Are you struggling with credit card debt? Here are 5 strategies to help you pay it down.
April kicks off Financial Literacy Month, a nationally recognized campaign to bring awareness to the need for more financial education in schools and for adults. The campaign has been around for decades, yet you may have never heard of it.
Here’s a look at the ins and outs of Financial Literacy Month, how it came into existence and what you can do to support financial literacy right now.
What Is Financial Literacy Month?
In the U.S., Financial Literacy Month is a national campaign organized by the Jump$tart Coalition to raise awareness about financial literacy and promote financial education. The Jump$tart Coalition and its partner organizations host events and initiatives throughout the month to improve financial literacy in America.
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Lowest-earning county in every state
Lowest-earning county in every state
March 2021 marks one year of the COVID-19 pandemic upending our lives and the economy here in the United States. Pre-pandemic, Americans were doing well financially, with major markers like unemployment, reaching 50-year lows. Post-pandemic, however, things are looking wildly different. During the second quarter of the 2020 fiscal year, our nation’s real GDP fell by a whopping 31.4%, a number that hasn’t been seen since the Great Depression. Additionally, unemployment levels reached 14.5%, also nearing Great Depression highs. And while both of those factors have begun to settle back to normal, thanks to the increased re-opening of our economy, things are still a far cry from the way they were in 2019.
One marker that has sped far past its 2019 position is that of income inequality in the United States. Low-wage industries have been decimated by the pandemic, leaving millions without work or in positions they are overqualified for. More than two-thirds of the country’s wealth is owned by the top 10% of income earners. Meanwhile, nearly one in five households across the United States earn less than $25,000 a year (19.6%), while 6.3% have an annual income that falls below $10,000.
Where you live can make a big impact on your financial situation. To find out where Americans are struggling the most across the country, Stacker compiled a list of the lowest-earning county in every state, based on data from the U.S. Census Bureau's 2019 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates (released in December 2020). The list only considered counties with a minimum of 1,000 households and ranked them by their median household incomes. The counties are listed in alphabetical order based on their state’s name.
Keep reading to learn which county in every state has the lowest household income and see how your area compares with the rest.
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Alabama: Perry County
- Median household income: $23,447
- Total number of households: 3,070
- Households making less than $10,000: 19.5%
- Households making less than $25,000: 54.0%
Located in west-central Alabama, Perry County has seen employment levels drop and wages decrease over the past several years. With a population of just under 10,000 people, the largest industries in the area are educational services and manufacturing. A stagnating wage in the manufacturing sector may be behind the low average income in Perry County.
Alaska: Kusilvak Census Area
- Median household income: $36,754
- Total number of households: 1,724
- Households making less than $10,000: 10.1%
- Households making less than $25,000: 33.0%
There are just 79 employer establishments in Alaska’s Kusilvak Census Area. Most workers from this area are teachers’ assistants—one of the lowest-paid occupations in the country.
Arizona: Apache County
- Median household income: $32,508
- Total number of households: 20,867
- Households making less than $10,000: 21.6%
- Households making less than $25,000: 41.7%
Northern Arizona, where Apache County is located, is experiencing a major decline in coal-related industries, with many plants downsizing or shutting down completely in recent years. Losing high-wage jobs in the coal industry is predicted to impact other areas, including tourism, retail, and hospitality, which could make it even harder for Apache County residents to boost their incomes.
Arkansas: Phillips County
- Median household income: $29,320
- Total number of households: 7,485
- Households making less than $10,000: 17.0%
- Households making less than $25,000: 44.3%
Once a thriving agricultural and port area, Phillips County has largely been left behind by economic modernization. In an effort to make up for the income it’s lost from cotton production, etc., leaders have begun work on the Delta Bridge Project, an initiative that intends to launch community and economic development projects. Since 2000, this project has been working to turn fortunes in the area around and has demonstrated success as the median household income has risen by nearly $10,000 over the last two decades.
California: Trinity County
- Median household income: $40,846
- Total number of households: 5,939
- Households making less than $10,000: 9.9%
- Households making less than $25,000: 32.0%
Trinity County has fewer than 5,000 workers. The majority of them are employed in public administration, health care, and social assistance, or the accommodation and food services industries. Those who work in utilities earn six-figure salaries, but there are less than 90 Trinity County residents who are employed in that field.
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Colorado: Bent County
- Median household income: $30,900
- Total number of households: 1,767
- Households making less than $10,000: 8.8%
- Households making less than $25,000: 38.6%
In Bent County, the local economy is largely dependent on agriculture, an industry whose profits have been steadily decreasing over recent years. In an effort to help balance out these losses, the county has established a Development Foundation which aims to keep and grow small businesses in the area, which, in turn, allows for job creation and employment growth.
Connecticut: Windham County
- Median household income: $66,550
- Total number of households: 44,953
- Households making less than $10,000: 5.4%
- Households making less than $25,000: 17.4%
Even the lowest-income county in Connecticut has a median household income higher than the national average. Manufacturing is the third-largest industry in Windham County right now. Manufacturing in the region is on the upswing, boosting employment by 2.1% in 2018. The county may see even more jobs open up in aerospace and submarine manufacturing in the future.
Delaware: Kent County
- Median household income: $60,910
- Total number of households: 65,796
- Households making less than $10,000: 5.1%
- Households making less than $25,000: 18.3%
The city of Dover is home to about 70% of the jobs in Kent County, according to Delaware State News. The county is making an effort to boost the economy through tourism and will host this year’s Mid-Atlantic Tourism Relations Alliance Media Marketplace gathering.
Florida: DeSoto County
- Median household income: $35,438
- Total number of households: 12,072
- Households making less than $10,000: 7.2%
- Households making less than $25,000: 33.7%
A large percentage of the DeSoto County, Florida workforce are migrant farmer families, who work year-round in the fields harvesting produce for relatively low wages (the average income in one local town is around $18,000). In fact, the most common occupations in the state are farming, fishing, and forestry jobs, which are among the lowest-paid, preceded only by personal care and service occupations, and healthcare support occupations (which employ 369 and 230 people respectively compared to farming, fishing and forestry’s 1,848).
Georgia: Clay County
- Median household income: $22,325
- Total number of households: 1,242
- Households making less than $10,000: 16.6%
- Households making less than $25,000: 52.3%
Solar innovation may help stimulate the economy in Clay County over the next decade; U.S. solar company Silicon Ranch in 2018 made an $89 million investment in two solar projects in Bluffton. The development will inject some much-needed revenue into the county’s schools and development authority.
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Hawaii: Hawaii County
- Median household income: $62,409
- Total number of households: 69,453
- Households making less than $10,000: 7.7%
- Households making less than $25,000: 21.6%
Tourism drives the economy in Hawaii County, with most residents working in accommodation and food services or retail. It spent 2019 recovering from the Kilauea volcano eruption. The natural disaster caused $796 million in economic damage to Hawaii County, hitting the tourism sector the hardest.
Idaho: Madison County
- Median household income: $39,160
- Total number of households: 11,016
- Households making less than $10,000: 11.9%
- Households making less than $25,000: 36.0%
With an educated workforce and relatively low costs, Rexburg, Madison County’s largest city, is becoming an attractive place for companies. Many out-of-state businesses have opened plants and offices in the area, creating new jobs and boosting the economy.
Illinois: Pulaski County
- Median household income: $34,640
- Total number of households: 2,095
- Households making less than $10,000: 9.5%
- Households making less than $25,000: 38.0%
When the Tamms Supermax Prison closed in 2013, Southern Illinois (which includes Pulaski County) lost around 325 jobs and saw businesses that served prison staff shut down. The state in 2019 created a new task force to explore ways to repurpose the former correctional center and create new employment opportunities in the area.
Indiana: Crawford County
- Median household income: $41,662
- Total number of households: 3,835
- Households making less than $10,000: 9.3%
- Households making less than $25,000: 29.0%
Although Crawford County is the lowest-earning county in the state of Indiana, median household incomes are on the rise, increasing from $39,700 in 2013. Still, the county falls significantly short of the state’s median income of $52,182, likely because of the high concentration of manufacturing and construction jobs in the area that tend to be lower-paying.
Iowa: Appanoose County
- Median household income: $40,167
- Total number of households: 5,353
- Households making less than $10,000: 9.6%
- Households making less than $25,000: 29.7%
Employment in Appanoose County has fallen in recent years. Manufacturing employs 21.5% of the local workforce. Other common industries include retail trade, health care, and social assistance, and educational services.
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Kansas: Elk County
- Median household income: $38,750
- Total number of households: 1,128
- Households making less than $10,000: 9.6%
- Households making less than $25,000: 34.5%
Over the last several decades, Elk County has seen a significant decline in population. As members of the community have moved out, they seem to have taken jobs with them. The area has retained some of its highest-paying industries, like mining and quarrying, but its most common areas of employment are things like health care and social services, which pay significantly less.
Kentucky: Wolfe County
- Median household income: $24,623
- Total number of households: 2,898
- Households making less than $10,000: 16.3%
- Households making less than $25,000: 50.4%
Food preparation and serving-related occupations are the most common jobs for Wolfe County residents and among the lowest-paid types of employment in the area. Residents with this job earn a median salary of $10,287.
Louisiana: East Carroll Parish
- Median household income: $22,346
- Total number of households: 2,037
- Households making less than $10,000: 26.9%
- Households making less than $25,000: 53.1%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing, and hunting represent one of the largest industries in East Carroll Parish, employing 168 people. The Louisiana governor’s office in 2019 announced it would invest $50 million in infrastructure projects in the region, including a bridge in East Carroll Parish, in an effort to bolster the agriculture industry.
Maryland: Somerset County
- Median household income: $37,803
- Total number of households: 8,574
- Households making less than $10,000: 13.4%
- Households making less than $25,000: 32.1%
Located around 100 miles from the nearest major cities, Somerset County is primarily home to business and industrial centers. The University of Maryland Eastern Shore and Sysco Eastern Maryland are among the biggest employers in the county.
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Massachusetts: Hampden County
- Median household income: $55,429
- Total number of households: 179,423
- Households making less than $10,000: 7.4%
- Households making less than $25,000: 24.2%
One in five workers in Hampden County are employed in the health care and social assistance industry. Employees in the utilities industry typically reap the highest salaries, while those in the arts, entertainment, and recreation sector earn a median salary of $15,841.
Michigan: Lake County
- Median household income: $37,320
- Total number of households: 4,631
- Households making less than $10,000: 10.9%
- Households making less than $25,000: 33.8%
Manufacturing and retail trade are the largest industries by number of employees in Michigan’s Lake County. Residents who find work in the mining, quarrying, oil, and gas extraction industry typically earn $88,750 a year. However, just four Lake County workers were employed in that industry as of 2017.
Minnesota: Mahnomen County
- Median household income: $44,688
- Total number of households: 1,946
- Households making less than $10,000: 8.0%
- Households making less than $25,000: 27.8%
Set within the White Earth Indian Reservation, Mahnomen County has a high proportion of workers in the arts, entertainment, and recreation industry. The area’s major employers include Shooting Star Casino, White Earth Tribe, and Mahnomen Hospital.
Mississippi: Holmes County
- Median household income: $21,504
- Total number of households: 6,188
- Households making less than $10,000: 28.1%
- Households making less than $25,000: 55.8%
Holmes County is one of the poorest counties in the entire United States. Almost three-fifths of the residents live in poverty and receive help from the federal government. Their lack of employment isn’t for lack of trying (in February 2021, there were 31 available jobs in the area and 700 job seekers), but seems to be the product of the systemic racism that still has hold over the town. The average white household from 2010-2014 had a median income of $40,000 while the average Black household had a median income of $19,000.
Missouri: Ozark County
- Median household income: $31,947
- Total number of households: 3,958
- Households making less than $10,000: 12.2%
- Households making less than $25,000: 40.3%
As previously discussed, industries like manufacturing, construction, and retail trade tend to be lower-paying than other fields. It makes sense, then, that an area like Missouri’s Ozark County, where these industries dominate the local economy, would have lower incomes, on average, than neighboring counties where higher-paying fields dominate.
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Montana: Glacier County
- Median household income: $36,045
- Total number of households: 4,163
- Households making less than $10,000: 9.9%
- Households making less than $25,000: 37.2%
Glacier County’s median household income is significantly lower than in the nearby counties of Pondera and Toole. Most workers are employed in the educational services or accommodation and food services industries.
Nebraska: Brown County
- Median household income: $43,098
- Total number of households: 1,387
- Households making less than $10,000: 4.8%
- Households making less than $25,000: 26.5%
Ask a resident of Brown County what they do for a living, and they’ll probably say they work in management or sales. Most workers in the area are employed in the agriculture, forestry, fishing, and hunting industry.
Nevada: Mineral County
- Median household income: $35,806
- Total number of households: 2,048
- Households making less than $10,000: 10.1%
- Households making less than $25,000: 37.8%
Mineral County has a workforce of fewer than 1,700 employees. The county has an atypically high number of workers in the occupation of fire fighting and prevention, and other protective service workers (including supervisors).
New Hampshire: Coos County
- Median household income: $47,117
- Total number of households: 13,768
- Households making less than $10,000: 5.1%
- Households making less than $25,000: 24.1%
Coos County’s largest industry by number of employees is health care and social assistance. There’s an effort among local business leaders and politicians to strengthen ties between Coos County and Quebec to boost the economy.
New Jersey: Cumberland County
- Median household income: $54,149
- Total number of households: 50,729
- Households making less than $10,000: 8.6%
- Households making less than $25,000: 24.5%
Most Cumberland County workers are employed by the health care and social assistance industry. The county has a slow rate of job growth: Cumberland County employment increased less than 1% from 2016 to 2017 and is projected to see just 18.3% growth over the next decade (compared with the national average of 33.5%).
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New Mexico: Guadalupe County
- Median household income: $24,798
- Total number of households: 1,384
- Households making less than $10,000: 10.9%
- Households making less than $25,000: 50.4%
The median household income in Guadalupe County is not just low—it’s also falling. It has dropped nearly $2,000 since 2017. Most employed residents work in the industry of public administration.
New York: Bronx County
- Median household income: $40,088
- Total number of households: 503,829
- Households making less than $10,000: 13.5%
- Households making less than $25,000: 35.3%
With a continuous influx of immigrants, Bronx County is New York State’s fastest-growing county. It has gained a significant amount of new jobs in the last decade. These opportunities aren’t usually lucrative, though. In 2017, the average salary for a job in the private sector in the Bronx was $48,700, around 2.5 times less than positions in neighboring Manhattan.
North Carolina: Robeson County
- Median household income: $34,976
- Total number of households: 45,927
- Households making less than $10,000: 13.6%
- Households making less than $25,000: 37.1%
Between 1993 and 2003, Robeson County saw dozens of manufacturing plants close their doors, which resulted in job loss for nearly 10,000 residents. The production and manufacturing industry remains the county’s largest, employing more than 5,000 people, but the region is still struggling to bounce back from the closures that have had a ripple effect on the entire area.
North Dakota: Sioux County
- Median household income: $38,939
- Total number of households: 1,112
- Households making less than $10,000: 18.2%
- Households making less than $25,000: 35.6%
Sioux County is the only county in America to lie entirely within a reservation, namely the Standing Rock Indian Reservation. As a result, there’s very little in the way of employment opportunities within the county itself– only 1,340 people were working in Sioux County proper in 2018. The vast majority of them worked in administrative or management roles for the reservation, which are traditionally low-paying and provide very little room for growth.
Ohio: Adams County
- Median household income: $39,079
- Total number of households: 10,673
- Households making less than $10,000: 11.2%
- Households making less than $25,000: 33.6%
Residents of Adams County are reckoning with the loss of two power plants in 2018. The closures of those plants resulted in the loss of more than 1,100 total jobs in the region. Furthermore, local power plant workers are predicted to see their wages drop as they move into other positions.
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Oklahoma: Choctaw County
- Median household income: $34,489
- Total number of households: 5,971
- Households making less than $10,000: 13.0%
- Households making less than $25,000: 38.2%
The median household income in Choctaw County has hovered not far above $30,000 since 2013. The highest-paid jobs in the county are architecture and engineering occupations, while the lowest-paid jobs are in food preparation and serving-related occupations.
Oregon: Lake County
- Median household income: $37,898
- Total number of households: 3,515
- Households making less than $10,000: 9.8%
- Households making less than $25,000: 32.7%
Lake County is banking on renewable energy to dig itself out of years of economic stagnation. The county has seen new projects from biofuel companies and solar energy developers in recent years. Agriculture, forestry, fishing, and hunting is the largest industry by the number of employees.
Pennsylvania: Forest County
- Median household income: $39,717
- Total number of households: 1,839
- Households making less than $10,000: 8.4%
- Households making less than $25,000: 29.8%
Forest County lost more than a quarter of its employment from 2016 to 2017, bringing the total number of employed people to 751. Most of them work in public administration or health care and social assistance.
Rhode Island: Providence County
- Median household income: $58,974
- Total number of households: 237,971
- Households making less than $10,000: 7.6%
- Households making less than $25,000: 23.3%
Most employment in Providence County is in the industries of health care and social assistance, as well as retail and manufacturing. Law enforcement workers are the highest-paid occupation in the county.
South Carolina: Allendale County
- Median household income: $27,185
- Total number of households: 3,365
- Households making less than $10,000: 18.8%
- Households making less than $25,000: 46.1%
Household incomes in Allendale County have been mostly on the decline since 2014. Experts warn that the area could lose about 15% in income by the end of the century due to the effects of global warming.
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South Dakota: Todd County
- Median household income: $24,331
- Total number of households: 2,700
- Households making less than $10,000: 29.0%
- Households making less than $25,000: 50.8%
More than three-quarters of Todd County residents are American Indian. Some residents say that decades of U.S. government practices that impact Native Americans have contributed to economic adversities in Todd County.
Tennessee: Hancock County
- Median household income: $30,136
- Total number of households: 2,742
- Households making less than $10,000: 14.5%
- Households making less than $25,000: 41.3%
Hancock County’s largest industries by the number of employees are manufacturing and health care and social assistance. Most workers in the area are in production occupations.
Texas: Presidio County
- Median household income: $25,098
- Total number of households: 2,543
- Households making less than $10,000: 14.4%
- Households making less than $25,000: 49.6%
The impoverished Texas county of Presidio has embraced new economic activities in recent years, including a natural gas pipeline and chili roasting facility. These efforts haven’t paid off for the average resident, though. The median household income has dropped by more than $6,000 since 2016.
Utah: Wayne County
- Median household income: $44,245
- Total number of households: 1,000
- Households making less than $10,000: 5.8%
- Households making less than $25,000: 26.2%
In Wayne County, where the government owns 97% of the land, the main industry is tourism. Travelers from around the country flock to Capitol Reef National Park and locals work in accommodations and food services. While the jobs are plentiful, they don’t always pay well, especially for those under management level.
Vermont: Essex County
- Median household income: $44,349
- Total number of households: 2,740
- Households making less than $10,000: 6.2%
- Households making less than $25,000: 27.3%
Wholesale trade is the highest-paying industry by a long shot in Essex County. Workers in that field earn a median salary of more than $150,000. However, most workers in the area are employed by the health care and social assistance industry, which pays significantly less.
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Virginia: Emporia City
- Median household income: $27,063
- Total number of households: 2,086
- Households making less than $10,000: 9.1%
- Households making less than $25,000: 46.9%
The second-smallest town in Virginia, Emporia City was once a trade hub but is now a sleepy, pass-through city. Located 80 miles from Norfolk, the closest metropolis, Emporia’s relatively rural location and subsequent distance from high-paying industries and businesses may contribute to low median household incomes.
Washington: Ferry County
- Median household income: $41,939
- Total number of households: 3,060
- Households making less than $10,000: 9.6%
- Households making less than $25,000: 33.5%
Ferry County lost its largest employer, a gold mine, in 2018. With its closure came the loss of high-wage jobs and stagnating median household incomes.
West Virginia: McDowell County
- Median household income: $27,682
- Total number of households: 7,607
- Households making less than $10,000: 15.5%
- Households making less than $25,000: 44.6%
McDowell County has struggled for decades. Its residents were among the first to receive food stamps when the program was created in the 1960s and the declining coal industry is continuing to bring the local economy down with it.
Wisconsin: Menominee County
- Median household income: $40,921
- Total number of households: 1,408
- Households making less than $10,000: 8.0%
- Households making less than $25,000: 32.7%
The borders of Menominee County are coterminous with the Menominee Indian Reservation and Menominee Township. Just like Sioux County, which also lies inside an Indian reservation, there are few jobs to be had in Menominee, and those that do exist are often tied to the reservation and low-paying.
Wyoming: Albany County
- Median household income: $49,322
- Total number of households: 15,944
- Households making less than $10,000: 8.0%
- Households making less than $25,000: 25.2%
Home to the University of Wyoming and Wyotech-Laramie, Albany County’s largest industry is educational services. Food preparation and serving-related occupations are both the fifth most common job for Albany County residents and the lowest-paid positions in the area.
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Maine: Piscataquis County
- Median household income: $40,890
- Total number of households: 7,025
- Households making less than $10,000: 7.9%
- Households making less than $25,000: 30.4%
Workers in Piscataquis County primarily work in the industries of health care and social assistance, as well as manufacturing. The county has just one employer with a workforce of more than 500 people.
