This Is the County With the Highest Poverty Rate in Virginia

Among developed nations with similarly advanced economies, the United States stands out for having especially high levels of income inequality. Though the U.S. ranks among the wealthiest countries in the world, more than one in every 10 American citizens live below the poverty line – and the problem is getting worse.

Between 2020 and 2021, the most recent years of available data, the number of Americans living below the poverty line climbed from 38.4 million to 41.4 million. The 7.9% year-over-year increase was a break from the nearly decade-long trend of poverty reduction.

The poverty line in the United States now stands at an annual income of $14,580 for an individual and $30,000 for a family of four – with slightly higher thresholds in Alaska and Hawaii. The consequences of living on such low incomes are far reaching and potentially devastating. Individuals living in poverty often struggle to afford basic needs, such as food, shelter, and health care. Additionally, the stress caused by persistent poverty can negatively impact mental health, leading to higher rates of depression, anxiety disorders, and substance abuse.

According to five-year estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2021 American Community Survey, Radford County has the highest poverty rate of any county or county equivalent in Virginia. An estimated 35.4% of the local population live below the poverty line, compared to the 9.9% statewide poverty rate.

Additionally, the typical household in the county earns $44,360 a year, about $36,300 less than the typical Virginia household.

- Advertisement -

Counties or county equivalents were not considered in this analysis if poverty rates were not available in the 2021 ACS, if the population for which the poverty status had been determined was less than 1,000, or if the sampling error associated with a county’s data was deemed too high.

GeographyPoverty rate in county or county equivalent (%)Poverty rate in state (%)Median household income in county or county equivalent ($)Median household income in state ($)Alabama: Greene39.815.828,82654,943Alaska: Kusilvak36.610.437,97580,287Arizona: Apache33.913.534,78865,913Arkansas: Phillips33.316.032,23552,123California: Trinity22.512.342,20684,097Colorado: Bent25.49.640,97280,184Connecticut: New Haven11.510.075,04383,572Delaware: Kent13.311.463,71572,724Florida: Hamilton26.413.139,34661,777Georgia: Lanier34.113.933,95665,030Hawaii: Hawaii13.89.568,39988,005Idaho: Madison24.311.453,49863,377Illinois: Alexander24.511.839,87172,563Indiana: Monroe21.812.554,09661,944Iowa: Story19.411.062,57865,429Kansas: Riley22.011.553,29664,521Kentucky: Wolfe34.616.324,34955,454Louisiana: East Carroll47.318.825,04953,571Maine: Washington18.711.046,68963,182Maryland: Somerset20.49.248,66191,431Massachusetts: Suffolk17.39.980,26089,026Michigan: Isabella23.813.348,84063,202Minnesota: Mahnomen21.19.248,02177,706Mississippi: Holmes39.219.424,95849,111Missouri: Pemiscot27.512.835,86561,043Montana: Roosevelt32.312.547,18260,560Nebraska: Thurston20.510.356,22366,644Nevada: Mineral19.612.943,00965,686New Hampshire: Sullivan12.57.464,58783,449New Jersey: Cumberland15.79.858,39789,703New Mexico: McKinley34.018.340,26254,020New York: Bronx26.513.543,72675,157North Carolina: Robeson27.313.736,73660,516North Dakota: Sioux38.510.739,75568,131Ohio: Athens25.513.447,06161,938Oklahoma: Okfuskee27.615.243,00056,956Oregon: Malheur19.412.147,90670,084Pennsylvania: Philadelphia22.811.852,64967,587Rhode Island: Providence13.611.365,79774,489South Carolina: Dillon31.214.539,78058,234South Dakota: Todd59.012.526,25063,920Tennessee: Hancock29.114.329,65058,516Texas: Dimmit46.514.025,00067,321Utah: San Juan21.28.852,40079,133Vermont: Essex14.710.548,19467,674Virginia: Radford35.49.944,36080,615Washington: Whitman24.710.043,61382,400West Virginia: McDowell28.916.930,12750,884Wisconsin: Menominee26.210.754,94067,080Wyoming: Albany23.610.750,73368,002

Hot this week

African and Caribbean Nations Call for Reparations for Slave Trade, Propose Global Fund

Nations across Africa and the Caribbean, deeply impacted by...

Sports betting expert offers advice on paying taxes for gambling winnings

(The Center Square) – Tax season is underway, and...

Health care company agrees to pay $22.5 million to settle claims of over billing

A health care company agreed to pay nearly $22.5...

Entertainment district benefits don’t outweigh the cost, economists say

(The Center Square) — Weeks later, after more details...

Business association ‘disappointed’ by WA L&I’s proposed workers comp rate hike

(The Center Square) – The Association of Washington Business...

Fish passage project in Olympic Peninsula not impacted by federal funding freeze

(The Center Square) – So far, federal funding remains...

Poll: Consumer sentiment highest since 2019 Trump administration

(The Center Square) – Inflation, 2.9% in the final...

Illinois quick hits: Illinois joins lawsuit agsinst Trump’s spending cuts

Illinois is among 22 states suing the Trump administration...

Nuclear recycling aims to reduce waste, provide ‘generational jobs’

(The Center Square) − A growing number of energy...

Trump signs order forcing agencies to work with DOGE

Billionaire Elon Musk joined President Donald Trump in the...

WA senator insists controversial remarks on parents’ rights taken out of context

(The Center Square) – Washington State Senate Majority Leader...

Lee’s $59.5B budget inlcudes $3.9B in new spending

(The Center Square) – Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee is...

More like this
Related

Fish passage project in Olympic Peninsula not impacted by federal funding freeze

(The Center Square) – So far, federal funding remains...

Poll: Consumer sentiment highest since 2019 Trump administration

(The Center Square) – Inflation, 2.9% in the final...

Illinois quick hits: Illinois joins lawsuit agsinst Trump’s spending cuts

Illinois is among 22 states suing the Trump administration...