Poverty Rate in Alabama

ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates

Poverty Rate
15.6% +24.0% vs nat'l
Rank #45 of 52
14th %ile

How Alabama Compares

Alabama
15.6%
National
12.6%
24.0% above

State Ranking

Rank State Value
#42 South Carolina 14.1%
#43 Oklahoma 15.3%
#44 District of Columbia 15.4%
#45 Alabama 15.6%
#46 Arkansas 16.0%
#47 Kentucky 16.1%
#48 West Virginia 16.7%
View full state ranking →

Highest Poverty Counties in Alabama

# County Poverty
1 Shelby County 7.2%
2 Limestone County 10.0%
3 Baldwin County 10.1%
4 Madison County 10.1%
5 Elmore County 10.3%
6 Autauga County 11.3%
7 St. Clair County 11.4%
8 Lauderdale County 12.2%
9 Blount County 12.9%
10 Coosa County 13.1%

Lowest Poverty Counties in Alabama

# County Poverty
67 Greene County 40.1%
66 Bullock County 33.3%
65 Perry County 31.4%
64 Dallas County 31.0%
63 Lowndes County 29.9%
62 Wilcox County 28.2%
61 Conecuh County 27.8%
60 Sumter County 26.5%
59 Hale County 24.6%
58 Macon County 24.3%

Poverty Rate in Alabama

Alabama has a poverty rate of 15.6%, ranking #45 of 52 among all 52 states and territories. This is 24.0% above the national value of 12.6%.

Across Alabama's 67 counties, poverty rate ranges from 40.1% to 7.2%. The county with the highest value is Shelby County at 7.2%.

Percentage of the population living below the federal poverty line.

About this data

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates (2024). All values are estimates derived from survey samples and are subject to margin of error. For more information, see our methodology.