What are PA’s 10 poorest counties? This analysis says one has median income of $46K
The poorest county in Pennsylvania has a median household income of $46,186, according to a recent report from financial website SmartAsset. The site named Cameron County the poorest in the commonwealth.
Centre County took the 15th wealthiest spot in the Keystone State, but several nearby areas didn’t fare as well. The most recent ranking reflects data from 2024, according to SmartAsset.
The report used sources such as the U.S. Census Bureau, real estate site Zillow and the U.S. Internal Revenue Service to compile the ranking. The three metrics considered included investment income, property value and median income.
Cameron County also had the lowest median home value in Pennsylvania, at $72,335. More than 15% of the county’s residents live in poverty, according to the Census Bureau. The county’s poverty rate has increased in recent years, with 2023’s rate coming in at around 13%.
Statewide, Pennsylvania’s median household income is $76,081, according to the Census Bureau, and 12% of the commonwealth’s residents live in poverty.
Purchasing power has been reduced across the U.S. recently, with a 3% overall inflation rate from January 2024 to January 2025. An additional 10% tariff on Chinese goods and more proposed tariffs are likely to cause consumer prices to increase, as well.
The poorest counties in Pennsylvania
Here’s how the 10 poorest counties in Pennsylvania compare, according to SmartAsset:
1. Cameron County
Median income: $46,186
Investment income: $29,734
Median home value: $72,335
Poverty level: 15.3% (The poverty level is not used in Smart Asset’s ranking criteria. The poverty rate data is from the Census Bureau).
2. Forest County
Median income: $46,188
Investment income: $20,237
Median home value: $98,942
Poverty level: 24.8%
3. Cambria County
Median income: $54,221
Investment income: $29,576
Median home value: $104,495
Poverty level: 13.2%
4. Northumberland County
Median income: $55,952
Investment income: $23,038
Median home value: $138,981
Poverty level: 12.3%
5. Fayette County
Median income: $55,579
Investment income: $25,764
Median home value: $143,975
Poverty level: 18.9%
6. McKean County
Median income: $57,861
Investment income: $27,994
Median home value: $104,141
Poverty level: 15.9%
7. Clearfield County
Median income: $56,982
Investment income: $27,799
Median home value: $119,020
Poverty level: 15.4%
8. Potter County
Median income: $56,491
Investment income: $20,716
Median home value: $145,939
Poverty level: 12.7%
9. Jefferson County
Median income: $56,607
Investment income: $41,012
Median home value: $111,644
Poverty level: 18.8%
10. Lawrence County
Median income: $57,585
Investment income: $26,192
Median home value: $154,747
Poverty level: 13.6%
