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.

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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

03Williamston, NCNC5,08636.3%+7.3 pts

04Siler City, NCNC8,15533.9%+19.2 pts

05Roxboro, NCNC8,38033.3%+16.4 pts

06Forest City, NCNC7,41032.1%+12.9 pts

07Laurinburg, NCNC14,58231.1%+7.5 pts

08Lumberton, NCNC18,95530.8%+4.9 pts

09Rockingham, NCNC8,81530.6%+10.2 pts

10Oxford, NCNC8,98528.3%+7.0 pts

11Kinston, NCNC19,70527.9%+4.9 pts

12Lexington, NCNC20,23827.8%+6.5 pts

13Wadesboro, NCNC5,03527.4%+2.2 pts

14Smithfield, NCNC13,11427.3%+6.7 pts

15Henderson, NCNC15,01327.3%−0.9 pts

16Mount Airy, NCNC10,68226.9%+7.0 pts

17Salisbury, NCNC36,87926.3%+10.3 pts

18Morganton, NCNC17,84925.7%+12.2 pts

19Albemarle, NCNC17,76924.9%+9.2 pts

20Selma, NCNC7,40624.7%−5.3 pts

21Greenville, NCNC96,44324.6%−1.4 pts

22Clinton, NCNC8,46623.6%+0.2 pts

23Marion, NCNC7,44023.5%+6.3 pts

24Washington, NCNC9,91023.1%−5.6 pts

25Wilson, NCNC49,57223.0%+1.4 pts

26Kings Mountain, NCNC12,11723.0%+3.7 pts

27Goldsboro, NCNC35,01222.8%+3.6 pts

28Lincolnton, NCNC12,46522.7%+5.3 pts

29Ayden, NCNC5,26322.4%−3.8 pts

30Northchase, NCNC5,89622.3%–

31Sanford, NCNC34,13822.0%+4.8 pts

32Hamlet, NCNC5,87021.6%−0.6 pts

33Reidsville, NCNC14,69221.1%+6.0 pts

34Statesville, NCNC32,18120.4%+4.3 pts

35Elon, NCNC11,36620.0%–

36Asheboro, NCNC27,99019.7%+3.9 pts

37Rocky Mount, NCNC55,12019.7%−0.4 pts

38Dunn, NCNC8,81419.7%−3.9 pts

39Mocksville, NCNC6,28219.2%+6.6 pts

40Eden, NCNC15,50019.2%+2.0 pts

41Chapel Hill, NCNC63,56518.6%−3.0 pts

42Tarboro, NCNC10,97918.5%+3.2 pts

43Roanoke Rapids, NCNC14,38618.4%−0.4 pts

44Creedmoor, NCNC5,04618.2%+6.7 pts

45Morehead City, NCNC10,43418.1%+3.5 pts

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

47Fayetteville, NCNC209,12017.7%+2.9 pts

48Spring Lake, NCNC11,25217.7%−6.0 pts

49Shelby, NCNC23,30917.6%−0.2 pts

50Archer Lodge, NCNC5,64917.4%–

51New Bern, NCNC34,72417.3%−2.2 pts

52Hickory, NCNC45,97517.1%+5.8 pts

53Greensboro, NCNC308,66717.0%+4.8 pts

54Nashville, NCNC5,91116.9%+6.3 pts

55Graham, NCNC20,13116.8%+1.9 pts

56Swannanoa, NCNC6,90116.8%+5.4 pts

57Bessemer City, NCNC5,83416.4%+4.5 pts

58Burlington, NCNC61,49616.4%+2.7 pts

59Gastonia, NCNC87,06716.3%+1.3 pts

60Thomasville, NCNC27,73316.3%+0.1 pts

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

62Wilmington, NCNC126,80916.0%−3.6 pts

63Waynesville, NCNC11,00615.9%+0.4 pts

64Conover, NCNC8,93815.7%+3.5 pts

65High Point, NCNC120,57115.7%+2.5 pts

66Brevard, NCNC8,09815.1%+4.3 pts

67Butner, NCNC8,11215.0%+9.8 pts

68Kings Grant, NCNC9,00314.7%+8.0 pts

69Lenoir, NCNC18,37214.6%+0.3 pts

70Anderson Creek, NCNC13,92714.6%–

71Hendersonville, NCNC15,86714.6%−2.2 pts

72Etowah, NCNC7,96814.4%+8.5 pts

73Havelock, NCNC17,43014.3%+5.7 pts

74Asheville, NCNC93,52314.3%−1.3 pts

75Hope Mills, NCNC18,32414.1%+6.2 pts

76Woodfin, NCNC8,22914.1%−7.5 pts

77Pineville, NCNC11,85113.8%+7.3 pts

78Monroe, NCNC42,64413.3%−3.9 pts

79Elizabeth City, NCNC19,62213.3%−13.9 pts

80Jacksonville, NCNC72,73212.7%−1.5 pts

81Kernersville, NCNC29,12812.6%+4.1 pts

82Kannapolis, NCNC61,70812.6%+2.0 pts

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

84Cherryville, NCNC6,52312.4%+3.3 pts

85Carrboro, NCNC20,96212.2%−6.9 pts

86Newton, NCNC13,82212.0%−0.1 pts

87Raleigh, NCNC506,30611.9%+0.4 pts

88Pittsboro, NCNC5,05411.7%−6.6 pts

89Durham, NCNC305,56111.7%−3.3 pts

90Charlotte, NCNC964,78411.7%+1.1 pts

91Trinity, NCNC7,27411.6%+3.1 pts

92Long View, NCNC5,38711.3%−4.0 pts

93Piney Green, NCNC14,07810.8%+0.3 pts

94Walkertown, NCNC6,12010.8%+5.8 pts

95Wrightsboro, NCNC6,28710.7%+0.2 pts

96Angier, NCNC9,41010.6%−5.7 pts

97Dallas, NCNC6,39210.5%−8.7 pts

98Aberdeen, NCNC10,06610.5%−3.3 pts

99Shallotte, NCNC5,33510.3%+2.3 pts

100Lewisville, NCNC14,42110.2%+7.8 pts

101Sawmills, NCNC5,1059.9%+1.0 pts

102Winterville, NCNC10,9739.8%−1.8 pts

103Silver Lake, NCNC6,5639.7%+0.6 pts

104Pleasant Garden, NCNC5,1659.7%+0.8 pts

105Concord, NCNC114,5989.6%+1.5 pts

106Southern Pines, NCNC17,3579.6%−5.0 pts

107Hampstead, NCNC9,2929.5%–

108Unionville, NCNC7,3229.4%+4.1 pts

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

110Zebulon, NCNC11,9339.0%−7.1 pts

111Locust, NCNC6,1208.7%+4.6 pts

112Oak Island, NCNC9,3378.7%+0.6 pts

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

114Garner, NCNC41,5628.4%+1.6 pts

115Mint Hill, NCNC29,4768.4%+3.6 pts

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

117Mount Holly, NCNC19,0338.2%−2.6 pts

118Hillsborough, NCNC9,7788.0%−4.6 pts

119Belmont, NCNC16,4157.9%−1.6 pts

120Half Moon, NCNC7,3787.9%+0.2 pts

121Fletcher, NCNC8,3737.6%+0.2 pts

122Marvin, NCNC7,0407.6%+5.7 pts

123Mooresville, NCNC55,8427.3%+0.1 pts

124Mebane, NCNC21,9527.2%−4.7 pts

125Summerfield, NCNC11,3277.1%+3.2 pts

126King, NCNC7,9777.0%+3.0 pts

127Davidson, NCNC16,6627.0%+0.9 pts

128Moyock, NCNC5,6846.8%–

129Clemmons, NCNC22,8086.5%+3.0 pts

130Cramerton, NCNC5,7136.2%+1.3 pts

131Myrtle Grove, NCNC12,6376.2%+0.4 pts

132Leland, NCNC35,7316.1%−12.7 pts

133Carolina Beach, NCNC6,8706.0%−3.4 pts

134Black Mountain, NCNC8,4915.9%−4.2 pts

135Clayton, NCNC32,6335.9%−5.5 pts

136Gibsonville, NCNC9,8765.8%−3.1 pts

137Cary, NCNC183,5825.7%+2.2 pts

138Stokesdale, NCNC6,1335.6%+0.3 pts

139Surf City, NCNC5,1425.5%−9.9 pts

140Cornelius, NCNC35,0945.4%+1.0 pts

141Indian Trail, NCNC44,3035.4%−0.4 pts

142Knightdale, NCNC23,1445.3%+0.6 pts

143Whispering Pines, NCNC5,5055.3%+4.1 pts

144Archdale, NCNC12,2545.2%−0.5 pts

145Midway, NCNC5,1045.0%–

146Lillington, NCNC5,0404.9%−15.5 pts

147Ogden, NCNC8,2494.8%−1.0 pts

148Holly Springs, NCNC50,2884.8%+0.0 pts

149Stallings, NCNC17,7604.8%−0.3 pts

150Waxhaw, NCNC23,1404.5%+0.2 pts

151Wake Forest, NCNC58,1474.5%−4.3 pts

152Murraysville, NCNC16,3394.5%−5.2 pts

153Wesley Chapel, NCNC9,5664.5%+1.1 pts

154Pinehurst, NCNC18,6704.3%+1.5 pts

155St. James, NCNC7,3184.3%+4.3 pts

156Lake Norman of Catawba, NCNC9,9064.2%–

157Spout Springs, NCNC11,2424.2%–

158Midland, NCNC5,1514.1%–

159Weddington, NCNC14,5174.0%+2.5 pts

160Carolina Shores, NCNC5,5403.9%−0.9 pts

161Barbecue, NCNC5,9103.9%–

162Porters Neck, NCNC7,6543.8%–

163Harrisburg, NCNC20,7423.7%+2.3 pts

164Matthews, NCNC32,7693.7%−0.4 pts

165Oak Ridge, NCNC7,8963.6%−0.2 pts

166Wendell, NCNC19,6873.2%−9.4 pts

167Morrisville, NCNC32,4663.1%−1.5 pts

168Huntersville, NCNC68,5353.1%−0.0 pts

169Mills River, NCNC7,5042.6%–

170Westport, NCNC5,9152.6%−2.7 pts

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

172Apex, NCNC80,4192.2%+0.3 pts

173Rolesville, NCNC12,8391.1%−11.4 pts

174Holly Ridge, NCNC5,9080.8%−23.4 pts

175Briar Chapel, NCNC6,0490.6%–

SHOWING 1–175 OF 175

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UPDATED 2026-08-08 · DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR ESTIMATES