Poverty Rate Comparison
Income

Alabama vs South Carolina: Poverty Rate

South Carolina has a lower poverty rate than Alabama.

Alabama flag
Alabama
AL • South
15.6%
Share of residents below the federal poverty line (ACS 2023).
South Carolina flag
South Carolina
SC • South
Winner
13.9%
Share of residents below the federal poverty line (ACS 2023).

Visual Comparison

Alabama 15.6%
South Carolina 13.9%

Difference: 1.70 percentage points — South Carolina leads.

National Rankings

Where They Rank Nationally

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

Alabama #43 · 15.6%
South Carolina #40 · 13.9%
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%
#40 South Carolina flag South Carolina
13.9%

Alabama ranks 43rd and South Carolina ranks 40th 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 South Carolina: Poverty Rate in context

South Carolina has a poverty rate of 13.9%, compared with 15.6% in Alabama. Share of residents below the federal poverty line (ACS 2023).

Alabama
15.6%
South Carolina
13.9%
Difference
1.70 percentage points

People Also Ask

Alabama vs South Carolina Poverty Rate — Common Questions

Q What is Alabama's poverty rate?

Alabama's poverty rate is 15.6%.

Q What is South Carolina's poverty rate?

South Carolina's poverty rate is 13.9%.

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

South Carolina 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.