Philadelphia Again Has the Highest Poverty Rate Among Big Cities

Philadelphia’s poverty rate rose to 20.4% in 2025, returning the city to the highest position among the nation’s 10 largest cities. The latest U.S. Census data marks a reversal from 2024, when the rate fell to 19.7% and went under 20% for the first time in decades, dating back to 1979 at the latest.

The 2025 rate is the city’s first increase since 2011. The federal poverty threshold for a family of four was $32,649 that year.

Houston and New York City tied for second, each with a poverty rate of 17.7%. San Antonio’s rate was 16.8%, followed by Chicago at 16.5% and Dallas at 16.1%.

Among the 10 cities, Phoenix had a 13.9% rate, Los Angeles 13.5%, Jacksonville 12.8% and San Diego 11.2%.