10 Poorest States in America

3. Louisiana

Poverty Rate: 17.3%

Population aged between 18 and 24 with college or associate degree: 38.1%

Population aged 25 and above with bachelor’s degree: 16.8%

Score: 1.83

Louisiana is the third poorest state in the United States based on our analysis which involved considering both poverty rates and education levels across states in the United States. Louisiana has the second highest poverty rate in the country at 17.3%. Lake Charles is the poorest city in the state, with 28.3% of its population living below the line of poverty. Only 16.8% of the state’s population aged 25 or above has a bachelor’s degree, whereas 38.1% of those aged between 18 and 24 have completed a college or associate degree in Louisiana.