Oklahoma Ranks Among The Poorest States In The U.S.

The Annual Population Survey conducted by The U.S. Census Bureau for the 2016 year showed mostly positive news for the country. The survey found that the median household income rose significantly from 2014 to 2016.

Unfortunately, the state of Oklahoma did not find itself reaping the benefits of this upward trend.

Despite the improvements depicted in the Census Bureau’s findings, income inequality still varies dramatically state to state. And Oklahoma wound up in the bottom 10 states when it comes to average income, health coverage and poverty, according to rankings compiled by 24/7 Wall Street.     

According to 24/7, Oklahoma ranks 42^nd out of 50 overall, with a median household income at $49,176. The unemployment rate sits at 4.9 percent, and the poverty rate at 16.3 percent. The state’s ranking is dragged further down by the fact that almost 14 percent of the population is uninsured; much higher than the national average of 8.6 percent.

Here is how the bottom 10 on the list shakes out:

50. Mississippi

49. West Virginia

48. Arkansas

47. Louisiana

46. Alabama

45. Kentucky

44. New Mexico

43. Tennessee

42. Oklahoma

41. South Carolina