The U.S. states with the lowest per capita income.

While the United States is by far the wealthiest nation in human history, there are still areas of the country that are severely underprivileged. Millions of people, from children to seniors, are affected by poverty. The official poverty threshold, as defined by the Federal government, is currently set at $25,700 per year.

Because of this, we've organized the annual poverty rates by state. The most important results are as follows:

It was a pretty easy process. The percentage of a state's population that is living below the poverty line was used to rank the states from worst to best in terms of poverty. The American Community Survey is where we found the state's population. We then compared the state-by-state poverty rates.

A state's ranking in this category rises as its poverty rate rises. Even though there are fewer people living in poverty in West Virginia than in New York (which has 2,867,908), due to the state's smaller population, the poverty rate in West Virginia is higher.

The states with the lowest poverty rates are those with rates below 10%, so keep that in mind as you look at the top ten poorest states. Most of the top ten states, however, have rates higher than 15 percent.

1. Mississippi

   Twenty percent of the population lives in poverty. 3%
   There are 586,013 people in poverty in the United States.
   Number of Residents in the State: 2,886,767

   The state of Mississippi, so named for the mighty Mississippi River, also has a terrible poverty rate of 20%. 3% Among all states, Mississippi has the highest total birthrate (28. 7%), adult (18 8%), male (18 In terms of gender, male (98. 3 Percentage Point Increase in Poverty Rates A low annual per capita income of $24,369 was recorded in 2019.

   Both farming and schooling are to blame for this income shortfall. Most jobs in agriculture in the state don't pay well, and there isn't enough of the state's workforce with college degrees to move into higher-paying industries.

2. Louisiana

   Rate of Poverty: 19 2%
   To put it another way, 870,281 people are currently living below the poverty line.
   Approximately 4,532,714 people call this state home.

   Louisiana has a shockingly high poverty rate of 19% despite its beautiful bayous and stunning city of New Orleans. 2% The annual income per resident of the state is only $27,923. The rate of senior poverty in Louisiana is 12 percent, which is even higher than the rate in Mississippi. 8%

   Reasons for such high numbers include urbanization and illiteracy. Despite its widespread recognition, New Orleans has a much smaller metropolitan area than New York or Los Angeles. It ranks only as the 36th largest CMSA.

3. New Mexico

   Rate of Poverty: 19 1%
   There are currently 391,547 people in low-income households.
   Approximately 2,049,986 people call this state home.

   New Mexico, which is surrounded by the Chihuahuan Desert, has a high poverty rate of 19%. It has the third-lowest per capita income of any U.S. S Despite this, the state has a surprisingly high per capita income, at $45,803 annually. The adult poverty rate in this state, at 18%, is even higher than that of Louisiana. 2%

   The desert and social inequality also play a role in these alarmingly high rates. Native Americans of American Indian and Alaska Native descent face a poverty rate of as high as 30% in this state. In addition to such disparities, the desert surrounding Las Vegas offers few opportunities due to a lack of both education and a major city.

4. It's in West Virginia.

   Roughly one in every seventeen people live below the poverty line. 6%
   Poor people total: 310,765
   Estimated Population of the State: 1,765,715

   This stunning mountain state has, unfortunately, long suffered from pervasive poverty. Presently, 17.1% of West Virginia's population lives below the poverty line. low population density and a 6% unemployment rate In addition, the state has one of the lowest average per capita incomes in the USA. S annual salary of only $26,480

   Interestingly though, while adult poverty remains high in West Virginia (18%), The poverty rate for people aged 65 and up in the state is 1%. The top five on this list all have percentages higher than 5%.

   West Virginia's unlucky borders, coupled with an evolving economy, are to blame for these astronomical rates. At first, the state was an important coal mining region, which prompted the growth of industrial mining towns and a relatively prosperous economy.

   Unfortunately, as coal's popularity declines, West Virginians have few options due to the state's lack of land outside the Appalachians. Logging and construction work are two of the few options for those without degrees, but they pay much less than a corporate job in Los Angeles.

5. Kentucky

   Rate of Poverty: 17 3%
   745,543 people are below the poverty line.
   Population of the State: 4,309,501

   Kentucky, tucked in on the other side of the Appalachians, is the fifth state to make the cut. The poverty rate in the state is 17 3% It's likely that high rates of senior (11%) and adult (16%) poverty contribute to Kentucky's low per capita income of $28,178. 7%) rates

   The widespread lack of education in our nation's major cities is to blame for these alarmingly high rates. Due to these factors, many people are unable to move up the corporate ladder and are instead forced to remain in jobs they despise. However, it should be noted that Kentucky has made great strides in recent years. The poverty rate in 2011 was 19% in the state. 4.0%, a decrease of nearly 3.0% from its pre-recession level

6. Arkansas

   Rate of Poverty: 17%
   There are 494,862 people in poverty in the United States.
   Population of the State: 2,911,954

   Despite its progress, this small Midwestern state still has a poverty rate of 17%. That's still below its 2012 average of 19, though. 8%

   Arkansas now has a lower per capita income than some of the states near the bottom of this ranking. Above the head of a tall kid (23 Seven percent) and male (15 With a poverty rate that is nearly in double digits (13.5%), it can be tough for some to make ends meet in the state.

   A lack of education and available jobs likely contribute to these alarming figures. Due to a lack of education, many of the available jobs are in agriculture or other labor-intensive industries, and they pay poorly.

7. Alabama

   Rate of Poverty: 16 7%
   793,966 people are currently living below the poverty line.
   Population of the State: 4,754,288

   The poverty rate in Alabama is 16 percent, making it the seventh highest in the country after Mississippi. 7% Income per resident in the state is also low, at $27,928 annually. The 23 percent child poverty rate in Alabama is higher than the rates in any of the states above it on this list. 9%

   Reasons for these alarming figures include unequal educational opportunities and racial discrimination. To give just one example, a shocking 28 Only 4% of Blacks and 32% of Hispanics Less than 2% of the state's Latino population is poor. Both of these figures are significantly higher than the proportion of White people who engage in

8. Oklahoma

   Child Poverty Rate: 15 7%
   599,326 people are currently classified as low-income.
   Population of the State: 3,817,368

   Oklahoma, located just north of Texas, has a poverty rate of 15 percent. 7%, with a low annual per-person income of just $28,422 In spite of this, it is important to recognize that the state has a poverty rate for seniors that is 8 The percentage of 9% is the lowest of all these options.

   Higher-than-average poverty rates in Oklahoma can be traced back to unequal educational opportunities and social stratification. The majority of low-paying non-skilled jobs in the state are in agriculture, ranching, and the service sector.

   Native Americans and other minorities in the state also experience higher poverty rates than the general population does, despite making up a smaller share of the state's poor.

9. Carolina del Sur

   Indicative of Poverty: 15 2%
   741,438 people are currently classified as low-income
   People living in this state as of the 2010 census: 4,877,884

   The poverty rate in South Carolina is 15%, despite the state's beautiful beaches and forests. 2% Despite having a higher median household income than many of the other states here, the state's per capita income is still only $29,426. A shockingly high rate of 22 percent of South Carolina's children live in poverty. 2%

   Given the relative lack of urban decay in most of South Carolina's major urban areas, these high rates may come as a surprise. However, government mismanagement and racial inequalities are major contributors to the state's poverty rates. One shocking statistic is the shockingly high rate of poverty among African Americans in South Carolina, which stands at 26 7%

10. Tennessee

    Extreme Poverty Index: 15 2%
    As of now, there are 994,504 people in poverty in the world.
    Approximately 6,542,792 people call this state home.

    In last place, with a poverty rate of 15 percent, is Tennessee. 2% A person in Tennessee can expect to make around $29,859 annually. A 13 percent rate of male poverty is slightly higher in Tennessee than in South Carolina, despite the fact that the two states have statistically similar populations overall. 9%

    Since 2014, however, the poverty rate in this state has dropped dramatically, from 18 3% from its previous 15 2% The poverty rate in Tennessee has dropped to a level that is more comparable to the national average. 7%

Despite the regrettability of poverty rates, it is essential to know where each state currently stands and to track their progress in reducing this unfortunate statistic. The current poverty rates in these states are higher than in any other in the United States, from Mississippi to Tennessee. S Despite the fact that some teams have made substantial strides forward,

Certainly, there are a few lessons to remember. There are many causes that can contribute to a state's poverty rate, including inequality, a lack of education, and a lack of resources.

The purpose of this list is not to label any state as "bad," but rather to examine the pressing problems facing each of the 50 states today. It's a shame that despite their natural beauty, many of these states are experiencing economic and social difficulties.