RANKING · 2024 ACS · 175 SHOWN OF 175

Highest poverty rate, North Carolina cities

North Carolina cities with the highest share of residents below the federal poverty line (2024 ACS). This list covers the 175 cities in North Carolina that qualify, ranked against each other statewide. The median across all 175 is 11.7%. Biggest climber in the top 100 since 2020: Etowah, NC, up 91 places to #72.

Flip the list · Lowest poverty rate, US cities →

North CarolinaAll statesPop > 5KAll rankings

SAME RANKING BYCounties States Metros ZIP codes

YEAR1990 2000 2010 2020 2024

RANKPLACESTATEPOPPOVERTY RATEVS 2000

01Boone, NCNC19,92951.2%+14.2 pts

02Cullowhee, NCNC7,97345.8%+4.4 pts

03▲9Williamston, NCNC5,08636.3%+7.3 pts

04▲33Siler City, NCNC8,15533.9%+19.2 pts

05▲2Roxboro, NCNC8,38033.3%+16.4 pts

06Forest City, NCNC7,41032.1%+12.9 pts

07▼4Laurinburg, NCNC14,58231.1%+7.5 pts

08Lumberton, NCNC18,95530.8%+4.9 pts

09▲7Rockingham, NCNC8,81530.6%+10.2 pts

10▲16Oxford, NCNC8,98528.3%+7.0 pts

11▲2Kinston, NCNC19,70527.9%+4.9 pts

12▲8Lexington, NCNC20,23827.8%+6.5 pts

13▼9Wadesboro, NCNC5,03527.4%+2.2 pts

14▲10Smithfield, NCNC13,11427.3%+6.7 pts

15▼5Henderson, NCNC15,01327.3%−0.9 pts

16▼7Mount Airy, NCNC10,68226.9%+7.0 pts

17▲19Salisbury, NCNC36,87926.3%+10.3 pts

18Morganton, NCNC17,84925.7%+12.2 pts

19▲19Albemarle, NCNC17,76924.9%+9.2 pts

20▼15Selma, NCNC7,40624.7%−5.3 pts

21▼7Greenville, NCNC96,44324.6%−1.4 pts

22▼7Clinton, NCNC8,46623.6%+0.2 pts

23▼4Marion, NCNC7,44023.5%+6.3 pts

24▼13Washington, NCNC9,91023.1%−5.6 pts

25▲6Wilson, NCNC49,57223.0%+1.4 pts

26▼9Kings Mountain, NCNC12,11723.0%+3.7 pts

27Goldsboro, NCNC35,01222.8%+3.6 pts

28▲6Lincolnton, NCNC12,46522.7%+5.3 pts

29▲4Ayden, NCNC5,26322.4%−3.8 pts

30▲26Northchase, NCNC5,89622.3%–

31▲11Sanford, NCNC34,13822.0%+4.8 pts

32▼3Hamlet, NCNC5,87021.6%−0.6 pts

33▼5Reidsville, NCNC14,69221.1%+6.0 pts

34▲20Statesville, NCNC32,18120.4%+4.3 pts

35▼10Elon, NCNC11,36620.0%–

36▲13Asheboro, NCNC27,99019.7%+3.9 pts

37▲10Rocky Mount, NCNC55,12019.7%−0.4 pts

38▼6Dunn, NCNC8,81419.7%−3.9 pts

39▼9Mocksville, NCNC6,28219.2%+6.6 pts

40▼5Eden, NCNC15,50019.2%+2.0 pts

41▲17Chapel Hill, NCNC63,56518.6%−3.0 pts

42▼3Tarboro, NCNC10,97918.5%+3.2 pts

43▼22Roanoke Rapids, NCNC14,38618.4%−0.4 pts

44▲26Creedmoor, NCNC5,04618.2%+6.7 pts

45▲45Morehead City, NCNC10,43418.1%+3.5 pts

46▲4Winston-Salem, NCNC257,27117.7%+2.5 pts

47▼1Fayetteville, NCNC209,12017.7%+2.9 pts

48▼8Spring Lake, NCNC11,25217.7%−6.0 pts

49▼5Shelby, NCNC23,30917.6%−0.2 pts

50▲15Archer Lodge, NCNC5,64917.4%–

51▲6New Bern, NCNC34,72417.3%−2.2 pts

52▲12Hickory, NCNC45,97517.1%+5.8 pts

53▲7Greensboro, NCNC308,66717.0%+4.8 pts

54▲1Nashville, NCNC5,91116.9%+6.3 pts

55▼32Graham, NCNC20,13116.8%+1.9 pts

56▼34Swannanoa, NCNC6,90116.8%+5.4 pts

57▲30Bessemer City, NCNC5,83416.4%+4.5 pts

58▼6Burlington, NCNC61,49616.4%+2.7 pts

59▲9Gastonia, NCNC87,06716.3%+1.3 pts

60▼12Thomasville, NCNC27,73316.3%+0.1 pts

61▲65St. Stephens, NCNC9,45716.2%+9.1 pts

62▼11Wilmington, NCNC126,80916.0%−3.6 pts

63▼20Waynesville, NCNC11,00615.9%+0.4 pts

64▲28Conover, NCNC8,93815.7%+3.5 pts

65▲6High Point, NCNC120,57115.7%+2.5 pts

66▲16Brevard, NCNC8,09815.1%+4.3 pts

67▲9Butner, NCNC8,11215.0%+9.8 pts

68▲40Kings Grant, NCNC9,00314.7%+8.0 pts

69▼10Lenoir, NCNC18,37214.6%+0.3 pts

70▼3Anderson Creek, NCNC13,92714.6%–

71▼18Hendersonville, NCNC15,86714.6%−2.2 pts

72▲91Etowah, NCNC7,96814.4%+8.5 pts

73▼4Havelock, NCNC17,43014.3%+5.7 pts

74▲14Asheville, NCNC93,52314.3%−1.3 pts

75▼9Hope Mills, NCNC18,32414.1%+6.2 pts

76▼35Woodfin, NCNC8,22914.1%−7.5 pts

77▲9Pineville, NCNC11,85113.8%+7.3 pts

78▼3Monroe, NCNC42,64413.3%−3.9 pts

79▼18Elizabeth City, NCNC19,62213.3%−13.9 pts

80▲3Jacksonville, NCNC72,73212.7%−1.5 pts

81▲17Kernersville, NCNC29,12812.6%+4.1 pts

82▲2Kannapolis, NCNC61,70812.6%+2.0 pts

83▲8East Flat Rock, NCNC6,32312.6%−8.0 pts

84▲1Cherryville, NCNC6,52312.4%+3.3 pts

85▼5Carrboro, NCNC20,96212.2%−6.9 pts

86▲21Newton, NCNC13,82212.0%−0.1 pts

87▲10Raleigh, NCNC506,30611.9%+0.4 pts

88▲15Pittsboro, NCNC5,05411.7%−6.6 pts

89▼10Durham, NCNC305,56111.7%−3.3 pts

90▲6Charlotte, NCNC964,78411.7%+1.1 pts

91▲14Trinity, NCNC7,27411.6%+3.1 pts

92▲9Long View, NCNC5,38711.3%−4.0 pts

93Piney Green, NCNC14,07810.8%+0.3 pts

94▲12Walkertown, NCNC6,12010.8%+5.8 pts

95▼23Wrightsboro, NCNC6,28710.7%+0.2 pts

96▼15Angier, NCNC9,41010.6%−5.7 pts

97▼20Dallas, NCNC6,39210.5%−8.7 pts

98▲33Aberdeen, NCNC10,06610.5%−3.3 pts

99▼37Shallotte, NCNC5,33510.3%+2.3 pts

100▼6Lewisville, NCNC14,42110.2%+7.8 pts

101▼56Sawmills, NCNC5,1059.9%+1.0 pts

102▲14Winterville, NCNC10,9739.8%−1.8 pts

103▼40Silver Lake, NCNC6,5639.7%+0.6 pts

104▲32Pleasant Garden, NCNC5,1659.7%+0.8 pts

105▲4Concord, NCNC114,5989.6%+1.5 pts

106▼17Southern Pines, NCNC17,3579.6%−5.0 pts

107▼12Hampstead, NCNC9,2929.5%–

108▲50Unionville, NCNC7,3229.4%+4.1 pts

109▲6Kill Devil Hills, NCNC7,7319.1%+0.9 pts

110▼32Zebulon, NCNC11,9339.0%−7.1 pts

111Locust, NCNC6,1208.7%+4.6 pts

112▲9Oak Island, NCNC9,3378.7%+0.6 pts

113▼13Boiling Spring Lakes, NCNC6,8758.5%−1.0 pts

114▲4Garner, NCNC41,5628.4%+1.6 pts

115▲14Mint Hill, NCNC29,4768.4%+3.6 pts

116▼6Fuquay-Varina, NCNC48,5368.2%−2.9 pts

117▼4Mount Holly, NCNC19,0338.2%−2.6 pts

118▼4Hillsborough, NCNC9,7788.0%−4.6 pts

119▼45Belmont, NCNC16,4157.9%−1.6 pts

120▼47Half Moon, NCNC7,3787.9%+0.2 pts

121▲2Fletcher, NCNC8,3737.6%+0.2 pts

122▲45Marvin, NCNC7,0407.6%+5.7 pts

123▼4Mooresville, NCNC55,8427.3%+0.1 pts

124▼20Mebane, NCNC21,9527.2%−4.7 pts

125▲10Summerfield, NCNC11,3277.1%+3.2 pts

126▲21King, NCNC7,9777.0%+3.0 pts

127▲10Davidson, NCNC16,6627.0%+0.9 pts

128▲45Moyock, NCNC5,6846.8%–

129▲20Clemmons, NCNC22,8086.5%+3.0 pts

130▲29Cramerton, NCNC5,7136.2%+1.3 pts

131▲2Myrtle Grove, NCNC12,6376.2%+0.4 pts

132▲7Leland, NCNC35,7316.1%−12.7 pts

133▼13Carolina Beach, NCNC6,8706.0%−3.4 pts

134▲23Black Mountain, NCNC8,4915.9%−4.2 pts

135▼18Clayton, NCNC32,6335.9%−5.5 pts

136▼24Gibsonville, NCNC9,8765.8%−3.1 pts

137▲11Cary, NCNC183,5825.7%+2.2 pts

138▼16Stokesdale, NCNC6,1335.6%+0.3 pts

139▼14Surf City, NCNC5,1425.5%−9.9 pts

140▼10Cornelius, NCNC35,0945.4%+1.0 pts

141▼3Indian Trail, NCNC44,3035.4%−0.4 pts

142▲3Knightdale, NCNC23,1445.3%+0.6 pts

143▲3Whispering Pines, NCNC5,5055.3%+4.1 pts

144▼20Archdale, NCNC12,2545.2%−0.5 pts

145▼11Midway, NCNC5,1045.0%–

146▼44Lillington, NCNC5,0404.9%−15.5 pts

147▲23Ogden, NCNC8,2494.8%−1.0 pts

148▲4Holly Springs, NCNC50,2884.8%0.0 pts

149▲2Stallings, NCNC17,7604.8%−0.3 pts

150▲12Waxhaw, NCNC23,1404.5%+0.2 pts

151▲4Wake Forest, NCNC58,1474.5%−4.3 pts

152▼24Murraysville, NCNC16,3394.5%−5.2 pts

153▲18Wesley Chapel, NCNC9,5664.5%+1.1 pts

154▼4Pinehurst, NCNC18,6704.3%+1.5 pts

155▲9St. James, NCNC7,3184.3%+4.3 pts

156▼16Lake Norman of Catawba, NCNC9,9064.2%–

157▼30Spout Springs, NCNC11,2424.2%–

158▼17Midland, NCNC5,1514.1%–

159▲10Weddington, NCNC14,5174.0%+2.5 pts

160▼17Carolina Shores, NCNC5,5403.9%−0.9 pts

161Barbecue, NCNC5,9103.9%–

162▲3Porters Neck, NCNC7,6543.8%–

163▲3Harrisburg, NCNC20,7423.7%+2.3 pts

164▼22Matthews, NCNC32,7693.7%−0.4 pts

165▼12Oak Ridge, NCNC7,8963.6%−0.2 pts

166▼67Wendell, NCNC19,6873.2%−9.4 pts

167▼23Morrisville, NCNC32,4663.1%−1.5 pts

168▼14Huntersville, NCNC68,5353.1%0.0 pts

169▼37Mills River, NCNC7,5042.6%–

170▼9Westport, NCNC5,9152.6%−2.7 pts

171▼3Lake Norman of Iredell, NCNC12,4942.5%−4.6 pts

172▼12Apex, NCNC80,4192.2%+0.3 pts

173▼1Rolesville, NCNC12,8391.1%−11.4 pts

174▼18Holly Ridge, NCNC5,9080.8%−23.4 pts

175▼1Briar Chapel, NCNC6,0490.6%–

SHOWING 1–175 OF 175

Download CSV (full list, 175 rows)

UPDATED 2026-09-11 · DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR ESTIMATES