(The Center Square) – Fort Valley was ranked the poorest town in Georgia in a 24/7 Wall St. analysis examining small, lower-income communities where households earn much less than the nation’s median annual household income.
With a population of 8,740, Fort Valley recorded a median home value of $78,700, based on the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2018 American Community Survey.
Fort Valley’s poverty rate was pegged at 38.3 percent, and its median annual household income came in at $23,542.
A lower level of education is one characteristic residents of the poorest towns have in common, according to the analysis. The share of adults with four-year degrees averages less than 20 percent in most of the towns in the ranking, the study concluded, while nationwide the percentage with bachelor’s degrees is 31.5 percent.
The analysis considered only towns with populations of 1,000 to 25,000 residents.
—
Poorest Towns by State
| State | Poorest Town | Median Household Income | Poverty Rate | Median Home Value | Population |
| Alabama | Selma | $24,820 | 41.0% | $90,200 | 18,804 |
| Alaska | Ketchikan | $59,132 | 12.6% | $237,700 | 8,224 |
| Arizona | Douglas | $34,154 | 29.3% | $94,500 | 16,453 |
| Arkansas | Bald Knob | $30,810 | 31.3% | $81,900 | 2,891 |
| California | Orange Cove | $25,660 | 47.8% | $129,000 | 9,564 |
| Colorado | Lamar | $37,554 | 22.4% | $87,500 | 7,606 |
| Connecticut | Groton | $53,750 | 13.7% | $207,900 | 9,109 |
| Delaware | New Castle | $63,573 | 6.5% | $195,400 | 5,359 |
| Florida | Avon Park | $30,675 | 33.0% | $68,400 | 10,386 |
| Georgia | Fort Valley | $23,542 | 38.3% | $78,700 | 8,740 |
| Hawaii | Waianae | $59,213 | 27.8% | $360,800 | 14,054 |
| Idaho | Bonners Ferry | $31,619 | 22.40% | $155,800 | 2,544 |
| Illinois | Roodhouse | $32,335 | 22.3% | $47,600 | 1,792 |
| Indiana | Connersville | $33,415 | 24.9% | $71,000 | 13,069 |
| Iowa | Onawa | $31,469 | 28.8% | $87,400 | 2,830 |
| Kansas | Fort Scott | $32,576 | 18.8% | $62,300 | 7,800 |
| Kentucky | Paducah | $35,419 | 22.3% | $117,900 | 24,879 |
| Louisiana | Natchitoches | $21,854 | 46.8% | $156,000 | 18,080 |
| Maine | Presque Isle | $37,401 | 22.0% | $107,000 | 9,162 |
| Maryland | Cumberland | $34,750 | 22.6% | $93,000 | 19,845 |
| Massachusetts | North Adams | $39,411 | 17.5% | $144,300 | 13,089 |
| Michigan | Hamtramck | $25,478 | 49.1% | $64,500 | 21,941 |
| Minnesota | Little Falls | $38,862 | 18.0% | $128,400 | 8,664 |
| Mississippi | Yazoo City | $23,970 | 42.6% | $68,300 | 11,076 |
| Missouri | Unionville | $29,440 | 25.1% | $63,600 | 1,998 |
| Montana | Havre | $46,419 | 17.7% | $143,900 | 9,762 |
| Nebraska | Superior | $36,422 | 12.7% | $61,100 | 1,929 |
| Nevada | Laughlin | $33,851 | 15.1% | $147,600 | 7,502 |
| New Hampshire | Berlin | $38,315 | 19.8% | $88,300 | 10,382 |
| New Jersey | Crestwood Village | $28,708 | 10.4% | $72,700 | 8,164 |
| New Mexico | Belen | $33,553 | 24.4% | $104,300 | 7,106 |
| New York | New Square | $23,578 | 63.3% | $376,400 | 8,133 |
| North Carolina | Laurinburg | $29,388 | 34.0% | $102,400 | 15,253 |
| North Dakota | Valley City | $49,194 | 11.4% | $110,000 | 6,487 |
| Ohio | East Cleveland | $21,439 | 38.9% | $57,800 | 17,321 |
| Oklahoma | Hugo | $24,548 | 41.5% | $64,400 | 5,184 |
| Oregon | Prineville | $34,630 | 23.4% | $164,300 | 9,748 |
| Pennsylvania | Johnstown | $24,294 | 38.7% | $39,700 | 19,812 |
| Rhode Island | Central Falls | $31,724 | 32.8% | $147,800 | 19,382 |
| South Carolina | Dunean | $29,329 | 20.7% | $82,100 | 3,605 |
| South Dakota | Sisseton | $38,167 | 21.3% | $71,000 | 2,486 |
| Tennessee | Harriman | $30,756 | 20.9% | $97,400 | 6,136 |
| Texas | Cooper | $31,529 | 40.9% | $56,300 | 2,213 |
| Utah | Ephraim | $39,915 | 28.0% | $209,000 | 6,987 |
| Vermont | Fair Haven | $48,367 | 14.8% | $143,500 | 2,280 |
| Virginia | Farmville | $37,722 | 33.1% | $174,200 | 8,076 |
| Washington | Kelso | $37,450 | 27.4% | $133,900 | 11,983 |
| West Virginia | Kenova | $33,938 | 19.3% | $75,700 | 3,095 |
| Wisconsin | Whitewater | $34,563 | 39.0% | $164,500 | 14,766 |
| Wyoming | Riverton | $51,033 | 13.3% | $162,600 | 11,069 |
Source: 24/7 Wall St.
Photo courtesy of exploregeorgia.org
