What is the poorest city in the Midwest?

While pinpointing a single "poorest" city is complex and depends on the metric (poverty rate, median income) and year, Flint, Michigan, Gary, Indiana, East St. Louis, Illinois, and Detroit, Michigan, consistently rank among the Midwest's poorest cities, often appearing on national lists due to high poverty rates and low median incomes. Flint and Gary frequently lead lists for specific states or regions, with significant portions of their populations living below the poverty line.

What are the top 10 poorest cities in the United States?

These Are the 10 Poorest Cities in the United States:

• Flint, Michigan.
• Gary, Indiana.
• Camden, New Jersey.
• Detroit, Michigan.
• Reading, Pennsylvania.
• Cleveland, Ohio.
• Canton, Ohio.
• Erie, Pennsylvania.

What state is #1 in poverty?

Mississippi consistently ranks as the state with the highest poverty rate in the U.S., often followed by states like Louisiana, New Mexico, and West Virginia, according to World Population Review data from late 2024/early 2025 and U.S. Census data cited by FCNL and Visual Capitalist. Factors contributing to Mississippi's high poverty include low median household income, lower educational attainment, and higher rates of child poverty, though rates have seen some improvement over the years.
 

Is the Midwest the poorest region?

The average official poverty rate in Midwest was 9.8% which is lower than in the U.S. (11.2%). The share of people in poverty based on the SPM ranged from 5.9% in Minnesota to 9.5% in Illinois. The average SPM in the Midwest was 7.9%, much lower than in the U.S. (11.2%).

What is the poorest city in the state of Illinois?

Below are the Top 10 Poorest City in Illinois 2022: Rank City 1 Carbondale 2 East St. Louis 3 Harvey 4 Sauk Village 5 Cahokia 6 Urbana 7 Macomb 8 Danville 9 Charleston 10 Kankakee #1) Carbondale *The poorest city in Illinois is Carbondale!

I Went To The Poorest City In America...

What is the dirtiest city in Illinois?

While there are probably a few dirty places scattered across Illinois, only one is known for being the least clean around. According to a list compiled by LawnStarter, the dirtiest city in all of Illinois is Schaumburg. This city also ranked among the dirtiest cities in the entire country (24).

What are the top 3 poorest states?

List Of the US States With the Highest Poverty Rates Mississippi (19.58%) West Virginia (17.10%) Arkansas (16.08%) New Mexico (18.55%) Louisiana (18.65%) Kentucky (16.61%) Alabama (15.98%) Oklahoma (15.27%) South Carolina (14.68%) Tennessee (14.62%) North Carolina (13.98%) Georgia (14.28%)

Why is the Midwest declining?

Economic and population decline

The economic trajectory of the Midwest over the past few decades has been significantly shaped by two major factors: the decline of the manufacturing sector and the minimal impact from the booming tech and consulting industries. Historically, the Midwest relied heavily on manufacturing.

Is $40,000 a year considered poverty?

$40,000 a year isn't technically "poverty" for a single person in most areas (as it's above the federal poverty level), but it's a tight budget in high-cost cities, qualifying as lower-middle class in many places, and struggles to support families, especially in expensive areas, though it can be comfortable in low-cost regions or for individuals with no dependents. 

What is the most poor place in the United States?

In the United States (in 2017), the place with the lowest median household income was Little River, California (population 117), while the place with the lowest median household income with a population of more than 1,000 was Comerío Zona Urbana in Comerío, Puerto Rico (population 4,312).

Which state is the most poor state?

Mississippi is consistently ranked as the poorest U.S. state, characterized by the nation's lowest median household income, highest poverty rate, and significant child poverty, with Louisiana, New Mexico, and West Virginia frequently appearing among the top poorest states as well, according to data from sources like World Population Review and Census Bureau reports.
 

What are the 10 poorest counties in the United States?

The poorest counties in the U.S. are consistently found in the South and Appalachia, with McDowell County, WV, Buffalo County, SD, and East Carroll Parish, LA often topping lists for lowest median household income, alongside numerous others in Mississippi, Kentucky, Alabama, Arkansas, and South Dakota. These areas often face challenges like high poverty rates, low educational attainment, and economic decline, frequently linked to the collapse of industries like coal.
 

What is the top 10 poorest?

Which are the Poorest Countries in the World?

• 1st poorest country: Afghanistan. ...
• 2nd poorest country: Yemen. ...
• 3rd poorest country: Central African Republic. ...
• 4th poorest country: Madagascar. ...
• 5th poorest country: Malawi. ...
• 6th poorest country: South Sudan. ...
• 7th poorest country: Burundi. ...
• 8th poorest country: Mozambique.

What is America's poorest big city?

While Philadelphia long held the title as America's poorest big city by poverty rate among large cities, recent 2024/2025 data shows its rate dropping, with Houston often now taking that top spot, though figures fluctuate, with cities like Detroit, Cleveland, and Flint also facing significant poverty challenges based on median income or specific income brackets.
 

What cities have the worst poverty?

The McAllen-Edinburg-Mission metropolitan area in Texas was ranked first with 27.2 percent of its population living below the poverty level in 2023. Eagle Pass, Texas had the second-highest poverty rate, at 24.4 percent.

What is the least richest state in America?

Mississippi. Mississippi is the poorest U.S. state, with 18.8% of its residents living in poverty. The state also has the highest child poverty rate, with 27.9% of its under-18 population meeting federal poverty guidelines.

What salary is considered poor in the USA?

A poverty wage in the U.S. is generally considered any pay that keeps a full-time worker below the federal poverty line (FPL), which for 2024 was around $15,060 for an individual and $31,200 for a family of four, making the federal minimum wage of $7.25/hour a poverty wage for full-time work. These thresholds, updated annually by HHS, determine eligibility for assistance programs, with higher figures for Alaska and Hawaii due to cost of living differences. 

What is 400% FPL?

400% of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL) varies by household size, but for 2025, it's approximately $62,600 for a single person and $128,600 for a family of four (or $10,717/month for an individual), a common benchmark for health insurance subsidies and other programs where eligibility ends at this income, meaning no subsidy for those above it. 

What are the 4 levels of income?

The "4 levels of income" typically refer to the World Bank's classification of countries (Low, Lower-Middle, Upper-Middle, High income) based on Gross National Income (GNI) per capita, or to models like Gapminder's for global populations (e.g., living on <$2/day, $2-$8/day, $8-$32/day, >$32/day). Another perspective focuses on types of income: Earned, Business, Investment, and Passive income streams.
 

What is the fastest declining city in America?

Jackson, Mississippi consistently ranks as one of the fastest-shrinking cities by percentage, experiencing significant population loss, especially in the early 2020s (around 2.5% annually), driven by economic challenges and lack of industry, while large metro areas like New Orleans and St. Louis also see substantial drops, though some large cities like NYC lose more people numerically but not always as a percentage. Other cities like Pine Bluff, Arkansas and Danville, Illinois have seen major declines over longer periods (2010-2020) due to factory closures.
 

What flattened the Midwest?

13,000 YEARS AGO, the Midwest was hidden beneath a frozen tundra. Massive sheets of ice up to two miles thick slowly scraped across the landscape, flattening the earth and leaving behind steep ridges known as drumlins in their wake.

What is a good salary in the Midwest?

$34.1K is the 25th percentile. Wages below this are outliers. The median wage is $85.1K / yr. $90.7K is the 75th percentile.

What state is richest in the USA?

There isn't one single "richest" state, as it depends on the metric: Maryland often leads in median household income (wealth per person), while California has the largest overall economy (GDP). Other top contenders for high income include Massachusetts, New Jersey, and Connecticut, with states like Washington also showing high per capita GDP.
 

What is the poorest white state?

Even though West Virginia has the highest white poverty level, Hawaii has the lowest white poverty level. The white poverty level of Hawaii is approximately 2.3 percent. Different races and ethnicities have different levels of poverty.

What race is the poorest in the United States?

Native Americans (American Indians and Alaska Natives) consistently experience the highest poverty rates in the U.S., followed by Black (African American) and Hispanic populations, while White and Asian populations generally have lower rates, reflecting persistent racial disparities rooted in historical and systemic factors. Data from recent years shows Native Americans with poverty rates around 20-25%, significantly higher than other groups.