U.S. Census Bureau
 Poverty




Poverty 2005


Percentage of People in Poverty by State Using 2- and 3-Year Averages:  2003 to 2005
(People as of March of the following year)
    2-year average Change in percentage points
  3-year average 2003-20041 2004-20051 (2004-2005 average less
States 2003-20051 2003-2004 average)2
    90-percent   90-percent   90-percent 90-percent
    confidence   confidence   confidence confidence
  Percentage interval3 (+/-) Percentage interval3 (+/-) Percentage interval3 (+/-) Percentage interval3 (+/-)
 
     United States 12.6 0.2 12.6 0.2 12.7 0.2 0.1 0.2
 
Alabama 16.2 1.5 16.0 1.7 16.8 1.8 0.8 1.4
Alaska 9.6 1.3 9.4 1.4 9.5 1.6 0.2 1.2
Arizona 14.4 1.4 13.9 1.6 14.8 1.7 0.9 1.4
Arkansas 15.6 1.6 16.4 1.8 14.5 1.8 *-2.0 1.5
California 13.2 0.6 13.2 0.7 13.2 0.6 - 0.6
Colorado 10.4 1.3 9.8 1.4 10.7 1.6 0.9 1.2
Connecticut 9.2 1.2 9.1 1.3 9.7 1.5 0.6 1.1
Delaware 8.5 1.2 8.1 1.4 9.1 1.5 0.9 1.1
District of Columbia 18.3 1.9 16.9 2.1 19.1 2.3 *2.2 1.8
Florida 11.8 0.7 12.2 0.9 11.4 0.8 *-0.8 0.7
 
Georgia 13.1 1.1 12.4 1.3 13.7 1.2 *1.3 1.1
Hawaii 8.8 1.2 8.9 1.3 8.6 1.4 -0.3 1.1
Idaho 10.0 1.3 10.0 1.5 9.9 1.5 -0.1 1.2
Illinois 12.1 0.8 12.5 1.0 11.9 1.0 -0.6 0.8
Indiana 11.4 1.1 10.8 1.3 12.1 1.4 *1.3 1.1
Iowa 10.4 1.3 9.9 1.4 11.1 1.6 1.2 1.2
Kansas 11.6 1.4 11.1 1.5 12.0 1.7 0.9 1.3
Kentucky 15.6 1.6 16.1 1.8 16.3 1.9 0.2 1.4
Louisiana 17.4 1.6 16.9 1.8 17.6 1.9 0.7 1.6
Maine 11.9 1.4 11.6 1.5 12.1 1.8 0.5 1.3
 
Maryland 9.4 1.1 9.3 1.3 9.8 1.4 0.6 1.0
Massachusetts 9.9 1.0 9.8 1.2 9.7 1.2 -0.1 1.0
Michigan 12.2 0.9 12.3 1.1 12.6 1.1 0.3 0.9
Minnesota 7.5 1.0 7.2 1.1 7.5 1.2 0.3 1.0
Mississippi 18.3 1.7 17.4 1.9 19.4 2.0 *2.1 1.6
Missouri 11.5 1.2 11.5 1.4 11.9 1.5 0.4 1.1
Montana 14.4 1.6 14.7 1.8 14.0 1.8 -0.7 1.5
Nebraska 9.6 1.3 9.6 1.4 9.5 1.5 -0.1 1.2
Nevada 10.8 1.3 10.9 1.5 10.8 1.7 -0.1 1.2
New Hampshire 5.6 1.0 5.6 1.1 5.5 1.2 -0.1 0.9
 
New Jersey 7.8 0.8 8.3 1.0 7.4 1.0 *-0.9 0.8
New Mexico 17.5 1.8 17.3 2.1 17.2 2.1 -0.1 1.7
New York 14.6 0.8 14.6 0.9 14.8 0.9 0.1 0.7
North Carolina 14.4 1.1 15.1 1.3 13.8 1.3 *-1.3 1.1
North Dakota 10.2 1.3 9.7 1.4 10.4 1.6 0.7 1.2
Ohio 11.6 0.9 11.3 1.0 11.9 1.0 0.7 0.8
Oklahoma 13.1 1.4 11.8 1.6 13.2 1.8 1.4 1.4
Oregon 12.1 1.4 12.2 1.6 11.9 1.7 -0.2 1.3
Pennsylvania 11.0 0.8 11.0 0.9 11.3 1.0 0.3 0.8
Rhode Island 11.7 1.4 11.5 1.5 11.8 1.8 0.3 1.3
 
South Carolina 14.2 1.5 13.8 1.7 15.0 1.8 1.2 1.4
South Dakota 12.7 1.3 13.1 1.5 12.7 1.6 -0.4 1.2
Tennessee 15.0 1.4 15.0 1.6 15.4 1.6 0.4 1.3
Texas 16.5 0.8 16.7 1.0 16.3 0.9 -0.4 0.8
Utah 9.4 1.2 9.6 1.4 9.6 1.4 0.1 1.1
Vermont 8.0 1.2 8.2 1.3 7.7 1.5 -0.4 1.1
Virginia 9.5 1.0 9.7 1.2 9.3 1.1 -0.4 1.0
Washington 11.4 1.2 12.0 1.4 10.8 1.4 *-1.2 1.2
West Virginia 15.6 1.4 15.8 1.6 14.8 1.7 -1.0 1.4
Wisconsin 10.8 1.2 11.1 1.3 11.3 1.4 0.2 1.1
Wyoming 10.1 1.4 9.9 1.5 10.3 1.7 0.4 1.3
-Represents zero or rounds to zero.
*Statistically different from zero at the 90-percent confidence level.
1/The 2004 data have been revised to reflect a correction to the weights in the 2005 ASEC.
2/Details may not sum to totals because of rounding.
3/A 90-percent confidence interval is a measure of an estimate's variability.  The larger the confidence interval in relation to the size of the estimate, the less reliable the estimate.  For more information see "Standard errors and their use" at <www.census.gov/hhes/www/p60_231sa.pdf>.
Source:  U.S. Census Bureau, Current Population Survey, 2004 to 2006 Annual Social and Economic Supplements.
Contact the Demographic Call Center Staff at 301-763-2422 or 1-866-758-1060 (toll free) or visit ask.census.gov for further information on Poverty Statistics.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Housing and Household Economic Statistics Division