List of lowest-income places in the United States


This is a list of lowest-income places in the United States. According to the United States Census Bureau, the following are the places in the United States with the lowest median household income. Locations with populations from the 2013—2017 American Community Survey are ranked by median household income — the median household income figures are also from the 2013—2017 American Community Survey. The "places" used in this article are what the U.S. Census Bureau defines as "places". In the United States, the place with the lowest median household income was Little River, California, while the place with the lowest median household income with a population of more than 1,000 was Comerío Zona Urbana in Comerío, Puerto Rico.
In terms of geographic size, Pine Ridge Indian Reservation and the adjacent Rosebud Indian Reservation have long been among the lowest income areas in the United States — Wounded Knee, South Dakota, which is within the Pine Ridge Reservation, had the 7th lowest median household income out of all places in the 50 states/D.C./Puerto Rico.
In terms of population size, 3 out of 5 of the largest counties are predominantly, or majority white, ranging from 98% to 99% white, while two counties are predominantly black at 60% and 68% black, while the fifth one is 99% Native American.
The U.S. territories have the highest poverty rates in the United States, and many of the lowest-income places in the United States are found in the U.S. territories. In 2018, Comerío Municipality, Puerto Rico had a median household income of $12,812 — the lowest of any county or county-equivalent in the United States.

Places (2013—2017 American Community Survey)

The data below is for annual median household income in the 50 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico — the data is based on 2013–2017 American Community Survey data from the U.S. Census Bureau; populations are also from the 2013–2017 American Community Survey. Places with a population of over 1,000 are shown in bold.
Most of the lowest-income places with more than 1,000 people are located in Puerto Rico. Places in Puerto Rico such as zona urbanas and comunidads are Census-Designated Places. Locations in the U.S. territories are included, but are not ranked because they have 2010 data. Data is collected annually for the 50 states, District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, but data is not collected annually in other U.S. territories.
For comparison, in 2017 the median household income of the United States was $57,652.
RankPlaceState
or territory		2013-2017 Annual
Median Household
Income		Population
1Little River CDPCalifornia$3,19482
2Villanueva CDPNew Mexico$4,638111
3Nottoway Court House CDPVirginia$5,685137
4Lower Santan Village CDPArizona$5,857395
5Comerío Zona UrbanaPuerto Rico$6,2424,312
6Anon Raices ComunidadPuerto Rico$7,206122
7Wounded Knee CDPSouth Dakota$7,292521
8Barceloneta Zona UrbanaPuerto Rico$7,8973,920
9Sabana comunidadPuerto Rico$8,6871,093
10Haivana NakyaArizona$8,750143
11Palmarejo comunidad Puerto Rico$8,8391,563
12Chula Vista CDP Texas$8,846486
13Ravalli CDPMontana$8,88241
14Pajonal comunidadPuerto Rico$8,889495
15Valley Ford CDPCalifornia$8,947198
16Long Hollow CDPSouth Dakota$9,063242
17Santa Clara comunidadPuerto Rico$9,0631,037
18Rincon Zona UrbanaPuerto Rico$9,107949
19Whitley City CDPKentucky$9,2341,231
20Boqueron comunidad Puerto Rico$9,2381,139
21Aguada Zona UrbanaPuerto Rico$9,2552,615
22Sabana Eneas comunidadPuerto Rico$9,4091,204
23Oak Hill townAlabama$9,46411
24Suarez comunidadPuerto Rico$9,5241,931
25Tecolote CDPNew Mexico$9,538235
26Norristown CDPGeorgia$9,58359
27Upper Santan Village CDPArizona$9,659391
28Fuig comunidadPuerto Rico$10,0671,108
29Adjuntas Zona UrbanaPuerto Rico$10,2574,302
30South Greenfield villageMissouri$10,278131
31Boligee townAlabama$10,313602
32El Tumbao comunidadPuerto Rico$10,3961,802
33Sarah Ann CDPWest Virginia$10,450262
34Buena Vista comunidad Puerto Rico$10,455816
35South Acomita VillageNew Mexico$10,50057
36Maria Antonia comunidadPuerto Rico$10,5261,115
37Naranjito Zona UrbanaPuerto Rico$10,5321,593
38Juncal comunidadPuerto Rico$10,608631
39El Ojo comunidadPuerto Rico$10,6251,329
40Miranda comunidadPuerto Rico$10,6401,717
41Maricao Zona UrbanaPuerto Rico$10,667662
42Pueblito del Carmen comunidadPuerto Rico$10,882692
43White Mesa CDPUtah$10,972132
44Caban comunidadPuerto Rico$11,0393,408
45Pole Ojea comunidadPuerto Rico$11,1131,644
46Ceiba comunidadPuerto Rico$11,1502,524
47Palomas comunidad Puerto Rico$11,1562,083
48Camuy Zona UrbanaPuerto Rico$11,1633,816
49La Ochenta comunidadPuerto Rico$11,207729
50Oak Hill cityKansas$11,25073
51Lomas comunidadPuerto Rico$11,2801,253
52Aguadilla Zona UrbanaPuerto Rico$11,44111,581
53Barranquitas Zona UrbanaPuerto Rico$11,5731,945
54La Yuca comunidadPuerto Rico$11,591525
55Farrell CDPMississippi$11,696264
56Playita Cortada comunidadPuerto Rico$11,7141,273
57LaGrange townArkansas$11,75063
58Bayside CDPVirginia$11,753224
59Santa Rita CDPMontana$11,808212
60Homestead Base CDPFlorida$11,824843
61Morovis Zona UrbanaPuerto Rico$11,8472,198
62San Sebastian Zona UrbanaPuerto Rico$11,8588,614
63Loiza Zona UrbanaPuerto Rico$11,8893,439
64Playa Fortuna comunidadPuerto Rico$11,9601,375
65Quebrada comunidadPuerto Rico$11,964993
66La Alianza comunidadPuerto Rico$11,9951,793
—Si'ufaga villageAmerican Samoa$12,000175
67Allen CDPSouth Dakota$12,083470
68Franklin CDPMaryland$12,117263
69Vieques comunidadPuerto Rico$12,1472,648
70Calzada comunidadPuerto Rico$12,188184
71Acietunas comunidadPuerto Rico$12,2151,706
72Palmer comunidadPuerto Rico$12,2661,108
73Llano del Medio CDPNew Mexico$12,344136
74Casa Blanca CDPArizona$12,3961,189
75Pageton CDPWest Virginia$12,411147
—San Antonio villageNorthern Mariana Islands$12,4141,149
76Playita comunidad Puerto Rico$12,4481,561
77La Playa comunidadPuerto Rico$12,4672,349
78Brecon CDPOhio$12,487490
—Olosega villageAmerican Samoa$12,500172
79Organ CDPNew Mexico$12,500225
80Tallaboa Alta comunidadPuerto Rico$12,5001,934
81Rawls Springs CDPMississippi$12,527866
82Santa Isabel Zona UrbanaPuerto Rico$12,6036,042
83Corozal Zona UrbanaPuerto Rico$12,6919,203
84Mountain Road CDPVirginia$12,7911,055
85Jobos comunidadPuerto Rico$12,7272,132
86Lares Zona UrbanaPuerto Rico$12,7424,615
87Patillas Zona UrbanaPuerto Rico$12,7483,826
88Reader CDPArkansas$12,788157
89Las Ollas comunidadPuerto Rico$12,8061,772
90Shageluk cityAlaska$12,81363
91Morgan CityMississippi$12,857250
92Ciales Zona UrbanaPuerto Rico$12,9142,276
93Buena Vista comunidad Puerto Rico$12,9571,257
94Liborio Negron Torres comunidadPuerto Rico$12,9661,482
95Cidra Zona UrbanaPuerto Rico$13,0115,427
96Matewan townWest Virginia$13,105460
97Bajandas comunidadPuerto Rico$13,112747
98Alligator townMississippi$13,125100
99Sidon townMississippi$13,125456
100Lluveras comunidadPuerto Rico$13,1411,228
101LivingstonAlabama$13,2723,416
102Manati Zona UrbanaPuerto Rico$13,27813,130
103Boy RiverMinnesota$13,28159
104Palmas comunidadPuerto Rico$13,2881,135
105McKeeKentucky$13,3061,179

Other places

Other places that had a low median household income and a population greater than 1,000 :
Other places in the U.S. territories with a low median household income in 2010:
has the lowest per capita income in the United States. American Samoa's Manu'a District had a per capita income of $5,441 in 2010, while American Samoa overall had a per capita income of $6,311 in 2010. Puerto Rico's municipalities also have low per capita incomes — in 2018, Maricao Municipality, Puerto Rico had a per capita income of $5,974, the lowest of any county or county-equivalent in the American Community Survey. Puerto Rico overall had a per capita income of $12,451 in 2018.
Among U.S. states, Mississippi had a low per capita income in 2018.

Large cities with a high percentage of low income residents

For the survey, a large city is defined as a city with a population of 250,000 or more. Percentage of residents living below the U.S. government established poverty income level is listed, based on 2012 US Census estimates.
  1. Detroit, Michigan 42.3%
  2. Cleveland, Ohio 36.1%
  3. Cincinnati, Ohio 34.1%
  4. Miami, Florida 31.7%
  5. Fresno, California 31.5%
  6. Buffalo, New York 30.9%
  7. Newark, New Jersey 30.4%
  8. Toledo, Ohio 30.1%
  9. Milwaukee, Wisconsin 29.9%
  10. St. Louis, Missouri 29.2%

    2000 census

The most sizable community in 2000 was Kiryas Joel, New York which had a per capita income of just $4,355.