OKPOLICY.ORG
Data from the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2024 American Community Survey, released Sept. 11, show that Oklahoma’s poverty rate was 14.9 percent, which means that more than 1 in 7 state residents live in poverty. While the state’s overall poverty rate improved by a percentage point from last year, Oklahoma ranked as having the nation’s eighth highest poverty rate.
The national poverty rate in 2024 was 12.1 percent. The states with higher rates of poverty than Oklahoma in 2024 were: Louisiana (18.7 percent), Mississippi (17.8 percent), West Virginia (16.7 percent), New Mexico (16.4 percent), Kentucky (15.6 percent), Arkansas (15.5 percent), and Alabama (15.2 percent).
While Oklahoma and other states saw small decreases in its poverty rate during 2024, persistent poverty and growing income inequality remain significant factors for many Oklahomans and their families. Looking forward, it’s also important to consider how the “One Big Beautiful Bill” is projected to make lives worse by drastically cutting the programs and services that help many Oklahomans, families, and children.
Oklahoma children continue to live in poverty at higher rates
The latest Census data show that child poverty rates are higher than for Oklahomans overall with about 1 in 5 Oklahoma children (18.9 percent) living at or below the federal poverty level. For a family of three, this means the child lived in a household that earned $25,249 or less in 2024.
While the state’s child poverty rate decreased from 20.8 percent to 18.9 percent in 2024, Oklahoma had the ninth highest child poverty rate among the nation’s 50 states. Oklahoma children experience poverty at rates well above the national child poverty rate, which was 15.5 percent.
Not all Oklahomans are struggling equally
While poverty hits residents across the state, not all Oklahomans bear the brunt of poverty equally. Black, Latino, and American Indian/Alaska Natives in Oklahoma saw decreases in poverty rates, but the numbers show they continue to experience poverty at disproportionately higher rates when compared to white families.
Black Oklahomans experienced a poverty rate of more than 1 in 5 (22.8 percent, down from 28.1 percent), and Latino Oklahomans reported a poverty rate of 18.3 percent, a decrease from 21.5 percent in 2023. The poverty rate for American Indians/Alaska Natives in Oklahoma decreased to 19 percent compared to 19.8 percent in 2023. More than 1 in 6 (16.7 percent) of Oklahomans of two or more races lived in poverty.
In comparison, the rate of white Oklahomans living in poverty was 12.9 percent, down from 13.4 percent in 2023. When looking at poverty rates along racial demographics, it’s clear that communities of color have a higher concentration of poverty. This becomes especially clear when the communities with the highest rates of poverty only make up between 6 and 13 percent of the state’s population.
Poverty is not only racialized but also gendered. Census data show that women are substantially more likely to live in poverty than men. The poverty rate for women was 15.9 percent while it was 13.9 percent for men.
Disabled Oklahomans are also impoverished at higher rates — the same disabilities that may limit their ability to work are rarely severe enough to qualify for government assistance. In 2024, more than 1 in 5 disabled Oklahomans (22 percent) were experiencing poverty.
The number of uninsured Oklahomans increased slightly
The rates of Oklahomans without health insurance increased slightly to 11.5 percent, up from 11.4 percent in 2023. Oklahoma’s uninsured rate continues to be well above the national average of 8.2 percent.
In recent years, Oklahoma has made significant progress in increasing the number of people with health insurance thanks to expansion of Medicaid, which operates as SoonerCare in Oklahoma. However, this progress could easily be wiped out from recent federal budget cuts and more restrictive Medicaid requirements.
What can be done to reduce poverty in Oklahoma
While the latest Census data highlight the significant financial needs for Oklahomans, state lawmakers have a number of policy solutions available to reverse the state’s poverty trajectory. The governor’s decision to push a statewide vote on a minimum wage increase (State Question 832) until 2026 essentially freezes any efforts to increase income for the lowest-wage workers. However, lawmakers can still deliver relief to low- and moderate-income Oklahomans with targeted tax credits; make the tax system generally fairer; move to protect tenants and increase access to affordable housing; and invest in child care, paid family leave, public education, and other necessities for working families.
The Census data make it clear that Oklahomans are facing disproportionally high poverty levels, but the state has been slow to pass legislation that can provide relief to everyday Oklahomans. In response to the stark differences in poverty between Oklahomans of different races and walks of life, the state could expand access to tax credits, avoid tax cuts that will make our tax code more regressive and disproportionality benefit the wealthiest Oklahomans, and pass significant reform around court fines and fees. Oklahoma can also pass common sense economic policies like raising the minimum wage, increasing access to child care, and passing a paid family medical leave program.
