Poverty USA -- Catholic Campaign for Human Development -- A hand up, not a hand out.

Top 10 States with Highest Poverty Rate, 2002-2003

State, % People Below Poverty Level
1. Arkansas	18.5%
2. New Mexico	18.0%
3. Mississippi	17.9%
4. District of Columbia	17.3%
5. Louisiana	16.9%
West Virginia	16.9%
7. Texas	15.8%
8. Alabama	15.1%
9. Tennessee	14.3%
10. North Carolina	14.2%

U.S. Census Bureau, Current Population Survey, August 2004

Also see:
•	Poverty USA: The State of Poverty in America
•	The Face of Poverty in America
•	Poverty and the Working Poor
•	Facts From The Income, Poverty and Health Insurance Coverage In The United States: 2003 Census Bureau
Top Ten Lists:
•	States with the Highest Poverty Rates
•	Counties with the Highest Poverty Rates
•	Cities with the Highest Poverty Rates
•	Cities with the highest child poverty rates
•	Top Ten States with the Highest Percentage of Low Income, Uninsured Children
•	Top Ten States with the Greatest Increase in Poverty
•	States Experiencing a Decrease in Poverty
•	Top Ten States with Highest Percentage of Children Living in Poverty
U.S. Government: What is the "Poverty Line"? The Poverty Threshold: How the Government Defines Poverty in America How Health and Human Services defines Poverty in America