In an update to the most read post of last year, I am taking a look at the new poverty estimates for the school districts in Pennsylvania. The Census Bureau has come out with new Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE) for every school district in the U.S. for 2023. With the New Year, I am taking a look at the top 20 poorest school districts in the state. Now 12 of the top 20 poorest school districts (SDs) in Pennsylvania are in the Alleghenies.
| rank | Name for poverty rates for 5-17 year olds | Estimated Poverty Rate % 2023 | Estimated Poverty Rate % 2022 | In the Alleghenies? | Change |
| U.S. | 15.3 | 15.5 | -0.2 | ||
| Pennsylvania | 14.7 | 14.6 | 0.1 | ||
| 1 | Duquesne City School District | 47.4 | 38.2 | y | 9.2 |
| 2 | Clairton City School District | 43.4 | 25.4 | y | 18.0 |
| 3 | Harrisburg City School District | 39.0 | 31.9 | n | 7.1 |
| 4 | Sto-Rox School District | 36.9 | 40.5 | y | -3.6 |
| 5 | Greater Johnstown School District | 36.6 | 40.4 | y | -3.8 |
| 6 | Steelton-Highspire School District | 35.0 | 30.1 | y | 4.9 |
| 7 | Farrell Area School District | 34.5 | 32.4 | y | 2.1 |
| 8 | Wilkes-Barre Area School District | 34.4 | 29.8 | n | 4.6 |
| 9 | Chester-Upland School District | 33.7 | 33.4 | n | 0.3 |
| 10 | Wilkinsburg Borough School District | 33.7 | 35.6 | y | -1.9 |
| 11 | Erie City School District | 33.5 | 32.5 | n | 1.0 |
| 12 | New Castle Area School District | 33.1 | 31.5 | y | 1.6 |
| 13 | McKeesport Area School District | 32.8 | 34.9 | y | -2.1 |
| 14 | Shenandoah Valley School District | 32.5 | 27.2 | n | 5.3 |
| 15 | Reading School District | 32.1 | 28.5 | n | 3.6 |
| 16 | New Kensington-Arnold School District | 32.1 | 33.3 | y | -1.2 |
| 17 | Monessen City School District | 31.5 | 30.5 | y | 1.0 |
| 18 | Sharon City School District | 31.1 | 34.6 | y | -3.5 |
| 19 | York City School District | 31.1 | 29.4 | n | 1.7 |
| 20 | Hanover Area School District | 30.3 | 23.3 | n | 7.0 |
Trends in the Poorest School Districts
Six of the top 20 poorest school districts had a decrease in the poverty rates in the new estimates. Greater Johnstown and Sto-Rox, the 2 poorest school districts from last year, had decreases of 3.8% and 3.6% respectively in 2023. Correspondingly, Cambria County’s poverty rate also decreased in 2023.
Conversely, Duquesne and Clairton, separated from each other by McKeesport and South Allegheny. They had large increases in their rates of 9.2% and 18% respectively with smaller increases in the other 2 counties. This is seen in the graph above after a decrease in 2022.
With 12 of the top 20 poorest SDs in the Alleghenies, there is some improvement in the rates of the poorest school districts there. The 12 Allegheny school districts had a median change score of -0.1%. The 8 non Allegheny SDs had a median increase of 4.1%.
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