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Population in Poverty
Los Angeles County

Two Older Women on Bench

Image from Aging, Women and Poverty in California published by the California Commission on Aging.


Also see: Poverty and Lower Living Income Level Guidelines.


Latest Year Data: 2022 Census Estimates*

For comparison, see 2020 and 2010 Census poverty estimates.


ALL PERSONS Living Below Poverty Level

Population Total Population Population Below Poverty Level Percent of Total Population Below Poverty
Total population for whom poverty status is determined 9,782,602 1,343,978 13.7%

Living Below Poverty Level by AGE

Population Total Population Population Below Poverty Level Percent of Total Population Below Poverty
Under 18 years 2,060,302 372,961 18.1%
Under 5 years 528,202 92,584 17.5%
5 to 17 years 1,532,100 280,377 18.3%
Related children of householder under 18 years 2,052,391 365,759 17.8%
Population Total Population Population Below Poverty Level Percent of Total Population Below Poverty
18 to 64 years 6,337,237 778,103 12.3%
18 to 34 years 2,447,987 325,202 13.3%
35 to 64 years 3,889,250 452,901 11.6%
60 years+ 1,961,942 266,036 13.6%
65 years+ 1,385,063 192,914 13.9%

Living Below Poverty Level by SEX

Population Total Population Population Below Poverty Level Percent of Total Population Below Poverty
Female 4,925,198 735,127 14.9%
Male 4,857,404 608,851 12.5%

Living Below Poverty Level by RACE

Population Total Population Population Below Poverty Level Percent of Total Population Below Poverty
American Indian and Alaska Native alone 109,228 17,498 16.0%
Asian alone 1,449,265 160,827 11.1%
Black or African American alone 759,120 152,314 20.1%
Native Hawaiian & Other Pacific Islander alone 23,131 2,515 10.9%
White alone, not Hispanic or Latino 2,458,559 238,422 9.7%
Population Total Population Population Below Poverty Level Percent of Total Population Below Poverty
Some other race alone 2,227,463 374,610 16.8%
Two or more races 1,339,861 173,745 13.0%
Hispanic or Latino origin (of any race) 4,783,301 758,580 15.9%

Living Below Poverty Level by EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT

Population Total Population Population Below Poverty Level Percent of Total Population Below Poverty
Total persons 25 years+ 6,847,787 822,007 12.0%
Less than high school graduate 1,344,883 284,400 21.1%
High school graduate (includes equivalency) 1,392,207 205,067 14.7%
Some college, associate's degree 1,729,914 186,847 10.8%
Bachelor's degree or higher 2,380,783 145,693 6.1%

Living Below Poverty Level by EMPLOYMENT STATUS

Population Total Population Population Below Poverty Level Percent of Total Population Below Poverty
Total civilian labor force 16 years+ 5,211,802 379,707 7.3%
Employed 4,849,541 287,230 5.9%
Female 2,225,374 144,546 6.5%
Male 2,624,167 142,684 5.4%
Population Total Population Population Below Poverty Level Percent of Total Population Below Poverty
Unemployed 362,261 92,477 25.5%
Female 169,388 46,766 27.6%
Male 192,873 45,711 23.7%

* U.S. Census estimates based on American Community Survey data collected over the preceeding five years. These estimates are issued annually between full Decennial Census counts conducted each decade.

The U.S. Census determines a person's poverty status from the total family income of their household in the last 12 months, compared with the poverty threshold appropriate for their family size and composition. If the total income of their family is less than the threshold appropriate for that family, the person is considered “below the poverty level,” together with every member of his or her family. If a person is not living with anyone related by birth, marriage, or adoption, then their own individual income is compared with the poverty threshold for a single-person household. The total number of people below the poverty level is the sum of people in families and the number of unrelated individuals with incomes in the last 12 months below the poverty threshold. For more information, see How the Census Bureau Measures Poverty.

‡ Percent of that particular segment of the total population determined to be living below the poverty level.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau