See Which States Have the Most Low-Income Earners

There are currently 30.6 million Americans — 21% of the workforce — who earn under $17 an hour, Visual Capitalist reported. But in some states, the share of workers earning under $17 is even higher.

In Mississippi, 41% of the workforce earns under $17 an hour. Louisiana and Oklahoma have the next largest shares of low-wage earners, with 37% and 36% of their respective workforces earning less than that amount.

Here’s a look at the share of low-wage workers in every state, as identified by Visual Capitalist.

• Share of population earning under $17/hour: 31%
• Number of workers earning under $17/hour: 641,000

• Share of population earning under $17/hour: 13%
• Number of workers earning under $17/hour: 41,000

• Share of population earning under $17/hour: 23%
• Number of workers earning under $17/hour: 729,000

• Share of population earning under $17/hour: 34%
• Number of workers earning under $17/hour: 412,000

• Share of population earning under $17/hour: 15%
• Number of workers earning under $17/hour: 2,467,000

• Share of population earning under $17/hour: 14%
• Number of workers earning under $17/hour: 388,000

• Share of population earning under $17/hour: 15%
• Number of workers earning under $17/hour: 240,000

• Share of population earning under $17/hour: 23%
• Number of workers earning under $17/hour: 101,000

• Share of population earning under $17/hour: 30%
• Number of workers earning under $17/hour: 2,850,000

• Share of population earning under $17/hour: 28%
• Number of workers earning under $17/hour: 1,302,000

• Share of population earning under $17/hour: 24%
• Number of workers earning under $17/hour: 140,000

• Share of population earning under $17/hour: 27%
• Number of workers earning under $17/hour: 219,000

• Share of population earning under $17/hour: 22%
• Number of workers earning under $17/hour: 1,197,000

• Share of population earning under $17/hour: 24%
• Number of workers earning under $17/hour: 735,000

• Share of population earning under $17/hour: 26%
• Number of workers earning under $17/hour: 383,000

• Share of population earning under $17/hour: 26%
• Number of workers earning under $17/hour: 354,000

• Share of population earning under $17/hour: 30%
• Number of workers earning under $17/hour: 518,000

• Share of population earning under $17/hour: 37%
• Number of workers earning under $17/hour: 647,000

• Share of population earning under $17/hour: 19%
• Number of workers earning under $17/hour: 107,000

• Share of population earning under $17/hour: 16%
• Number of workers earning under $17/hour: 445,000

• Share of population earning under $17/hour: 13%
• Number of workers earning under $17/hour: 414,000

• Share of population earning under $17/hour: 24%
• Number of workers earning under $17/hour: 1,057,000

• Share of population earning under $17/hour: 14%
• Number of workers earning under $17/hour: 381,000

• Share of population earning under $17/hour: 41%
• Number of workers earning under $17/hour: 443,000

• Share of population earning under $17/hour: 27%
• Number of workers earning under $17/hour: 729,000

• Share of population earning under $17/hour: 24%
• Number of workers earning under $17/hour: 111,000

• Share of population earning under $17/hour: 22%
• Number of workers earning under $17/hour: 204,000

• Share of population earning under $17/hour: 26%
• Number of workers earning under $17/hour: 361,000

• Share of population earning under $17/hour: 18%
• Number of workers earning under $17/hour: 117,000

• Share of population earning under $17/hour: 19%
• Number of workers earning under $17/hour: 801,000

• Share of population earning under $17/hour: 31%
• Number of workers earning under $17/hour: 251,000

• Share of population earning under $17/hour: 18%
• Number of workers earning under $17/hour: 1,478,000

• Share of population earning under $17/hour: 31%
• Number of workers earning under $17/hour: 1,428,000

• Share of population earning under $17/hour: 17%
• Number of workers earning under $17/hour: 62,000

• Share of population earning under $17/hour: 24%
• Number of workers earning under $17/hour: 1,241,000

• Share of population earning under $17/hour: 36%
• Number of workers earning under $17/hour: 608,000

• Share of population earning under $17/hour: 15%
• Number of workers earning under $17/hour: 277,000

• Share of population earning under $17/hour: 22%
• Number of workers earning under $17/hour: 1,285,000

• Share of population earning under $17/hour: 18%
• Number of workers earning under $17/hour: 92,000

• Share of population earning under $17/hour: 29%
• Number of workers earning under $17/hour: 612,000

• Share of population earning under $17/hour: 21%
• Number of workers earning under $17/hour: 89,000

• Share of population earning under $17/hour: 29%
• Number of workers earning under $17/hour: 853,000

• Share of population earning under $17/hour: 29%
• Number of workers earning under $17/hour: 3,824,000

• Share of population earning under $17/hour: 23%
• Number of workers earning under $17/hour: 366,000

• Share of population earning under $17/hour: 15%
• Number of workers earning under $17/hour: 45,000

• Share of population earning under $17/hour: 21%
• Number of workers earning under $17/hour: 843,000

• Share of population earning under $17/hour: 12%
• Number of workers earning under $17/hour: 411,000

• Share of population earning under $17/hour: 35%
• Number of workers earning under $17/hour: 238,000

• Share of population earning under $17/hour: 21%
• Number of workers earning under $17/hour: 584,000

• Share of population earning under $17/hour: 27%
• Number of workers earning under $17/hour: 70,000

Data is sourced from Visual Capitalist and reflects 2023 data.