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Population in Poverty
Los Angeles County
Latest Year Data: 2020 Census 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 |
9,884,138 |
1,401,656 |
14.18% |
Living Below Poverty Level by AGE
| Population |
Total Population |
Population Below Poverty Level† |
Percent of Total Population Below Poverty‡ |
| Under 18 years |
2,145,717 |
419,142 |
19.53% |
| Under 5 years |
582,527 |
110,344 |
18.94% |
| 5 to 17 years |
1,563,190 |
308,798 |
19.75% |
| Related children of householder under 18 years |
2,137,600 |
411,621 |
19.26% |
| Population |
Total Population |
Population Below Poverty Level† |
Percent of Total Population Below Poverty‡ |
| 18 to 64 years |
6,395,886 |
804,430 |
12.58% |
| 18 to 34 years |
2,506,182 |
343,985 |
13.73% |
| 35 to 64 years |
3,889,704 |
460,445 |
11.84% |
| 60 years+ |
1,902,863 |
248,664 |
13.07% |
| 65 years+ |
1,342,535 |
178,084 |
13.26% |
Living Below Poverty Level by SEX
| Population |
Total Population |
Population Below Poverty Level† |
Percent of Total Population Below Poverty‡ |
| Female |
5,018,886 |
770,675 |
15.36% |
| Male |
4,865,252 |
630,981 |
12.97% |
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 |
76,403 |
12,461 |
16.31% |
| Asian alone |
1,464,802 |
161,028 |
10.99% |
| Black or African American alone |
787,711 |
158,947 |
20.18% |
| Native Hawaiian & Other Pacific Islander alone |
24,520 |
2,618 |
10.68% |
| White alone, not Hispanic or Latino |
2,554,426 |
239,696 |
9.38% |
| Population |
Total Population |
Population Below Poverty Level† |
Percent of Total Population Below Poverty‡ |
| Some other race alone |
2,093,575 |
372,864 |
17.81% |
| Two or more races |
717,876 |
86,955 |
12.11% |
| Hispanic or Latino origin (of any race) |
4,797,018 |
811,959 |
16.93% |
Living Below Poverty Level by EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT
| Population |
Total Population |
Population Below Poverty Level† |
Percent of Total Population Below Poverty‡ |
| Total persons 25 years+ |
6,850,284 |
824,082 |
12.03% |
| Less than high school graduate |
1,375,870 |
298,166 |
21.67% |
| High school graduate (includes equivalency) |
1,388,371 |
203,383 |
14.65% |
| Some college, associate's degree |
1,774,998 |
185,260 |
10.44% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher |
2,311,045 |
137,273 |
5.94% |
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+ |
5,223,019 |
394,585 |
7.55% |
| Employed |
4,888,923 |
311,731 |
6.38% |
| Female |
2,259,675 |
156,714 |
6.94% |
| Male |
2,629,248 |
155,017 |
5.90% |
| Population |
Total Population |
Population Below Poverty Level† |
Percent of Total Population Below Poverty‡ |
| Unemployed |
334,096 |
82,854 |
24.80% |
| Female |
156,010 |
42,112 |
26.99% |
| Male |
178,086 |
40,742 |
22.88% |
* U.S. Census estimates based on American Community Survey data collected over the preceeding five years. 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
