Which US state is the poorest?

Mississippi is consistently ranked as the poorest state in the U.S., having the lowest median household income, highest poverty rate (around 18.8%), highest child poverty, and lowest GDP per capita, often followed by states like Louisiana, West Virginia, and New Mexico. These Southern states often face similar challenges, including weaker economies and historical underinvestment, resulting in broader regional disparities in wealth and opportunity.

What are the 10 poorest US states?

The 10 poorest states in the U.S., based on high poverty rates and low median household income, consistently include Mississippi, West Virginia, Louisiana, Arkansas, Kentucky, Alabama, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Tennessee, and South Carolina, with Mississippi often ranking first for poverty. These states struggle with economic challenges, impacting areas like education, job creation, and overall well-being, though figures can vary slightly by source and year. 

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.
 

Which 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.
 

Which US state makes the least money?

The lowest income states in the U.S., based on recent median household income data, consistently include Mississippi, West Virginia, Louisiana, Arkansas, and Kentucky, with Mississippi often ranking as the lowest, followed closely by others in the South and Appalachia like New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Alabama. These states often face higher poverty rates and lower median earnings due to factors like lower economic diversification and lower educational attainment, though improvements are being seen.
 

Top 10 States with Highest Poverty In America [Poorest States 2023]

What is the cheapest state to live in?

Below is a detailed breakdown of the ten most affordable states to live in 2025:

• Arkansas. Arkansas continues to be one of the most affordable states in the U.S., especially for those looking to buy property. ...
• Mississippi. ...
• Oklahoma. ...
• New Mexico. ...
• Missouri. ...
• Tennessee. ...
• Michigan. ...
• Texas.

What is the poorest city in the USA?

There isn't one single "poorest city" as rankings change with data, but Detroit, Cleveland, Dayton, Flint, and cities in the Rust Belt often appear high on lists due to factors like deindustrialization, while Houston recently had the highest poverty rate among the largest US cities, and smaller towns like Escobares, TX or areas in McDowell County, WV face extreme poverty, highlighting different metrics (big city vs. overall lowest income). 

Which state is the richest state?

The "richest" state depends on the metric, but Massachusetts often leads in median household income and per capita income, while California has the largest overall GDP, and New York and Texas also rank high in economic output and GDP per capita, showing wealth concentrated in high-income earners (MA, MD, NJ) versus massive economic scale (CA, TX).
 

Where do most billionaires live in the USA?

1. New York City, New York. New York remains unmatched as the wealthiest city in America in 2025. As the country's financial capital, it houses more millionaires and billionaires than any other U.S. city.

What is the most expensive state to live in?

1. Hawaii: The Undisputed Cost Leader. Hawaii maintains its position as the most expensive state by a wide margin, with living costs nearly twice the national average. The cost of living index for Hawaii sits between 182.3 and 193.3, depending on the specific island and community.

Is $40,000 a year considered poverty?

$40k a year isn't universally poverty; it's low-middle class for a single person in the US, but can feel like poverty in high-cost cities or for families, while being comfortable in cheaper areas, heavily depending on location, household size, and lifestyle, as the federal poverty line for a single person is much lower (around $15k) but a family of four needs over $30k just to meet poverty thresholds. 

Which state has minimum poverty?

“According to the NITI Aayog's study in 2021, Kerala is the State with the lowest poverty rate in the country with a poverty rate of 0.7% of the total population. The government took the lead in reaching out to this small population and meeting their needs.

What is the poorest state in the U.S. 2025?

1. Mississippi: Poverty rate – 19.5% 2. Louisiana: Poverty rate – 17.9% 3. West Virginia: Poverty rate – 16.8% 4.

Which US state is the least developed?

Least Developed States in the USA

• North Carolina. ...
• Georgia. ...
• Nevada. ...
• New Mexico. Human Development Index score: 0.901. ...
• Oklahoma. Human Development Index score: 0.896. ...
• Tennessee. Human Development Index score: 0.895. ...
• South Carolina. Human Development Index score: 0.893. ...
• Louisiana. Human Development Index score: 0.888.

What is the richest state in the US 2025?

In forecasting the economic health of each state, it's impossible to look beyond the predicted GDP. With a projected GDP of over $3.3 trillion by 2025, California, again, sits top with an impressive perfect score of 1.00.

Which state has no billionaire?

As of recent reports (2024-2025), the three U.S. states with no billionaire residents are Alaska, Delaware, and West Virginia, though some sources also list New Mexico and North Dakota among states with very few or zero billionaires. These states have the lowest concentration of resident billionaires, with their wealthiest individuals often having net worths just shy of the billion-dollar mark.
 

Which city is best to live in as a millionaire?

Mumbai leads with 142000 millionaires, followed by Delhi, Bangalore, Ahmedabad, Kolkata, Chennai, Pune, Hyderabad, Gurgaon, and Surat. These cities are becoming powerful wealth hubs in India and attracting more Indian millionaires every year.

Which state is no. 1 in economy?

California is the #1 state with the largest economy by Gross Domestic Product (GDP), representing about 14.5% of the total U.S. GDP, followed by Texas, New York, and Florida. California's economy is so large that it ranks as the fourth-largest economy globally if it were a country, surpassing nations like Japan, according to data from the BEA and IMF.
 

What state owns the most money?

Overall, in the calendar year 2024, the United States' Nominal GDP at Current Prices totaled at $29.184 trillion, as compared to $27.720 trillion in 2023. The three U.S. states with the highest GDPs were California ($4.103 trillion), Texas ($2.709 trillion), and New York ($2.297 trillion).

Which state is the strongest financially?

The best state for finances depends on your priorities (low taxes vs. high wages/opportunity), but top contenders often include Wyoming, Florida, Texas, Tennessee, and New Hampshire for low taxes/cost of living, while Utah, Colorado, and Washington rank highly for overall financial well-being, good wages, and affordability, with Iowa and Georgia offering strong fiscal stability and affordability too. 

Is Philadelphia no longer the poorest big city?

Philly No Longer America's Poorest Big City as Poverty Rate Hits Historic Low. According to new data released by the U.S. Census Bureau, for the first time since at least 1979, Philadelphia's poverty rate fell below 20%, a shift credited to steady economic gains and local anti-poverty initiatives.

Which is the poorest city in the world?

And these conditions are exemplified by what the UN has identified as the poorest city in the world, Monrovia, the capital of Liberia. Liberia was founded in the early 19th century by free African Americans (not by freed slaves, as is often presumed, though many freed slaves followed).