Ranked: These Are the 50 Poorest Cities in America

In the year 2023, there was a worrisome rise in the number of American citizens who were living below the poverty line. This was a reversal of the progress that had been made in previous years. The unfortunate trend can be largely attributed to the expiration of safety net programs that were implemented or expanded during the pandemic. These programs included unemployment benefits, nutrition assistance, housing aid, and the boosted child tax credit.

According to the most recent data from the Census Bureau, as reported through the American Community Survey, the poverty rate in the United States is currently at 12.6%. However, this number is even higher in some major cities, indicating that a significant portion of the population is facing financial difficulties. This highlights the harsh reality of many people struggling to make ends meet.

CEOWORLD magazine has conducted a comprehensive review of one-year poverty data from the latest American Community Survey (ACS) to determine which American towns are facing the highest poverty rates. We analyzed data from almost 350 metropolitan statistical areas and ranked them based on the percentage of their population living below the poverty line. 

1. McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX
    > Poverty rate: 27.6%
   > Unemployment rate, 2022: 6.5%
   > Households receiving SNAP benefits: 29.5%
   > Median household income: $49,142
   > Total population: 888,367

2. Albany, GA
   > Poverty rate: 26.2%
   > Unemployment rate, 2022: 3.8%
   > Households receiving SNAP benefits: 27.5%
   > Median household income: $48,376
   > Total population: 146,387

3. Monroe, LA
    > Poverty rate: 24.9%
   > Unemployment rate, 2022: 3.7%
   > Households receiving SNAP benefits: 22.1%
   > Median household income: $44,507
   > Total population: 202,869

4. Las Cruces, NM
    > Poverty rate: 24.5%
   > Unemployment rate, 2022: 4.4%
   > Households receiving SNAP benefits: 26.6%
   > Median household income: $51,967
   > Total population: 223,337

5. Madera, CA
    > Poverty rate: 24.3%
   > Unemployment rate, 2022: 6.1%
   > Households receiving SNAP benefits: 21.7%
   > Median household income: $76,920
   > Total population: 160,256

6. Farmington, NM
    > Poverty rate: 24.1%
   > Unemployment rate, 2022: 4.6%
   > Households receiving SNAP benefits: 22.0%
   > Median household income: $50,264
   > Total population: 120,418

7. El Centro, CA
    > Poverty rate: 22.6%
   > Unemployment rate, 2022: 14.7%
   > Households receiving SNAP benefits: 28.2%
   > Median household income: $57,310
   > Total population: 178,713

8. Brownsville-Harlingen, TX
    > Poverty rate: 22.3%
   > Unemployment rate, 2022: 5.7%
   > Households receiving SNAP benefits: 26.4%
   > Median household income: $50,649
   > Total population: 425,208

9. Texarkana, TX-AR
    > Poverty rate: 21.6%
   > Unemployment rate, 2022: 4.3%
   > Households receiving SNAP benefits: 17.6%
   > Median household income: $48,230
   > Total population: 144,322

10. El Paso, TX
     > Poverty rate: 21.3%
    > Unemployment rate, 2022: 4.3%
    > Households receiving SNAP benefits: 21.1%
    > Median household income: $53,359
    > Total population: 871,323

11. Florence, SC
     > Poverty rate: 21.1%
    > Unemployment rate, 2022: 3.3%
    > Households receiving SNAP benefits: 18.6%
    > Median household income: $50,219
    > Total population: 199,119

12. Parkersburg-Vienna, WV
     > Poverty rate: 20.8%
    > Unemployment rate, 2022: 4.2%
    > Households receiving SNAP benefits: 17.5%
    > Median household income: $55,222
    > Total population: 89,559

13. Athens-Clarke County, GA
     > Poverty rate: 20.6%
    > Unemployment rate, 2022: 3.0%
    > Households receiving SNAP benefits: 11.2%
    > Median household income: $61,978
    > Total population: 220,191

14. Lafayette, LA
     > Poverty rate: 20.2%
    > Unemployment rate, 2022: 3.4%
    > Households receiving SNAP benefits: 19.0%
    > Median household income: $50,837
    > Total population: 481,125

15. Greenville, NC
     > Poverty rate: 20.1%
    > Unemployment rate, 2022: 4.1%
    > Households receiving SNAP benefits: 13.2%
    > Median household income: $57,049
    > Total population: 173,542

16. Macon-Bibb County, GA
     > Poverty rate: 20.1%
    > Unemployment rate, 2022: 3.5%
    > Households receiving SNAP benefits: 19.9%
    > Median household income: $52,574
    > Total population: 235,805

17. Laredo, TX
     > Poverty rate: 20.1%
    > Unemployment rate, 2022: 4.1%
    > Households receiving SNAP benefits: 25.2%
    > Median household income: $59,603
    > Total population: 267,780

18. Hattiesburg, MS
     > Poverty rate: 20.0%
    > Unemployment rate, 2022: 3.5%
    > Households receiving SNAP benefits: 14.8%
    > Median household income: $54,560
    > Total population: 172,263

19. Beckley, WV
     > Poverty rate: 19.8%
    > Unemployment rate, 2022: 4.0%
    > Households receiving SNAP benefits: 20.8%
    > Median household income: $52,633
    > Total population: 112,369

20. Charleston, WV
     > Poverty rate: 19.7%
    > Unemployment rate, 2022: 3.9%
    > Households receiving SNAP benefits: 19.0%
    > Median household income: $53,157
    > Total population: 250,554

21. Tallahassee, FL
     > Poverty rate: 19.6%
    > Unemployment rate, 2022: 3.0%
    > Households receiving SNAP benefits: 12.3%
    > Median household income: $58,018
    > Total population: 391,680

22. Pine Bluff, AR
     > Poverty rate: 19.5%
    > Unemployment rate, 2022: 5.0%
    > Households receiving SNAP benefits: 13.6%
    > Median household income: $44,263
    > Total population: 84,460

23. Hammond, LA
     > Poverty rate: 19.4%
    > Unemployment rate, 2022: 4.3%
    > Households receiving SNAP benefits: 24.4%
    > Median household income: $55,391
    > Total population: 137,048

24. Merced, CA
     > Poverty rate: 19.3%
    > Unemployment rate, 2022: 7.7%
    > Households receiving SNAP benefits: 20.2%
    > Median household income: $66,164
    > Total population: 290,014

25. Champaign-Urbana, IL
     > Poverty rate: 19.1%
    > Unemployment rate, 2022: 3.7%
    > Households receiving SNAP benefits: 10.1%
    > Median household income: $62,108
    > Total population: 223,265

26. Shreveport-Bossier City, LA
     > Poverty rate: 19.1%
    > Unemployment rate, 2022: 3.7%
    > Households receiving SNAP benefits: 17.5%
    > Median household income: $52,775
    > Total population: 385,154

27. Harrisonburg, VA
     > Poverty rate: 19.1%
    > Unemployment rate, 2022: 2.9%
    > Households receiving SNAP benefits: 9.3%
    > Median household income: $64,993
    > Total population: 136,555

28. Grants Pass, OR
     > Poverty rate: 19.0%
    > Unemployment rate, 2022: 5.6%
    > Households receiving SNAP benefits: 23.2%
    > Median household income: $53,838
    > Total population: 87,730

29. Cumberland, MD-WV
     > Poverty rate: 18.9%
    > Unemployment rate, 2022: 4.0%
    > Households receiving SNAP benefits: 21.3%
    > Median household income: $54,618
    > Total population: 94,122

30. Goldsboro, NC
     > Poverty rate: 18.9%
    > Unemployment rate, 2022: 4.0%
    > Households receiving SNAP benefits: 26.1%
    > Median household income: $55,588
    > Total population: 117,286

31. Chico, CA
     > Poverty rate: 18.8%
    > Unemployment rate, 2022: 4.5%
    > Households receiving SNAP benefits: 14.1%
    > Median household income: $64,426
    > Total population: 207,303

32. Muncie, IN
     > Poverty rate: 18.8%
    > Unemployment rate, 2022: 3.5%
    > Households receiving SNAP benefits: 12.8%
    > Median household income: $54,087
    > Total population: 112,031

33. Hanford-Corcoran, CA
     > Poverty rate: 18.8%
    > Unemployment rate, 2022: 7.0%
    > Households receiving SNAP benefits: 18.9%
    > Median household income: $64,368
    > Total population: 152,981

34. Fresno, CA
     > Poverty rate: 18.7%
    > Unemployment rate, 2022: 6.4%
    > Households receiving SNAP benefits: 22.7%
    > Median household income: $69,571
    > Total population: 1,015,190

35. Mobile, AL
     > Poverty rate: 18.7%
    > Unemployment rate, 2022: 3.2%
    > Households receiving SNAP benefits: 17.2%
    > Median household income: $54,313
    > Total population: 428,780

36. Binghamton, NY
     > Poverty rate: 18.7%
    > Unemployment rate, 2022: 3.7%
    > Households receiving SNAP benefits: 12.9%
    > Median household income: $63,427
    > Total population: 244,889

37. Bowling Green, KY
     > Poverty rate: 18.5%
    > Unemployment rate, 2022: 3.7%
    > Households receiving SNAP benefits: 13.1%
    > Median household income: $59,629
    > Total population: 184,636

38. Homosassa Springs, FL
     > Poverty rate: 18.5%
    > Unemployment rate, 2022: 4.1%
    > Households receiving SNAP benefits: 13.6%
    > Median household income: $51,532
    > Total population: 162,529

39. Columbus, GA-AL
     > Poverty rate: 18.5%
    > Unemployment rate, 2022: 3.6%
    > Households receiving SNAP benefits: 16.9%
    > Median household income: $54,106
    > Total population: 324,416

40. Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN
     > Poverty rate: 18.4%
    > Unemployment rate, 2022: 2.8%
    > Households receiving SNAP benefits: 6.7%
    > Median household income: $56,176
    > Total population: 226,250

41. Saginaw, MI
     > Poverty rate: 18.4%
    > Unemployment rate, 2022: 5.6%
    > Households receiving SNAP benefits: 19.7%
    > Median household income: $53,646
    > Total population: 188,330

42. Anniston-Oxford, AL
     > Poverty rate: 18.3%
    > Unemployment rate, 2022: 3.0%
    > Households receiving SNAP benefits: 18.3%
    > Median household income: $52,819
    > Total population: 115,788

43. Joplin, MO
     > Poverty rate: 18.3%
    > Unemployment rate, 2022: 2.4%
    > Households receiving SNAP benefits: 13.4%
    > Median household income: $54,041
    > Total population: 184,086

44. Visalia, CA
     > Poverty rate: 18.2%
    > Unemployment rate, 2022: 8.2%
    > Households receiving SNAP benefits: 24.3%
    > Median household income: $64,722
    > Total population: 477,544

45. Fort Smith, AR-OK
     > Poverty rate: 18.2%
    > Unemployment rate, 2022: 3.3%
    > Households receiving SNAP benefits: 15.9%
    > Median household income: $49,980
    > Total population: 246,751

46. Morgantown, WV
     > Poverty rate: 18.2%
    > Unemployment rate, 2022: 3.5%
    > Households receiving SNAP benefits: 12.1%
    > Median household income: $56,132
    > Total population: 141,041

47. Gainesville, FL
     > Poverty rate: 18.0%
    > Unemployment rate, 2022: 2.8%
    > Households receiving SNAP benefits: 10.6%
    > Median household income: $59,516
    > Total population: 350,903

48. Jonesboro, AR
     > Poverty rate: 17.9%
    > Unemployment rate, 2022: 2.8%
    > Households receiving SNAP benefits: 13.9%
    > Median household income: $59,582
    > Total population: 135,512

49. Hot Springs, AR
     > Poverty rate: 17.9%
    > Unemployment rate, 2022: 3.8%
    > Households receiving SNAP benefits: 9.6%
    > Median household income: $53,145
    > Total population: 100,089

50. Bakersfield, CA
     > Poverty rate: 17.9%
    > Unemployment rate, 2022: 6.9%
    > Households receiving SNAP benefits: 19.7%
    > Median household income: $66,234
    > Total population: 916,108

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