U.S. Census Bureau
 Poverty




Poverty 2006


Percentage of People in Poverty by State Using 2- and 3-Year Averages:  2004 to 2006
(People as of March of the following year)
    2-year average Change in percentage points
  3-year average 2004-20051 2005-2006 (2005-2006 average less
States 2004-20061 2004-2005 average)2
    90-percent   90-percent   90-percent 90-percent
    confidence   confidence   confidence confidence
  Percentage interval3 (+/-) Percentage interval3 (+/-) Percentage interval3 (+/-) Percentage interval3 (+/-)
 
     United States……….. 12.5 0.2 12.7 0.2 12.5 0.2 *-0.2 0.2
   
Alabama...........………….. 16.0 1.5 16.8 1.8 15.5 1.8 -1.3 1.5
Alaska............…………….. 9.3 1.3 9.5 1.6 9.4 1.6 -0.1 1.3
Arizona...........……………. 14.7 1.4 14.8 1.7 14.8 1.6 - 1.3
Arkansas..........………….. 15.6 1.6 14.5 1.8 15.8 1.8 1.3 1.6
California........……………. 12.9 0.5 13.2 0.6 12.7 0.6 -0.5 0.5
Colorado..........……………. 10.4 1.4 10.7 1.6 10.6 1.6 -0.1 1.3
Connecticut.......……………… 9.1 1.3 9.7 1.5 8.7 1.4 -1.1 1.2
Delaware..........………………. 9.2 1.3 9.1 1.5 9.3 1.5 0.2 1.2
District of Columbia…………. 18.8 2.0 19.1 2.3 19.8 2.3 0.6 1.8
Florida...........………………… 11.4 0.7 11.4 0.8 11.3 0.8 -0.1 0.7
   
Georgia...........…………….. 13.3 1.0 13.7 1.2 13.5 1.2 -0.2 1.0
Hawaii............……………. 8.8 1.2 8.6 1.4 8.9 1.4 0.3 1.2
Idaho.............………………. 9.8 1.3 9.9 1.5 9.7 1.5 -0.2 1.3
Illinois..........………………. 11.5 0.8 11.9 1.0 11.0 1.0 *-0.9 0.8
Indiana...........………………. 11.6 1.2 12.1 1.4 11.6 1.4 -0.5 1.1
Iowa..............………………. 10.8 1.4 11.1 1.6 10.8 1.6 -0.3 1.3
Kansas............……………….. 12.2 1.5 12.0 1.7 12.7 1.8 0.7 1.4
Kentucky..........……………… 16.5 1.6 16.3 1.9 15.8 1.9 -0.5 1.6
Louisiana.........…………….. 17.4 1.7 17.6 1.9 17.6 2.0 0.1 1.6
Maine.............…………………… 11.5 1.5 12.1 1.8 11.4 1.8 -0.7 1.4
   
Maryland..........……………… 9.3 1.1 9.8 1.4 9.1 1.3 -0.8 1.1
Massachusetts.....………….. 10.5 1.1 9.7 1.2 11.1 1.3 *1.3 1.1
Michigan..........………………. 12.9 1.0 12.6 1.1 12.6 1.1 - 0.9
Minnesota.........………………… 7.7 1.1 7.5 1.2 8.1 1.3 0.6 1.0
Mississippi.......…………….. 19.8 1.7 19.4 2.0 20.4 2.0 1.0 1.7
Missouri..........……………….. 11.7 1.2 11.9 1.5 11.5 1.4 -0.4 1.2
Montana...........……………… 13.8 1.5 14.0 1.8 13.7 1.8 -0.3 1.5
Nebraska..........……………. 9.7 1.3 9.5 1.5 9.9 1.5 0.4 1.3
Nevada............……………….. 10.4 1.4 10.8 1.7 10.1 1.6 -0.7 1.3
New Hampshire.....……………… 5.5 1.0 5.5 1.2 5.5 1.2 - 1.0
   
New Jersey........………………. 7.9 0.8 7.4 1.0 7.8 1.0 0.4 0.8
New Mexico........………………. 17.1 1.8 17.2 2.1 17.4 2.1 0.2 1.7
New York..........…………….. 14.5 0.8 14.8 0.9 14.3 0.9 -0.5 0.7
North Carolina....……………….. 13.8 1.1 13.8 1.3 13.5 1.2 -0.4 1.1
North Dakota......………………… 10.8 1.4 10.4 1.6 11.3 1.6 0.8 1.3
Ohio..............………………… 12.0 0.9 11.9 1.0 12.2 1.0 0.3 0.8
Oklahoma..........…………………. 13.9 1.5 13.2 1.8 15.4 1.9 *2.2 1.5
Oregon............………………… 11.9 1.5 11.9 1.7 11.9 1.7 - 1.4
Pennsylvania......……………….. 11.3 0.8 11.3 1.0 11.3 1.0 - 0.8
Rhode Island......……………… 11.3 1.5 11.8 1.8 11.3 1.7 -0.5 1.4
   
South Carolina....……………. 13.7 1.5 15.0 1.8 13.1 1.7 *-1.8 1.4
South Dakota......……………… 12.0 1.3 12.7 1.6 11.3 1.5 *-1.4 1.3
Tennessee.........…………… 15.2 1.3 15.4 1.6 14.9 1.6 -0.5 1.3
Texas.............……………. 16.4 0.8 16.3 0.9 16.3 0.9 - 0.7
Utah..............……………… 9.5 1.2 9.6 1.4 9.2 1.4 -0.4 1.2
Vermont...........…………… 7.7 1.3 7.7 1.5 7.7 1.5 - 1.2
Virginia..........…………….. 9.1 1.0 9.3 1.1 8.9 1.1 -0.4 0.9
Washington........………… 9.9 1.1 10.8 1.4 9.1 1.3 *-1.7 1.1
West Virginia.....………….. 15.0 1.5 14.8 1.7 15.3 1.7 0.6 1.4
Wisconsin.........………….. 10.9 1.2 11.3 1.4 10.2 1.4 -1.1 1.2
Wyoming...........…………… 10.2 1.4 10.3 1.7 10.3 1.7 - 1.4
-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/income/p60_233sa.pdf
Source:  U.S. Census Bureau, Current Population Survey, 2005 to 2007 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