| Year |
State |
Poverty Rate |
Total Population |
Number of Persons in Poverty |
| 1995 | New Mexico | 25.30% | 1,682,417 | 425,652 |
| Mississippi | 23.50% | 2,690,788 | 632,335 |
| Alabama | 20.10% | 4,262,731 | 856,808 |
| South Carolina | 19.90% | 3,699,943 | 736,289 |
| Louisiana | 19.70% | 4,327,978 | 852,612 |
| Texas | 17.40% | 18,679,706 | 3,250,269 |
| Oklahoma | 17.10% | 3,265,547 | 558,409 |
| West Virginia | 16.70% | 1,820,560 | 304,034 |
| California | 16.70% | 31,493,525 | 5,259,419 |
| New York | 16.50% | 18,150,928 | 2,994,903 |
| |
| 2000 | Arkansas | 17.80% | 2,678,217 | 476,723 |
| Louisiana | 17.30% | 4,468,879 | 773,116 |
| New Mexico | 16.80% | 1,820,704 | 305,878 |
| Montana | 15.70% | 903,283 | 141,815 |
| Oklahoma | 15.40% | 3,453,861 | 531,895 |
| Tennessee | 14.70% | 5,703,094 | 838,355 |
| Texas | 14.70% | 20,946,049 | 3,079,069 |
| Alabama | 14.40% | 4,451,687 | 641,043 |
| West Virginia | 14.00% | 1,806,977 | 252,977 |
| New York | 13.40% | 18,998,429 | 2,545,789 |
| |
| 2005 | Mississippi | 20.10% | 2,898,209 | 582,540 |
| Lousiana | 18.30% | 4,495,627 | 822,700 |
| New Mexico | 17.90% | 1,912,884 | 342,399 |
| Alabama | 16.70% | 4,537,299 | 757,729 |
| Texas | 16.20% | 22,811,128 | 3,695,403 |
| Oklahoma | 15.60% | 3,530,087 | 550,694 |
| West Virginia | 15.40% | 1,804,020 | 277,819 |
| Arizona | 15.20% | 5,961,239 | 906,108 |
| South Carolina | 15% | 4,249,385 | 637,408 |
| Tennessee | 14.90% | 5,983,211 | 891,498 |
| |
| 2007 | Mississippi | 22.60% | 2,921,030 | 660,153 |
| Texas | 16.50% | 23,843,432 | 3,934,166 |
| Louisiana | 16.10% | 4,373,310 | 704,103 |
| Kentucky | 15.50% | 4,236,308 | 656,628 |
| North Carolina | 15.50% | 9,041,594 | 1,401,447 |
| Tennessee | 14.80% | 6,149,116 | 910,069 |
| Alabama | 14.50% | 4,626,595 | 670,856 |
| New York | 14.50% | 19,429,316 | 2,817,251 |
| Arizona | 14.30% | 6,353,421 | 908,539 |
| South Carolina | 14.10% | 4,404,914 | 621,093 |
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