Are You Below or Above the Poverty Line in Your State?
Poverty in America remains one of its biggest social issues. Federal poverty guidelines range from $12,760 for a one-person household to $44,120 for an eight-person family group. A salary of $12,760 means that a one-person household has only about $35 a day for necessities such as rent, food and transportation. The poverty line for a family of eight translates to just about $120 per day, which is far from enough for a family of that size to maintain a comfortable standard of living.
The cost of living can also vary widely from state to state, meaning you’ll encounter significant differences between the federal and state poverty guidelines. In reality, poverty in certain areas can be more severe than what the nationwide numbers imply, and state poverty rates range between about 8% and 21%. That’s why GOBankingRates conducted a study to reveal the actual poverty line for families of various sizes in every state, after factoring in the local cost of living.
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In some states, low-income families have a little more financial breathing room to keep their heads above water. In other states, it’s understandable how different costs can seem to keep piling on for people who are already among the most vulnerable in society. Whether you’re living alone or supporting a larger family, learning the actual poverty line in your state can be an important wake-up call about economic inequality.
Last updated: March 2, 2021
Alabama
Actual poverty line for 1-person household: $11,025
Actual poverty line for 2-person household: $14,895
Actual poverty line for 3-person household: $18,766
Actual poverty line for 4-person household: $22,637
Actual poverty line for 5-person household: $26,508
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Alaska
Actual poverty line for 1-person household: $15,950
Actual poverty line for 2-person household: $21,550
Actual poverty line for 3-person household: $27,150
Actual poverty line for 4-person household: $32,750
Actual poverty line for 5-person household: $38,350
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Arizona
Actual poverty line for 1-person household: $12,313
Actual poverty line for 2-person household: $16,637
Actual poverty line for 3-person household: $20,960
Actual poverty line for 4-person household: $25,283
Actual poverty line for 5-person household: $29,606
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Arkansas
Actual poverty line for 1-person household: $10,884
Actual poverty line for 2-person household: $14,706
Actual poverty line for 3-person household: $18,527
Actual poverty line for 4-person household: $22,349
Actual poverty line for 5-person household: $26,170
California
Actual poverty line for 1-person household: $14,725
Actual poverty line for 2-person household: $19,895
Actual poverty line for 3-person household: $25,065
Actual poverty line for 4-person household: $30,235
Actual poverty line for 5-person household: $35,405
Colorado
Actual poverty line for 1-person household: $13,002
Actual poverty line for 2-person household: $17,568
Actual poverty line for 3-person household: $22,133
Actual poverty line for 4-person household: $26,698
Actual poverty line for 5-person household: $31,263
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Connecticut
Actual poverty line for 1-person household: $13,538
Actual poverty line for 2-person household: $18,292
Actual poverty line for 3-person household: $23,045
Actual poverty line for 4-person household: $27,798
Actual poverty line for 5-person household: $32,551
Delaware
Actual poverty line for 1-person household: $12,607
Actual poverty line for 2-person household: $17,033
Actual poverty line for 3-person household: $21,459
Actual poverty line for 4-person household: $25,886
Actual poverty line for 5-person household: $30,312
Florida
Actual poverty line for 1-person household: $12,837
Actual poverty line for 2-person household: $17,343
Actual poverty line for 3-person household: $21,850
Actual poverty line for 4-person household: $26,357
Actual poverty line for 5-person household: $30,864
Georgia
Actual poverty line for 1-person household: $11,867
Actual poverty line for 2-person household: $16,033
Actual poverty line for 3-person household: $20,200
Actual poverty line for 4-person household: $24,366
Actual poverty line for 5-person household: $28,532
Hawaii
Actual poverty line for 1-person household: $14,680
Actual poverty line for 2-person household: $19,830
Actual poverty line for 3-person household: $24,980
Actual poverty line for 4-person household: $30,130
Actual poverty line for 5-person household: $35,280
Idaho
Actual poverty line for 1-person household: $11,803
Actual poverty line for 2-person household: $15,947
Actual poverty line for 3-person household: $20,091
Actual poverty line for 4-person household: $24,235
Actual poverty line for 5-person household: $28,379
Illinois
Actual poverty line for 1-person household: $12,518
Actual poverty line for 2-person household: $16,912
Actual poverty line for 3-person household: $21,307
Actual poverty line for 4-person household: $25,702
Actual poverty line for 5-person household: $30,097
Indiana
Actual poverty line for 1-person household: $11,395
Actual poverty line for 2-person household: $15,395
Actual poverty line for 3-person household: $19,396
Actual poverty line for 4-person household: $23,397
Actual poverty line for 5-person household: $27,397
Iowa
Actual poverty line for 1-person household: $11,382
Actual poverty line for 2-person household: $15,378
Actual poverty line for 3-person household: $19,374
Actual poverty line for 4-person household: $23,370
Actual poverty line for 5-person household: $27,367
Kansas
Actual poverty line for 1-person household: $11,484
Actual poverty line for 2-person household: $15,516
Actual poverty line for 3-person household: $19,548
Actual poverty line for 4-person household: $23,580
Actual poverty line for 5-person household: $27,612
Kentucky
Actual poverty line for 1-person household: $11,203
Actual poverty line for 2-person household: $15,137
Actual poverty line for 3-person household: $19,070
Actual poverty line for 4-person household: $23,004
Actual poverty line for 5-person household: $26,937
Louisiana
Actual poverty line for 1-person household: $11,369
Actual poverty line for 2-person household: $15,361
Actual poverty line for 3-person household: $19,353
Actual poverty line for 4-person household: $23,344
Actual poverty line for 5-person household: $27,336
Maine
Actual poverty line for 1-person household: $12,760
Actual poverty line for 2-person household: $17,240
Actual poverty line for 3-person household: $21,720
Actual poverty line for 4-person household: $26,200
Actual poverty line for 5-person household: $30,680
Maryland
Actual poverty line for 1-person household: $13,832
Actual poverty line for 2-person household: $18,688
Actual poverty line for 3-person household: $23,544
Actual poverty line for 4-person household: $28,401
Actual poverty line for 5-person household: $33,257
Massachusetts
Actual poverty line for 1-person household: $13,998
Actual poverty line for 2-person household: $18,912
Actual poverty line for 3-person household: $23,827
Actual poverty line for 4-person household: $28,741
Actual poverty line for 5-person household: $33,656
Michigan
Actual poverty line for 1-person household: $11,790
Actual poverty line for 2-person household: $15,930
Actual poverty line for 3-person household: $20,069
Actual poverty line for 4-person household: $24,209
Actual poverty line for 5-person household: $28,348
Minnesota
Actual poverty line for 1-person household: $12,441
Actual poverty line for 2-person household: $16,809
Actual poverty line for 3-person household: $21,177
Actual poverty line for 4-person household: $25,545
Actual poverty line for 5-person household: $29,913
Mississippi
Actual poverty line for 1-person household: $10,974
Actual poverty line for 2-person household: $14,826
Actual poverty line for 3-person household: $18,679
Actual poverty line for 4-person household: $22,532
Actual poverty line for 5-person household: $26,385
Missouri
Actual poverty line for 1-person household: $11,331
Actual poverty line for 2-person household: $15,309
Actual poverty line for 3-person household: $19,287
Actual poverty line for 4-person household: $23,266
Actual poverty line for 5-person household: $27,244
Montana
Actual poverty line for 1-person household: $11,905
Actual poverty line for 2-person household: $16,085
Actual poverty line for 3-person household: $20,265
Actual poverty line for 4-person household: $24,445
Actual poverty line for 5-person household: $28,624
Nebraska
Actual poverty line for 1-person household: $11,420
Actual poverty line for 2-person household: $15,430
Actual poverty line for 3-person household: $19,439
Actual poverty line for 4-person household: $23,449
Actual poverty line for 5-person household: $27,459
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Nevada
Actual poverty line for 1-person household: $12,441
Actual poverty line for 2-person household: $16,809
Actual poverty line for 3-person household: $21,177
Actual poverty line for 4-person household: $25,545
Actual poverty line for 5-person household: $29,913
New Hampshire
Actual poverty line for 1-person household: $13,526
Actual poverty line for 2-person household: $18,274
Actual poverty line for 3-person household: $23,023
Actual poverty line for 4-person household: $27,772
Actual poverty line for 5-person household: $32,521
New Jersey
Actual poverty line for 1-person household: $14,700
Actual poverty line for 2-person household: $19,860
Actual poverty line for 3-person household: $25,021
Actual poverty line for 4-person household: $30,182
Actual poverty line for 5-person household: $35,343
New Mexico
Actual poverty line for 1-person household: $11,624
Actual poverty line for 2-person household: $15,706
Actual poverty line for 3-person household: $19,787
Actual poverty line for 4-person household: $23,868
Actual poverty line for 5-person household: $27,949
New York
Actual poverty line for 1-person household: $14,853
Actual poverty line for 2-person household: $20,067
Actual poverty line for 3-person household: $25,282
Actual poverty line for 4-person household: $30,497
Actual poverty line for 5-person household: $35,712
North Carolina
Actual poverty line for 1-person household: $11,714
Actual poverty line for 2-person household: $15,826
Actual poverty line for 3-person household: $19,939
Actual poverty line for 4-person household: $24,052
Actual poverty line for 5-person household: $28,164
North Dakota
Actual poverty line for 1-person household: $11,561
Actual poverty line for 2-person household: $15,619
Actual poverty line for 3-person household: $19,678
Actual poverty line for 4-person household: $23,737
Actual poverty line for 5-person household: $27,796
Ohio
Actual poverty line for 1-person household: $11,280
Actual poverty line for 2-person household: $15,240
Actual poverty line for 3-person household: $19,200
Actual poverty line for 4-person household: $23,161
Actual poverty line for 5-person household: $27,121
Oklahoma
Actual poverty line for 1-person household: $11,280
Actual poverty line for 2-person household: $15,240
Actual poverty line for 3-person household: $19,200
Actual poverty line for 4-person household: $23,161
Actual poverty line for 5-person household: $27,121
Oregon
Actual poverty line for 1-person household: $12,900
Actual poverty line for 2-person household: $17,430
Actual poverty line for 3-person household: $21,959
Actual poverty line for 4-person household: $26,488
Actual poverty line for 5-person household: $31,017
Pennsylvania
Actual poverty line for 1-person household: $12,441
Actual poverty line for 2-person household: $16,809
Actual poverty line for 3-person household: $21,177
Actual poverty line for 4-person household: $25,545
Actual poverty line for 5-person household: $29,913
Rhode Island
Actual poverty line for 1-person household: $12,671
Actual poverty line for 2-person household: $17,119
Actual poverty line for 3-person household: $21,568
Actual poverty line for 4-person household: $26,017
Actual poverty line for 5-person household: $30,465
South Carolina
Actual poverty line for 1-person household: $11,624
Actual poverty line for 2-person household: $15,706
Actual poverty line for 3-person household: $19,787
Actual poverty line for 4-person household: $23,868
Actual poverty line for 5-person household: $27,949
South Dakota
Actual poverty line for 1-person household: $11,216
Actual poverty line for 2-person household: $15,154
Actual poverty line for 3-person household: $19,092
Actual poverty line for 4-person household: $23,030
Actual poverty line for 5-person household: $26,968
Tennessee
Actual poverty line for 1-person household: $11,471
Actual poverty line for 2-person household: $15,499
Actual poverty line for 3-person household: $19,526
Actual poverty line for 4-person household: $23,554
Actual poverty line for 5-person household: $27,581
Texas
Actual poverty line for 1-person household: $12,352
Actual poverty line for 2-person household: $16,688
Actual poverty line for 3-person household: $21,025
Actual poverty line for 4-person household: $25,362
Actual poverty line for 5-person household: $29,698
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Utah
Actual poverty line for 1-person household: $12,326
Actual poverty line for 2-person household: $16,654
Actual poverty line for 3-person household: $20,982
Actual poverty line for 4-person household: $25,309
Actual poverty line for 5-person household: $29,637
Vermont
Actual poverty line for 1-person household: $13,143
Actual poverty line for 2-person household: $17,757
Actual poverty line for 3-person household: $22,372
Actual poverty line for 4-person household: $26,986
Actual poverty line for 5-person household: $31,600
Virginia
Actual poverty line for 1-person household: $13,015
Actual poverty line for 2-person household: $17,585
Actual poverty line for 3-person household: $22,154
Actual poverty line for 4-person household: $26,724
Actual poverty line for 5-person household: $31,294
Washington
Actual poverty line for 1-person household: $13,755
Actual poverty line for 2-person household: $18,585
Actual poverty line for 3-person household: $23,414
Actual poverty line for 4-person household: $28,244
Actual poverty line for 5-person household: $33,073
West Virginia
Actual poverty line for 1-person household: $11,203
Actual poverty line for 2-person household: $15,137
Actual poverty line for 3-person household: $19,070
Actual poverty line for 4-person household: $23,004
Actual poverty line for 5-person household: $26,937
Wisconsin
Actual poverty line for 1-person household: $11,726
Actual poverty line for 2-person household: $15,844
Actual poverty line for 3-person household: $19,961
Actual poverty line for 4-person household: $24,078
Actual poverty line for 5-person household: $28,195
Wyoming
Actual poverty line for 1-person household: $11,829
Actual poverty line for 2-person household: $15,981
Actual poverty line for 3-person household: $20,134
Actual poverty line for 4-person household: $24,287
Actual poverty line for 5-person household: $28,440
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Methodology: In order to determine each state’s unique poverty guideline income, GOBankingRates sourced the current 2020 Poverty Guidelines from the office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation (ASPE), and factored it by each state’s regional price parity, sourced from the Bureau of Economic Analysis. Alaska and Hawaii were excluded from this calculation since they are assigned separate poverty guidelines, reflecting an Office of Economic Opportunity administrative practice beginning in the 1966-1970 period. Poverty guideline incomes were calculated for households with one to eight people. All data was compiled on and up to date as of Sept. 14, 2020. Supplemental data on quintile incomes, median household income and poverty rate are sourced from the Census Bureau’s 2018 American Community Survey.
This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: Are You Below or Above the Poverty Line in Your State?