On September 11, 2025, the U.S. Census Bureau released 1-year American Community Survey estimates that included updated poverty and population data for Cleveland and other large cities. A quick review of the data provides both good and bad news for the city.
Bad news: Cleveland still holds the #2 spot for poverty rate
Cleveland continues to have the second highest poverty rate of large cities in the U.S. According to the latest poverty data released by the U.S. Census Bureau, 28.3 percent of residents in the city of Cleveland live in poverty. This accounts for just over 100,000 residents.
Good news: Cleveland's population is increasing
For the first time in recent years, the population of Cleveland increased instead of decreasing. Ten years ago, the population was just over 376,000 residents with gradual decline until 2024 when population estimates increased of over 2,700 residents from the previous year.
Increases in population in mid-sized cities like Cleveland typically lead to economic growth, community stability and eventual decreases in poverty.
Good news: Both rates of poverty and number of people in poverty have decreased
Poverty rates for Cleveland decreased slightly between 2023 and 2024 from 30.7% to 28.3%. In 2024, as Cleveland experienced an overall increase of 4,000 people living in the city it also saw an estimated 7,000 less people living in poverty than the previous year.
While these changes may not be significant, they are an indication of the direction things may be heading.
Good news: The pandemic does not appear to have worsened Cleveland poverty rates
Looking back five years to before the pandemic, the overall poverty rate and the poverty rate for children, working adults and older adults have all seen decreases in Cleveland. While the decreases were slight, it is good news that the pandemic does not appear to have negatively impacted poverty rates.
Bad news: Cleveland has far more people living in poverty than its large city peers
Cleveland is second only to Detroit in the percent of residents living in poverty, children living in poverty, working adults and older adults living in poverty. While there may be fewer total people living in poverty than in recent years, it’s still too many.
While there may be fewer total people living in poverty than in recent years, it’s still too many.
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