Cities with the Highest Poverty Rate in Pennsylvania
The top 25 of 48 Pennsylvania cities on GIS Map, ranked by the share of residents below the poverty level.
| # | City | Below poverty level |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | State College | 38.1% |
| 2 | Lewistown | 35.7% |
| 3 | Johnstown | 31.9% |
| 4 | Harrisburg | 30.5% |
| 5 | Chester | 29% |
| 6 | Reading | 28.7% |
| 7 | New Castle | 28% |
| 8 | Bloomsburg | 26.5% |
| 9 | Williamsport | 25.4% |
| 10 | Hazleton | 25% |
| 11 | Erie | 23.3% |
| 12 | Wilkes-Barre | 23.1% |
| 13 | Scranton | 23% |
| 14 | Lebanon | 22.9% |
| 15 | Meadville | 22.3% |
| 16 | Indiana | 21.7% |
| 17 | Butler | 21.4% |
| 18 | Philadelphia | 21.4% |
| 19 | York | 21.1% |
| 20 | Allentown | 21% |
| 21 | Lock Haven | 20.9% |
| 22 | Lewisburg | 20.8% |
| 23 | Kutztown | 20.6% |
| 24 | West Chester | 20.4% |
| 25 | Lancaster | 20.3% |
Top Pennsylvania Counties
Counties ranked by the share of residents below the poverty level.
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 Pennsylvania”, https://gismap.land/rankings/pennsylvania/highest-poverty-cities. Figures from U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates.
More Pennsylvania rankings
Richest citiesMost expensive homesMost affordable homesHighest rentMost educatedMost densely populatedLargest by populationYoungestOldest by median ageFastest-growingFastest-shrinkingFastest-growing since 2010WarmestColdestSnowiestWettestDriestHighest hazard risk countiesLowest hazard risk countiesHighest expected lossesHighest radon potentialWorst air qualityCleanest airWorst drought