Poverty and living standards in Ohio, United States: official figures
The Census Bureau estimates that 12.6% of people in Ohio lived below the federal poverty line in 2024, about 1,463,705 people; joint 16th highest among the 50 states and DC (U.S.: 12.1%).
Has poverty in Ohio gone up or down?
In 2019 the estimate for Ohio was 13.0% (1,474,285 people), so the rate is down 0.4 percentage points over five years; the national rate moved from 12.3% to 12.1%.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copyHow many children live in poverty in Ohio?
16.4% of children under 18 in Ohio were in poverty in 2024, about 415,575 children; 17th highest among the 50 states and DC. For children under 5 the rate was 17.9% (U.S.: 15.5% for under-18s, 16.5% for under-5s).
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copyHow unequal are incomes in Ohio?
The Gini index of household income inequality in Ohio was 0.4631 in 2024 (0 means every household has the same income, 1 means one household has it all); 23rd least unequal among the 50 states and DC (U.S.: 0.4809).
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copyHow many renters in Ohio are cost-burdened?
47.7% of renting households in Ohio spent 30% or more of their income on rent and utilities in 2024, and 24.6% spent half or more; the 30% share is 17th lowest among the 50 states and DC (U.S.: 51.8%).
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copyHow many households in Ohio get food stamps?
11.6% of households in Ohio (571,631) said they received SNAP food benefits at some point in the previous 12 months in the 2024 American Community Survey; 21st highest among the 50 states and DC (U.S.: 11.8%). 49% of those households had incomes below the poverty line, and 56% of households below the poverty line did not receive SNAP.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copyHow many people get SNAP in Ohio?
An average of 1,436,239 people in Ohio received SNAP benefits each month in fiscal year 2025 (October 2024 to September 2025), up 3.6% on fiscal 2024 (1,386,865), according to USDA administrative data; nationally the average was 42.14 million.
Source: USDA Food and Nutrition Service · saved copyHow much are SNAP benefits in Ohio?
SNAP benefits paid in Ohio totaled $3.2 billion in fiscal 2025, an average of $186.27 per person per month (U.S.: $189.36); 24th largest average benefit among the 50 states and DC.
Source: USDA Food and Nutrition Service · saved copyHow many homeless people are there in Ohio?
Local counts on a single night in January 2025 found 12,196 people experiencing homelessness in Ohio, up 3.7% on 2024 (11,759) and up 17.9% on 2019 (10,345); 15th largest count among the 50 states and DC (U.S.: 745,652).
Source: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development · saved copyHow many homeless people in Ohio sleep outside?
Of those counted in Ohio in January 2025, 9,718 were in emergency shelters or transitional housing and 2,478 (20.3%) were unsheltered, sleeping outside or in places not meant for housing; 17th lowest unsheltered share among the 50 states and DC (U.S.: 35.7%).
Source: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development · saved copyWho is homeless in Ohio?
The January 2025 count in Ohio included 3,070 people in families with children, 2,031 children under 18, 1,452 chronically homeless individuals and 668 veterans.
Source: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development · saved copyHow many households in Ohio are food insecure?
On average over 2021 to 2023, 12.8% of households in Ohio were food insecure, meaning they had difficulty at some time in the year providing enough food because of a lack of resources; joint 13th highest among the 50 states and DC and not statistically different from the national average of 12.2%, according to USDA.
Source: USDA Economic Research Service · saved copyIs food insecurity in Ohio getting worse?
5.3% of households in Ohio had very low food security in 2021-23, with some members eating less or skipping meals. Overall food insecurity was 11.6% in 2018-20 and 16.0% in 2011-13; the move from 2018-20 to 2021-23 is +1.2 percentage points, a change USDA does not rate as statistically significant.
Source: USDA Economic Research Service · saved copyHow Ohio compares with other states
People in poverty (all ages) (2024)
Ohio ranks 16 of 51, highest first. Census Bureau SAIPE model estimates
| Rank | Region | People in poverty (all ages) |
|---|---|---|
| 13 | Tennessee | 13.3% |
| 14 | South Carolina | 13.3% |
| 15 | Georgia | 12.8% |
| 16 | Ohio | 12.6% |
| 17 | North Carolina | 12.6% |
| 18 | Missouri | 12.2% |
| 19 | Florida | 12.1% |
Children under 18 in poverty (2024)
Ohio ranks 17 of 51, highest first. Census Bureau SAIPE model estimates
| Rank | Region | Children under 18 in poverty |
|---|---|---|
| 14 | Michigan | 17.7% |
| 15 | Georgia | 16.9% |
| 16 | North Carolina | 16.6% |
| 17 | Ohio | 16.4% |
| 18 | Indiana | 15.8% |
| 19 | Florida | 15.7% |
| 20 | Nevada | 15.5% |
Gini index of household income inequality (2024)
Ohio ranks 29 of 51, highest first. 0 = perfect equality, 1 = one household has all income
| Rank | Region | Gini index of household income inequality |
|---|---|---|
| 26 | South Carolina | 0.4662 |
| 27 | Nevada | 0.4653 |
| 28 | Missouri | 0.4634 |
| 29 | Ohio | 0.4631 |
| 30 | Arizona | 0.4623 |
| 31 | Colorado | 0.4611 |
| 32 | Wyoming | 0.4609 |
Renters paying 30% or more of income on rent (2024)
Ohio ranks 35 of 51, highest first. Share of renter households for which the ratio can be computed
| Rank | Region | Renters paying 30% or more of income on rent |
|---|---|---|
| 32 | Idaho | 48.4% |
| 33 | Alabama | 48.2% |
| 34 | Utah | 48.2% |
| 35 | Ohio | 47.7% |
| 36 | Minnesota | 47.7% |
| 37 | District of Columbia | 47.7% |
| 38 | West Virginia | 47.0% |
Households that received SNAP in the past 12 months (2024)
Ohio ranks 21 of 51, highest first. American Community Survey
| Rank | Region | Households that received SNAP in the past 12 months |
|---|---|---|
| 18 | Connecticut | 11.9% |
| 19 | Nevada | 11.9% |
| 20 | Mississippi | 11.9% |
| 21 | Ohio | 11.6% |
| 22 | Hawaii | 11.5% |
| 23 | Florida | 11.4% |
| 24 | Washington | 11.1% |
Households with food insecurity (average 2021-23) (2021-2023)
Ohio ranks 13 of 51, highest first. Low or very low food security
| Rank | Region | Households with food insecurity (average 2021-23) |
|---|---|---|
| 10 | Michigan | 13.0% |
| 11 | New Mexico | 12.9% |
| 12 | Nebraska | 12.9% |
| 13 | Ohio | 12.8% |
| 14 | Georgia | 12.8% |
| 15 | Oregon | 12.8% |
| 16 | Missouri | 12.7% |
People experiencing homelessness (one night in January) (2025)
Ohio ranks 15 of 51, highest first. HUD point-in-time count
| Rank | Region | People experiencing homelessness (one night in January) |
|---|---|---|
| 12 | Illinois | 14,576 |
| 13 | New Jersey | 13,714 |
| 14 | Georgia | 12,284 |
| 15 | Ohio | 12,196 |
| 16 | Michigan | 10,155 |
| 17 | Nevada | 9,905 |
| 18 | Tennessee | 8,850 |
Share of homeless people who were unsheltered (2025)
Ohio ranks 35 of 51, highest first. HUD point-in-time count
| Rank | Region | Share of homeless people who were unsheltered |
|---|---|---|
| 32 | Minnesota | 21.7% |
| 33 | Iowa | 21.7% |
| 34 | Alaska | 21.6% |
| 35 | Ohio | 20.3% |
| 36 | Pennsylvania | 19.4% |
| 37 | North Dakota | 19.3% |
| 38 | Virginia | 18.6% |
People receiving SNAP (monthly average, FY2025) (FY2025)
Ohio ranks 10 of 51, highest first. USDA FNS National Data Bank
| Rank | Region | People receiving SNAP (monthly average, FY2025) |
|---|---|---|
| 7 | Georgia | 1,528,094 |
| 8 | Michigan | 1,490,110 |
| 9 | North Carolina | 1,439,835 |
| 10 | Ohio | 1,436,239 |
| 11 | Massachusetts | 1,087,752 |
| 12 | Washington | 902,996 |
| 13 | Arizona | 889,563 |
More on Ohio: overview · economy and jobs · health · education and schools · government budget · the United States
Sources
- U.S. Census Bureau: American Community Survey 2024 1-year estimates, table-based summary file: Gini index of income inequality (B19083), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 dc8a2b21190b…)
- U.S. Census Bureau: American Community Survey 2024 1-year estimates, table-based summary file: Receipt of food stamps/SNAP by poverty status for households (B22003), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 53dc663e0426…)
- U.S. Census Bureau: American Community Survey 2024 1-year estimates, table-based summary file: Gross rent as a percentage of household income (B25070), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 edf1abe1970b…)
- USDA Economic Research Service: Household Food Security in the United States in 2023 (ERR-337), tables 4 and 5: food insecurity by State, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 c0eebe273d83…)
- U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development: 2007-2025 Point-in-Time Estimates of Homelessness by State (2025 Annual Homelessness Assessment Report, Part 1), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 c04ebcbe51c8…)
- U.S. Census Bureau: Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE): 2024 poverty and median household income, states and counties, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 cb52c47d75c1…)
- U.S. Census Bureau: Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE): 2019 poverty and median household income, states and counties, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 229d90cb3e05…)
- USDA Food and Nutrition Service: SNAP Monthly State Participation and Benefit Summary, fiscal years 1969 to current (FY24.xlsx and FY25.xlsx), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 d31418fd3b4b…)
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