Poverty and living standards in Utah, United States: official figures
The Census Bureau estimates that 8.4% of people in Utah lived below the federal poverty line in 2024, about 288,630 people; 2nd lowest among the 50 states and DC (U.S.: 12.1%).
Has poverty in Utah gone up or down?
In 2019 the estimate for Utah was 8.8% (279,435 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 Utah?
8.6% of children under 18 in Utah were in poverty in 2024, about 78,359 children; 2nd lowest among the 50 states and DC. For children under 5 the rate was 9.9% (U.S.: 15.5% for under-18s, 16.5% for under-5s).
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copyHow unequal are incomes in Utah?
The Gini index of household income inequality in Utah was 0.4222 in 2024 (0 means every household has the same income, 1 means one household has it all); the least unequal among the 50 states and DC (U.S.: 0.4809).
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copyHow many renters in Utah are cost-burdened?
48.2% of renting households in Utah spent 30% or more of their income on rent and utilities in 2024, and 21.3% spent half or more; the 30% share is 19th lowest among the 50 states and DC (U.S.: 51.8%).
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copyHow many households in Utah get food stamps?
4.6% of households in Utah (54,010) said they received SNAP food benefits at some point in the previous 12 months in the 2024 American Community Survey; the lowest among the 50 states and DC (U.S.: 11.8%). 41% of those households had incomes below the poverty line, and 78% of households below the poverty line did not receive SNAP.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copyHow many people get SNAP in Utah?
An average of 176,220 people in Utah received SNAP benefits each month in fiscal year 2025 (October 2024 to September 2025), up 4.1% on fiscal 2024 (169,281), 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 Utah?
SNAP benefits paid in Utah totaled $408.61 million in fiscal 2025, an average of $193.23 per person per month (U.S.: $189.36); 14th largest average benefit among the 50 states and DC.
Source: USDA Food and Nutrition Service · saved copyHow many homeless people are there in Utah?
Local counts on a single night in January 2025 found 4,584 people experiencing homelessness in Utah, up 18.5% on 2024 (3,869) and up 63.8% on 2019 (2,798); 22nd smallest 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 Utah sleep outside?
Of those counted in Utah in January 2025, 3,538 were in emergency shelters or transitional housing and 1,046 (22.8%) were unsheltered, sleeping outside or in places not meant for housing; 22nd 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 Utah?
The January 2025 count in Utah included 1,026 people in families with children, 662 children under 18, 1,172 chronically homeless individuals and 165 veterans.
Source: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development · saved copyHow many households in Utah are food insecure?
On average over 2021 to 2023, 11.8% of households in Utah were food insecure, meaning they had difficulty at some time in the year providing enough food because of a lack of resources; joint 22nd 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 Utah getting worse?
4.6% of households in Utah had very low food security in 2021-23, with some members eating less or skipping meals. Overall food insecurity was 10.0% in 2018-20 and 14.3% in 2011-13; the move from 2018-20 to 2021-23 is +1.8 percentage points, a change USDA does not rate as statistically significant.
Source: USDA Economic Research Service · saved copyHow Utah compares with other states
People in poverty (all ages) (2024)
Utah ranks 50 of 51, highest first. Census Bureau SAIPE model estimates
| Rank | Region | People in poverty (all ages) |
|---|---|---|
| 45 | Colorado | 9.6% |
| 46 | Minnesota | 9.3% |
| 47 | Vermont | 9.3% |
| 48 | New Jersey | 9.2% |
| 49 | Maryland | 9.2% |
| 50 | Utah | 8.4% |
| 51 | New Hampshire | 7.3% |
Children under 18 in poverty (2024)
Utah ranks 50 of 51, highest first. Census Bureau SAIPE model estimates
| Rank | Region | Children under 18 in poverty |
|---|---|---|
| 45 | Colorado | 11.2% |
| 46 | Idaho | 10.9% |
| 47 | Wyoming | 10.2% |
| 48 | Vermont | 9.7% |
| 49 | Minnesota | 9.6% |
| 50 | Utah | 8.6% |
| 51 | New Hampshire | 7.0% |
Gini index of household income inequality (2024)
Utah ranks 51 of 51, highest first. 0 = perfect equality, 1 = one household has all income
| Rank | Region | Gini index of household income inequality |
|---|---|---|
| 45 | Nebraska | 0.4458 |
| 46 | South Dakota | 0.4433 |
| 47 | Wisconsin | 0.4419 |
| 48 | Alaska | 0.4395 |
| 49 | Iowa | 0.4357 |
| 50 | Idaho | 0.4345 |
| 51 | Utah | 0.4222 |
Renters paying 30% or more of income on rent (2024)
Utah ranks 34 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 31 | New Mexico | 48.4% |
| 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% |
Households that received SNAP in the past 12 months (2024)
Utah ranks 51 of 51, highest first. American Community Survey
| Rank | Region | Households that received SNAP in the past 12 months |
|---|---|---|
| 45 | South Dakota | 7.1% |
| 46 | Montana | 7.0% |
| 47 | New Hampshire | 6.5% |
| 48 | North Dakota | 6.4% |
| 49 | Kansas | 5.9% |
| 50 | Wyoming | 5.6% |
| 51 | Utah | 4.6% |
Households with food insecurity (average 2021-23) (2021-2023)
Utah ranks 23 of 51, highest first. Low or very low food security
| Rank | Region | Households with food insecurity (average 2021-23) |
|---|---|---|
| 20 | Indiana | 12.2% |
| 21 | Florida | 12.0% |
| 22 | Arizona | 11.8% |
| 23 | Utah | 11.8% |
| 24 | Tennessee | 11.7% |
| 25 | Alabama | 11.5% |
| 26 | California | 11.4% |
People experiencing homelessness (one night in January) (2025)
Utah ranks 30 of 51, highest first. HUD point-in-time count
| Rank | Region | People experiencing homelessness (one night in January) |
|---|---|---|
| 27 | Oklahoma | 5,174 |
| 28 | District of Columbia | 5,138 |
| 29 | New Mexico | 4,683 |
| 30 | Utah | 4,584 |
| 31 | South Carolina | 4,398 |
| 32 | Alabama | 4,137 |
| 33 | Connecticut | 3,735 |
Share of homeless people who were unsheltered (2025)
Utah ranks 30 of 51, highest first. HUD point-in-time count
| Rank | Region | Share of homeless people who were unsheltered |
|---|---|---|
| 27 | Rhode Island | 26.0% |
| 28 | South Dakota | 25.0% |
| 29 | Indiana | 23.0% |
| 30 | Utah | 22.8% |
| 31 | Connecticut | 22.3% |
| 32 | Minnesota | 21.7% |
| 33 | Iowa | 21.7% |
People receiving SNAP (monthly average, FY2025) (FY2025)
Utah ranks 37 of 51, highest first. USDA FNS National Data Bank
| Rank | Region | People receiving SNAP (monthly average, FY2025) |
|---|---|---|
| 34 | Iowa | 264,523 |
| 35 | Arkansas | 240,378 |
| 36 | Kansas | 187,181 |
| 37 | Utah | 176,220 |
| 38 | Maine | 166,321 |
| 39 | Hawaii | 161,312 |
| 40 | Nebraska | 150,587 |
More on Utah: 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…)
Each saved copy is the file exactly as downloaded, kept so the figures can be checked even if the source changes. Report an error.