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 222 cities in Florida with more than 5,000 people.
Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Summary | Table
The 10 Poorest Places In Florida For 2026:
What’s the poorest city in Florida? According to the facts, Palatka is the poorest place in Florida for 2026.
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 2026
1. Palatka
/10
Population: 10,650
Rank Last Year: 2 (Up 1)
Median Income: $32,021 (lowest)
Poverty Rate: 37.3% (2nd highest)
People In Poverty: 3,972
More on Palatka: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
Palatka, unfortunately, ranks as the poorest place in Florida thanks to combination of low pay and and a lack of jobs.
The city of 10,650 people averages the lowest median household income in Florida and the 2nd 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. Quincy
/10
Population: 7,942
Rank Last Year: 1 (Down 1)
Median Income: $32,125 (2nd lowest)
Poverty Rate: 42.7% (highest)
People In Poverty: 3,393
More on Quincy: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
The second poorest city in Florida is Quincy.
The city ranks as having the highest incidence of poverty and 2nd lowest median household income. However, the unemployment rate ‘only’ ranks as the 134th highest in the Sunshine State.
3. Arcadia
/10
Population: 7,707
Rank Last Year: 4 (Up 1)
Median Income: $39,677 (6th lowest)
Poverty Rate: 31.8% (6th highest)
People In Poverty: 2,447
More on Arcadia: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
Placing as the third poorest city, Arcadia’s median income ranks as the 6th 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 31.76% 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. Opa-locka
/10
Population: 16,282
Rank Last Year: 3 (Down 1)
Median Income: $37,532 (5th lowest)
Poverty Rate: 29.7% (8th highest)
People In Poverty: 4,829
More on Opa-Locka: Data | Cost Of Living | Movers
Opa-locka ranks as the fourth poorest place in Florida.
The town ranks as having the 5th lowest median household income and the 8th 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. Florida City
/10
Population: 12,943
Rank Last Year: 11 (Up 6)
Median Income: $47,482 (14th lowest)
Poverty Rate: 32.4% (3rd highest)
People In Poverty: 4,188
More on Florida City: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
The fifth poorest city in Florida is Florida City.
The city ranks as having the 14th 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 3rd highest in Florida.
Still not the best news for Florida City.
6. Gainesville
/10
Population: 145,702
Rank Last Year: 9 (Up 3)
Median Income: $46,195 (12th lowest)
Poverty Rate: 30.8% (7th highest)
People In Poverty: 44,832
More on Gainesville: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
Gainesville ranks as the sixth poorest place in the Sunshine State.
It ranks as having the 7th highest incidence of poverty and the 67th highest unemployment rate.
7. Avon Park
/10
Population: 10,057
Rank Last Year: 12 (Up 5)
Median Income: $36,485 (3rd lowest)
Poverty Rate: 23.3% (16th highest)
People In Poverty: 2,343
More on Avon Park: Data | Cost Of Living | Movers
Avon Park places as the seventh poorest city in Florida.
The city of over 10,057 ranks as having the 16th 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. Sebring
/10
Population: 11,382
Rank Last Year: 7 (Down 1)
Median Income: $44,184 (10th lowest)
Poverty Rate: 24.1% (14th highest)
People In Poverty: 2,747
More on Sebring: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
Sebring 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. Fort Meade
/10
Population: 5,225
Rank Last Year: 8 (Down 1)
Median Income: $36,657 (4th lowest)
Poverty Rate: 21.9% (20th highest)
People In Poverty: 1,145
More on Fort Meade: Data | Cost Of Living | Movers
Fort Meade couldn’t stay out of the top ten poorest places in Florida; it ranks number 9.
While the median income is the 4th lowest, there are a substantial number of people that live below the poverty line. Overall, Fort Meade ranks as having the 20th most people living in poverty of all the places we analyzed in Florida.
10. South Bay
/10
Population: 5,102
Rank Last Year: –
Median Income: $51,417 (2lowest)
Poverty Rate: 32.3% (4th highest)
People In Poverty: 1,647
More on South Bay: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
And rounding out the top ten poorest cities in Florida is South Bay.
The city of 5,102 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 2026
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 2020-2024 American Community Survey:
- Poverty Level
- Median Household Income
After we collected the data for all 222 places with more than 5,000 people in Florida, we ranked each place from 1 to 222 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, Palatka, crowned the “Poorest Place In Florida For 2026”.
This report has been updated for 2026, which is our eleventh time ranking the poorest places in Florida.
Summary: The Poorest Cities In Florida For 2026
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: Pinecrest
3rd Richest: Southwest Ranches
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 | Palatka | 10,650 | 37.3% | $32,021 | 3,972 |
| 2 | Quincy | 7,942 | 42.7% | $32,125 | 3,393 |
| 3 | Arcadia | 7,707 | 31.8% | $39,677 | 2,447 |
| 4 | Opa-locka | 16,282 | 29.7% | $37,532 | 4,829 |
| 5 | Florida City | 12,943 | 32.4% | $47,482 | 4,188 |
| 6 | Gainesville | 145,702 | 30.8% | $46,195 | 44,832 |
| 7 | Avon Park | 10,057 | 23.3% | $36,485 | 2,343 |
| 8 | Sebring | 11,382 | 24.1% | $44,184 | 2,747 |
| 9 | Fort Meade | 5,225 | 21.9% | $36,657 | 1,145 |
| 10 | South Bay | 5,102 | 32.3% | $51,417 | 1,647 |
| 11 | Fort Pierce | 49,082 | 26.2% | $47,072 | 12,879 |
| 12 | Belle Glade | 16,972 | 27.3% | $48,001 | 4,626 |
| 13 | Marianna | 7,150 | 22.1% | $40,414 | 1,580 |
| 14 | Dundee | 5,863 | 26.0% | $48,668 | 1,525 |
| 15 | Starke | 5,877 | 28.7% | $52,258 | 1,684 |
| 16 | Pahokee | 5,609 | 32.1% | $53,359 | 1,800 |
| 17 | Pembroke Park | 6,360 | 26.8% | $52,928 | 1,703 |
| 18 | Lauderdale Lakes | 36,404 | 21.7% | $50,006 | 7,914 |
| 19 | Perry | 7,068 | 18.9% | $40,898 | 1,338 |
| 20 | Daytona Beach | 78,992 | 20.4% | $52,058 | 16,114 |
| 21 | Lauderhill | 74,896 | 19.4% | $51,165 | 14,567 |
| 22 | Springfield | 8,230 | 22.3% | $54,462 | 1,831 |
| 23 | Hallandale Beach | 41,854 | 19.6% | $52,340 | 8,211 |
| 24 | Lake Wales | 16,785 | 22.4% | $56,347 | 3,766 |
| 25 | Kissimmee | 81,479 | 20.4% | $53,758 | 16,646 |
| 26 | Dania Beach | 32,180 | 19.3% | $52,748 | 6,220 |
| 27 | Holly Hill | 13,084 | 21.5% | $55,412 | 2,818 |
| 28 | DeFuniak Springs | 6,532 | 20.2% | $54,512 | 1,319 |
| 29 | Tallahassee | 201,875 | 23.6% | $57,409 | 47,723 |
| 30 | Ocala | 66,584 | 21.1% | $56,376 | 14,069 |
| 31 | Brooksville | 9,457 | 19.7% | $54,926 | 1,865 |
| 32 | Lake City | 12,515 | 19.8% | $56,472 | 2,481 |
| 33 | LaBelle | 5,184 | 17.1% | $53,309 | 889 |
| 34 | Inverness | 7,770 | 15.0% | $43,523 | 1,162 |
| 35 | Leesburg | 30,807 | 16.4% | $52,880 | 5,061 |
| 36 | North Miami | 60,344 | 18.9% | $57,188 | 11,398 |
| 37 | Hialeah | 226,165 | 17.0% | $55,594 | 38,538 |
| 38 | South Daytona | 13,543 | 16.9% | $56,579 | 2,288 |
| 39 | Sweetwater | 20,085 | 16.3% | $54,967 | 3,267 |
| 40 | Belleview | 5,805 | 16.8% | $57,813 | 972 |
| 41 | Clewiston | 7,348 | 16.4% | $57,222 | 1,201 |
| 42 | Stuart | 18,520 | 17.3% | $60,225 | 3,196 |
| 43 | Kenneth City | 5,012 | 13.8% | $49,347 | 691 |
| 44 | Miami | 459,745 | 19.4% | $62,462 | 88,960 |
| 45 | Winter Haven | 55,200 | 16.4% | $59,648 | 9,069 |
| 46 | Okeechobee | 5,479 | 15.8% | $57,044 | 867 |
| 47 | Live Oak | 6,985 | 16.3% | $59,375 | 1,137 |
| 48 | Panama City | 34,979 | 17.6% | $62,265 | 6,163 |
| 49 | Lady Lake | 16,675 | 12.3% | $46,074 | 2,057 |
| 50 | Deerfield Beach | 88,093 | 15.1% | $59,730 | 13,266 |
| 51 | Zephyrhills | 19,668 | 13.2% | $52,108 | 2,590 |
| 52 | Homestead | 82,807 | 18.4% | $65,423 | 15,244 |
| 53 | Palm Springs | 27,356 | 15.4% | $61,739 | 4,223 |
| 54 | Bradenton | 57,014 | 14.8% | $60,822 | 8,460 |
| 55 | Fort Myers | 95,051 | 16.3% | $63,732 | 15,483 |
| 56 | Riviera Beach | 38,657 | 18.4% | $68,060 | 7,112 |
| 57 | Bartow | 20,438 | 18.1% | $68,178 | 3,693 |
| 58 | Sunny Isles Beach | 22,437 | 14.3% | $61,921 | 3,217 |
| 59 | Haines City | 34,234 | 16.1% | $65,975 | 5,501 |
| 60 | North Miami Beach | 43,898 | 14.6% | $63,280 | 6,400 |
| 61 | Melbourne | 86,576 | 15.8% | $66,991 | 13,653 |
| 62 | New Port Richey | 17,425 | 10.5% | $47,606 | 1,834 |
| 63 | Pompano Beach | 114,147 | 15.2% | $67,195 | 17,338 |
| 64 | North Lauderdale | 45,234 | 14.0% | $63,326 | 6,346 |
| 65 | Clearwater | 117,247 | 14.8% | $66,381 | 17,317 |
| 66 | Palmetto | 13,588 | 13.5% | $62,621 | 1,839 |
| 67 | West Park | 15,249 | 14.6% | $65,952 | 2,224 |
| 68 | Vero Beach | 17,042 | 16.1% | $69,758 | 2,747 |
| 69 | Tamarac | 73,019 | 13.0% | $61,718 | 9,514 |
| 70 | Plant City | 40,887 | 15.0% | $67,439 | 6,133 |
| 71 | Largo | 82,617 | 13.1% | $62,096 | 10,789 |
| 72 | Miami Gardens | 113,177 | 13.6% | $63,627 | 15,414 |
| 73 | West Miami | 7,162 | 12.9% | $61,274 | 921 |
| 74 | Hollywood | 155,082 | 14.7% | $67,203 | 22,828 |
| 75 | Cocoa | 19,554 | 13.1% | $63,105 | 2,567 |
| 76 | Hialeah Gardens | 22,915 | 13.5% | $65,439 | 3,093 |
| 77 | Lakeland | 119,961 | 13.2% | $64,185 | 15,810 |
| 78 | Casselberry | 30,135 | 12.2% | $62,447 | 3,682 |
| 79 | Pinellas Park | 53,560 | 12.9% | $63,432 | 6,903 |
| 80 | Sarasota | 56,970 | 15.0% | $72,105 | 8,545 |
| 81 | Margate | 59,198 | 12.1% | $62,450 | 7,139 |
| 82 | Greenacres | 44,373 | 14.8% | $70,491 | 6,553 |
| 83 | Jacksonville | 977,670 | 14.5% | $69,872 | 142,153 |
| 84 | Orange City | 14,372 | 10.4% | $57,800 | 1,500 |
| 85 | Orlando | 319,758 | 14.7% | $72,336 | 46,876 |
| 86 | Altamonte Springs | 46,116 | 11.9% | $64,070 | 5,506 |
| 87 | Tampa | 401,618 | 15.4% | $75,475 | 62,049 |
| 88 | Boynton Beach | 81,435 | 13.7% | $70,074 | 11,140 |
| 89 | South Pasadena | 5,320 | 9.8% | $53,075 | 522 |
| 90 | Fort Walton Beach | 21,025 | 13.3% | $68,538 | 2,792 |
| 91 | Miami Beach | 82,031 | 14.4% | $72,856 | 11,787 |
| 92 | West Palm Beach | 122,290 | 14.2% | $73,446 | 17,304 |
| 93 | Davenport | 13,238 | 14.1% | $73,685 | 1,859 |
| 94 | Gulfport | 11,734 | 13.4% | $71,203 | 1,572 |
| 95 | Sanford | 63,730 | 11.9% | $66,891 | 7,577 |
| 96 | Crestview | 28,773 | 11.2% | $65,480 | 3,216 |
| 97 | Titusville | 49,385 | 11.3% | $66,192 | 5,565 |
| 98 | Edgewater | 23,627 | 10.0% | $60,977 | 2,353 |
| 99 | Fort Lauderdale | 185,604 | 15.0% | $83,130 | 27,877 |
| 100 | Orange Park | 9,055 | 13.8% | $77,106 | 1,245 |