Poverty Rate Comparison
Income

Massachusetts vs New York: Poverty Rate

Massachusetts has a lower poverty rate than New York.

Massachusetts flag
Massachusetts
MA • Northeast
Winner
10.4%
Share of residents below the federal poverty line (ACS 2023).
New York flag
New York
NY • Northeast
14.2%
Share of residents below the federal poverty line (ACS 2023).

Visual Comparison

Massachusetts 10.4%
New York 14.2%

Difference: 3.80 percentage points — Massachusetts leads.

National Rankings

Where They Rank Nationally

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

Massachusetts #16 · 10.4%
New York #42 · 14.2%
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
#16 Massachusetts flag Massachusetts
10.4%
#42 New York flag New York
14.2%

Massachusetts ranks 16th and New York ranks 42nd 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

Massachusetts vs New York: Poverty Rate in context

Massachusetts has a poverty rate of 10.4%, compared with 14.2% in New York. Share of residents below the federal poverty line (ACS 2023).

Massachusetts
10.4%
New York
14.2%
Difference
3.80 percentage points

People Also Ask

Massachusetts vs New York Poverty Rate — Common Questions

Q What is Massachusetts's poverty rate?

Massachusetts's poverty rate is 10.4%.

Q What is New York's poverty rate?

New York's poverty rate is 14.2%.

Q Which state has a lower poverty rate — Massachusetts or New York?

Massachusetts has a lower poverty rate than New York.

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.