RANKING · 2000 CENSUS · 161 SHOWN OF 161

Highest poverty rate, North Carolina cities · 2000

North Carolina cities with the highest share of residents below the federal poverty line (2023 ACS). This list covers the 161 cities in North Carolina that qualify, ranked against each other statewide.

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North CarolinaAll statesPop > 5KAll rankings

SAME RANKING BYCounties States Metros ZIP codes

YEAR1990 2000 2010 2020 2024

RANKPLACESTATEPOPPOVERTY RATEVS 2000

01Cullowhee, NCNC7,97341.5%+0%

02Boone, NCNC19,92937.0%+0%

03Selma, NCNC7,40630.0%+0%

04Williamston, NCNC5,08629.0%+0%

05Washington, NCNC9,91028.7%+0%

06Henderson, NCNC15,01328.3%+0%

07Elizabeth City, NCNC19,62227.2%+0%

08Ayden, NCNC5,26326.3%+0%

09Greenville, NCNC96,44326.1%+0%

10Lumberton, NCNC18,95525.9%+0%

11Wadesboro, NCNC5,03525.2%+0%

12Holly Ridge, NCNC5,90824.1%+0%

13Spring Lake, NCNC11,25223.7%+0%

14Laurinburg, NCNC14,58223.6%+0%

15Dunn, NCNC8,81423.5%+0%

16Clinton, NCNC8,46623.3%+0%

17Kinston, NCNC19,70523.0%+0%

18Hamlet, NCNC5,87022.2%+0%

19Wilson, NCNC49,57221.6%+0%

20Chapel Hill, NCNC63,56521.6%+0%

21Woodfin, NCNC8,22921.5%+0%

22Oxford, NCNC8,98521.3%+0%

23Lexington, NCNC20,23821.2%+0%

24Smithfield, NCNC13,11420.6%+0%

25East Flat Rock, NCNC6,32320.6%+0%

26Rockingham, NCNC8,81520.4%+0%

27Lillington, NCNC5,04020.3%+0%

28Rocky Mount, NCNC55,12020.1%+0%

29Mount Airy, NCNC10,68219.9%+0%

30Wilmington, NCNC126,80919.6%+0%

31New Bern, NCNC34,72419.4%+0%

32Kings Mountain, NCNC12,11719.2%+0%

33Forest City, NCNC7,41019.2%+0%

34Dallas, NCNC6,39219.2%+0%

35Goldsboro, NCNC35,01219.2%+0%

36Carrboro, NCNC20,96219.0%+0%

37Leland, NCNC35,73118.8%+0%

38Roanoke Rapids, NCNC14,38618.8%+0%

39Pittsboro, NCNC5,05418.3%+0%

40Shelby, NCNC23,30917.8%+0%

41Lincolnton, NCNC12,46517.3%+0%

42Marion, NCNC7,44017.3%+0%

43Monroe, NCNC42,64417.2%+0%

44Eden, NCNC15,50017.2%+0%

45Sanford, NCNC34,13817.1%+0%

46Roxboro, NCNC8,38016.8%+0%

47Hendersonville, NCNC15,86716.8%+0%

48Angier, NCNC9,41016.3%+0%

49Thomasville, NCNC27,73316.2%+0%

50Statesville, NCNC32,18116.1%+0%

51Salisbury, NCNC36,87916.0%+0%

52Zebulon, NCNC11,93316.0%+0%

53Asheboro, NCNC27,99015.8%+0%

54Albemarle, NCNC17,76915.7%+0%

55Waynesville, NCNC11,00615.5%+0%

56Asheville, NCNC93,52315.5%+0%

57Surf City, NCNC5,14215.4%+0%

58Tarboro, NCNC10,97915.3%+0%

59Long View, NCNC5,38715.3%+0%

60Winston-Salem, NCNC257,27115.2%+0%

61Reidsville, NCNC14,69215.1%+0%

62Gastonia, NCNC87,06715.0%+0%

63Durham, NCNC305,56115.0%+0%

64Graham, NCNC20,13114.9%+0%

65Fayetteville, NCNC209,12014.8%+0%

66Siler City, NCNC8,15514.7%+0%

67Morehead City, NCNC10,43414.6%+0%

68Southern Pines, NCNC17,35714.6%+0%

69Lenoir, NCNC18,37214.3%+0%

70Jacksonville, NCNC72,73214.1%+0%

71Aberdeen, NCNC10,06613.8%+0%

72Burlington, NCNC61,49613.7%+0%

73Morganton, NCNC17,84913.6%+0%

74High Point, NCNC120,57113.2%+0%

75Hillsborough, NCNC9,77812.6%+0%

76Mocksville, NCNC6,28212.6%+0%

77Wendell, NCNC19,68712.6%+0%

78Rolesville, NCNC12,83912.5%+0%

79Greensboro, NCNC308,66712.3%+0%

80Conover, NCNC8,93812.2%+0%

81Newton, NCNC13,82212.1%+0%

82Bessemer City, NCNC5,83411.9%+0%

83Mebane, NCNC21,95211.8%+0%

84Winterville, NCNC10,97311.6%+0%

85Creedmoor, NCNC5,04611.5%+0%

86Raleigh, NCNC506,30611.5%+0%

87Clayton, NCNC32,63311.4%+0%

88Swannanoa, NCNC6,90111.4%+0%

89Hickory, NCNC45,97511.3%+0%

90Fuquay-Varina, NCNC48,53611.1%+0%

91Mount Holly, NCNC19,03310.8%+0%

92Brevard, NCNC8,09810.7%+0%

93Charlotte, NCNC964,78410.6%+0%

94Nashville, NCNC5,91110.5%+0%

95Kannapolis, NCNC61,70810.5%+0%

96Wrightsboro, NCNC6,28710.5%+0%

97Piney Green, NCNC14,07810.5%+0%

98Black Mountain, NCNC8,49110.1%+0%

99Murraysville, NCNC16,3399.7%+0%

100Belmont, NCNC16,4159.5%+0%

101Boiling Spring Lakes, NCNC6,8759.5%+0%

102Carolina Beach, NCNC6,8709.4%+0%

103Cherryville, NCNC6,5239.1%+0%

104Silver Lake, NCNC6,5639.1%+0%

105Pleasant Garden, NCNC5,1658.9%+0%

106Sawmills, NCNC5,1058.9%+0%

107Gibsonville, NCNC9,8768.9%+0%

108Wake Forest, NCNC58,1478.8%+0%

109Havelock, NCNC17,4308.6%+0%

110Trinity, NCNC7,2748.6%+0%

111Kernersville, NCNC29,1288.4%+0%

112Kill Devil Hills, NCNC7,7318.3%+0%

113Concord, NCNC114,5988.2%+0%

114Oak Island, NCNC9,3378.0%+0%

115Shallotte, NCNC5,3358.0%+0%

116Hope Mills, NCNC18,3247.8%+0%

117Half Moon, NCNC7,3787.7%+0%

118Fletcher, NCNC8,3737.4%+0%

119Mooresville, NCNC55,8427.2%+0%

120St. Stephens, NCNC9,4577.1%+0%

121Lake Norman of Iredell, NCNC12,4947.1%+0%

122Garner, NCNC41,5626.8%+0%

123Kings Grant, NCNC9,0036.7%+0%

124Pineville, NCNC11,8516.6%+0%

125Davidson, NCNC16,6626.0%+0%

126Etowah, NCNC7,9685.9%+0%

127Myrtle Grove, NCNC12,6375.8%+0%

128Ogden, NCNC8,2495.8%+0%

129Indian Trail, NCNC44,3035.8%+0%

130Archdale, NCNC12,2545.7%+0%

131Unionville, NCNC7,3225.3%+0%

132Westport, NCNC5,9155.3%+0%

133Stokesdale, NCNC6,1335.3%+0%

134Butner, NCNC8,1125.3%+0%

135Stallings, NCNC17,7605.0%+0%

136Walkertown, NCNC6,1204.9%+0%

137Cramerton, NCNC5,7134.9%+0%

138Carolina Shores, NCNC5,5404.9%+0%

139Mint Hill, NCNC29,4764.8%+0%

140Holly Springs, NCNC50,2884.8%+0%

141Knightdale, NCNC23,1444.7%+0%

142Morrisville, NCNC32,4664.6%+0%

143Cornelius, NCNC35,0944.4%+0%

144Waxhaw, NCNC23,1404.3%+0%

145Locust, NCNC6,1204.1%+0%

146Matthews, NCNC32,7694.0%+0%

147King, NCNC7,9774.0%+0%

148Summerfield, NCNC11,3273.8%+0%

149Oak Ridge, NCNC7,8963.8%+0%

150Clemmons, NCNC22,8083.5%+0%

151Cary, NCNC183,5823.4%+0%

152Wesley Chapel, NCNC9,5663.4%+0%

153Huntersville, NCNC68,5353.1%+0%

154Pinehurst, NCNC18,6702.8%+0%

155Lewisville, NCNC14,4212.5%+0%

156Apex, NCNC80,4191.9%+0%

157Marvin, NCNC7,0401.9%+0%

158Weddington, NCNC14,5171.5%+0%

159Harrisburg, NCNC20,7421.4%+0%

160Whispering Pines, NCNC5,5051.2%+0%

161St. James, NCNC7,3180.0%–

SHOWING 1–161 OF 161

Download CSV (full list, 161 rows)

UPDATED 2026-06-02 · DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR ESTIMATES