Arizona vs California: Poverty Rate
California has a lower poverty rate than Arizona.
National Rankings
Where They Rank Nationally
See where both states fall among all 50 states for poverty rate.
10 Best States — Poverty Rate
Lower is better
New Hampshire
Utah
Colorado
Minnesota
Maryland
New Jersey
Vermont
North Dakota
Hawaii
Idaho
Arizona
California
Arizona ranks 34th 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
Arizona vs California: Poverty Rate in context
California has a poverty rate of 12.0%, compared with 12.4% in Arizona. Share of residents below the federal poverty line (ACS 2023).
People Also Ask
Arizona vs California Poverty Rate — Common Questions
Q What is Arizona's poverty rate?
Arizona's poverty rate is 12.4%.
Q What is California's poverty rate?
California's poverty rate is 12.0%.
Q Which state has a lower poverty rate — Arizona or California?
California has a lower poverty rate than Arizona.
More Comparisons: Arizona vs California
Grouped tabs keep the deep-dive links tighter and easier to scan.
Explore Each State
Arizona Symbols
California Symbols
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.