Like all states, Florida has certain places that are going on hard times. These Florida places have an above-average percentage of people living in poverty, out of work, or not making as much as they should be.
Even as the economy continues to improve, it’s worthwhile to look at the places in each state struggling to make ends meet. So we set our sites on locating the poorest places in Florida.
To do so, we used Saturday Night Science to analyze the newest Census data from the American Community Survey for the 221 cities in Florida with more than 5,000 people.
Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Summary | Table
The 10 Poorest Places In Florida For 2025:
What’s the poorest city in Florida? According to the facts, Quincy is the poorest place in Florida for 2025.
This isn’t a commentary on the people that live there or the vibrant culture and traditions of these places. Instead, it’s just a look at the facts.
For more Florida reading, check out:
- Best Places To Live In Florida
- Cheapest Places To Live In Florida
- Most Dangerous Places In Florida
- The poorest states in the US
- The poorest cities in the US
The 10 Poorest Cities In Florida For 2025
1. Quincy
/10
Population: 7,818
Rank Last Year: 2 (Up 1)
Median Income: $34,126 (3rd lowest)
Poverty Rate: 43.7% (highest)
People In Poverty: 3,414
More on Quincy: Data
Quincy, unfortunately, ranks as the poorest place in Florida thanks to combination of low pay and and a lack of jobs.
The city of 7,818 people averages the 3rd lowest median household income in Florida and the highest poverty rate. At the very least, the cost of living ranks in the bottom 15% of place in the state, so things like housing are relatively affordable.
2. Palatka
/10
Population: 10,558
Rank Last Year: 4 (Up 2)
Median Income: $33,628 (2nd lowest)
Poverty Rate: 34.1% (3rd highest)
People In Poverty: 3,602
More on Palatka: Data
The second poorest city in Florida is Palatka.
The city ranks as having the 3rd highest incidence of poverty and 2nd lowest median household income. However, the unemployment rate ‘only’ ranks as the 26th highest in the Sunshine State.
3. Opa-locka
/10
Population: 16,097
Rank Last Year: 6 (Up 3)
Median Income: $31,680 (lowest)
Poverty Rate: 29.9% (6th highest)
People In Poverty: 4,814
More on Opa-Locka: Data
Placing as the third poorest city, Opa-locka’s median income ranks as the lowest.
And that’s a sign that there’s a relatively substantial jump in the quality of the economy from second to third place on our list. The poverty rate is 29.91% and ranks near the bottom of places in the state.
But what makes up for the relatively low incomes of the city is its low cost of living. The income you do make here goes further than in most parts of the Sunshine State.
4. Arcadia
/10
Population: 7,571
Rank Last Year: 3 (Down 1)
Median Income: $38,388 (7th lowest)
Poverty Rate: 31.4% (4th highest)
People In Poverty: 2,377
More on Arcadia: Data
Arcadia ranks as the fourth poorest place in Florida.
The town ranks as having the 7th lowest median household income and the 4th highest incidence of poverty in the state.
That being said, there’s still a ton of cultural diversity in the city as it hosts many events throughout the year.
5. Dundee
/10
Population: 5,604
Rank Last Year: 19 (Up 14)
Median Income: $41,550 (8th lowest)
Poverty Rate: 28.0% (9th highest)
People In Poverty: 1,569
More on Dundee: Data
The fifth poorest city in Florida is Dundee.
The city ranks as having the 8th lowest median income in the state. However, an extremely low cost of living prevents a good number of folks from living in poverty as the poverty rate only ranks as the 9th highest in Florida.
Still not the best news for Dundee.
6. Starke
/10
Population: 5,821
Rank Last Year: 10 (Up 4)
Median Income: $46,291 (15th lowest)
Poverty Rate: 39.4% (2nd highest)
People In Poverty: 2,292
More on Starke: Data
Starke ranks as the sixth poorest place in the Sunshine State.
It ranks as having the 2nd highest incidence of poverty and the 64th highest unemployment rate.
7. Sebring
/10
Population: 11,185
Rank Last Year: 7 (No Change)
Median Income: $42,072 (9th lowest)
Poverty Rate: 27.9% (10th highest)
People In Poverty: 3,122
More on Sebring: Data
Sebring places as the seventh poorest city in Florida.
The city of over 11,185 ranks as having the 10th highest incidence of poverty in the state. However, it has a very low cost of living which helps to pay the bills each month.
8. Fort Meade
/10
Population: 5,172
Rank Last Year: 9 (Up 1)
Median Income: $35,131 (4th lowest)
Poverty Rate: 23.9% (16th highest)
People In Poverty: 1,238
More on Fort Meade: Data
Fort Meade ranks as the eighth poorest city in Florida.
The big issue for the town is the unemployment rate which ranks as one of the highest in the state.
9. Gainesville
/10
Population: 143,611
Rank Last Year: 15 (Up 6)
Median Income: $45,611 (13th lowest)
Poverty Rate: 28.0% (8th highest)
People In Poverty: 40,239
More on Gainesville: Data
Gainesville couldn’t stay out of the top ten poorest places in Florida; it ranks number 9.
While the median income is the 13th lowest, there are a substantial number of people that live below the poverty line. Overall, Gainesville ranks as having the 8th most people living in poverty of all the places we analyzed in Florida.
10. Belle Glade
/10
Population: 16,818
Rank Last Year: 8 (Down 2)
Median Income: $47,191 (18th lowest)
Poverty Rate: 28.4% (7th highest)
People In Poverty: 4,772
More on Belle Glade: Data
And rounding out the top ten poorest cities in Florida is Belle Glade.
The city of 16,818 people ranks in the bottom 20% for both median income and poverty rate in the Sunshine State.
Methodology: How We Determined The Poorest Places In Florida for 2025
The first thing that comes to most people’s minds when they think about determining the poorest places is to simply the poverty rate. That is, the number of people living below a federally established level of income for a household of a certain size.
However, we don’t think that one statistic wholly encompasses what it means to be one of the “poorest places”. So we used Saturday Night Science to look at this set of criteria from the newly released 2019-2023 American Community Survey:
- Poverty Level
- Median Household Income
After we collected the data for all 221 places with more than 5,000 people in Florida, we ranked each place from 1 to 221 for each of the criteria, with 1 being the poorest.
We then averaged all the rankings for a place into a “Poor Score” with the place having the lowest overall Poor Score, Quincy, crowned the “Poorest Place In Florida For 2025”.
This report has been updated for 2025, which is our tenth time ranking the poorest places in Florida.
Summary: The Poorest Cities In Florida For 2025
Like we said earlier, when we set out to identify the poorest places in Florida, we weren’t sure what we’d encounter, but it ended up being some of the best places to live in Florida.
When you look at the data, the cities and places mentioned above meet the criteria for being at the very bottom of the income ladder for everyone that lives there.
If you’re curious enough, here are the richest cities in Florida, according to data:
-
Richest: Parkland
2nd Richest: Southwest Ranches
3rd Richest: Longboat Key
For more Florida reading, check out:
- Richest Cities In Florida
- Safest Places In Florida
- Worst Places To Live In Florida
- Most Expensive Places To Live In Florida
Detailed List Of The Poorest Places To Live In Florida
| Rank | City | Population | Poverty Rate | Median Income | People In Poverty |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Quincy | 7,818 | 43.7% | $34,126 | 3,414 |
| 2 | Palatka | 10,558 | 34.1% | $33,628 | 3,602 |
| 3 | Opa-locka | 16,097 | 29.9% | $31,680 | 4,814 |
| 4 | Arcadia | 7,571 | 31.4% | $38,388 | 2,377 |
| 5 | Dundee | 5,604 | 28.0% | $41,550 | 1,569 |
| 6 | Starke | 5,821 | 39.4% | $46,291 | 2,292 |
| 7 | Sebring | 11,185 | 27.9% | $42,072 | 3,122 |
| 8 | Fort Meade | 5,172 | 23.9% | $35,131 | 1,238 |
| 9 | Gainesville | 143,611 | 28.0% | $45,611 | 40,239 |
| 10 | Belle Glade | 16,818 | 28.4% | $47,191 | 4,772 |
| 11 | Florida City | 12,791 | 31.0% | $47,754 | 3,969 |
| 12 | Avon Park | 9,879 | 23.0% | $36,845 | 2,270 |
| 13 | Fort Pierce | 48,094 | 26.2% | $46,745 | 12,605 |
| 14 | Lauderdale Lakes | 35,924 | 23.0% | $44,333 | 8,269 |
| 15 | Marianna | 6,815 | 21.1% | $36,346 | 1,441 |
| 16 | Belleview | 5,569 | 25.1% | $48,252 | 1,400 |
| 17 | Holly Hill | 13,002 | 21.6% | $46,360 | 2,811 |
| 18 | Pahokee | 5,539 | 27.4% | $50,464 | 1,519 |
| 19 | Pembroke Park | 6,254 | 24.4% | $50,710 | 1,529 |
| 20 | Brooksville | 9,235 | 22.1% | $47,796 | 2,036 |
| 21 | Okeechobee | 5,376 | 23.3% | $50,365 | 1,251 |
| 22 | Hallandale Beach | 41,224 | 21.2% | $48,518 | 8,760 |
| 23 | LaBelle | 5,042 | 22.6% | $49,385 | 1,138 |
| 24 | Kissimmee | 79,504 | 23.7% | $51,277 | 18,866 |
| 25 | Daytona Beach | 75,924 | 21.2% | $50,130 | 16,080 |
| 26 | Perry | 6,965 | 16.6% | $44,815 | 1,156 |
| 27 | Lake City | 12,404 | 22.6% | $51,175 | 2,804 |
| 28 | Lauderhill | 73,961 | 18.9% | $49,685 | 14,015 |
| 29 | Lake Wales | 16,365 | 24.4% | $55,799 | 3,993 |
| 30 | Tallahassee | 199,696 | 23.2% | $55,931 | 46,309 |
| 31 | DeFuniak Springs | 6,284 | 19.4% | $51,883 | 1,219 |
| 32 | Dania Beach | 31,739 | 18.2% | $50,948 | 5,770 |
| 33 | North Miami | 59,429 | 19.1% | $51,909 | 11,344 |
| 34 | Leesburg | 28,461 | 16.2% | $47,506 | 4,616 |
| 35 | Ocala | 64,903 | 18.2% | $53,520 | 11,838 |
| 36 | Inverness | 7,672 | 15.0% | $44,899 | 1,152 |
| 37 | Hialeah | 221,901 | 17.5% | $53,079 | 38,832 |
| 38 | Springfield | 8,157 | 17.1% | $51,640 | 1,398 |
| 39 | Live Oak | 6,901 | 17.5% | $53,578 | 1,208 |
| 40 | West Miami | 7,077 | 17.6% | $56,509 | 1,246 |
| 41 | South Daytona | 13,322 | 17.0% | $54,931 | 2,264 |
| 42 | Miami | 446,663 | 19.2% | $59,390 | 85,759 |
| 43 | Sweetwater | 19,544 | 16.2% | $55,154 | 3,175 |
| 44 | Haines City | 31,156 | 16.9% | $58,227 | 5,262 |
| 45 | Lady Lake | 16,337 | 14.2% | $47,260 | 2,319 |
| 46 | Kenneth City | 5,025 | 14.3% | $49,375 | 717 |
| 47 | Deerfield Beach | 86,742 | 15.9% | $56,976 | 13,835 |
| 48 | Homestead | 80,725 | 18.4% | $61,975 | 14,893 |
| 49 | Panama City | 34,211 | 17.3% | $61,125 | 5,932 |
| 50 | Winter Haven | 52,846 | 16.5% | $59,604 | 8,703 |
| 51 | New Port Richey | 17,057 | 12.7% | $46,160 | 2,173 |
| 52 | Riviera Beach | 38,032 | 17.2% | $62,152 | 6,549 |
| 53 | Orange City | 13,768 | 13.8% | $51,077 | 1,901 |
| 54 | Zephyrhills | 18,471 | 13.0% | $49,295 | 2,408 |
| 55 | Fort Myers | 91,730 | 16.8% | $62,160 | 15,447 |
| 56 | South Pasadena | 5,324 | 13.6% | $51,369 | 723 |
| 57 | North Miami Beach | 43,104 | 14.7% | $57,633 | 6,340 |
| 58 | Davenport | 11,660 | 18.0% | $65,157 | 2,096 |
| 59 | West Park | 15,076 | 14.8% | $58,825 | 2,225 |
| 60 | Hialeah Gardens | 22,634 | 15.2% | $60,855 | 3,442 |
| 61 | Greenacres | 43,871 | 16.1% | $62,917 | 7,058 |
| 62 | Stuart | 18,058 | 16.1% | $64,409 | 2,909 |
| 63 | Casselberry | 29,473 | 13.7% | $57,816 | 4,046 |
| 64 | Lakeland | 117,030 | 14.5% | $60,947 | 16,945 |
| 65 | Bartow | 19,801 | 16.5% | $66,944 | 3,259 |
| 66 | Pompano Beach | 112,212 | 15.3% | $63,832 | 17,145 |
| 67 | Clearwater | 117,075 | 15.4% | $64,440 | 18,006 |
| 68 | Bradenton | 56,289 | 14.2% | $60,964 | 7,998 |
| 69 | North Lauderdale | 44,650 | 14.8% | $63,423 | 6,621 |
| 70 | Sunny Isles Beach | 22,125 | 13.4% | $59,124 | 2,962 |
| 71 | Plant City | 40,009 | 15.2% | $64,536 | 6,073 |
| 72 | Palmetto | 13,449 | 14.2% | $61,538 | 1,903 |
| 73 | Melbourne | 85,718 | 14.9% | $64,504 | 12,814 |
| 74 | Miami Gardens | 111,264 | 13.6% | $60,979 | 15,143 |
| 75 | Tamarac | 71,887 | 12.9% | $59,216 | 9,266 |
| 76 | Cocoa | 19,330 | 11.7% | $56,553 | 2,265 |
| 77 | Jacksonville | 961,739 | 15.0% | $66,981 | 144,549 |
| 78 | Pinellas Park | 53,423 | 13.5% | $62,043 | 7,196 |
| 79 | Palm Springs | 26,871 | 12.4% | $59,602 | 3,323 |
| 80 | Sanford | 62,292 | 13.5% | $62,877 | 8,390 |
| 81 | Orlando | 311,732 | 15.5% | $69,268 | 48,349 |
| 82 | Largo | 82,506 | 12.1% | $60,465 | 9,941 |
| 83 | Mount Dora | 16,812 | 15.7% | $69,931 | 2,642 |
| 84 | Eustis | 23,567 | 12.9% | $62,475 | 3,040 |
| 85 | Vero Beach | 16,785 | 14.4% | $67,351 | 2,425 |
| 86 | Miami Beach | 81,319 | 14.4% | $67,014 | 11,701 |
| 87 | Tampa | 393,389 | 15.9% | $71,302 | 62,666 |
| 88 | Margate | 58,418 | 11.6% | $60,852 | 6,799 |
| 89 | Fort Walton Beach | 20,956 | 13.8% | $66,556 | 2,900 |
| 90 | West Palm Beach | 119,508 | 14.8% | $69,261 | 17,723 |
| 91 | Clewiston | 7,257 | 10.7% | $57,110 | 773 |
| 92 | Dade City | 7,570 | 12.7% | $63,041 | 959 |
| 93 | Hollywood | 152,935 | 13.4% | $65,359 | 20,539 |
| 94 | Lake Park | 9,005 | 14.5% | $69,274 | 1,309 |
| 95 | Gulfport | 11,735 | 14.1% | $68,617 | 1,654 |
| 96 | Orange Park | 9,062 | 15.5% | $74,564 | 1,407 |
| 97 | Temple Terrace | 26,922 | 12.6% | $65,756 | 3,397 |
| 98 | Sarasota | 56,218 | 14.3% | $70,065 | 8,061 |
| 99 | Edgewater | 23,314 | 10.0% | $58,805 | 2,331 |
| 100 | Auburndale | 17,438 | 12.9% | $68,267 | 2,254 |