Like all states, Pennsylvania has certain places that are going on hard times. These Pennsylvania 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 Pennsylvania.
To do so, we used Saturday Night Science to analyze the newest Census data from the American Community Survey for the 191 cities in Pennsylvania with more than 5,000 people.
Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Summary | Table
The 10 Poorest Places In Pennsylvania For 2026:
What’s the poorest city in Pennsylvania? According to the facts, West Hazleton is the poorest place in Pennsylvania 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 Pennsylvania reading, check out:
- Best Places To Live In Pennsylvania
- Cheapest Places To Live In Pennsylvania
- Most Dangerous Cities In Pennsylvania
- The poorest states in the US
- The poorest cities in the US
The 10 Poorest Cities In Pennsylvania For 2026
1. West Hazleton
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West Hazleton, unfortunately, ranks as the poorest place in Pennsylvania thanks to combination of low pay and and a lack of jobs.
The city of 5,178 people averages the lowest median household income in Pennsylvania and the 3rd 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. McKeesport
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Population: 17,380
Rank Last Year: 1 (Down 1)
Median Income: $34,219 (2nd lowest)
Poverty Rate: 32.0% (6th highest)
People In Poverty: 5,559
More on Mckeesport: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
The second poorest city in Pennsylvania is McKeesport.
The city ranks as having the 6th highest incidence of poverty and 2nd lowest median household income. However, the unemployment rate ‘only’ ranks as the 10th highest in the Keystone State.
3. Clairton
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Population: 6,044
Rank Last Year: 6 (Up 3)
Median Income: $36,538 (4th lowest)
Poverty Rate: 33.0% (4th highest)
People In Poverty: 1,996
More on Clairton: Data | Cost Of Living | Movers
Placing as the third poorest city, Clairton’s median income ranks as the 4th 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 33.04% 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 Keystone State.
4. Lewi
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Population: 8,479
Rank Last Year: 4 (No Change)
Median Income: $40,236 (10th lowest)
Poverty Rate: 35.7% (2nd highest)
People In Poverty: 3,028
More on Lewi: Data | Movers
Lewi ranks as the fourth poorest place in Pennsylvania.
The town ranks as having the 10th lowest median household income and the 2nd 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. Johnstown
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Population: 18,087
Rank Last Year: 3 (Down 2)
Median Income: $37,888 (5th lowest)
Poverty Rate: 31.9% (7th highest)
People In Poverty: 5,773
More on Johnstown: Data | Cost Of Living | Movers
The fifth poorest city in Pennsylvania is Johnstown.
The city ranks as having the 5th 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 7th highest in Pennsylvania.
Still not the best news for Johnstown.
6. Uniontown
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Population: 9,742
Rank Last Year: 9 (Up 3)
Median Income: $35,454 (3rd lowest)
Poverty Rate: 27.8% (13th highest)
People In Poverty: 2,704
More on Uniontown: Data | Cost Of Living | Movers
Uniontown ranks as the sixth poorest place in the Keystone State.
It ranks as having the 13th highest incidence of poverty and the 24th highest unemployment rate.
7. McKees Rocks
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Population: 5,786
Rank Last Year: 2 (Down 5)
Median Income: $41,131 (12th lowest)
Poverty Rate: 32.1% (5th highest)
People In Poverty: 1,856
More on Mckees Rocks: Data | Cost Of Living | Movers
McKees Rocks places as the seventh poorest city in Pennsylvania.
The city of over 5,786 ranks as having the 5th 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. Darby
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Population: 10,687
Rank Last Year: 10 (Up 2)
Median Income: $39,863 (9th lowest)
Poverty Rate: 29.9% (9th highest)
People In Poverty: 3,200
More on Darby: Data | Cost Of Living | Movers
Darby ranks as the eighth poorest city in Pennsylvania.
The big issue for the town is the unemployment rate which ranks as one of the highest in the state.
9. State College
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Population: 41,050
Rank Last Year: 13 (Up 4)
Median Income: $45,424 (20th lowest)
Poverty Rate: 38.1% (highest)
People In Poverty: 15,635
More on State College: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
State College couldn’t stay out of the top ten poorest places in Pennsylvania; it ranks number 9.
While the median income is the 20th lowest, there are a substantial number of people that live below the poverty line. Overall, State College ranks as having the most people living in poverty of all the places we analyzed in Pennsylvania.
10. Chester
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Population: 33,619
Rank Last Year: 5 (Down 5)
Median Income: $41,342 (13th lowest)
Poverty Rate: 29.0% (10th highest)
People In Poverty: 9,736
More on Chester: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
And rounding out the top ten poorest cities in Pennsylvania is Chester.
The city of 33,619 people ranks in the bottom 20% for both median income and poverty rate in the Keystone State.
Methodology: How We Determined The Poorest Places In Pennsylvania 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 191 places with more than 5,000 people in Pennsylvania, we ranked each place from 1 to 191 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, West Hazleton, crowned the “Poorest Place In Pennsylvania For 2026”.
This report has been updated for 2026, which is our eleventh time ranking the poorest places in Pennsylvania.
Summary: The Poorest Cities In Pennsylvania For 2026
Like we said earlier, when we set out to identify the poorest places in Pennsylvania, we weren’t sure what we’d encounter, but it ended up being some of the best places to live in Pennsylvania.
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 Pennsylvania, according to data:
-
Richest: Franklin Park
2nd Richest: Fox Chapel
3rd Richest: Swarthmore
For more Pennsylvania reading, check out:
- Richest Cities In Pennsylvania
- Safest Places In Pennsylvania
- Worst Places To Live In Pennsylvania
- Most Expensive Places To Live In Pennsylvania
Detailed List Of The Poorest Places To Live In Pennsylvania
| Rank | City | Population | Poverty Rate | Median Income | People In Poverty |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | West Hazleton | 5,178 | 34.9% | $34,118 | 1,806 |
| 2 | McKeesport | 17,380 | 32.0% | $34,219 | 5,559 |
| 3 | Clairton | 6,044 | 33.0% | $36,538 | 1,996 |
| 4 | Lewi | 8,479 | 35.7% | $40,236 | 3,028 |
| 5 | Johnstown | 18,087 | 31.9% | $37,888 | 5,773 |
| 6 | Uniontown | 9,742 | 27.8% | $35,454 | 2,704 |
| 7 | McKees Rocks | 5,786 | 32.1% | $41,131 | 1,856 |
| 8 | Darby | 10,687 | 29.9% | $39,863 | 3,200 |
| 9 | State College | 41,050 | 38.1% | $45,424 | 15,635 |
| 10 | Chester | 33,619 | 29.0% | $41,342 | 9,736 |
| 11 | New Castle | 21,579 | 28.0% | $42,219 | 6,044 |
| 12 | Reading | 95,242 | 28.7% | $44,091 | 27,315 |
| 13 | Shamokin | 6,853 | 24.6% | $39,690 | 1,684 |
| 14 | Plymouth | 5,770 | 24.1% | $39,167 | 1,390 |
| 15 | Titusville | 5,189 | 23.0% | $38,194 | 1,195 |
| 16 | Harrisburg | 50,287 | 30.5% | $48,099 | 15,337 |
| 17 | Tamaqua | 6,924 | 26.7% | $46,176 | 1,845 |
| 18 | Indiana | 14,212 | 21.7% | $40,857 | 3,088 |
| 19 | Hazleton | 30,111 | 25.0% | $46,177 | 7,539 |
| 20 | Carbondale | 8,789 | 26.4% | $47,716 | 2,322 |
| 21 | Duquesne | 5,149 | 22.9% | $44,180 | 1,178 |
| 22 | Erie | 93,850 | 23.3% | $46,113 | 21,838 |
| 23 | Meadville | 12,577 | 22.3% | $43,308 | 2,809 |
| 24 | Corry | 6,116 | 25.9% | $48,618 | 1,585 |
| 25 | Butler | 13,212 | 21.4% | $44,247 | 2,828 |
| 26 | Williamsport | 27,612 | 25.4% | $48,851 | 7,005 |
| 27 | Punxsutawney | 5,665 | 20.8% | $42,183 | 1,175 |
| 28 | Wilkes-Barre | 44,423 | 23.1% | $48,515 | 10,261 |
| 29 | Lock Haven | 8,447 | 20.9% | $46,102 | 1,763 |
| 30 | Lebanon | 26,536 | 22.9% | $48,456 | 6,066 |
| 31 | Bloomsburg | 13,024 | 26.5% | $51,536 | 3,455 |
| 32 | York | 44,938 | 21.1% | $48,420 | 9,504 |
| 33 | Scranton | 76,033 | 23.0% | $50,739 | 17,457 |
| 34 | Aliquippa | 9,079 | 22.9% | $50,188 | 2,077 |
| 35 | Sharon | 12,936 | 20.0% | $45,670 | 2,583 |
| 36 | Wilkinsburg | 14,027 | 20.4% | $46,416 | 2,857 |
| 37 | Edinboro | 5,440 | 20.5% | $48,173 | 1,117 |
| 38 | Vandergrift | 5,011 | 21.5% | $50,901 | 1,077 |
| 39 | Beaver Falls | 8,850 | 20.9% | $49,924 | 1,846 |
| 40 | Turtle Creek | 5,007 | 17.6% | $45,997 | 883 |
| 41 | Pittston | 7,626 | 20.0% | $49,941 | 1,525 |
| 42 | Franklin | 5,984 | 17.3% | $47,117 | 1,035 |
| 43 | Somerset | 5,944 | 17.2% | $47,102 | 1,021 |
| 44 | Jeannette | 8,657 | 18.8% | $49,188 | 1,628 |
| 45 | Connellsville | 6,849 | 16.2% | $45,721 | 1,112 |
| 46 | Bradford | 7,683 | 23.0% | $56,161 | 1,769 |
| 47 | Monessen | 6,780 | 20.8% | $52,889 | 1,407 |
| 48 | Columbia | 10,278 | 21.4% | $54,437 | 2,200 |
| 49 | Sunbury | 9,617 | 18.7% | $51,028 | 1,795 |
| 50 | Allentown | 125,976 | 21.0% | $55,494 | 26,417 |
| 51 | Collingdale | 8,897 | 19.6% | $51,886 | 1,740 |
| 52 | Lewisburg | 5,257 | 20.8% | $54,767 | 1,092 |
| 53 | Berwick | 10,317 | 16.5% | $49,800 | 1,705 |
| 54 | Pottsville | 13,364 | 19.9% | $54,332 | 2,659 |
| 55 | Clearfield | 5,873 | 20.1% | $54,646 | 1,177 |
| 56 | New Kensington | 12,011 | 16.0% | $49,063 | 1,926 |
| 57 | Duryea | 5,084 | 22.6% | $62,462 | 1,149 |
| 58 | Oil City | 9,468 | 16.6% | $51,316 | 1,571 |
| 59 | Altoona | 43,196 | 16.6% | $51,250 | 7,161 |
| 60 | Philadelphia | 1,579,706 | 21.4% | $61,953 | 337,425 |
| 61 | Washington | 13,368 | 16.8% | $52,975 | 2,244 |
| 62 | Kingston | 13,397 | 18.3% | $55,347 | 2,455 |
| 63 | Greenville | 5,523 | 16.5% | $52,661 | 910 |
| 64 | Oxford | 5,825 | 23.7% | $67,733 | 1,382 |
| 65 | Nanticoke | 10,653 | 19.4% | $57,462 | 2,068 |
| 66 | Steelton | 6,296 | 19.6% | $58,194 | 1,236 |
| 67 | Millersville | 8,982 | 23.1% | $67,866 | 2,076 |
| 68 | New Brighton | 5,567 | 16.1% | $52,939 | 894 |
| 69 | Mount Carmel | 5,677 | 16.2% | $53,021 | 919 |
| 70 | Ambridge | 6,890 | 15.5% | $51,537 | 1,068 |
| 71 | Yeadon | 12,181 | 12.6% | $49,759 | 1,528 |
| 72 | Lancaster | 57,719 | 20.3% | $63,690 | 11,740 |
| 73 | Coatesville | 13,353 | 18.1% | $59,256 | 2,414 |
| 74 | Sharon Hill | 6,002 | 27.3% | $75,130 | 1,640 |
| 75 | Pott | 23,476 | 17.5% | $60,828 | 4,101 |
| 76 | Munhall | 10,548 | 13.9% | $52,517 | 1,464 |
| 77 | Pittsburgh | 304,759 | 20.1% | $65,742 | 61,165 |
| 78 | Swissvale | 8,418 | 17.0% | $60,341 | 1,434 |
| 79 | Milton | 6,534 | 15.2% | $54,577 | 991 |
| 80 | Nazareth | 6,043 | 16.0% | $56,855 | 964 |
| 81 | Gettysburg | 8,254 | 14.1% | $54,365 | 1,165 |
| 82 | Chambersburg | 22,319 | 15.3% | $56,576 | 3,410 |
| 83 | Folcroft | 6,772 | 16.2% | $61,306 | 1,097 |
| 84 | Norri | 35,893 | 18.5% | $66,701 | 6,654 |
| 85 | Shippensburg | 5,620 | 10.8% | $51,503 | 609 |
| 86 | Middl | 9,632 | 12.4% | $55,765 | 1,196 |
| 87 | East Stroudsburg | 9,319 | 15.0% | $59,821 | 1,400 |
| 88 | Brentwood | 9,866 | 19.1% | $68,904 | 1,885 |
| 89 | Hanover | 16,584 | 14.5% | $61,293 | 2,406 |
| 90 | Carlisle | 21,852 | 15.1% | $61,720 | 3,293 |
| 91 | Dickson City | 6,023 | 13.1% | $59,963 | 786 |
| 92 | West Chester | 20,666 | 20.4% | $78,385 | 4,226 |
| 93 | Tyrone | 5,377 | 11.5% | $57,226 | 616 |
| 94 | Warren | 9,240 | 9.9% | $53,815 | 915 |
| 95 | DuBois | 7,402 | 14.0% | $62,697 | 1,037 |
| 96 | Bellefonte | 6,009 | 13.1% | $62,540 | 784 |
| 97 | Exeter | 5,541 | 11.1% | $57,639 | 615 |
| 98 | Grove City | 7,830 | 10.8% | $57,169 | 846 |
| 99 | Easton | 29,739 | 16.3% | $69,348 | 4,850 |
| 100 | Sayre | 5,431 | 7.8% | $50,801 | 426 |