Top 10 Poorest States in the U.S.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the national poverty rate was 12.7% in 2023, up from 12.4% in 2022. These states have the highest percentages of poverty in the country: Puerto Rico, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Mexico, West Virginia, Kentucky, Oklahoma, Arkansas, New York and Tennessee.

As a Quaker organization, FCNL seeks to eliminate poverty at home and abroad through economic policies that expand opportunities for all people.

For the states with the highest rates of hunger, click here.