Poverty Rate in Mississippi
ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates
Poverty Rate
18.9% +50.0% vs nat'l
Rank #50 of 52
How Mississippi Compares
Mississippi
18.9%
National
12.6%
50.0% above
State Ranking
| Rank | State | Value |
|---|---|---|
| #47 | Kentucky | 16.1% |
| #48 | West Virginia | 16.7% |
| #49 | New Mexico | 17.8% |
| #50 | Mississippi | 18.9% |
| #51 | Louisiana | 18.9% |
| #52 | Puerto Rico | 40.5% |
Highest Poverty Counties in Mississippi
| # | County | Poverty |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | DeSoto County | 9.7% |
| 2 | Rankin County | 9.8% |
| 3 | Madison County | 11.2% |
| 4 | Hancock County | 13.8% |
| 5 | Jackson County | 13.8% |
| 6 | Lee County | 14.6% |
| 7 | Lamar County | 14.7% |
| 8 | Union County | 15.1% |
| 9 | Itawamba County | 15.5% |
| 10 | Alcorn County | 15.8% |
Lowest Poverty Counties in Mississippi
| # | County | Poverty |
|---|---|---|
| 82 | Holmes County | 36.4% |
| 81 | Coahoma County | 35.5% |
| 80 | Bolivar County | 32.6% |
| 79 | Jefferson County | 32.5% |
| 78 | Leflore County | 31.5% |
| 77 | Tunica County | 31.1% |
| 76 | Sharkey County | 30.9% |
| 75 | Yazoo County | 30.8% |
| 74 | Claiborne County | 30.7% |
| 73 | Quitman County | 29.6% |
Poverty Rate in Mississippi
Mississippi has a poverty rate of 18.9%, ranking #50 of 52 among all 52 states and territories. This is 50.0% above the national value of 12.6%.
Across Mississippi's 82 counties, poverty rate ranges from 36.4% to 9.7%. The county with the highest value is DeSoto County at 9.7%.
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.