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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: 2023 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 9,509,788 1,304,964 13.7%

Living Below Poverty Level by AGE

Population Total Population Population Below Poverty Level Percent of Total Population Below Poverty
Under 18 years 1,925,519 340,285 17.7%
Under 5 years 466,782 77,407 16.6%
5 to 17 years 1,458,737 262,878 18.0%
Related children of householder under 18 years 1,917,586 333,051 17.4%
Population Total Population Population Below Poverty Level Percent of Total Population Below Poverty
18 to 64 years 6,095,203 745,132 12.2%
18 to 34 years 2,279,129 303,027 13.3%
35 to 64 years 3,816,074 442,105 11.6%
60 years+ 2,078,572 289,387 13.9%
65 years+ 1,489,066 219,547 14.7%

Living Below Poverty Level by SEX

Population Total Population Population Below Poverty Level Percent of Total Population Below Poverty
Female 4,806,776 717,655 14.9%
Male 4,703,012 587,309 12.5%

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 148,526 20,972 14.1%
Asian alone 1,451,104 169,495 11.7%
Black or African American alone 712,262 149,166 20.9%
Native Hawaiian & Other Pacific Islander alone 21,609 2,929 13.6%
White alone, not Hispanic or Latino 2,325,205 250,380 10.8%
Population Total Population Population Below Poverty Level Percent of Total Population Below Poverty
Some other race alone 2,429,034 386,524 15.9%
Two or more races 1,886,556 249,222 13.2%
Hispanic or Latino origin (of any race) 4,644,580 695,386 15.0%

Living Below Poverty Level by EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT

Population Total Population Population Below Poverty Level Percent of Total Population Below Poverty
Total persons 25 years+ 6,794,790 826,084 12.2%
Less than high school graduate 1,266,602 252,942 20.0%
High school graduate (includes equivalency) 1,358,486 210,266 15.5%
Some college, associate's degree 1,675,662 204,782 12.2%
Bachelor's degree or higher 2,494,040 158,094 6.3%

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+ 5,154,668 372,467 7.2%
Employed 4,854,647 287,965 5.9%
Female 2,261,045 151,696 6.7%
Male 2,593,602 136,269 5.3%
Population Total Population Population Below Poverty Level Percent of Total Population Below Poverty
Unemployed 300,021 84,502 28.2%
Female 134,985 38,292 28.4%
Male 165,036 46,210 28.0%

* U.S. Census estimates based on American Community Survey data collected over the preceding year. 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