In 2023, 12 percent of Pennsylvania's population lived below the poverty line. This figure is a slight increase from the previous year, when 11.8 percent of the state's population lived in poverty. The state experienced a poverty level peak of 13.8 percent in 2011. The poverty rate of the United States can be accessed here.

Graph and download economic data for Estimated Percent of People of All Ages in Poverty for Pennsylvania (PPAAPA42000A156NCEN) from 1989 to 2023 about PA, percent, child, poverty, and USA.

The U.S. Census Bureau provides annual estimates of income and poverty statistics for all school districts, counties, and states through the Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/saipe/about.html) (SAIPE) program. The bureau's main objective with this program is to provide estimates of income and poverty for the administration of federal programs and the allocation of federal funds to local jurisdictions. In addition to these federal programs, state and local programs use the income and poverty estimates for distributing funds and managing programs.

Estimates of poverty by ages and families are not direct counts from enumerations or administrative records, nor direct estimates from sample surveys. Instead, for counties and states, the Census models income and poverty estimates by combining survey data with population estimates and administrative records.

Graph and download economic data for Percent of Population Below the Poverty Level (5-year estimate) in Montgomery County, PA (S1701ACS042091) from 2012 to 2023 about Montgomery County, PA; Philadelphia; PA; percent; poverty; 5-year; population; and USA.

Pennsylvania - Poverty Rate: 34 years of historical data from 1989 to 2023.

Graph and download economic data for Percent of Population Below the Poverty Level (5-year estimate) in Perry County, PA (S1701ACS042099) from 2012 to 2023 about Perry County, PA; Harrisburg; PA; percent; poverty; 5-year; population; and USA.

Graph and download economic data for Percent of Population Below the Poverty Level (5-year estimate) in Forest County, PA (S1701ACS042053) from 2012 to 2023 about Forest County, PA; PA; percent; poverty; 5-year; population; and USA.

12.80 (%) in 2018.

U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts statistics for Centre County, Pennsylvania. QuickFacts data are derived from: Population Estimates, American Community Survey, Census of Population and Housing, Current Population Survey, Small Area Health Insurance Estimates, Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates, State and County Housing Unit Estimates, County Business Patterns, Nonemployer Statistics, Economic Census, Survey of Business Owners, Building Permits.

In 2021, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania was the city with the highest poverty rate of the United States' most populated cities. In this statistic, the cities are sorted by poverty rate, not population. The most populated city in 2021 according to the source was New York city - which had a poverty rate of 18 percent.

Graph and download economic data for Percent of Population Below the Poverty Level (5-year estimate) in Beaver County, PA (S1701ACS042007) from 2012 to 2023 about Beaver County, PA; Pittsburgh; PA; percent; poverty; 5-year; population; and USA.

Graph and download economic data for Percent of Population Below the Poverty Level (5-year estimate) in Butler County, PA (S1701ACS042019) from 2012 to 2023 about Butler County, PA; Pittsburgh; PA; percent; poverty; 5-year; population; and USA.

Percent of Population Below the Poverty Level (5-year estimate) in Cambria County, PA was 14.20% in January of 2023, according to the United States Federal Reserve. Historically, Percent of Population Below the Poverty Level (5-year estimate) in Cambria County, PA reached a record high of 15.60 in January of 2016 and a record low of 13.90 in January of 2021. Trading Economics provides the current actual value, an historical data chart and related indicators for Percent of Population Below the Poverty Level (5-year estimate) in Cambria County, PA - last updated from the United States Federal Reserve on July of 2025.

Philadelphia County/city, PA - Percent of Population Below the Poverty Level (5-year estimate) in Philadelphia County, PA was 22.00% in January of 2023, according to the United States Federal Reserve. Historically, Philadelphia County/city, PA - Percent of Population Below the Poverty Level (5-year estimate) in Philadelphia County, PA reached a record high of 26.70 in January of 2014 and a record low of 22.00 in January of 2023. Trading Economics provides the current actual value, an historical data chart and related indicators for Philadelphia County/city, PA - Percent of Population Below the Poverty Level (5-year estimate) in Philadelphia County, PA - last updated from the United States Federal Reserve on June of 2025.

Percent of Population Below the Poverty Level (5-year estimate) in Lackawanna County, PA was 14.00% in January of 2023, according to the United States Federal Reserve. Historically, Percent of Population Below the Poverty Level (5-year estimate) in Lackawanna County, PA reached a record high of 15.40 in January of 2017 and a record low of 13.00 in January of 2022. Trading Economics provides the current actual value, an historical data chart and related indicators for Percent of Population Below the Poverty Level (5-year estimate) in Lackawanna County, PA - last updated from the United States Federal Reserve on June of 2025.

Graph and download economic data for Percent of Population Below the Poverty Level (5-year estimate) in Cameron County, PA (S1701ACS042023) from 2012 to 2023 about Cameron County, PA; PA; percent; poverty; 5-year; population; and USA.

Percent of Population Below the Poverty Level (5-year estimate) in Allegheny County, PA was 11.20% in January of 2023, according to the United States Federal Reserve. Historically, Percent of Population Below the Poverty Level (5-year estimate) in Allegheny County, PA reached a record high of 13.00 in January of 2015 and a record low of 11.10 in January of 2021. Trading Economics provides the current actual value, an historical data chart and related indicators for Percent of Population Below the Poverty Level (5-year estimate) in Allegheny County, PA - last updated from the United States Federal Reserve on July of 2025.

Percent of Population Below the Poverty Level (5-year estimate) in Juniata County, PA was 10.00% in January of 2023, according to the United States Federal Reserve. Historically, Percent of Population Below the Poverty Level (5-year estimate) in Juniata County, PA reached a record high of 13.20 in January of 2015 and a record low of 9.00 in January of 2022. Trading Economics provides the current actual value, an historical data chart and related indicators for Percent of Population Below the Poverty Level (5-year estimate) in Juniata County, PA - last updated from the United States Federal Reserve on June of 2025.

1.500.959 (number) in 2024.

The American Community Survey (ACS) helps local officials, community leaders, and businesses understand the changes taking place in their communities. It is the premier source for detailed population and housing information about our nation. This dataset provides estimates by county for Health Insurance Coverage and is summarized from summary table S2701: SELECTED CHARACTERISTICS OF HEALTH INSURANCE COVERAGE IN THE UNITED STATES. The 5-year estimates are used to provide detail on every county in Pennsylvania and includes breakouts by Age, Gender, Race, Ethnicity, Household Income, and the Ratio of Income to Poverty.

An blank cell within the dataset indicates that either no sample observations or too few sample observations were available to compute the statistic for that area.

Margin of error (MOE). Some ACS products provide an MOE instead of confidence intervals. An MOE is the difference between an estimate and its upper or lower confidence bounds. Confidence bounds can be created by adding the margin of error to the estimate (for the upper bound) and subtracting the margin of error from the estimate (for the lower bound). All published ACS margins of error are based on a 90-percent confidence level.

While an ACS 1-year estimate includes information collected over a 12-month period, an ACS 5-year estimate includes data collected over a 60-month period. In the case of ACS 1-year estimates, the period is the calendar year (e.g., the 2015 ACS covers the period from January 2015 through December 2015).

In the case of ACS multiyear estimates, the period is 5 calendar years (e.g., the 2011–2015 ACS estimates cover the period from January 2011 through December 2015). Therefore, ACS estimates based on data collected from 2011–2015 should not be labeled “2013,” even though that is the midpoint of the 5-year period.

Multiyear estimates should be labeled to indicate clearly the full period of time (e.g., “The child poverty rate in 2011–2015 was X percent.”). They do not describe any specific day, month, or year within that time period.