(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.
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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
