Like all states, Florida has certain places that are going on hard times. These Florida places have an above-average percentage of people living in poverty, out of work, or not making as much as they should be.
Even as the economy continues to improve, it’s worthwhile to look at the places in each state struggling to make ends meet. So we set our sites on locating the poorest places in Florida.
To do so, we used Saturday Night Science to analyze the newest Census data from the American Community Survey for the 220 cities in Florida with more than 5,000 people.
Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Summary | Table
The 10 Poorest Places In Florida For 2024:
What’s the poorest city in Florida? According to the facts, Marianna is the poorest place in Florida for 2024.
This isn’t a commentary on the people that live there or the vibrant culture and traditions of these places. Instead, it’s just a look at the facts.
For more Florida reading, check out:
- Best Places To Live In Florida
- Cheapest Places To Live In Florida
- Most Dangerous Places In Florida
- The poorest states in the US
- The poorest cities in the US
The 10 Poorest Cities In Florida For 2024
1. Marianna
/10
Population: 6,681
Rank Last Year: 6 (Up 5)
Median Income: $27,296 (lowest)
Poverty Rate: 33.6% (3rd highest)
People In Poverty: 2,246
More on Marianna: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living
Marianna, unfortunately, ranks as the poorest place in Florida thanks to combination of low pay and and a lack of jobs.
The city of 6,681 people averages the lowest median household income in Florida and the 3rd highest poverty rate. At the very least, the cost of living ranks in the bottom 15% of place in the state, so things like housing are relatively affordable.
2. Quincy
/10
Population: 7,811
Rank Last Year: 2 (No Change)
Median Income: $33,786 (4th lowest)
Poverty Rate: 46.7% (highest)
People In Poverty: 3,646
More on Quincy: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living
The second poorest city in Florida is Quincy.
The city ranks as having the highest incidence of poverty and 4th lowest median household income. However, the unemployment rate ‘only’ ranks as the 172nd highest in the Sunshine State.
3. Arcadia
/10
Population: 7,480
Rank Last Year: 4 (Up 1)
Median Income: $34,598 (6th lowest)
Poverty Rate: 35.2% (2nd highest)
People In Poverty: 2,629
More on Arcadia: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living
Placing as the third poorest city, Arcadia’s median income ranks as the 6th lowest.
And that’s a sign that there’s a relatively substantial jump in the quality of the economy from second to third place on our list. The poverty rate is 35.16% and ranks near the bottom of places in the state.
But what makes up for the relatively low incomes of the city is its low cost of living. The income you do make here goes further than in most parts of the Sunshine State.
4. Palatka
/10
Population: 10,471
Rank Last Year: 5 (Up 1)
Median Income: $30,945 (3rd lowest)
Poverty Rate: 29.0% (10th highest)
People In Poverty: 3,034
More on Palatka: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living
Palatka ranks as the fourth poorest place in Florida.
The town ranks as having the 3rd lowest median household income and the 10th highest incidence of poverty in the state.
That being said, there’s still a ton of cultural diversity in the city as it hosts many events throughout the year.
5. Opa-locka
/10
Population: 16,230
Rank Last Year: 1 (Down 4)
Median Income: $30,101 (2nd lowest)
Poverty Rate: 28.0% (12th highest)
People In Poverty: 4,542
More on Opa-Locka: Data | Cost Of Living
The fifth poorest city in Florida is Opa-locka.
The city ranks as having the 2nd lowest median income in the state. However, an extremely low cost of living prevents a good number of folks from living in poverty as the poverty rate only ranks as the 12th highest in Florida.
Still not the best news for Opa-locka.
6. Pahokee
/10
Population: 5,548
Rank Last Year: 3 (Down 3)
Median Income: $36,289 (8th lowest)
Poverty Rate: 31.8% (6th highest)
People In Poverty: 1,763
More on Pahokee: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living
Pahokee ranks as the sixth poorest place in the Sunshine State.
It ranks as having the 6th highest incidence of poverty and the highest unemployment rate.
7. Sebring
/10
Population: 11,006
Rank Last Year: 8 (Up 1)
Median Income: $38,024 (9th lowest)
Poverty Rate: 28.6% (11th highest)
People In Poverty: 3,152
More on Sebring: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living
Sebring places as the seventh poorest city in Florida.
The city of over 11,006 ranks as having the 11th highest incidence of poverty in the state. However, it has a very low cost of living which helps to pay the bills each month.
8. Belle Glade
/10
Population: 16,896
Rank Last Year: 7 (Down 1)
Median Income: $42,314 (16th lowest)
Poverty Rate: 32.5% (5th highest)
People In Poverty: 5,496
More on Belle Glade: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living
Belle Glade ranks as the eighth poorest city in Florida.
The big issue for the town is the unemployment rate which ranks as one of the highest in the state.
9. Fort Meade
/10
Population: 5,133
Rank Last Year: 16 (Up 7)
Median Income: $34,474 (5th lowest)
Poverty Rate: 23.0% (18th highest)
People In Poverty: 1,181
More on Fort Meade: Data | Cost Of Living
Fort Meade couldn’t stay out of the top ten poorest places in Florida; it ranks number 9.
While the median income is the 5th lowest, there are a substantial number of people that live below the poverty line. Overall, Fort Meade ranks as having the 18th most people living in poverty of all the places we analyzed in Florida.
10. Starke
/10
Population: 5,756
Rank Last Year: 17 (Up 7)
Median Income: $42,976 (17th lowest)
Poverty Rate: 31.7% (7th highest)
People In Poverty: 1,824
More on Starke: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living
And rounding out the top ten poorest cities in Florida is Starke.
The city of 5,756 people ranks in the bottom 20% for both median income and poverty rate in the Sunshine State.
Methodology: How We Determined The Poorest Places In Florida for 2024
The first thing that comes to most people’s minds when they think about determining the poorest places is to simply the poverty rate. That is, the number of people living below a federally established level of income for a household of a certain size.
However, we don’t think that one statistic wholly encompasses what it means to be one of the “poorest places”. So we used Saturday Night Science to look at this set of criteria from the newly released 2018-2022 American Community Survey:
- Poverty Level
- Median Household Income
After we collected the data for all 220 places with more than 5,000 people in Florida, we ranked each place from 1 to 220 for each of the criteria, with 1 being the poorest.
We then averaged all the rankings for a place into a “Poor Score” with the place having the lowest overall Poor Score, Marianna, crowned the “Poorest Place In Florida For 2024”.
This report has been updated for 2024, which is our tenth time ranking the poorest places in Florida.
Summary: The Poorest Cities In Florida For 2024
Like we said earlier, when we set out to identify the poorest places in Florida, we weren’t sure what we’d encounter, but it ended up being some of the best places to live in Florida.
When you look at the data, the cities and places mentioned above meet the criteria for being at the very bottom of the income ladder for everyone that lives there.
If you’re curious enough, here are the richest cities in Florida, according to data:
-
Richest: Parkland
2nd Richest: Longboat Key
3rd Richest: Palm Beach
For more Florida reading, check out:
- Richest Cities In Florida
- Safest Places In Florida
- Worst Places To Live In Florida
- Most Expensive Places To Live In Florida
Detailed List Of The Poorest Places To Live In Florida
| Rank | City | Population | Poverty Rate | Median Income | People In Poverty |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Marianna | 6,681 | 33.6% | $27,296 | 2,246 |
| 2 | Quincy | 7,811 | 46.7% | $33,786 | 3,646 |
| 3 | Arcadia | 7,480 | 35.2% | $34,598 | 2,629 |
| 4 | Palatka | 10,471 | 29.0% | $30,945 | 3,034 |
| 5 | Opa-locka | 16,230 | 28.0% | $30,101 | 4,542 |
| 6 | Pahokee | 5,548 | 31.8% | $36,289 | 1,763 |
| 7 | Sebring | 11,006 | 28.6% | $38,024 | 3,152 |
| 8 | Belle Glade | 16,896 | 32.5% | $42,314 | 5,496 |
| 9 | Fort Meade | 5,133 | 23.0% | $34,474 | 1,181 |
| 10 | Starke | 5,756 | 31.7% | $42,976 | 1,824 |
| 11 | Florida City | 12,841 | 32.6% | $44,774 | 4,188 |
| 12 | Pembroke Park | 6,266 | 25.9% | $41,875 | 1,621 |
| 13 | Avon Park | 9,789 | 22.5% | $35,340 | 2,204 |
| 14 | Lauderdale Lakes | 35,914 | 23.9% | $41,644 | 8,590 |
| 15 | Gainesville | 142,414 | 29.0% | $43,783 | 41,328 |
| 16 | Fort Pierce | 47,153 | 29.1% | $45,121 | 13,697 |
| 17 | Holly Hill | 12,919 | 22.1% | $40,908 | 2,848 |
| 18 | Dundee | 5,373 | 25.3% | $44,936 | 1,360 |
| 19 | Kissimmee | 78,478 | 26.0% | $45,319 | 20,372 |
| 20 | Brooksville | 8,981 | 20.0% | $42,047 | 1,796 |
| 21 | Okeechobee | 5,319 | 22.2% | $44,922 | 1,180 |
| 22 | Lake City | 12,307 | 22.9% | $46,172 | 2,821 |
| 23 | Hallandale Beach | 41,102 | 20.9% | $45,417 | 8,586 |
| 24 | Live Oak | 6,811 | 19.3% | $43,664 | 1,312 |
| 25 | Leesburg | 27,226 | 18.5% | $43,733 | 5,025 |
| 26 | Daytona Beach | 73,329 | 20.3% | $47,608 | 14,907 |
| 27 | Tallahassee | 198,259 | 24.3% | $52,899 | 48,117 |
| 28 | Dania Beach | 31,700 | 19.3% | $46,330 | 6,124 |
| 29 | Lauderhill | 73,987 | 18.6% | $48,523 | 13,761 |
| 30 | North Miami | 59,854 | 18.9% | $49,069 | 11,306 |
| 31 | Belleview | 5,438 | 17.4% | $49,007 | 947 |
| 32 | Hialeah | 222,996 | 17.8% | $49,531 | 39,715 |
| 33 | Miami | 443,665 | 20.0% | $54,858 | 88,688 |
| 34 | Ocala | 63,504 | 18.0% | $50,618 | 11,456 |
| 35 | Lake Wales | 16,455 | 20.3% | $55,833 | 3,343 |
| 36 | Inverness | 7,602 | 15.3% | $42,282 | 1,166 |
| 37 | Clewiston | 7,252 | 16.8% | $50,538 | 1,217 |
| 38 | Homestead | 79,996 | 20.4% | $57,739 | 16,319 |
| 39 | Perry | 6,879 | 15.2% | $45,833 | 1,048 |
| 40 | Palmetto | 13,384 | 17.2% | $55,584 | 2,303 |
| 41 | DeFuniak Springs | 6,072 | 18.2% | $56,455 | 1,106 |
| 42 | Riviera Beach | 37,668 | 20.0% | $57,851 | 7,537 |
| 43 | Panama City | 34,254 | 18.6% | $57,221 | 6,388 |
| 44 | Sweetwater | 19,399 | 15.7% | $53,159 | 3,047 |
| 45 | South Daytona | 13,132 | 16.0% | $54,898 | 2,102 |
| 46 | Deerfield Beach | 86,455 | 15.5% | $53,741 | 13,417 |
| 47 | Kenneth City | 5,043 | 15.3% | $51,073 | 774 |
| 48 | Lake Park | 8,996 | 15.5% | $54,741 | 1,396 |
| 49 | New Port Richey | 16,742 | 13.3% | $42,254 | 2,233 |
| 50 | Lady Lake | 16,047 | 13.9% | $46,694 | 2,238 |
| 51 | Haines City | 28,922 | 16.9% | $57,718 | 4,896 |
| 52 | Springfield | 8,295 | 15.0% | $52,188 | 1,242 |
| 53 | Winter Haven | 50,778 | 15.9% | $56,425 | 8,083 |
| 54 | Miami Gardens | 111,618 | 15.4% | $56,071 | 17,222 |
| 55 | Fort Myers | 88,699 | 16.1% | $57,403 | 14,271 |
| 56 | Zephyrhills | 17,575 | 13.5% | $45,745 | 2,365 |
| 57 | North Lauderdale | 44,635 | 16.9% | $60,168 | 7,525 |
| 58 | West Park | 15,074 | 15.9% | $58,712 | 2,401 |
| 59 | Casselberry | 29,092 | 15.4% | $56,833 | 4,468 |
| 60 | Orange City | 13,254 | 13.6% | $49,681 | 1,805 |
| 61 | Clearwater | 116,984 | 16.2% | $59,358 | 18,986 |
| 62 | Bradenton | 55,795 | 14.6% | $55,795 | 8,140 |
| 63 | Palm Springs | 26,692 | 13.8% | $55,254 | 3,696 |
| 64 | Pompano Beach | 111,790 | 15.9% | $61,155 | 17,774 |
| 65 | Green Cove Springs | 9,758 | 17.4% | $63,760 | 1,693 |
| 66 | Davenport | 10,246 | 17.9% | $64,428 | 1,828 |
| 67 | Bartow | 19,424 | 15.5% | $60,974 | 3,004 |
| 68 | Hialeah Gardens | 22,815 | 14.7% | $58,497 | 3,342 |
| 69 | Lakeland | 114,404 | 14.2% | $58,290 | 16,188 |
| 70 | Greenacres | 43,651 | 14.7% | $58,981 | 6,421 |
| 71 | North Miami Beach | 43,269 | 13.5% | $56,122 | 5,849 |
| 72 | Melbourne | 84,982 | 15.2% | $60,917 | 12,874 |
| 73 | Sunny Isles Beach | 22,202 | 13.6% | $57,145 | 3,028 |
| 74 | West Palm Beach | 117,588 | 16.0% | $64,044 | 18,778 |
| 75 | Plant City | 39,655 | 15.4% | $62,015 | 6,094 |
| 76 | South Pasadena | 5,334 | 11.4% | $48,490 | 609 |
| 77 | Vero Beach | 16,531 | 14.0% | $59,335 | 2,309 |
| 78 | Tampa | 388,768 | 16.9% | $66,802 | 65,507 |
| 79 | Wildwood | 15,735 | 17.1% | $68,121 | 2,684 |
| 80 | Largo | 82,541 | 12.5% | $56,266 | 10,350 |
| 81 | Margate | 58,396 | 12.3% | $56,324 | 7,194 |
| 82 | Mount Dora | 16,330 | 15.5% | $65,774 | 2,529 |
| 83 | Stuart | 17,639 | 13.9% | $61,878 | 2,457 |
| 84 | Jacksonville | 950,203 | 14.8% | $64,138 | 140,344 |
| 85 | Sanford | 61,272 | 12.8% | $59,181 | 7,848 |
| 86 | Fort Walton Beach | 20,919 | 13.5% | $61,820 | 2,830 |
| 87 | Tamarac | 71,578 | 12.7% | $59,140 | 9,119 |
| 88 | Eustis | 23,101 | 13.1% | $59,941 | 3,014 |
| 89 | Gulfport | 11,796 | 13.1% | $60,461 | 1,540 |
| 90 | Orlando | 307,738 | 15.2% | $66,292 | 46,622 |
| 91 | Tavares | 19,088 | 10.4% | $54,271 | 1,983 |
| 92 | Titusville | 48,595 | 11.1% | $56,700 | 5,389 |
| 93 | High Springs | 6,283 | 18.2% | $76,760 | 1,142 |
| 94 | Oakland Park | 44,056 | 13.9% | $64,989 | 6,137 |
| 95 | Temple Terrace | 26,818 | 13.2% | $62,415 | 3,548 |
| 96 | Pinellas Park | 53,352 | 13.1% | $62,306 | 6,973 |
| 97 | Pensacola | 54,059 | 14.1% | $67,722 | 7,633 |
| 98 | Hollywood | 152,764 | 12.6% | $61,958 | 19,217 |
| 99 | Miami Beach | 82,400 | 13.6% | $65,116 | 11,181 |
| 100 | Dade City | 7,221 | 12.8% | $63,493 | 922 |