In this article, we look at the 10 poorest cities in the U.S. that are getting poorer or growing at the slowest rate. For our detailed analysis, you can head over to the 25 Poorest Cities In The US That Are Getting Poorer.
10. Cheyenne, Wyoming
Median Household Income, 2020: $68,611
Median Household Income, 2021: $70,705
Difference: $2,094
Percentage Change: +3.05%
Cheyenne was the only Wyoming city that was part of the 2021 American Community Survey which established poverty rates in various cities of the U.S. over the last 12 months. Therefore, it made the list of the 50 Poorest Cities in Every State in the US by default – the analysis we referred to for concluding our rankings in this article. Cheyenne’s poverty rate in 2021 was 9.1%.
9. Kalamazoo, Michigan
Median Household Income, 2020: $43,222
Median Household Income, 2021: $44,296
Difference: $1,074
Percentage Change: +2.48%
More than 30% of the residents in Michigan’s poorest city, Kalamazoo, live below the poverty line. In 2021, the median household income grew by a mere 2.48% to reach $44,296.
8. Lawton, Oklahoma
Median Household Income, 2020: $47,690
Median Household Income, 2021: $48,718
Difference: $1,028
Percentage Change: +2.16%
Lawton is the poorest city in Oklahoma. The city is well known for housing the Fort Sill Army Base. Lawton’s median household income increased by $1,028 in 2021. Poverty rate was recorded at 23.7%.
7. Lawrence, Kansas
Median Household Income, 2020: $55,598
Median Household Income, 2021: $56,536
Difference: $938
Percentage Change: +1.69%
Lawrence had a poverty rate of 20.7% in 2021, and its median household income stood at $56,536 – growing only 1.69% from 2020. It is the poorest city in Kansas.
6. Bloomington, Indiana
Median Household Income, 2020: $41,354
Median Household Income, 2021: $41,995
Difference: $641
Percentage Change: +1.55%
Bloomington’s poverty rate of 34.3% is nearly 150% higher than the state average in Indiana – 13.9%. It is the poorest city in the state. Median household income for residents of Bloomington registered a growth of only 1.55% in 2021.
5. Birmingham, Alabama
Median Household Income, 2020: $38,832
Median Household Income, 2021: $39,403
Difference: $571
Percentage Change: +1.47%
Birmingham is Alabama’s poorest city with a poverty rate of 28.3% – which is more than twice the rate prevalent in all of the United States. The city’s median household income is also on the lower side, having grown by just 1.47% in 2021 compared to 2020.
4. Idaho Falls, Idaho
Median Household Income, 2020: $56,590
Median Household Income, 2021: $57,412
Difference: $822
Percentage Change: +1.45%
Idaho Falls is the poorest city in Idaho with a poverty rate of 10.8%. In 2021, the median household income in the city grew 1.45% to reach $57,412.
3. Jackson, Mississippi
Median Household Income, 2020: $40,064
Median Household Income, 2021: $39,969
Difference: -$95
Percentage Change: -0.24%
We are now into the three poorest cities, with residents experiencing a decline in their earnings rather than slow growth. Jackson is the poorest city in Mississippi, with a poverty rate of 32.2%. Median household income in Jackson shrunk 0.24% in 2021 compared to the previous year.
2. Decatur, Illinois
Median Household Income, 2020: $45,404
Median Household Income, 2021: $45,111
Difference: -$293
Percentage Change: -0.65%
Decatur topped the list of cities in Illinois with the highest poverty rates – 23.8%. It is Chicago’s poorest city and has a median household income of $45,111, which declined by $293 in 2021 from 2020.
1. Pharr, Texas
Median Household Income, 2020: $40,513
Median Household Income, 2021: $39,606
Difference: -$907
Percentage Change: -2.24%
Pharr, which is the poorest city in Texas, had the highest poverty rate (42.5%) in 2021 when we considered the the poorest city in each of the 50 states of the U.S. Among them, it also had the biggest drop in median household income, which makes it the poorest city in the US that is also getting poor.
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