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
Source: Ken Badgley / iStock via Getty Images
- Median household income: $63,075
- Poverty rate: 12.2%
- 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 4.1%
- Population: 558,520
34. Charlotte County
Source: DawnDamico / iStock Editorial via Getty Images
- Median household income: $62,164
- Poverty rate: 10.5%
- 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 5.7%
- Population: 189,900
33. Escambia County
Source: 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
Source: 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
Source: Sean Pavone / iStock via Getty Images
- Median household income: $60,901
- Poverty rate: 14.8%
- 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 4.6%
- Population: 736,229
30. Hernando County
Source: Sean Craft / iStock via Getty Images
- Median household income: $59,202
- Poverty rate: 12.5%
- 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 5.9%
- Population: 196,621
29. Franklin County
Source: BOB WESTON / Getty Images
- 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
Source: DouglasGreen / Wikimedia Commons
- 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
Source: Jacob Boomsma / iStock via Getty Images
- Median household income: $56,250
- Poverty rate: 12.3%
- 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 4.3%
- Population: 15,002
24. Marion County
Source: Ken Badgley / iStock via Getty Images
- Median household income: $55,265
- Poverty rate: 14.4%
- 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 5.9%
- Population: 378,225
23. Bradford County
Source: fotoguy22 / iStock via Getty Images
- Median household income: $54,759
- Poverty rate: 18.2%
- 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 5.8%
- Population: 27,816
22. Highlands County
Source: felixmizioznikov / iStock via Getty Images
- 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
Source: Xianghong Garrison / iStock via Getty Images
- 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
Source: Michael Warren / iStock via Getty Images
- Median household income: $51,573
- Poverty rate: 18.3%
- 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 6.6%
- Population: 14,458
17. Okeechobee County
Source: 6381380 / iStock via Getty Images
- Median household income: $50,476
- Poverty rate: 19.2%
- 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 6.1%
- Population: 39,870
16. Levy County
Source: Michael Warren / Getty Images
- Median household income: $49,933
- Poverty rate: 15.7%
- 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 4.4%
- Population: 43,268
15. Suwannee County
Source: traveler1116 / iStock via Getty Images
- Median household income: $49,729
- Poverty rate: 14.4%
- 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 5.5%
- Population: 43,881
14. Hendry County
Source: Ebyabe / Wikimedia Commons
- Median household income: $49,259
- Poverty rate: 22.3%
- 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 5.8%
- Population: 39,902
13. Hamilton County
Source: Simplyphotos / iStock via Getty Images
- Median household income: $47,668
- Poverty rate: 26.4%
- 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 9.2%
- Population: 13,492
12. Washington County
Source: BOB WESTON / iStock via Getty Images
- 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
Source: Ken Badgley / iStock Editorial via Getty Images
- Median household income: $46,144
- Poverty rate: 19.2%
- 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 4.7%
- Population: 47,704
9. Holmes County
Source: BOB WESTON / iStock via Getty Images
- Median household income: $46,063
- Poverty rate: 16.6%
- 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 4.7%
- Population: 19,529
8. Gadsden County
Source: raksybH / iStock via Getty Images
- Median household income: $45,721
- Poverty rate: 25.5%
- 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 4.3%
- Population: 43,746
7. Dixie County
Source: suwanneeredhead / iStock via Getty Images
- Median household income: $45,057
- Poverty rate: 16.1%
- 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 5.1%
- Population: 16,737
6. DeSoto County
Source: BOB WESTON / iStock via Getty Images
- Median household income: $45,000
- Poverty rate: 26.4%
- 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 9.7%
- Population: 34,258
5. Putnam County
Source: Scott Olson / Staff / Getty Images
- Median household income: $44,852
- Poverty rate: 22.8%
- 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 8.9%
- Population: 73,604
4. Hardee County
Source: csfotoimages / iStock Editorial via Getty Images
- Median household income: $44,665
- Poverty rate: 28.5%
- 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 8.6%
- Population: 25,528
3. Madison County
Source: Michael Warren / iStock via Getty Images
- Median household income: $43,386
- Poverty rate: 22.4%
- 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 2.7%
- Population: 17,986
2. Calhoun County
Source: BOB WESTON / iStock via Getty Images
- Median household income: $41,526
- Poverty rate: 19.9%
- 5-yr. avg. unemployment rate: 3.7%
- Population: 13,753
1. Glades County
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
- 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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