35 Volusia, Florida 63,075 12.2 4.1

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