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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.
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
Money needed to buy $100 nationally: $103
Poverty line: $25,100
Salary needed to be at poverty line based on buying power: $25,853
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
