KSNF/KODE — The consumer price index (CPI) has climbed steadily nearly every month for the last two and a half years, hitting a multi-decade high of 9.1% in June 2022. Though inflation has since cooled, dropping to 7.7% in October, the CPI remains at historic highs, and Americans across the country are feeling the pinch — particularly those without the means to absorb rising costs.
The typical American household earns $64,994 annually, according to five-year estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2020 American Community Survey (ACS). But in nearly every state, there are cities where most households are earning far less than that.
Among the 28 places in Missouri with available data and populations of at least 25,000, Springfield ranks as the poorest. The typical Springfield household earns $37,491 a year, compared to the statewide median household income of $57,290.
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Home values are often a reflection of what people can afford. In Springfield, the typical home is worth $122,200 — compared to the typical home in Missouri, which is worth $163,600.
Here’s a look at the poorest cities in each of the 50 states:
StatePoorest CityMedian Household Income ($)Median Household Income In State ($)Median Home Value ($)Median Home Value In State ($)AlabamaBessemer30,28452,035100,100149,600AlaskaFairbanks64,39777,790217,700275,600ArizonaSan Luis41,64861,529128,500242,000ArkansasPine Bluff34,41049,47574,900133,600CaliforniaCoachella33,99978,672238,500538,500ColoradoPueblo42,90275,231149,600369,900ConnecticutHartford36,15479,855170,200279,700DelawareWilmington45,13969,110173,500258,300FloridaUniversity (Hillsborough County)29,38057,70391,900232,000GeorgiaStatesboro32,79061,224115,100190,200HawaiiHilo65,72783,173341,500636,400IdahoRexburg33,27858,915221,700235,600IllinoisEast St. Louis24,00968,42853,900202,100IndianaGary31,31558,23568,400148,900IowaClinton46,06661,836100,800153,900KansasKansas City46,42461,091101,300157,600KentuckyRichmond39,32952,238148,900147,100LouisianaMonroe31,92650,800150,000168,100MaineLewiston42,96959,489150,100198,000MarylandHagerstown41,90587,063160,000325,400MassachusettsSpringfield41,57184,385162,900398,800MichiganFlint30,38359,23431,700162,600MinnesotaWinona48,65373,382153,500235,700MississippiGreenville29,01346,51179,900125,500MissouriSpringfield37,49157,290122,200163,600MontanaButte-Silver Bow49,65956,539156,400244,900NebraskaFremont54,29163,015140,400164,000NevadaWinchester39,36862,043172,300290,200New HampshireManchester62,08777,923241,600272,300New JerseyCamden28,62385,24582,500343,500New MexicoSouth Valley41,53751,243153,400175,700New YorkJamestown34,76771,11766,400325,000North CarolinaAsheboro37,17156,642119,700182,100North DakotaGrand Forks50,19465,315209,800199,900OhioWarren27,10858,11666,100151,400OklahomaStillwater34,90653,840185,300142,400OregonGrants Pass46,58065,667260,400336,700PennsylvaniaChester32,86763,62770,300187,500Rhode IslandWoonsocket44,31070,305191,500276,600South CarolinaAnderson33,56954,864138,000170,100South DakotaRapid City53,76059,896194,100174,600TennesseeMorristown33,51154,833119,500177,600TexasHuntsville31,02063,826168,800187,200UtahLogan43,05674,197216,200305,400VermontBurlington55,46163,477312,200230,900VirginiaDanville37,14776,39895,500282,800WashingtonPullman32,07377,006287,700366,800West VirginiaHuntington33,01248,037100,300123,200WisconsinMilwaukee43,12563,293128,300189,200WyomingLaramie47,46365,304225,400228,000
In the table above, populations of at least 25,000 were considered cities. Statistical data is provided by the ACS.