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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: 2024 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 9,656,697 1,326,437 13.7%

Living Below Poverty Level by AGE

Population Total Population Population Below Poverty Level Percent of Total Population Below Poverty
Under 18 years 1,986,834 350,285 17.6%
Under 5 years 491,098 82,453 16.8%
5 to 17 years 1,495,736 267,832 17.9%
Related children of householder under 18 years 1,978,407 342,573 17.3%
Population Total Population Population Below Poverty Level Percent of Total Population Below Poverty
18 to 64 years 6,211,824 763,989 12.3%
18 to 34 years 2,345,595 312,893 13.3%
35 to 64 years 3,866,229 451,096 11.7%
60 years+ 2,043,999 284,381 13.9%
65 years+ 1,458,039 212,163 14.6%

Living Below Poverty Level by SEX

Population Total Population Population Below Poverty Level Percent of Total Population Below Poverty
Female 4,876,970 724,717 14.9%
Male 4,779,727 601,720 12.6%

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 139,824 21,392 15.3%
Asian alone 1,461,554 168,116 11.5%
Black or African American alone 730,335 146,922 20.1%
Native Hawaiian & Other Pacific Islander alone 22,326 2,600 11.6%
White alone, not Hispanic or Latino 2,380,635 240,645 10.1%
Population Total Population Population Below Poverty Level Percent of Total Population Below Poverty
Some other race alone 2,398,978 400,193 16.7%
Two or more races 1,930,208 256,303 13.3%
Hispanic or Latino origin (of any race) 4,698,033 729,953 15.5%

Living Below Poverty Level by EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT

Population Total Population Population Below Poverty Level Percent of Total Population Below Poverty
Total persons 25 years+ 6,857,781 835,568 12.2%
Less than high school graduate 1,304,990 275,275 21.1%
High school graduate (includes equivalency) 1,383,041 210,508 15.2%
Some college, associate's degree 1,688,062 193,003 11.4%
Bachelor's degree or higher 2,481,688 156,782 6.3%

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+ 5,175,061 380,308 7.3%
Employed 4,801,134 281,531 5.9%
Female 2,231,911 142,246 6.4%
Male 2,569,223 139,285 5.4%
Population Total Population Population Below Poverty Level Percent of Total Population Below Poverty
Unemployed 373,927 98,777 26.4%
Female 172,774 48,850 28.3%
Male 201,153 49,927 24.8%

* U.S. Census estimates based on American Community Survey data collected over the preceding five-year period. 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