Here's the income it takes for a family of 4 to be considered poor in every state

Advertisement
Here's the income it takes for a family of 4 to be considered poor in every state

poor homeless center

Spencer Platt/Getty Images

The federal poverty line is $25,100 in 48 states.

Advertisement
  • Wage growth has been dismal for many American workers, despite signs of a strong economy.
  • The federal poverty line in America is $25,100, except in Alaska and Hawaii, where it's $31,380 and $28,870, respectively.
  • To better understand what it means to be "poor" in each state, we calculated the income it takes to be at the poverty level in every state based on buying power.

Wage growth has been dismal for many American workers, despite signs of a strong economy.

According to the United States Census Bureau, 12.3% of the US population is living in poverty, which means they're earning below $25,100, except in Alaska and Hawaii, where it's $31,380 and $28,870, respectively.

But cost of living varies from state to state, so in order to better understand what it means to be "poor" in each state, we used data from the Bureau of Economic Analysis that indicates how far $100 goes in each state, known as buying power. For example, a person in New York needs to spend $115.60 to get the same goods that a person in Delaware pays $100 for, whereas a Mississippi resident would pay $86.

Based on this buying power, we then calculated how much a family of four actually to needs to make to be at the poverty line. Based on the example above, a New York family earning $29,016 is considered to be at the poverty line, whereas the threshold for a Delaware or Mississippi family is lower - $25,677 and $21,686, respectively.

Advertisement

Below, see what's considered "poor" in every state, ranked from lowest to highest salary needed to be at the poverty line based on buying power.

{{}}

51. Mississippi

51. Mississippi

Money needed to buy $100 nationally: $86.40

Poverty line: $25,100

Salary needed to be at poverty line based on buying power: $21,686

50. Alabama

50. Alabama

Money needed to buy $100 nationally: $86.60

Poverty line: $25,100

Salary needed to be at poverty line based on buying power: $21,737

Advertisement

49. Arkansas

49. Arkansas

Money needed to buy $100 nationally: $86.90

Poverty line: $25,100

Salary needed to be at poverty line based on buying power: $21,812

48. West Virginia

48. West Virginia

Money needed to buy $100 nationally: $87.60

Poverty line: $25,100

Salary needed to be at poverty line based on buying power: $21,988

Advertisement

47. Kentucky

47. Kentucky

Money needed to buy $100 nationally: $87.80

Poverty line: $25,100

Salary needed to be at poverty line based on buying power: $22,038

46. South Dakota

46. South Dakota

Money needed to buy $100 nationally: $88.30

Poverty line: $25,100

Salary needed to be at poverty line based on buying power: $22,163

Advertisement

45. Oklahoma

45. Oklahoma

Money needed to buy $100 nationally: $89

Poverty line: $25,100

Salary needed to be at poverty line based on buying power: $22,339

44. Ohio

44. Ohio

Money needed to buy $100 nationally: $89.30

Poverty line: $25,100

Salary needed to be at poverty line based on buying power: $22,414

Advertisement

43. Missouri

43. Missouri

Money needed to buy $100 nationally: $89.50

Poverty line: $25,100

Salary needed to be at poverty line based on buying power: $22,465

42. Iowa

42. Iowa

Money needed to buy $100 nationally: $90.20

Poverty line: $25,100

Salary needed to be at poverty line based on buying power: $22,640

Advertisement

41. Tennessee

41. Tennessee

Money needed to buy $100 nationally: $90.20

Poverty line: $25,100

Salary needed to be at poverty line based on buying power: $22,640

40. Indiana

40. Indiana

Money needed to buy $100 nationally: $90.30

Poverty line: $25,100

Salary needed to be at poverty line based on buying power: $22,665

Advertisement

39. South Carolina

39. South Carolina

Money needed to buy $100 nationally: $90.30

Poverty line: $25,100

Salary needed to be at poverty line based on buying power: $22,665

38. Louisiana

38. Louisiana

Money needed to buy $100 nationally: $90.40

Poverty line: $25,100

Salary needed to be at poverty line based on buying power: $22,690

Advertisement

37. Kansas

37. Kansas

Money needed to buy $100 nationally: $90.50

Poverty line: $25,100

Salary needed to be at poverty line based on buying power: $22,716

36. Nebraska

36. Nebraska

Money needed to buy $100 nationally: $90.50

Poverty line: $25,100

Salary needed to be at poverty line based on buying power: $22,716

Advertisement

35. North Carolina

35. North Carolina

Money needed to buy $100 nationally: $90.90

Poverty line: $25,100

Salary needed to be at poverty line based on buying power: $22,816

34. North Dakota

34. North Dakota

Money needed to buy $100 nationally: $91.50

Poverty line: $25,100

Salary needed to be at poverty line based on buying power: $22,967

Advertisement

33. Georgia

33. Georgia

Money needed to buy $100 nationally: $92.10

Poverty line: $25,100

Salary needed to be at poverty line based on buying power: $23,117

32. Wisconsin

32. Wisconsin

Money needed to buy $100 nationally: $92.80

Poverty line: $25,100

Salary needed to be at poverty line based on buying power: $23,293

Advertisement

31. Idaho

31. Idaho

Money needed to buy $100 nationally: $93

Poverty line: $25,100

Salary needed to be at poverty line based on buying power: $23,343

30. Michigan

30. Michigan

Money needed to buy $100 nationally: $93.30

Poverty line: $25,100

Salary needed to be at poverty line based on buying power: $23,418

Advertisement

29. New Mexico

29. New Mexico

Money needed to buy $100 nationally: $93.60

Poverty line: $25,100

Salary needed to be at poverty line based on buying power: $23,494

28. Montana

28. Montana

Money needed to buy $100 nationally: $94.10

Poverty line: $25,100

Salary needed to be at poverty line based on buying power: $23,619

Advertisement

27. Arizona

27. Arizona

Money needed to buy $100 nationally: $95.90

Poverty line: $25,100

Salary needed to be at poverty line based on buying power: $24,071

26. Wyoming

26. Wyoming

Money needed to buy $100 nationally: $96.70

Poverty line: $25,100

Salary needed to be at poverty line based on buying power: $24,272

Advertisement

25. Texas

25. Texas

Money needed to buy $100 nationally: $96.90

Poverty line: $25,100

Salary needed to be at poverty line based on buying power: $24,322

24. Utah

24. Utah

Money needed to buy $100 nationally: $97.30

Poverty line: $25,100

Salary needed to be at poverty line based on buying power: $24,422

Advertisement

23. Nevada

23. Nevada

Money needed to buy $100 nationally: $97.40

Poverty line: $25,100

Salary needed to be at poverty line based on buying power: $24,447

22. Minnesota

22. Minnesota

Money needed to buy $100 nationally: $97.50

Poverty line: $25,100

Salary needed to be at poverty line based on buying power: $24,473

Advertisement

21. Maine

21. Maine

Money needed to buy $100 nationally: $98.40

Poverty line: $25,100

Salary needed to be at poverty line based on buying power: $24,698

20. Pennsylvania

20. Pennsylvania

Money needed to buy $100 nationally: $98.40

Poverty line: $25,100

Salary needed to be at poverty line based on buying power: $24,698

Advertisement

19. Illinois

19. Illinois

Money needed to buy $100 nationally: $98.90

Poverty line: $25,100

Salary needed to be at poverty line based on buying power: $24,824

18. Rhode Island

18. Rhode Island

Money needed to buy $100 nationally: $99.60

Poverty line: $25,100

Salary needed to be at poverty line based on buying power: $25,000

Advertisement

17. Florida

17. Florida

Money needed to buy $100 nationally: $99.70

Poverty line: $25,100

Salary needed to be at poverty line based on buying power: $25,025

16. Oregon

16. Oregon

Money needed to buy $100 nationally: $99.80

Poverty line: $25,100

Salary needed to be at poverty line based on buying power: $25,050

Advertisement

15. Delaware

15. Delaware

Money needed to buy $100 nationally: $100.20

Poverty line: $25,100

Salary needed to be at poverty line based on buying power: $25,150

14. Vermont

14. Vermont

Money needed to buy $100 nationally: $101.60

Poverty line: $25,100

Salary needed to be at poverty line based on buying power: $25,502

Advertisement

13. Virginia

13. Virginia

Money needed to buy $100 nationally: $102.30

Poverty line: $25,100

Salary needed to be at poverty line based on buying power: $25,677

12. Colorado

12. Colorado

Money needed to buy $100 nationally: $103

Poverty line: $25,100

Salary needed to be at poverty line based on buying power: $25,853

Advertisement

11. Washington

11. Washington

Money needed to buy $100 nationally: $105.50

Poverty line: $25,100

Salary needed to be at poverty line based on buying power: $26,481

10. New Hampshire

10. New Hampshire

Money needed to buy $100 nationally: $105.90

Poverty line: $25,100

Salary needed to be at poverty line based on buying power: $26,581

Advertisement

9. Massachusetts

9. Massachusetts

Money needed to buy $100 nationally: $107.80

Poverty line: $25,100

Salary needed to be at poverty line based on buying power: $27,058

8. Connecticut

8. Connecticut

Money needed to buy $100 nationally: $108.70

Poverty line: $25,100

Salary needed to be at poverty line based on buying power: $27,284

Advertisement

7. Maryland

7. Maryland

Money needed to buy $100 nationally: $109.50

Poverty line: $25,100

Salary needed to be at poverty line based on buying power: $27,485

6. New Jersey

6. New Jersey

Money needed to buy $100 nationally: $113.20

Poverty line: $25,100

Salary needed to be at poverty line based on buying power: $28,413

Advertisement

5. California

5. California

Money needed to buy $100 nationally: $114.40

Poverty line: $25,100

Salary needed to be at poverty line based on buying power: $28,714

4. Hawaii

4. Hawaii

Money needed to buy $100 nationally: $118.40

Poverty line: $28,870

Salary needed to be at poverty line based on buying power: $28,870

Advertisement

3. New York

3. New York

Money needed to buy $100 nationally: $115.60

Poverty line: $25,100

Salary needed to be at poverty line based on buying power: $29,016

2. Washington, DC

2. Washington, DC

Money needed to buy $100 nationally: $115.90

Poverty line: $25,100

Salary needed to be at poverty line based on buying power: $29,091

Advertisement

1. Alaska

1. Alaska

Money needed to buy $100 nationally: $105.40

Poverty line: $31,380

Salary needed to be at poverty line based on buying power: $31,380