Poverty Rate Comparison
Income

Alaska vs California: Poverty Rate

Alaska has a lower poverty rate than California.

Alaska flag
Alaska
AK • West
Winner
10.4%
Share of residents below the federal poverty line (ACS 2023).
California flag
California
CA • West
12.0%
Share of residents below the federal poverty line (ACS 2023).

Visual Comparison

Alaska 10.4%
California 12.0%

Difference: 1.60 percentage points — Alaska leads.

National Rankings

Where They Rank Nationally

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

Alaska #14 · 10.4%
California #27 · 12.0%
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
#14 Alaska flag Alaska
10.4%
#27 California flag California
12.0%

Alaska ranks 14th and California ranks 27th 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

Alaska vs California: Poverty Rate in context

Alaska has a poverty rate of 10.4%, compared with 12.0% in California. Share of residents below the federal poverty line (ACS 2023).

Alaska
10.4%
California
12.0%
Difference
1.60 percentage points

People Also Ask

Alaska vs California Poverty Rate — Common Questions

Q What is Alaska's poverty rate?

Alaska's poverty rate is 10.4%.

Q What is California's poverty rate?

California's poverty rate is 12.0%.

Q Which state has a lower poverty rate — Alaska or California?

Alaska has a lower poverty rate than California.

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.