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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 9,600,775 1,275,371 13.3%

Living Below Poverty Level by AGE

Population Total Population Population Below Poverty Level Percent of Total Population Below Poverty
Under 18 years 1,910,679 316,192 16.5%
Under 5 years 465,073 73,780 15.9%
5 to 17 years 1,445,606 242,412 16.8%
Related children of householder under 18 years 1,901,503 307,622 16.2%
Population Total Population Population Below Poverty Level Percent of Total Population Below Poverty
18 to 64 years 6,145,958 734,462 12.0%
18 to 34 years 2,298,886 308,937 13.4%
35 to 64 years 3,847,072 425,525 11.1%
60 years+ 2,140,400 296,130 13.8%
65 years+ 1,544,138 224,717 14.6%

Living Below Poverty Level by SEX

Population Total Population Population Below Poverty Level Percent of Total Population Below Poverty
Female 4,854,108 695,252 14.3%
Male 4,746,667 580,119 12.2%

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 154,248 21,480 13.9%
Asian alone 1,469,785 159,538 10.9%
Black or African American alone 723,564 145,374 20.1%
Native Hawaiian & Other Pacific Islander alone 26,151 3,463 13.2%
White alone, not Hispanic or Latino 2,316,237 232,234 10.0%
Population Total Population Population Below Poverty Level Percent of Total Population Below Poverty
Some other race alone 2,423,147 385,135 15.9%
Two or more races 1,934,057 248,728 12.9%
Hispanic or Latino origin (of any race) 4,701,537 701,436 14.9%

Living Below Poverty Level by EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT

Population Total Population Population Below Poverty Level Percent of Total Population Below Poverty
Total persons 25 years+ 6,883,079 817,779 11.9%
Less than high school graduate 1,275,141 260,526 20.4%
High school graduate (includes equivalency) 1,387,570 207,584 15.0%
Some college, associate's degree 1,651,877 192,769 11.7%
Bachelor's degree or higher 2,568,491 156,900 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+ 5,253,325 376,260 7.2%
Employed 4,933,341 286,205 5.8%
Female 2,318,494 142,571 6.1%
Male 2,614,847 143,634 5.5%
Population Total Population Population Below Poverty Level Percent of Total Population Below Poverty
Unemployed 319,984 90,055 28.1%
Female 144,763 44,852 31.0%
Male 175,221 45,203 25.8%

* U.S. Census estimates based on American Community Survey data collected over a one-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