Poverty and living standards in Wisconsin, United States: official figures
The Census Bureau estimates that 10.3% of people in Wisconsin lived below the federal poverty line in 2024, about 599,615 people; joint 15th lowest among the 50 states and DC (U.S.: 12.1%).
Has poverty in Wisconsin gone up or down?
In 2019 the estimate for Wisconsin was 10.4% (591,404 people), so the rate is down 0.1 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 Wisconsin?
12.2% of children under 18 in Wisconsin were in poverty in 2024, about 148,381 children; 18th lowest among the 50 states and DC. For children under 5 the rate was 13.5% (U.S.: 15.5% for under-18s, 16.5% for under-5s).
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copyHow unequal are incomes in Wisconsin?
The Gini index of household income inequality in Wisconsin was 0.4419 in 2024 (0 means every household has the same income, 1 means one household has it all); 5th least unequal among the 50 states and DC (U.S.: 0.4809).
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copyHow many renters in Wisconsin are cost-burdened?
44.9% of renting households in Wisconsin spent 30% or more of their income on rent and utilities in 2024, and 21.3% spent half or more; the 30% share is 8th lowest among the 50 states and DC (U.S.: 51.8%).
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copyHow many households in Wisconsin get food stamps?
11.0% of households in Wisconsin (279,061) said they received SNAP food benefits at some point in the previous 12 months in the 2024 American Community Survey; 25th highest among the 50 states and DC (U.S.: 11.8%). 38% of those households had incomes below the poverty line, and 61% of households below the poverty line did not receive SNAP.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copyHow many people get SNAP in Wisconsin?
An average of 693,082 people in Wisconsin received SNAP benefits each month in fiscal year 2025 (October 2024 to September 2025), down 1.7% on fiscal 2024 (705,421), 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 Wisconsin?
SNAP benefits paid in Wisconsin totaled $1.4 billion in fiscal 2025, an average of $163.63 per person per month (U.S.: $189.36); 2nd smallest average benefit among the 50 states and DC.
Source: USDA Food and Nutrition Service · saved copyHow many homeless people are there in Wisconsin?
Local counts on a single night in January 2025 found 5,243 people experiencing homelessness in Wisconsin, up 3.8% on 2024 (5,049) and up 15.5% on 2019 (4,538); 26th 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 Wisconsin sleep outside?
Of those counted in Wisconsin in January 2025, 4,767 were in emergency shelters or transitional housing and 476 (9.1%) were unsheltered, sleeping outside or in places not meant for housing; 4th 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 Wisconsin?
The January 2025 count in Wisconsin included 1,889 people in families with children, 1,207 children under 18, 604 chronically homeless individuals and 274 veterans.
Source: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development · saved copyHow many households in Wisconsin are food insecure?
On average over 2021 to 2023, 10.7% of households in Wisconsin were food insecure, meaning they had difficulty at some time in the year providing enough food because of a lack of resources; 20th lowest among the 50 states and DC and statistically lower than the national average of 12.2%, according to USDA.
Source: USDA Economic Research Service · saved copyIs food insecurity in Wisconsin getting worse?
3.9% of households in Wisconsin had very low food security in 2021-23, with some members eating less or skipping meals. Overall food insecurity was 9.7% in 2018-20 and 11.6% in 2011-13; the move from 2018-20 to 2021-23 is +1.0 percentage points, a change USDA does not rate as statistically significant.
Source: USDA Economic Research Service · saved copyHow Wisconsin compares with other states
People in poverty (all ages) (2024)
Wisconsin ranks 36 of 51, highest first. Census Bureau SAIPE model estimates
| Rank | Region | People in poverty (all ages) |
|---|---|---|
| 33 | South Dakota | 10.5% |
| 34 | Idaho | 10.4% |
| 35 | Montana | 10.4% |
| 36 | Wisconsin | 10.3% |
| 37 | Alaska | 10.3% |
| 38 | Connecticut | 10.1% |
| 39 | Delaware | 10.1% |
Children under 18 in poverty (2024)
Wisconsin ranks 34 of 51, highest first. Census Bureau SAIPE model estimates
| Rank | Region | Children under 18 in poverty |
|---|---|---|
| 31 | Alaska | 12.9% |
| 32 | Kansas | 12.8% |
| 33 | Maine | 12.3% |
| 34 | Wisconsin | 12.2% |
| 35 | South Dakota | 11.9% |
| 36 | New Jersey | 11.8% |
| 37 | Virginia | 11.8% |
Gini index of household income inequality (2024)
Wisconsin ranks 47 of 51, highest first. 0 = perfect equality, 1 = one household has all income
| Rank | Region | Gini index of household income inequality |
|---|---|---|
| 44 | Delaware | 0.4478 |
| 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 |
Renters paying 30% or more of income on rent (2024)
Wisconsin ranks 44 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 41 | Arkansas | 45.5% |
| 42 | Missouri | 45.2% |
| 43 | Kentucky | 45.2% |
| 44 | Wisconsin | 44.9% |
| 45 | Kansas | 43.4% |
| 46 | Iowa | 43.2% |
| 47 | Wyoming | 42.9% |
Households that received SNAP in the past 12 months (2024)
Wisconsin ranks 25 of 51, highest first. American Community Survey
| Rank | Region | Households that received SNAP in the past 12 months |
|---|---|---|
| 22 | Hawaii | 11.5% |
| 23 | Florida | 11.4% |
| 24 | Washington | 11.1% |
| 25 | Wisconsin | 11.0% |
| 26 | Georgia | 10.8% |
| 27 | Vermont | 10.6% |
| 28 | Alaska | 10.4% |
Households with food insecurity (average 2021-23) (2021-2023)
Wisconsin ranks 32 of 51, highest first. Low or very low food security
| Rank | Region | Households with food insecurity (average 2021-23) |
|---|---|---|
| 29 | North Carolina | 10.9% |
| 30 | Maine | 10.9% |
| 31 | Pennsylvania | 10.8% |
| 32 | Wisconsin | 10.7% |
| 33 | Kansas | 10.6% |
| 34 | Montana | 10.6% |
| 35 | Maryland | 10.4% |
People experiencing homelessness (one night in January) (2025)
Wisconsin ranks 26 of 51, highest first. HUD point-in-time count
| Rank | Region | People experiencing homelessness (one night in January) |
|---|---|---|
| 23 | Hawaii | 6,828 |
| 24 | Indiana | 6,675 |
| 25 | Kentucky | 5,789 |
| 26 | Wisconsin | 5,243 |
| 27 | Oklahoma | 5,174 |
| 28 | District of Columbia | 5,138 |
| 29 | New Mexico | 4,683 |
Share of homeless people who were unsheltered (2025)
Wisconsin ranks 48 of 51, highest first. HUD point-in-time count
| Rank | Region | Share of homeless people who were unsheltered |
|---|---|---|
| 45 | Maine | 11.6% |
| 46 | Nebraska | 10.8% |
| 47 | Delaware | 10.6% |
| 48 | Wisconsin | 9.1% |
| 49 | Vermont | 8.0% |
| 50 | Massachusetts | 6.2% |
| 51 | New York | 4.0% |
People receiving SNAP (monthly average, FY2025) (FY2025)
Wisconsin ranks 21 of 51, highest first. USDA FNS National Data Bank
| Rank | Region | People receiving SNAP (monthly average, FY2025) |
|---|---|---|
| 18 | Alabama | 740,270 |
| 19 | Tennessee | 696,070 |
| 20 | Oklahoma | 694,230 |
| 21 | Wisconsin | 693,082 |
| 22 | Maryland | 675,134 |
| 23 | Missouri | 662,382 |
| 24 | Colorado | 612,659 |
More on Wisconsin: 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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