PHILADELPHIA – Philadelphia is no longer the poorest big city in the United States, according to new data from the U.S. Census Bureau released earlier this week, though it didn’t move far. But, poverty across the U.S. is down from last year, Census estimates say.
But who took the top spot? Let’s take a look:
Poverty in the U.S.
By the numbers:
The U.S. Census Bureau released new data on income and poverty across the country on Tuesday, finding that national poverty is down slightly, by less than a percentage point from 2023 to 2024. The bureau estimates that nearly 36 million people lived below the poverty line in 2024.
SUGGESTED: Most Americans believe personal choices keep people in poverty, poll finds
Local perspective:
Data from the census and the city of Philadelphia show that the poverty rate has dropped for three straight years.
For years, Philadelphia has had the highest poverty rate of the 10 most populous cities in the country. In 2022, more than 23% of Philadelphians lived in poverty. That number dropped to just over 20% in 2023, and in 2024, that number dropped even further, to 19.7%. With Philly’s latest drop, Houston (at 21.20%) has taken the top spot on the list.
In fact, of the 10 most populous cities in the U.S., the poverty rate dropped in nine of them from 2023 to 2024, with Houston being the only exception.
The Source: Information in this story is from a United States Census Bureau report published on Sept. 9, 2025, and a report on racial equity in the city of Philadelphia published in August 2022.
