Poverty in the U.S.: The Poorest Towns in Every State

Chewelah, Washington

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Median Household Income: $31,858
Poverty Rate: 20%
Population: 2,601
Median Home Value: $136,200

Chewelah, which is located about 45 miles northwest of Spokane, actually had a 19.1% increase in population between the 2000 census and the 2010 census. However, the average resident of Chewelah earns less than half of the state’s average, which is $66,174. Just 16.9% of residents have a bachelor’s degree.

The town’s name comes from a Kalispel word, sč̓ewíleʔ, which means ‘gartersnake’ or ‘watersnake.’ A lot of people seem to have a problem pronouncing the name correctly. The correct pronunciation of Chewelah is “Cha-WEE-la.”