Houston, We Have A Poverty Problem

One out of five Houstonians are living at or below the poverty line, making Houston the most impoverished city in America. The city’s rapid growth is believed to be a contributing factor to this high poverty rate. Experts suggest that the growth polarizes the job market, creating low-wage service work and higher productivity sectors, leading to increased inequalities in society. The poverty rate in Houston increased by 1.7 percentage points in 2024, while other major Texas cities experienced marginal decreases or slight increases in their poverty rates. The greater Houston area, including those living outside the city limits, has the highest poverty rate among the 25 largest metropolitan areas in the U.S.

New census data shows 21.2% of Houston’s population lived below the poverty line last year. More than 500,000 Houstonians made less than the poverty income threshold. https://t.co/iDzSR4mbgg pic.twitter.com/HJClaGEYWK

— Houston Chronicle (@HoustonChron) September 12, 2025