America is pretty diverse. There are rich people, poor people, and in-between people (most of us)
Today, we are going to look at the poorest cities in the United States using Saturday Night Science to compare Census data on poverty rates.
We’re not judging. We’re just being observant.
As a point of reference for looking at these cities, the United States has 41,363,236 people living in poverty which is 12.40% of the population.
Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Summary | Table
The 10 Poorest Cities In The US For 2025
- Detroit, MI – 31.5% poverty rate
- Cleveland, OH – 30.8% poverty rate
- Syracuse, NY – 29.6% poverty rate
- College Station, TX – 28.6% poverty rate
- Gainesville, FL – 28.0% poverty rate
- Buffalo, NY – 27.4% poverty rate
- Dayton, OH – 27.1% poverty rate
- Jackson, MS – 26.8% poverty rate
- Rochester, NY – 26.6% poverty rate
- Edinburg, TX – 25.7% poverty rate
According to the data, what’s the poorest big city in the United States? Per the most recent ACS data, the poorest city in America is Detroit, MI.
The richest city in America? That would be Centennial, CO.
To see exactly how we calculated these rankings, read on.
For additional research, see:
The 10 Poorest Cities In America For 2025
/10
Population: 636,644
Median Income: $39,575
Average Home Price: $76,800
Unemployment Rate: 14.1%
Poverty Rate: 31.5%
Rank Last Year: 1 (No Change)
People In Poverty: 200,606
More on Detroit: Data
Detroit – what else can we say. You’re literally the poorest, least employed and most poverty stricken place in the nation. And that’s despite the fact, that people keep saying Detroit is getting better. Of course, you could talk about the decline of Detroit starting when car companies pulled out of town. That’s part of it. You could spend an entire article talking about what happened in Detroit, but today, you can buy houses for $1, about 60% of the population is gone, and it’s straight rough in most parts.
Why Detroit? Chicago, Philly, Kansas City, Milwaukee and Cincinnati were all somewhat spared. And other rust belt towns like Pittsburgh and St. Louis – and heck even Cleveland, aren’t doing THAT bad.
Fact is, Detroit has a TON of catching up to do if it wants to somewhat resemble an actual American city at some point down the road.
The crime rate is being reduced. I love that it’s up and coming. More money is being put into the city which is bringing it back to how lively it used to be, especially downtown.
The coney island are great! They are every where and I love the music that comes from the city.
/10
Population: 367,523
Median Income: $39,187
Average Home Price: $94,100
Unemployment Rate: 11.5%
Poverty Rate: 30.8%
Rank Last Year: 2 (No Change)
People In Poverty: 113,233
More on Cleveland: Data
Cleveland is straight broke. 30.81% of the city is poverty stricken, and the average family lives just outside of poverty. If you live there, this isn’t new news.
At least the Cleveland sports teams have been taking people’s minds off of being in the poor house. And there’s theaters, nice restaurants opening up and national orchestras in town – despite those being traditionally wealthy forms of entertainment. Can anyone weigh in on if a majority of Cleveland residents can afford to do these things?
Apparently, though, the more you look online, the more optimistic you see Clevelanders talking about how their city is improving each year. That’s great news, Cleveland. Like the other cities on this list, we’re pulling for ya. And best of all, Cleveland – at least you’re not Detroit.
I love the city i live in because of the people and the schools system are good for my children.
My city have the rock&roll hall of fame and tower city. Also we have lake erie where i go fishing.
/10
Population: 146,211
Median Income: $45,845
Average Home Price: $125,100
Unemployment Rate: 7.4%
Poverty Rate: 29.6%
Rank Last Year: 3 (No Change)
People In Poverty: 43,234
More on Syracuse: Data
Our 3rd poorest city in America is Syracuse, New York, where 1 in 3 people lives in poverty – the 3rd highest rate in the US. Syracuse has actually become more poor than any other major city. A few years back, Syracuse was the 10th poorest, and now it’s the 3rd poorest. Across America, poverty rates have ticked up in major cities, but overall, poverty rates have gone down overall, by quite a bit – about 10 percent more people are less poor nowadays.
On top of the poverty issue here in upstate New York, Syracuse actually gets more snowfall than any other place in America – with slightly more snow that Wooster Mass and nearby Buffalo. As such, Syracuse residents pay about 25% of their homeownership costs on utilities, with a big portion of that going to their heating bills. So for many months, it’s extra tough to get to one of four Syracuse area Super Walmarts, or one of four area Syracuse Targets. Since Targets groceries are about 15% more expensive than Walmarts, it’s safe to assume the poorer folks patronize Walmart.
Look at how many dollar stores are in the greater Syracuse region. Makes sense.
Syracuse, NY, is a blue collar rust belt city filled with history and character. It’s admittedly not for all, as it absolutely does lack the polish of many more prosperous cities, and it’s weather can be punishing. But, the city has a proud past that was instrumental in American history, ranging from being an integral part of the Erie Canal, to being the site where the basketball shot clock was invented, and much, much more in between. Syracuse also has several museums, a handful of sports teams, and the Syracuse University Orange, it’s pride and joy.
Good: The people, the history, the sports, and the general blue collar feel are fantastic.
Bad: The weather, the economy, and the crime rate could use some help.
/10
Population: 122,280
Median Income: $51,776
Average Home Price: $326,500
Unemployment Rate: 4.8%
Poverty Rate: 28.6%
Rank Last Year: 5 (Up 1)
People In Poverty: 34,923
More on College Station: Data
College Station faces economic challenges, ranking as the fifth poorest city in the U.S. With a median income of $51,776 and an average home price of $326,500, the city grapples with real estate accessibility issues. A 28.56% poverty rate, affecting 34,923 individuals, highlights the economic hurdles.
The one quirk of the data is that a large percentage of the city’s population is Texas A&M University. University students tend to fall below the poverty level because they are younger and not employed full-time.
/10
Population: 143,611
Median Income: $45,611
Average Home Price: $235,000
Unemployment Rate: 4.8%
Poverty Rate: 28.0%
Rank Last Year: 4 (Down 1)
People In Poverty: 40,239
More on Gainesville: Data
As the 5th poorest city in the United States, Gainesville grapples with a poverty rate of 28.02%, leaving 40,239 residents navigating financial hardships. Despite a median income of $45,611 and an unemployment rate of 4.81%, a relatively large share of the population still struggles with poverty.
Gainesville is in the center of Florida and is home to the University of Florida’s main campus.
Bad schools, lots of bugs, not much to do, full of judgemental people, crackheads, and lots of college students. Highly suggest not moving here.
Lots of homeless and maybe not as much crime as other places
/10
Population: 276,397
Median Income: $48,050
Average Home Price: $152,300
Unemployment Rate: 7.2%
Poverty Rate: 27.4%
Rank Last Year: 8 (Up 2)
People In Poverty: 75,649
More on Buffalo: Data
Another rust belt city, Buffalo ranks as the 6th poorest city in the United States for 2025. The poverty rate is 27.37%, and average incomes are $48,050.
Buffalo has seen its population fall since the 1970s but has picked up a bit in recent years as jobs start to come back to the city.
I don’t like buffalo NY at all it is very confusing city and very ugly with barely any jobs the transportation system is very bad.
It is a bad place to go to live and no place to raise a family
/10
Population: 136,741
Median Income: $43,454
Average Home Price: $93,200
Unemployment Rate: 9.7%
Poverty Rate: 27.1%
Rank Last Year: 7 (No Change)
People In Poverty: 37,029
More on Dayton: Data
There once was a guy from Dayton
His life he tried to straighten
In 2003,
He got a degree
Did he get a good job? He’s still waiting’
We’re almost to our poorest place in the USA, and we’ll take a couple quick stops in Ohio. Here in Dayton, things are a real mess. 1 in 3 residents lives in poverty, and people barely crack the $30k mark annually for salaries.
I’m from Cincinnati and driving through Dayton is like going thru a small ghost town/war zone. I have family there and they even say it’s depressing. Sad part is most people from Dayton go to Columbus, Middletown, Cincinnati or elsewhere to have fun. Funny thing is Rooster’s is like a club for local folks, yea I said Rooster’s Restaurant.
The terrible a** roads and a lot of empty houses
/10
Population: 149,827
Median Income: $43,238
Average Home Price: $108,200
Unemployment Rate: 9.4%
Poverty Rate: 26.8%
Rank Last Year: 12 (Up 4)
People In Poverty: 40,198
More on Jackson: Data
If you’re judging horrible by really poor, than Jackson would be the reason Mississippi is horrible. Not that it’s horrible, but it’s certainly poor. Mississippi is the poorest state in the nation, you know.
Jackson is located along the western side of the state. And as you can see in this county by county map of poverty rates in America, a lot of western Mississippi is poo to the oor. Other poor hotspots include the US Mexico border in Texas, a large part of rural, mountainous Kentucky, and Native American reservations in both Arizona and South Dakota.
Jackson is known for many things, including the place where some guy broke the record for a Dr. Mario score. It used to be that you couldn’t make a lot of money playing video games, but hopefully, that guy has made a profitable career here today. He’d be an outlier, that’s for sure.
Do poor people play video games? What TV shows do they watch? Well, apparently, the poorer you are, the more video games you play – by about 12 minutes a day. So are poor people playing more video games because it’s cheaper than going out, or are they poor because they play video games more?
The TV show with the richest viewership? The Bachelorette.
I love Jackson, MS I was born and raised here. I love how you can’t even walk down the streets because Jamal or Tyrone might have had a bad day and decide he wants to end your life. I also like all of the homeless harassing me for money and urinating in front of my family and I. The city government is also a haram of idiots pretending to be competent leaders who can’t even maintain roads and water lines. I also love how you can’t even go to a decently priced restaurant without hearing Tyrone and Shanequa having a screaming match or just screaming for fun. If you have to move here I advise a trip to a gun store. It’s a great place, everyone should move here.
My favorite place is when I leave on vacation to somewhere out side of the ghetto
/10
Population: 209,720
Median Income: $46,628
Average Home Price: $120,600
Unemployment Rate: 7.9%
Poverty Rate: 26.6%
Rank Last Year: 6 (Down 3)
People In Poverty: 55,848
More on Rochester: Data
Our next stop is in upstate New York. This time, we’re going to Rochester. One Rochester resident says, and I’ll paraphrase: Rochester used to be the headquarters for several large companies back in the 70s and 80s, and then a heavy tax burden businesses in the area. Now, a lot of the larger companies have left, taking the local economy with them.
Apparently, most of that is true – the language is kinda rough, but yes, Rochester was once a thriving city. It used to be a place where you could get your GED and make a pretty decent salary in what was considered a low-skilled job. Now, low high school graduation rates in Rochester make it tough to find the skills needed to entice companies. But they’re trying. The area is luring in new companies to the area these days.
Let’s all root for Rochester!
Rochester residents make a little less money than their Syracuse peers, but essentially, both have mostly poor to middle class residents. I wondered what type of music Rochester would listen to. And other poor communities. Apparently, there’s an answer for just about everything on the web. Poorer people like to listen to golden oldies, disco and rap. Richer people like classical, opera and rock.
Who listens to Taylor Swift then? 12 year olds?
I may not live in Rochester any more, but it will always be home!
/10
Population: 102,561
Median Income: $57,789
Average Home Price: $174,800
Unemployment Rate: 6.6%
Poverty Rate: 25.7%
Rank Last Year: 13 (Up 3)
People In Poverty: 26,347
More on Edinburg: Data
Methodology: How We Determined The Poorest Large Cities in The US For 2025
The first thing that comes to most people’s minds when they think about determining the poorest cities in the United States is simply the poverty rate. That is, the number of people living below a federally established income level for a household of a specific size.
We used Saturday Night Science to look at the poverty level from the newly released 2019-2023 American Community Survey:
And, to be clear, we measured the 318 largest cities in America with populations over 100,000. So, while your little small town might be broke, we only look at the most populated areas.
To score the cities, we ranked each one from 1 to 318 where one is the “poorest” and has the highest poverty level. We updated this article for 2025. This report is our tenth time ranking the Poorest cities in America.
Summary: The Poorest Cities in The Us For 2025
After all the dust settled and the analysis was over, we crowned Detroit as the poorest city in America for 2025.
The cities in the United States with the highest poverty level are .
While it’s bad news for the cities we mentioned, we must acknowledge America’s richest cities. If you live in Centennial, CO, Frisco, or Carmel, , sounds like things are going pretty well right now.
It may be time for you to consider giving back to the community.
For more reading, check out:
Poverty Rate By City In The United States For 2025
| Rank | City | Population | Poverty Rate | Median Income | People In Poverty |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Detroit, MI | 636,644 | 31.5% | $39,575 | 200,606 |
| 2 | Cleveland, OH | 367,523 | 30.8% | $39,187 | 113,233 |
| 3 | Syracuse, NY | 146,211 | 29.6% | $45,845 | 43,234 |
| 4 | College Station, TX | 122,280 | 28.6% | $51,776 | 34,923 |
| 5 | Gainesville, FL | 143,611 | 28.0% | $45,611 | 40,239 |
| 6 | Buffalo, NY | 276,397 | 27.4% | $48,050 | 75,649 |
| 7 | Dayton, OH | 136,741 | 27.1% | $43,454 | 37,029 |
| 8 | Jackson, MS | 149,827 | 26.8% | $43,238 | 40,198 |
| 9 | Rochester, NY | 209,720 | 26.6% | $46,628 | 55,848 |
| 10 | Edinburg, TX | 102,561 | 25.7% | $57,789 | 26,347 |
| 11 | Hartford, CT | 119,970 | 25.5% | $45,300 | 30,544 |
| 12 | Springfield, MA | 154,751 | 25.3% | $51,339 | 39,090 |
| 13 | Birmingham, AL | 199,322 | 25.2% | $44,376 | 50,229 |
| 14 | New Haven, CT | 132,893 | 25.0% | $53,771 | 33,196 |
| 15 | Baton Rouge, LA | 223,699 | 25.0% | $49,944 | 55,880 |
| 16 | Brownsville, TX | 188,023 | 24.9% | $48,675 | 46,723 |
| 17 | Newark, NJ | 307,188 | 24.7% | $48,416 | 75,752 |
| 18 | Toledo, OH | 268,461 | 24.5% | $47,532 | 65,826 |
| 19 | Cincinnati, OH | 309,595 | 24.5% | $51,707 | 75,850 |
| 20 | Dearborn, MI | 107,846 | 24.3% | $65,192 | 26,174 |
| 21 | Waco, TX | 141,925 | 24.0% | $51,468 | 34,019 |
| 22 | Waterbury, CT | 114,356 | 23.9% | $51,642 | 27,331 |
| 23 | Tuscaloosa, AL | 107,699 | 23.8% | $48,536 | 25,621 |
| 24 | Shreveport, LA | 183,483 | 23.6% | $48,465 | 43,338 |
| 25 | Paterson, NJ | 157,660 | 23.6% | $53,766 | 37,144 |
| 26 | Albany, NY | 100,081 | 23.4% | $59,485 | 23,368 |
| 27 | Milwaukee, WI | 569,756 | 23.3% | $51,888 | 132,753 |
| 28 | Columbia, SC | 138,019 | 23.2% | $55,653 | 32,089 |
| 29 | Tallahassee, FL | 199,696 | 23.2% | $55,931 | 46,309 |
| 30 | Ann Arbor, MI | 121,179 | 22.9% | $81,089 | 27,810 |
| 31 | Akron, OH | 189,526 | 22.9% | $48,544 | 43,306 |
| 32 | New Orleans, LA | 376,035 | 22.6% | $55,339 | 85,096 |
| 33 | South Bend, IN | 102,866 | 22.6% | $52,512 | 23,227 |
| 34 | Bridgeport, CT | 148,012 | 22.5% | $56,584 | 33,361 |
| 35 | Memphis, TN | 629,063 | 22.5% | $51,211 | 141,790 |
| 36 | Provo, UT | 114,303 | 22.3% | $62,800 | 25,478 |
| 37 | Chico, CA | 102,032 | 22.1% | $67,929 | 22,528 |
| 38 | Philadelphia, PA | 1,582,432 | 22.0% | $60,698 | 348,135 |
| 39 | Las Cruces, NM | 112,612 | 22.0% | $55,176 | 24,763 |
| 40 | Rockford, IL | 147,649 | 21.9% | $53,328 | 32,290 |
| 41 | Boulder, CO | 106,274 | 21.8% | $85,364 | 23,167 |
| 42 | Allentown, PA | 125,320 | 21.6% | $53,403 | 27,018 |
| 43 | Fresno, CA | 543,615 | 20.9% | $66,804 | 113,615 |
| 44 | Montgomery, AL | 198,440 | 20.9% | $55,687 | 41,454 |
| 45 | Laredo, TX | 255,949 | 20.8% | $63,264 | 53,160 |
| 46 | Knoxville, TN | 193,721 | 20.5% | $50,994 | 39,635 |
| 47 | McAllen, TX | 143,789 | 20.2% | $60,165 | 28,987 |
| 48 | Baltimore, MD | 577,193 | 20.1% | $59,623 | 115,900 |
| 49 | Providence, RI | 190,214 | 20.1% | $66,772 | 38,137 |
| 50 | El Cajon, CA | 104,909 | 20.0% | $66,478 | 20,992 |
| 51 | Columbia, MO | 127,200 | 20.0% | $64,488 | 25,427 |
| 52 | Peoria, IL | 112,126 | 20.0% | $58,716 | 22,391 |
| 53 | Victorville, CA | 135,983 | 19.9% | $70,663 | 27,128 |
| 54 | Lansing, MI | 112,546 | 19.9% | $52,170 | 22,419 |
| 55 | New Bedford, MA | 100,731 | 19.9% | $56,025 | 20,005 |
| 56 | Beaumont, TX | 113,710 | 19.8% | $57,530 | 22,560 |
| 57 | Worcester, MA | 205,501 | 19.8% | $67,544 | 40,648 |
| 58 | St. Louis, MO | 293,109 | 19.8% | $55,279 | 57,918 |
| 59 | Houston, TX | 2,300,419 | 19.7% | $62,894 | 452,952 |
| 60 | San Bernardino, CA | 221,774 | 19.5% | $63,988 | 43,312 |
| 61 | Savannah, GA | 147,546 | 19.5% | $56,782 | 28,756 |
| 62 | Pittsburgh, PA | 303,620 | 19.5% | $64,137 | 59,114 |
| 63 | Springfield, MO | 169,432 | 19.4% | $45,984 | 32,869 |
| 64 | Miami, FL | 446,663 | 19.2% | $59,390 | 85,759 |
| 65 | Pueblo, CO | 111,514 | 19.2% | $55,305 | 21,388 |
| 66 | Lafayette, LA | 121,537 | 19.1% | $61,454 | 23,225 |
| 67 | Lubbock, TX | 261,078 | 19.0% | $60,487 | 49,657 |
| 68 | Mobile, AL | 185,097 | 18.9% | $51,090 | 34,983 |
| 69 | Columbus, GA | 204,383 | 18.8% | $56,622 | 38,505 |
| 70 | Richmond, VA | 227,595 | 18.8% | $62,671 | 42,878 |
| 71 | Tucson, AZ | 543,348 | 18.8% | $54,546 | 102,312 |
| 72 | Tulsa, OK | 412,322 | 18.6% | $58,407 | 76,856 |
| 73 | Grand Rapids, MI | 197,768 | 18.6% | $65,526 | 36,804 |
| 74 | Evansville, IN | 116,441 | 18.6% | $52,251 | 21,669 |
| 75 | Greensboro, NC | 298,564 | 18.4% | $58,884 | 54,965 |
| 76 | El Paso, TX | 678,147 | 18.4% | $58,734 | 124,643 |
| 77 | Pasadena, TX | 149,345 | 18.3% | $64,270 | 27,374 |
| 78 | Eugene, OR | 177,520 | 18.2% | $63,836 | 32,290 |
| 79 | Fayetteville, NC | 209,692 | 18.1% | $56,395 | 37,954 |
| 80 | Kansas City, KS | 154,776 | 17.9% | $59,183 | 27,766 |
| 81 | Winston-Salem, NC | 250,887 | 17.9% | $57,673 | 44,908 |
| 82 | Atlanta, GA | 499,287 | 17.9% | $81,938 | 89,222 |
| 83 | Columbus, OH | 906,480 | 17.9% | $65,327 | 161,806 |
| 84 | Chattanooga, TN | 182,832 | 17.6% | $61,028 | 32,233 |
| 85 | Corpus Christi, TX | 317,383 | 17.5% | $66,325 | 55,637 |
| 86 | Hialeah, FL | 221,901 | 17.5% | $53,079 | 38,832 |
| 87 | Hesperia, CA | 100,141 | 17.4% | $68,971 | 17,474 |
| 88 | Wichita Falls, TX | 102,558 | 17.4% | $58,568 | 17,875 |
| 89 | New York, NY | 8,516,202 | 17.4% | $79,713 | 1,478,412 |
| 90 | Norfolk, VA | 235,037 | 17.3% | $64,017 | 40,637 |
| 91 | El Monte, CA | 107,066 | 17.2% | $64,484 | 18,458 |
| 92 | Dallas, TX | 1,299,553 | 17.2% | $67,760 | 223,003 |
| 93 | Killeen, TX | 156,144 | 17.2% | $58,339 | 26,794 |
| 94 | San Antonio, TX | 1,458,954 | 17.1% | $62,917 | 249,772 |
| 95 | Norman, OK | 128,714 | 17.0% | $65,060 | 21,868 |
| 96 | Boston, MA | 663,972 | 16.9% | $94,755 | 112,012 |
| 97 | Chicago, IL | 2,707,648 | 16.8% | $75,134 | 455,697 |
| 98 | Berkeley, CA | 120,223 | 16.8% | $108,558 | 20,185 |
| 99 | Los Angeles, CA | 3,857,897 | 16.6% | $80,366 | 638,481 |
| 100 | Green Bay, WI | 106,585 | 16.5% | $62,546 | 17,607 |
Poorest Places By State
Poorest Cities In Massachusetts
Poorest Cities In North Carolina
Poorest Cities In North Dakota
Thanks Rick, didn”t realize you were in the Indy area. Must try to get together next year or maybe at the Dayton show on April 7, 2018.
Birmingham, AL and San Bernardino, CA are switched.