Poverty Rate Comparison
Income

Alabama vs Maryland: Poverty Rate

Maryland has a lower poverty rate than Alabama.

Alabama flag
Alabama
AL • South
15.6%
Share of residents below the federal poverty line (ACS 2023).
Maryland flag
Maryland
MD • South
Winner
9.5%
Share of residents below the federal poverty line (ACS 2023).

Visual Comparison

Alabama 15.6%
Maryland 9.5%

Difference: 6.10 percentage points — Maryland leads.

National Rankings

Where They Rank Nationally

See where both states fall among all 50 states for poverty rate.

Alabama #43 · 15.6%
Maryland #5 · 9.5%
Best Worst

10 Best States — Poverty Rate

Lower is better
#1 New Hampshire flag New Hampshire
7.2%
#2 Utah flag Utah
9.0%
#3 Colorado flag Colorado
9.3%
#4 Minnesota flag Minnesota
9.3%
#5 Maryland flag Maryland
9.5%
#6 New Jersey flag New Jersey
9.7%
#7 Vermont flag Vermont
9.7%
#8 North Dakota flag North Dakota
9.8%
#9 Hawaii flag Hawaii
10.1%
#10 Idaho flag Idaho
10.1%
Selected states
#43 Alabama flag Alabama
15.6%

Alabama ranks 43rd and Maryland ranks 5th nationally for poverty rate.

Related Context

Poverty in Context

Poverty reflects wages, jobs, local costs, and access to public programs — rarely just one factor.

What This Means

Alabama vs Maryland: Poverty Rate in context

Maryland has a poverty rate of 9.5%, compared with 15.6% in Alabama. Share of residents below the federal poverty line (ACS 2023).

Alabama
15.6%
Maryland
9.5%
Difference
6.10 percentage points

People Also Ask

Alabama vs Maryland Poverty Rate — Common Questions

Q What is Alabama's poverty rate?

Alabama's poverty rate is 15.6%.

Q What is Maryland's poverty rate?

Maryland's poverty rate is 9.5%.

Q Which state has a lower poverty rate — Alabama or Maryland?

Maryland has a lower poverty rate than Alabama.

Sources: Core demographic data comes from the 2020 U.S. Census, with land area from U.S. Census Bureau TIGER files. Income, housing, affordability, and tax fields are maintained in our comparison dataset; purchasing-power figures use BEA Regional Price Parities. Minimum wage data comes from the U.S. Department of Labor, gas prices from AAA, and electricity rates from the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Political control and election fields use 2024 presidential results together with National Conference of State Legislatures data. Gun-law labels use the Giffords scorecard, alcohol system data comes from NABCA, and marijuana status uses NCSL's state cannabis laws tracker.