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PantryPath Research · Rural & Persistent Poverty Atlas

Rural poverty in Texas

24 persistent-poverty counties

Texas has 24 persistent-poverty counties and 168 nonmetro counties — home to 2,206,080 residents living in counties with 30+ years of 20%-or-higher poverty. The state's all-ages poverty rate is 13.8% and child poverty is 18.9%.

24

Persistent-poverty counties

168

Nonmetro counties (RUCC 4–9)

2.2M

Residents in PPCs

254

Total counties

Texas by county

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Toggle between the rural hunger risk score, all-ages poverty, child poverty, the Rural-Urban Continuum Code, and the binary persistent-poverty flag. Hover a county for its ERS typology and ACS poverty rate.

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Texas at a glance

Poverty rate

13.8%

All ages, ACS S1701

Child poverty

18.9%

Under 18

PPC share

9.4%

Of counties in state

Nonmetro share

66.1%

RUCC 4–9

Pantries / 100K

1.26

PantryPath verified

Risk score (mean)

0.26

Composite 0–1

"Pantries / 100K" divides Texas's 373 verified PantryPath pantries by the state population — a minimum-density indicator, not a saturated census. See methodology.

County-level hotspots

Top five counties across 254 in Texas.

Highest rural hunger risk

Composite 0–1 score

  1. 1 Presidio 0.75
  2. 2 Brooks 0.72
  3. 3 Duval 0.72
  4. 4 San Augustine 0.71
  5. 5 Dimmit 0.70

Highest poverty rate

ACS all-ages

  1. 1 Dimmit 44.8%
  2. 2 Zapata 37.4%
  3. 3 Presidio 36.3%
  4. 4 Zavala 36.3%
  5. 5 Starr 33.5%

Persistent-poverty counties

PPCs ranked by current poverty

  1. 1 Dimmit 44.8%
  2. 2 Zapata 37.4%
  3. 3 Presidio 36.3%
  4. 4 Zavala 36.3%
  5. 5 Starr 33.5%

Every county in Texas

All 254 counties with RUCC, typology flags, and ACS poverty data.

County RUCC PPC Flags Poverty Child poverty Population Risk
Anderson 7 — Low emp. 17.1% 27.1% 57,825 0.29
Andrews 6 — — 14.2% 13.7% 18,518 0.24
Angelina 5 — — 16.3% 24.0% 86,791 0.22
Aransas 2 — Housing, Retire. 18.7% 32.3% 24,449 0.11
Archer 3 — — 11.7% 16.5% 8,734 0.12
Armstrong 2 — Pop. loss 5.8% 7.1% 1,883 0.06
Atascosa 1 — — 16.1% 17.5% 50,058 0.06
Austin 1 — Housing 14.5% 19.0% 30,712 0.06
Bailey 6 — Low ed. 13.6% 14.8% 7,044 0.24
Bandera 1 — Retire. 16.1% 21.2% 21,589 0.06
Bastrop 1 — Retire. 12.4% 19.1% 102,370 0.05
Baylor 9 — Pop. loss 20.8% 28.4% 3,464 0.38
Bee 6 — Low emp., Pop. loss 17.0% 21.8% 31,000 0.26
Bell 2 — Housing 14.6% 20.7% 379,811 0.10
Bexar 1 — Housing 14.7% 20.5% 2,037,344 0.06
Blanco 8 — Retire. 8.7% 11.7% 12,008 0.30
Borden 9 — Pop. loss 4.8% 6.7% 723 0.32
Bosque 2 — Retire. 9.1% 9.1% 18,546 0.07
Bowie 3 — Housing 16.3% 20.9% 92,321 0.14
Brazoria 1 — — 7.3% 8.6% 381,650 0.03
Brazos 2 Yes Housing 23.9% 20.2% 237,980 0.43
Brewster 7 — — 8.4% 1.1% 9,464 0.26
Briscoe 8 — Pop. loss 15.3% 4.2% 1,223 0.32
Brooks 9 Yes Low ed., Pop. loss 30.7% 38.2% 6,987 0.72
Brown 5 — — 14.5% 19.5% 38,294 0.21
Burleson 2 — — 12.6% 15.9% 18,327 0.09
Burnet 6 — Retire. 8.0% 9.3% 51,064 0.22
Caldwell 1 — Low ed., Housing, Retire. 13.9% 18.7% 47,184 0.06
Calhoun 6 — — 8.7% 10.8% 19,921 0.22
Callahan 3 — — 10.1% 12.2% 14,017 0.12
Cameron 2 Yes Housing 24.4% 35.2% 423,192 0.44
Camp 8 — Housing 22.4% 28.2% 12,652 0.35
Carson 2 — Pop. loss 7.2% 10.2% 5,802 0.07
Cass 6 — — 17.3% 24.8% 28,582 0.26
Castro 9 — Pop. loss 14.0% 13.1% 7,328 0.36
Chambers 1 — — 13.1% 17.5% 49,178 0.05
Cherokee 6 — — 17.9% 25.7% 51,143 0.26
Childress 9 — Low emp., Pop. loss 9.8% 12.2% 6,772 0.34
Clay 3 — Pop. loss 10.4% 9.9% 10,402 0.12
Cochran 2 — Low ed., Pop. loss 27.3% 36.7% 2,520 0.15
Coke 8 — Pop. loss 14.1% 12.9% 3,315 0.32
Coleman 8 — Pop. loss 15.0% 16.0% 7,765 0.32
Collin 1 — Housing 6.3% 7.1% 1,116,601 0.03
Collingsworth 9 — Pop. loss 26.2% 40.8% 2,733 0.40
Colorado 8 — — 10.7% 16.7% 20,736 0.31
Comal 1 — Retire. 6.4% 5.5% 174,552 0.03
Comanche 9 — Pop. loss 14.1% 22.2% 13,786 0.36
Concho 8 — Low emp., Low ed. 13.3% 35.9% 3,301 0.32
Cooke 6 — — 14.1% 26.0% 42,473 0.24
Coryell 2 — Low emp. 9.9% 11.6% 83,772 0.08
Cottle 9 — Pop. loss 22.8% 36.2% 1,302 0.39
Crane 8 — Low ed. 8.2% 10.1% 4,623 0.30
Crockett 8 — Low ed., Pop. loss 3.3% 0.0% 2,881 0.28
Crosby 2 Yes Low ed., Pop. loss 22.1% 33.9% 5,072 0.43
Culberson 9 Yes Low ed., Pop. loss 17.7% 42.5% 2,181 0.67
Dallam 7 — Low ed. 10.0% 13.4% 7,180 0.27
Dallas 1 — Housing 14.0% 20.6% 2,603,816 0.06
Dawson 6 — Low emp., Low ed., Pop. loss, Housing 17.7% 21.5% 12,311 0.26
Deaf Smith 6 — Low ed. 15.8% 21.9% 18,487 0.25
Delta 8 — Pop. loss 14.0% 18.9% 5,345 0.32
Denton 1 — Housing, Retire. 7.0% 7.7% 945,644 0.03
DeWitt 6 — Low emp., Low ed. 15.9% 20.0% 19,853 0.25
Dickens 8 — Low emp., Low ed., Pop. loss 14.5% 15.1% 1,641 0.32
Dimmit 7 Yes Low emp., Low ed., Pop. loss, Housing 44.8% 59.3% 8,507 0.70
Donley 8 — Pop. loss 8.3% 4.8% 3,276 0.30
Duval 9 Yes Low emp., Low ed., Pop. loss 29.0% 48.6% 9,824 0.72
Eastland 8 — — 14.6% 16.1% 17,846 0.32
Ector 3 — Housing 15.3% 20.9% 163,206 0.14
Edwards 9 — Pop. loss 25.3% 50.4% 1,392 0.40
El Paso 2 — Housing 18.9% 25.1% 866,275 0.11
Ellis 1 — — 8.1% 11.3% 203,927 0.03
Erath 5 — Housing 15.9% 16.7% 43,244 0.21
Falls 2 Yes Low emp., Pop. loss, Housing 14.6% 15.9% 17,063 0.40
Fannin 6 — — 14.2% 16.8% 36,525 0.24
Fayette 6 — — 8.8% 9.5% 24,783 0.22
Fisher 8 — Pop. loss 10.3% 13.3% 3,661 0.30
Floyd 8 — Pop. loss 18.1% 14.0% 5,294 0.33
Foard 9 — Pop. loss 20.9% 51.9% 1,079 0.38
Fort Bend 1 — — 7.2% 8.3% 859,721 0.03
Franklin 9 — — 11.1% 12.4% 10,522 0.34
Freestone 9 — — 14.3% 16.2% 19,813 0.36
Frio 6 Yes Low emp., Low ed. 19.6% 28.1% 18,019 0.57
Gaines 6 — Low ed. 7.4% 4.9% 21,904 0.22
Galveston 1 — Housing 11.2% 14.0% 354,721 0.04
Garza 2 — Low emp., Low ed. 14.0% 23.9% 5,435 0.09
Gillespie 7 — Housing, Retire. 9.5% 8.7% 27,202 0.26
Glasscock 8 — Pop. loss 8.5% 5.8% 1,070 0.30
Goliad 3 — — 9.2% 4.8% 7,096 0.11
Gonzales 6 — Low ed. 14.5% 16.1% 19,764 0.25
Gray 6 — Pop. loss 16.3% 21.5% 21,131 0.25
Grayson 3 — Retire. 11.1% 15.5% 139,988 0.12
Gregg 2 — — 17.0% 24.6% 124,860 0.11
Grimes 6 — — 13.3% 17.2% 30,385 0.24
Guadalupe 1 — — 8.8% 11.3% 178,368 0.04
Hale 4 — Low ed., Pop. loss 19.0% 26.4% 32,247 0.19
Hall 9 — Pop. loss 16.4% 23.9% 2,827 0.37
Hamilton 8 — — 18.4% 19.2% 8,320 0.34
Hansford 9 — — 7.8% 8.7% 5,182 0.33
Hardeman 9 — Pop. loss 12.8% 17.8% 3,529 0.35
Hardin 2 — — 12.3% 14.5% 57,126 0.09
Harris 1 — Housing 15.9% 23.2% 4,758,579 0.06
Harrison 2 — — 17.4% 24.9% 69,584 0.11
Hartley 9 — Low emp. 6.8% 7.3% 5,307 0.33
Haskell 8 — Low ed., Pop. loss 14.2% 12.0% 5,390 0.32
Hays 1 — Housing, Retire. 12.0% 9.6% 256,429 0.05
Hemphill 9 — — 3.5% 1.9% 3,311 0.31
Henderson 4 — Retire. 14.2% 20.2% 83,658 0.17
Hidalgo 2 Yes Housing 27.2% 37.1% 880,921 0.45
Hill 6 — — 14.2% 18.9% 36,664 0.24
Hockley 2 — — 12.6% 11.4% 21,455 0.09
Hood 4 — Housing, Retire. 8.2% 8.8% 64,198 0.15
Hopkins 6 — — 12.3% 17.0% 37,351 0.24
Houston 7 — Low emp., Low ed. 16.3% 20.9% 22,042 0.29
Howard 4 — Low emp. 15.1% 16.4% 33,127 0.17
Hudspeth 2 Yes Low emp., Low ed., Housing 19.0% 19.7% 3,331 0.41
Hunt 1 — Housing 12.4% 16.8% 104,917 0.05
Hutchinson 6 — Pop. loss 11.6% 11.0% 20,413 0.23
Irion 3 — Pop. loss, Housing 7.5% 12.5% 1,432 0.10
Jack 8 — Low emp. 13.5% 19.4% 8,623 0.32
Jackson 6 — — 14.1% 16.0% 15,081 0.24
Jasper 6 — Low ed. 22.2% 29.7% 32,807 0.28
Jeff Davis 9 — — 31.2% 31.0% 1,740 0.42
Jefferson 2 — Housing 18.8% 26.3% 253,939 0.11
Jim Hogg 8 — Low emp., Low ed., Housing 31.4% 50.9% 4,797 0.39
Jim Wells 6 Yes Low ed., Housing 23.2% 35.5% 38,863 0.58
Johnson 1 — — 10.7% 13.2% 188,820 0.04
Jones 3 — Low emp., Low ed., Pop. loss 12.6% 11.6% 19,968 0.13
Karnes 8 — Low emp., Low ed., Pop. loss 21.3% 34.2% 14,819 0.35
Kaufman 1 — Housing 9.7% 12.6% 160,718 0.04
Kendall 1 — — 5.1% 7.5% 46,971 0.02
Kenedy 9 — Low ed. 5.9% 0.0% 52 0.32
Kent 9 — Pop. loss 8.4% 0.0% 727 0.33
Kerr 4 — Housing, Retire. 11.7% 13.6% 53,166 0.16
Kimble 9 — — 15.0% 21.6% 4,355 0.36
King 9 — Pop. loss 15.3% 0.0% 189 0.36
Kinney 9 — Low emp. 11.3% 0.0% 3,140 0.35
Kleberg 4 Yes Housing 28.8% 39.2% 30,629 0.53
Knox 9 — Pop. loss 11.4% 12.1% 3,322 0.35
La Salle 8 Yes Low emp., Low ed., Housing 22.0% 23.4% 6,946 0.65
Lamar 5 — — 18.7% 27.7% 50,421 0.22
Lamb 6 — Low ed., Pop. loss 15.9% 19.3% 12,919 0.25
Lampasas 2 — Retire. 9.2% 9.3% 22,267 0.07
Lavaca 8 — — 9.4% 10.3% 20,479 0.30
Lee 8 — Retire. 12.2% 13.2% 17,758 0.31
Leon 8 — — 14.4% 21.8% 16,067 0.32
Liberty 1 — Low emp., Low ed., Housing 17.7% 21.3% 97,993 0.07
Limestone 6 — — 19.4% 25.3% 22,185 0.27
Lipscomb 9 — — 13.6% 17.5% 2,964 0.35
Live Oak 8 — Low emp., Pop. loss 17.2% 20.1% 11,444 0.33
Llano 7 — Housing, Retire. 11.7% 20.2% 22,011 0.27
Loving 9 — Low emp. 9.3% — 54 0.34
Lubbock 2 — Housing 17.2% 18.5% 314,633 0.11
Lynn 2 — Pop. loss 17.5% 24.7% 5,667 0.11
Madison 8 — Low emp., Low ed. 13.4% 17.7% 13,574 0.32
Marion 8 — Low emp., Pop. loss 18.4% 36.4% 9,631 0.34
Martin 3 — — 8.1% 9.9% 5,230 0.11
Mason 9 — — 6.4% 0.0% 3,951 0.33
Matagorda 6 — Pop. loss 21.8% 32.8% 36,274 0.27
Maverick 3 Yes Housing 22.6% 29.8% 57,770 0.47
McCulloch 9 — — 14.6% 14.8% 7,565 0.36
McLennan 2 — Housing 17.1% 21.3% 263,608 0.11
McMullen 8 — Low emp., Low ed., Pop. loss, Housing 9.1% 8.0% 623 0.30
Medina 1 — — 11.3% 19.5% 52,419 0.05
Menard 9 — Pop. loss 21.1% 17.6% 1,964 0.38
Midland 3 — Housing 10.6% 12.8% 171,496 0.12
Milam 6 — — 15.8% 23.7% 25,268 0.25
Mills 9 — Pop. loss 7.7% 7.7% 4,499 0.33
Mitchell 7 — Low emp., Pop. loss 13.2% 9.8% 8,989 0.28
Montague 6 — — 13.5% 16.4% 20,599 0.24
Montgomery 1 — Retire. 9.3% 12.6% 654,722 0.04
Moore 7 — Low ed. 15.3% 20.0% 21,234 0.29
Morris 8 — Pop. loss 16.9% 18.4% 12,014 0.33
Motley 8 — Pop. loss 9.7% 5.9% 1,267 0.30
Nacogdoches 5 Yes Housing 22.3% 28.2% 64,897 0.54
Navarro 4 — Housing 16.8% 23.7% 53,735 0.18
Newton 8 — Low ed., Pop. loss, Housing 22.4% 27.4% 12,193 0.35
Nolan 6 — Pop. loss 18.8% 24.4% 14,565 0.26
Nueces 2 — Housing 17.7% 25.9% 352,829 0.11
Ochiltree 7 — Low ed. 15.5% 19.1% 9,852 0.29
Oldham 2 — Pop. loss 17.7% 23.2% 2,097 0.11
Orange 2 — — 12.7% 16.9% 84,993 0.09
Palo Pinto 6 — — 17.0% 25.9% 28,920 0.26
Panola 6 — — 11.9% 15.2% 22,624 0.24
Parker 1 — Retire. 7.8% 8.5% 158,079 0.03
Parmer 9 — — 9.6% 12.9% 9,752 0.34
Pecos 7 — Low emp., Low ed., Pop. loss 27.4% 43.0% 14,983 0.33
Polk 6 — Low emp., Low ed., Retire. 18.1% 30.3% 51,780 0.26
Potter 2 — Housing 20.9% 29.7% 116,634 0.12
Presidio 9 Yes Housing 36.3% 55.2% 6,043 0.75
Rains 8 — Retire. 12.8% 19.4% 12,505 0.31
Randall 2 — — 9.5% 10.2% 143,791 0.08
Reagan 8 — Low ed. 11.1% 12.3% 3,259 0.31
Real 9 Yes — 20.5% 25.3% 2,821 0.68
Red River 8 — Pop. loss 20.9% 27.9% 11,621 0.35
Reeves 7 — Low ed. 21.9% 33.1% 13,219 0.31
Refugio 8 — Low ed., Pop. loss 17.3% 24.5% 6,693 0.33
Roberts 9 — — 6.4% 7.0% 785 0.33
Robertson 2 — — 16.5% 20.3% 16,973 0.10
Rockwall 1 — — 4.3% 4.4% 116,931 0.02
Runnels 8 — Pop. loss 10.4% 11.5% 9,880 0.30
Rusk 2 — — 14.3% 21.3% 52,613 0.09
Sabine 9 — Retire. 14.3% 15.1% 9,998 0.36
San Augustine 9 Yes Low emp., Low ed., Pop. loss 27.5% 37.1% 7,889 0.71
San Jacinto 1 — Housing, Retire. 17.7% 22.9% 27,983 0.07
San Patricio 2 — Housing 15.1% 22.1% 69,519 0.10
San Saba 9 — Pop. loss 14.5% 22.5% 5,802 0.36
Schleicher 8 — — 9.0% 8.6% 2,426 0.30
Scurry 7 — — 9.8% 10.1% 16,633 0.26
Shackelford 8 — — 11.6% 14.8% 3,169 0.31
Shelby 7 — — 23.5% 34.3% 24,108 0.32
Sherman 9 — Pop. loss 6.3% 4.5% 2,434 0.33
Smith 3 — — 12.2% 16.2% 238,014 0.12
Somervell 8 — — 6.5% 5.9% 9,510 0.29
Starr 4 Yes Low ed., Housing 33.5% 42.3% 65,809 0.55
Stephens 7 — Pop. loss, Housing 13.5% 19.0% 9,278 0.28
Sterling 8 — — 2.7% 0.0% 1,389 0.27
Stonewall 9 — Low ed., Pop. loss 8.7% 8.7% 1,244 0.33
Sutton 9 — — 11.6% 15.9% 3,306 0.35
Swisher 8 — Low emp., Pop. loss 29.5% 45.8% 6,981 0.38
Tarrant 1 — Housing 10.9% 15.3% 2,135,743 0.04
Taylor 3 — Housing 13.5% 14.3% 144,259 0.13
Terrell 9 — Pop. loss 8.2% 0.0% 851 0.33
Terry 6 — Pop. loss, Housing 21.8% 33.1% 11,699 0.27
Throckmorton 9 — Pop. loss 14.0% 26.2% 1,589 0.36
Titus 7 — Low ed., Housing 17.3% 23.4% 31,284 0.29
Tom Green 3 — — 11.7% 13.7% 119,398 0.12
Travis 1 — Housing 11.0% 13.5% 1,307,625 0.04
Trinity 8 — Retire. 16.1% 26.5% 13,850 0.33
Tyler 8 — Low emp., Low ed. 19.6% 29.9% 20,084 0.34
Upshur 2 — — 13.3% 15.7% 41,864 0.09
Upton 8 — Low ed., Pop. loss 17.1% 16.8% 3,227 0.33
Uvalde 6 — Housing 21.9% 31.6% 24,810 0.28
Val Verde 5 — Housing 18.3% 21.5% 47,647 0.22
Van Zandt 8 — Retire. 11.5% 15.2% 61,323 0.31
Victoria 3 — — 16.0% 21.4% 91,281 0.14
Walker 4 — Low emp., Housing 17.9% 18.3% 78,292 0.18
Waller 1 — — 13.5% 18.3% 59,455 0.05
Ward 6 — — 14.6% 18.4% 11,255 0.25
Washington 6 — — 12.6% 16.0% 36,156 0.24
Webb 2 Yes Housing 21.0% 28.4% 267,731 0.42
Wharton 4 — — 14.5% 14.1% 41,651 0.17
Wheeler 9 — — 14.2% 16.8% 4,902 0.36
Wichita 3 — Pop. loss 15.9% 22.1% 129,842 0.14
Wilbarger 6 — Pop. loss 18.8% 27.2% 12,712 0.26
Willacy 6 Yes Low ed., Housing 24.6% 28.5% 20,218 0.59
Williamson 1 — Housing, Retire. 6.3% 6.8% 643,889 0.03
Wilson 1 — — 9.8% 12.1% 51,501 0.04
Winkler 6 — Low ed. 12.0% 18.5% 7,540 0.24
Wise 1 — — 9.1% 12.2% 72,359 0.04
Wood 6 — Retire. 12.6% 14.8% 46,094 0.24
Yoakum 9 — Low ed. 12.0% 18.9% 7,589 0.35
Young 7 — — 16.7% 30.2% 17,963 0.29
Zapata 6 Yes Low ed., Housing 37.4% 51.3% 13,855 0.64
Zavala 7 Yes — 36.3% 55.8% 9,532 0.67

Find a food pantry in Texas

Search Texas's 373 verified pantries, food banks, and meal programs — filtered by city, open-now status, and service type.

Texas pantry directory

Texas SNAP

Income limits, application steps, and EBT card details for residents of persistent-poverty counties and beyond.

Texas SNAP guide

Emergency food help

National hotlines, 211 referrals, and same-day food options — critical in rural counties where the nearest pantry may be 30+ miles away.

Emergency food

Food deserts atlas

Rural poverty and low food access often overlap. Compare persistent-poverty counties to USDA's low-income / low-access food desert designations.

Texas food deserts

Methodology

How we combined USDA ERS typology codes, the Rural-Urban Continuum, ACS poverty data, and PantryPath's own pantry directory — plus the risk-score formula.

Full methodology