The percentage of Texans living in poverty dropped from 18.5 percent in 2011 to 17.9 percent in 2012, according to the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey. The only other state that saw its poverty rate drop was Minnesota. Still, Texas’ poverty rate remained above the national rate. About one in four children in Texas lived below the poverty level in 2012. Fast-growing Midland, where an oil boom has brought lucrative jobs, had the highest median household income among Texas’ metropolitan areas in 2012 at $61,331.
Use our interactive below to explore more of the numbers. Compare Texas with other states on key metrics, or compare each of the state's metropolitan statistical areas included in this Census release.
| Name | Median Household Income | % Under Poverty Level | % Under Poverty Level (Under 18) | % With Health Insurance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States | $51,371 | 15.9% | 22.6% | 85.2% |
| Alabama | $41,574 | 19% | 27.5% | 86.7% |
| Alaska | $67,712 | 10.1% | 13.9% | 79.5% |
| Arizona | $47,826 | 18.7% | 27% | 82.4% |
| Arkansas | $40,112 | 19.8% | 28.5% | 83.6% |
| California | $58,328 | 17% | 23.8% | 82.1% |
| Colorado | $56,765 | 13.7% | 18.5% | 85.3% |
| Connecticut | $67,276 | 10.7% | 14.8% | 90.9% |
| Delaware | $58,415 | 12% | 17.4% | 91.2% |
| District of Columbia | $66,583 | 18.2% | 26.5% | 94.1% |
| Florida | $45,040 | 17.1% | 25.4% | 79.9% |
| Georgia | $47,209 | 19.2% | 27.2% | 81.6% |
| Hawaii | $66,259 | 11.6% | 17.1% | 93.1% |
| Idaho | $45,489 | 15.9% | 20.7% | 83.8% |
| Illinois | $55,137 | 14.7% | 20.7% | 87.2% |
| Indiana | $46,974 | 15.6% | 22.4% | 85.7% |
| Iowa | $50,957 | 12.7% | 15.9% | 91.6% |
| Kansas | $50,241 | 14% | 19% | 87.4% |
| Kentucky | $41,724 | 19.4% | 26.5% | 86.1% |
| Louisiana | $42,944 | 19.9% | 28.1% | 83.1% |
| Maine | $46,709 | 14.7% | 20.9% | 89.8% |
| Maryland | $71,122 | 10.3% | 13.8% | 89.7% |
| Massachusetts | $65,339 | 11.9% | 15.4% | 96.1% |
| Michigan | $46,859 | 17.4% | 24.9% | 88.6% |
| Minnesota | $58,906 | 11.4% | 14.6% | 92% |
| Mississippi | $37,095 | 24.2% | 34.7% | 83% |
| Missouri | $45,321 | 16.2% | 22.6% | 86.4% |
| Montana | $45,076 | 15.5% | 20.3% | 82% |
| Nebraska | $50,723 | 13% | 17.9% | 88.7% |
| Nevada | $49,760 | 16.4% | 24% | 77.8% |
| New Hampshire | $63,280 | 10% | 15.6% | 89.4% |
| New Jersey | $69,667 | 10.8% | 15.4% | 87.3% |
| New Mexico | $42,558 | 20.8% | 29.3% | 81.6% |
| New York | $56,448 | 15.9% | 22.8% | 89.1% |
| North Carolina | $45,150 | 18% | 26% | 83.4% |
| North Dakota | $53,585 | 11.2% | 13.2% | 90% |
| Ohio | $46,829 | 16.3% | 23.8% | 88.5% |
| Oklahoma | $44,312 | 17.2% | 24.1% | 81.6% |
| Oregon | $49,161 | 17.2% | 23% | 85.1% |
| Pennsylvania | $51,230 | 13.7% | 19.7% | 90.2% |
| Rhode Island | $54,554 | 13.7% | 19.5% | 88.9% |
| South Carolina | $43,107 | 18.3% | 26.9% | 83.2% |
| South Dakota | $48,362 | 13.4% | 17.5% | 88.5% |
| Tennessee | $42,764 | 17.9% | 25.8% | 86.1% |
| Texas | $50,740 | 17.9% | 25.8% | 77.5% |
| Utah | $57,049 | 12.8% | 15.1% | 85.5% |
| Vermont | $52,977 | 11.8% | 15.5% | 93.5% |
| Virginia | $61,741 | 11.7% | 15.3% | 87.5% |
| Washington | $57,573 | 13.5% | 18.5% | 86.1% |
| West Virginia | $40,196 | 17.8% | 24.6% | 85.6% |
| Wisconsin | $51,059 | 13.2% | 18.2% | 91% |
| Wyoming | $54,901 | 12.6% | 16.9% | 84.6% |
| Puerto Rico | $19,429 | 44.9% | 56.4% | 92.8% |
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Comments (1)
Rudy Gonzales
17.9% Texans living in poverty is a travesty! Where are the leaders who take responsibility for this groos mismanagement of funding, federal and otherwise? Rick Perry and the "conservative" legislature have abridged their fiduciary responsibility to and for the people! And Greg Abbott is the same! Voter regret has definitely set in! Wake up America! The 2014 Mid-term is a-coming! As is 2016, and 2018! V.O.T.E.(Vote Out The Encumberance) Sweep the states and Congress clean in 2014! YOUR VOTE ONLY COUNTS WHEN YOU VOTE! IF YOU DO NOT VOTE, THAT IS JUST LIKE VOTING FOR THE OPPOSITION!