America is a superpower and the richest country in the world, and yet there is extreme poverty in each state of the Union. Whether it is the inner city or some rural community in Mississippi, people are suffering from lack of education, jobs and opportunity. In many cases, the poorest county can be located just miles from an epicenter of wealth and yet the residents can’t get ahead of the economic game for a myriad of reasons. The U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey was recently released and shows a shocking trend of poverty-stricken regions in the country. The data indicated that out of 50 of the nation’s poorest counties at least 24 were located in rural areas. In addition, in some states — like New York and Pennsylvania — poverty was concentrated in the inner city.
These are poorest counties in each state, according to recent data.
- Sumter County, Alabama
-County median household income, 2009-2013: $22,186
– State median household income, 2009-2013: $43,253
– Poverty rate, 2009-2013: 38 percent
Unemployment, 2013: 9.9 percent
- Bethel Census Area, Alaska
– County median household income, 2009-2013: $51,689
– State median household income, 2009-2013: $70,760
– Poverty rate, 2009-2013: 22.8 percent
– Unemployment, 2013: 15.4 percent
- Apache County, Arizona
– County median household income, 2009-2013: $31,476
– State median household income, 2009-2013: $49,774
– Poverty rate, 2009-2013: 36.2 percent
– Unemployment, 2013: 19.8 percent
- Lee County, Arkansas
– County median household income, 2009-2013: $25,034
– State median household income, 2009-2013: $40,768
– Poverty rate, 2009-2013: 31.5 percent
– Unemployment, 2013: 11.2 percent
- Lake County, California
– County median household income, 2009-2013: $36,548
– State median household income, 2009-2013: $61,094
– Poverty rate, 2009-2013: 25 percent
– Unemployment, 2013: 11.9 percent
- Otero County, Colorado
– County median household income, 2009-2013: $33,848
– State median household income, 2009-2013: $58,433
– Poverty rate, 2009-2013: 25.2 percent
– Unemployment, 2013: 8.8 percent
- Windham County, Connecticut
– County median household income, 2009-2013: $59,333
– State median household income, 2009-2013: $69,461
– Poverty rate, 2009-2013: 11.4 percent
– Unemployment, 2013: 8.7 percent
- Sussex County, Delaware
– County median household income, 2009-2013: $52,710
– State median household income, 2009-2013: $59,878
– Poverty rate, 2009-2013: 13.4 percent
– Unemployment, 2013: 6.7 percent
- Putnam County, Florida
– County median household income, 2009-2013: $32,497
– State median household income, 2009-2013: $46,956
– Poverty rate, 2009-2013: 26.4 percent
– Unemployment, 2013: 9.4 percent
- Telfair County, Georgia
– County median household income, 2009-2013: $26,634
– State median household income, 2009-2013: $49,179
– Poverty rate, 2009-2013: 30.5 percent
– Unemployment, 2013: 15.6 percent
- Hawaii County, Hawaii
– County median household income, 2009-2013: $51,250
– State median household income, 2009-2013: $67,402
– Poverty rate, 2009-2013: 18.3 percent
– Unemployment, 2013: 6.8 percent
- Madison County, Idaho
– County median household income, 2009-2013: $32,059
– State median household income, 2009-2013: $46,767
– Poverty rate, 2009-2013: 35.8 percent
– Unemployment, 2013: 4.6 percent
- Jackson County, Illinois
– County median household income, 2009-2013: $33,479
– State median household income, 2009-2013: $56,797
– Poverty rate, 2009-2013: 30.4 percent
– Unemployment, 2013: 7.9 percent
- Fayette County, Indiana
– County median household income, 2009-2013: $37,391
– State median household income, 2009-2013: $48,248
– Poverty rate, 2009-2013: 23 percent
– Unemployment, 2013: 10.3 percent
- Appanoose County, Iowa
– County median household income, 2009-2013: $39,208
– State median household income, 2009-2013: $51,843
– Poverty rate, 2009-2013: 15.2 percent
– Unemployment, 2013: 6.4 percent
- Crawford County, Kansas
– County median household income, 2009-2013: $37,378
– State median household income, 2009-2013: $51,332
– Poverty rate, 2009-2013: 20.6 percent
– Unemployment, 2013: 5.6 percent
- McCreary County, Kentucky
– County median household income, 2009-2013: $20,972
– State median household income, 2009-2013: $43,036
– Poverty rate, 2009-2013: 30.3 percent
– Unemployment, 2013: 13.5 percent
- Madison Parish, Louisiana
– County median household income, 2009-2013: $25,498
– State median household income, 2009-2013: $44,874
– Poverty rate, 2009-2013: 40.3 percent
– Unemployment, 2013: 9.7 percent
- Piscataquis County, Maine
– County median household income, 2009-2013: $36,646
– State median household income, 2009-2013: $48,453
– Poverty rate, 2009-2013: 18.5 percent
– Unemployment, 2013: 9.6 percent
- Somerset County, Maryland
– County median household income, 2009-2013: $38,447
– State median household income, 2009-2013: $73,538
– Poverty rate, 2009-2013: 23.4 percent
– Unemployment, 2013: 9.9 percent
- Berkshire County, Massachusetts
– County median household income, 2009-2013: $48,450
– State median household income, 2009-2013: $66,866
– Poverty rate, 2009-2013: 12.8 percent
– Unemployment, 2013: 7.1 percent
- Lake County, Michigan
– County median household income, 2009-2013: $29,379
– State median household income, 2009-2013: $48,411
– Poverty rate, 2009-2013: 27.9 percent
– Unemployment, 2013: 13.1 percent
- Wadena County, Minnesota
– County median household income, 2009-2013: $36,928
– State median household income, 2009-2013: $59,836
– Poverty rate, 2009-2013: 16.9 percent
– Unemployment, 2013: 7.1 percent
- Holmes County, Mississippi
– County median household income, 2009-2013: $22,325
– State median household income, 2009-2013: $39,031
– Poverty rate, 2009-2013: 43.5 percent
– Unemployment, 2013: 16.5 percent
- Oregon County, Missouri
– County median household income, 2009-2013: $27,743
– State median household income, 2009-2013: $47,380
– Poverty rate, 2009-2013: 27.7 percent
– Unemployment, 2013: 6.6 percent
- Sanders County, Montana
– County median household income, 2009-2013: $32,881
– State median household income, 2009-2013: $46,230
– Poverty rate, 2009-2013: 22 percent
– Unemployment, 2013: 12.6 percent
- Red Willow County, Nebraska
– County median household income, 2009-2013: $42,345
– State median household income, 2009-2013: $51,672
– Poverty rate, 2009-2013: 12.7 percent
– Unemployment, 2013: 3.1 percent
- Nye County, Nevada
– County median household income, 2009-2013: $39,876
– State median household income, 2009-2013: $52,800
– Poverty rate, 2009-2013: 18 percent
– Unemployment, 2013: 11.9 percent
- Coos County, New Hampshire
– County median household income, 2009-2013: $41,985
– State median household income, 2009-2013: $64,916
– Poverty rate, 2009-2013: 13.4 percent
– Unemployment, 2013: 6.4 percent
- Cumberland County, New Jersey
– County median household income, 2009-2013: $50,750
– State median household income, 2009-2013: $71,629
– Poverty rate, 2009-2013: 17.5 percent
– Unemployment, 2013: 12.2 percent
- Sierra County, New Mexico
– County median household income, 2009-2013: $27,430
– State median household income, 2009-2013: $44,927
– Poverty rate, 2009-2013: 22.6 percent
– Unemployment, 2013: 6.2 percent
- Bronx County, New York
– County median household income, 2009-2013: $34,388
– State median household income, 2009-2013: $58,003
– Poverty rate, 2009-2013: 29.8 percent
– Unemployment, 2013: 11.8 percent
- Scotland County, North Carolina
– County median household income, 2009-2013: $29,592
– State median household income, 2009-2013: $46,334
– Poverty rate, 2009-2013: 32.3 percent
– Unemployment, 2013: 14.6 percent
- Rolette County, North Dakota
– County median household income, 2009-2013: $31,336
– State median household income, 2009-2013: $53,741
– Poverty rate, 2009-2013: 36 percent
– Unemployment, 2013: 12.9 percent
- Athens County, Ohio
– County median household income, 2009-2013: $33,823
– State median household income, 2009-2013: $48,308
– Poverty rate, 2009-2013: 31.7%
– Unemployment, 2013: 8.4%
- Pushmataha County, Oklahoma
– County median household income, 2009-2013: $29,897
– State median household income, 2009-2013: $45,339
– Poverty rate, 2009-2013: 26.5%
– Unemployment, 2013: 7.6%
- Malheur County, Oregon
– County median household income, 2009-2013: $35,578
– State median household income, 2009-2013: $50,229
– Poverty rate, 2009-2013: 27.4%
– Unemployment, 2013: 8.7%
- Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania
– County median household income, 2009-2013: $37,192
– State median household income, 2009-2013: $52,548
– Poverty rate, 2009-2013: 26.5%
– Unemployment, 2013: 10.0%
- Providence County, Rhode Island
– County median household income, 2009-2013: $49,297
– State median household income, 2009-2013: $56,361
– Poverty rate, 2009-2013: 17.1 percent
– Unemployment, 2013: 10.2 percent
- Allendale County, South Carolina
– County median household income, 2009-2013: $25,252
– State median household income, 2009-2013: $44,779
– Poverty rate, 2009-2013: 36 percent
– Unemployment, 2013: 14 percent
- Shannon County, South Dakota
– County median household income, 2009-2013: $25,648
– State median household income, 2009-2013: $49,495
– Poverty rate, 2009-2013: 53.2 percent
– Unemployment, 2013: 12.9 percent
- Grundy County, Tennessee
– County median household income, 2009-2013: $26,814
– State median household income, 2009-2013: $44,298
– Poverty rate, 2009-2013: 29.7 percent
– Unemployment, 2013: 9.5 percent
- Starr County, Texas
– County median household income, 2009-2013: $24,927
– State median household income, 2009-2013: $51,900
– Poverty rate, 2009-2013: 39.2 percent
– Unemployment, 2013: 15.4 percent
- San Juan County, Utah
– County median household income, 2009-2013: $40,492
– State median household income, 2009-2013: $58,821
– Poverty rate, 2009-2013: 27.1 percent
– Unemployment, 2013: 9.3 percent
- Orleans County, Vermont
– County median household income, 2009-2013: $41,953
– State median household income, 2009-2013: $54,267
– Poverty rate, 2009-2013: 15.4 percent
– Unemployment, 2013: 6.2 percent
- Martinsville, Virginia
– County median household income, 2009-2013: $28,116
– State median household income, 2009-2013: $63,907
– Poverty rate, 2009-2013: 27.2 percent
– Unemployment, 2013: 12.1 percent
- Whitman County, Washington
– County median household income, 2009-2013: $36,257
– State median household income, 2009-2013: $59,478
– Poverty rate, 2009-2013: 32.6 percent
– Unemployment, 2013: 6.2 percent
- McDowell County, West Virginia
– County median household income, 2009-2013: $22,252
– State median household income, 2009-2013: $41,043
– Poverty rate, 2009-2013: 36.3 percent
– Unemployment, 2013: 10 percent
- Ashland County, Wisconsin
– County median household income, 2009-2013: $38,550
– State median household income, 2009-2013: $52,413
– Poverty rate, 2009-2013: 18.8 percent
– Unemployment, 2013: 9 percent
- Albany County, Wyoming
– County median household income, 2009-2013: $42,774
– State median household income, 2009-2013: $57,406
– Poverty rate, 2009-2013: 26 percent
– Unemployment, 2013: 4 percent
