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Cities with the Highest Poverty Rate in Missouri

The top 25 of 44 Missouri cities on GIS Map, ranked by the share of residents below the poverty level.

#CityBelow poverty level
1Kirksville
28.2%
2West Plains
28.1%
3Nevada
27.8%
4Carthage
27.2%
5Rolla
23.6%
6Lebanon
21.7%
7Cape Girardeau
20.8%
8Poplar Bluff
20.8%
9St. Louis
20.6%
10Branson
20.2%
11Hannibal
19.5%
12Sedalia
19.4%
13Columbia
19.3%
14Kennett
19.1%
15Moberly
18.4%
16Springfield
18.4%
17St. Joseph
17.7%
18Marshall
17.1%
19Joplin
16.9%
20Warrensburg
16.2%
21Farmington
15.9%
22Independence
15.8%
23Excelsior Springs
15.2%
24Kansas City
14.6%
25University City
14.5%

Top Missouri Counties

Counties ranked by the share of residents below the poverty level.

1. Pemiscot County29.6%2. Wayne County25.7%3. Ripley County24.8%4. Oregon County23.6%5. Adair County22%6. Dunklin County22%7. Ozark County21.5%8. Carter County20.8%9. St. Louis city20.6%10. Worth County20.6%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates. Only cities covered by GIS Map with at least 1,000 residents are ranked. Estimates carry margins of error.

Citing this page: GIS Map, “Cities with the Highest Poverty Rate in Missouri”, https://gismap.land/rankings/missouri/highest-poverty-cities. Figures from U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates.

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