MSN: The poorest county in each state

[PAHighways]

But to anyone in Pennsylvania, is Philadelphia County (and city) really the poorest in your state.

After being there and having a friend who taught there, I would have thought Cameron County.

The latest list of wealthiest counties (by per capita income) has Chester supplanting Montgomery, Allegheny coming in at six, Philadelphia at 44, and Forest pulling up the rear at 67.

[Desert Man]

I think Kings county in Central Valley between Fresno and Tulare city-counties is the poorest, then Imperial and Modoc counties, and Inyo or Mono counties straddle the Nevada state lines are not too far behind. The farther away from an urban center like L.A. (today is the 20th anniversary of the L.A. riots) and San Francisco bay area, the poorer the locality and community it will be: the Imperial valley is in the desert, but used to be known for an once-thriving prosperous year-round agricultural economy. Much of the Sierra Nevada, Cascades and coastal range areas are rural, with lower incomes and annual working salaries than in major cities. But the number of persons and percentage rates of those receiving county, state and federal public assistance is L.A. county, Riverside-San Bernardino area, San Diego and the san Joaquin valley (i.e. Bakersfield); then again we hear how affluent Ventura and Orange counties are, the number of millionaires in the state's coastal areas or "beach cities" due to higher real estate values not much affected by the real estate price collapse.

[CenVlyDave]

I'm surprised Fresno was the poorest here. Im not sure what I would have picked for us though probably one of the smaller ones but I suppose someone had to be the poorest...

I'm not surprised that Fresno County would be the poorest County in CA.  After all the issues with getting water from the delta and how that has affected farms on the west side of the county, pretty much anything along the I-5 corridor, I know some cities, like Mendota, were up to 40% unemployment and may still be in that range.

[tidecat]

I've been to Owsley County-I audited then-County Clerk Sid Gabbard nearly a decade ago.  The place is depressing.  I understand Lee and Estill counties, to the north, aren't in much better shape.

[jdb1234]

Wasn't surprised that Wilcox County appeared for Alabama.  Although, none of the counties in the Black Belt (where Wilcox is located) are any better off.

[cpzilliacus]

Not shocked that Baltimore City (which is not part of any county - it is an "independent" city that functions as a county) is the poorest county in Maryland.