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 (2000 ACS). This list covers the 161 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 1990

01Cullowhee, NCNC7,97341.5%+17.7 pts

02Boone, NCNC19,92937.0%−4.0 pts

03Selma, NCNC7,40630.0%+6.8 pts

04Williamston, NCNC5,08629.0%−0.4 pts

05Washington, NCNC9,91028.7%+1.4 pts

06Henderson, NCNC15,01328.3%+4.2 pts

07Elizabeth City, NCNC19,62227.2%−0.9 pts

08Ayden, NCNC5,26326.3%+1.4 pts

09Greenville, NCNC96,44326.1%−0.6 pts

10Lumberton, NCNC18,95525.9%−3.2 pts

11Wadesboro, NCNC5,03525.2%+5.3 pts

12Holly Ridge, NCNC5,90824.1%−1.2 pts

13Spring Lake, NCNC11,25223.7%+2.5 pts

14Laurinburg, NCNC14,58223.6%−5.8 pts

15Dunn, NCNC8,81423.5%−2.9 pts

16Clinton, NCNC8,46623.3%−3.6 pts

17Kinston, NCNC19,70523.0%−2.1 pts

18Hamlet, NCNC5,87022.2%+4.1 pts

19Wilson, NCNC49,57221.6%−1.9 pts

20Chapel Hill, NCNC63,56521.6%+5.4 pts

21Woodfin, NCNC8,22921.5%+5.6 pts

22Oxford, NCNC8,98521.3%−0.5 pts

23Lexington, NCNC20,23821.2%+2.7 pts

24Smithfield, NCNC13,11420.6%+3.1 pts

25East Flat Rock, NCNC6,32320.6%+4.2 pts

26Rockingham, NCNC8,81520.4%+4.5 pts

27Lillington, NCNC5,04020.3%+4.4 pts

28Rocky Mount, NCNC55,12020.1%+2.0 pts

29Mount Airy, NCNC10,68219.9%+3.2 pts

30Wilmington, NCNC126,80919.6%−2.5 pts

31New Bern, NCNC34,72419.4%−3.8 pts

32Kings Mountain, NCNC12,11719.2%+1.3 pts

33Forest City, NCNC7,41019.2%+1.4 pts

34Dallas, NCNC6,39219.2%+0.6 pts

35Goldsboro, NCNC35,01219.2%−2.0 pts

36Carrboro, NCNC20,96219.0%−10.4 pts

37Leland, NCNC35,73118.8%−0.1 pts

38Roanoke Rapids, NCNC14,38618.8%+0.1 pts

39Pittsboro, NCNC5,05418.3%+4.8 pts

40Shelby, NCNC23,30917.8%−1.5 pts

41Lincolnton, NCNC12,46517.3%−0.1 pts

42Marion, NCNC7,44017.3%−0.3 pts

43Monroe, NCNC42,64417.2%+0.6 pts

44Eden, NCNC15,50017.2%+1.0 pts

45Sanford, NCNC34,13817.1%−3.9 pts

46Roxboro, NCNC8,38016.8%−4.7 pts

47Hendersonville, NCNC15,86716.8%−3.5 pts

48Angier, NCNC9,41016.3%−2.8 pts

49Thomasville, NCNC27,73316.2%+3.3 pts

50Statesville, NCNC32,18116.1%+0.4 pts

51Salisbury, NCNC36,87916.0%+0.5 pts

52Zebulon, NCNC11,93316.0%+0.9 pts

53Asheboro, NCNC27,99015.8%+2.9 pts

54Albemarle, NCNC17,76915.7%+1.6 pts

55Waynesville, NCNC11,00615.5%−3.8 pts

56Asheville, NCNC93,52315.5%−0.4 pts

57Surf City, NCNC5,14215.4%+8.6 pts

58Tarboro, NCNC10,97915.3%+1.9 pts

59Long View, NCNC5,38715.3%+6.1 pts

60Winston-Salem, NCNC257,27115.2%−0.0 pts

61Reidsville, NCNC14,69215.1%−3.4 pts

62Gastonia, NCNC87,06715.0%+0.8 pts

63Durham, NCNC305,56115.0%+0.1 pts

64Graham, NCNC20,13114.9%+3.1 pts

65Fayetteville, NCNC209,12014.8%−4.0 pts

66Siler City, NCNC8,15514.7%+0.9 pts

67Morehead City, NCNC10,43414.6%−4.5 pts

68Southern Pines, NCNC17,35714.6%−2.2 pts

69Lenoir, NCNC18,37214.3%−3.2 pts

70Jacksonville, NCNC72,73214.1%+2.2 pts

71Aberdeen, NCNC10,06613.8%+3.6 pts

72Burlington, NCNC61,49613.7%+3.8 pts

73Morganton, NCNC17,84913.6%+2.9 pts

74High Point, NCNC120,57113.2%+0.5 pts

75Hillsborough, NCNC9,77812.6%+0.5 pts

76Mocksville, NCNC6,28212.6%+3.7 pts

77Wendell, NCNC19,68712.6%+3.1 pts

78Rolesville, NCNC12,83912.5%+6.6 pts

79Greensboro, NCNC308,66712.3%+0.7 pts

80Conover, NCNC8,93812.2%+6.3 pts

81Newton, NCNC13,82212.1%−0.4 pts

82Bessemer City, NCNC5,83411.9%+1.0 pts

83Mebane, NCNC21,95211.8%+2.5 pts

84Winterville, NCNC10,97311.6%−5.6 pts

85Creedmoor, NCNC5,04611.5%−1.7 pts

86Raleigh, NCNC506,30611.5%−0.4 pts

87Clayton, NCNC32,63311.4%−3.4 pts

88Swannanoa, NCNC6,90111.4%+1.4 pts

89Hickory, NCNC45,97511.3%+0.0 pts

90Fuquay-Varina, NCNC48,53611.1%−2.0 pts

91Mount Holly, NCNC19,03310.8%+0.2 pts

92Brevard, NCNC8,09810.7%−3.5 pts

93Charlotte, NCNC964,78410.6%−0.2 pts

94Nashville, NCNC5,91110.5%−0.6 pts

95Kannapolis, NCNC61,70810.5%−1.2 pts

96Wrightsboro, NCNC6,28710.5%+3.8 pts

97Piney Green, NCNC14,07810.5%−1.0 pts

98Black Mountain, NCNC8,49110.1%+1.1 pts

99Murraysville, NCNC16,3399.7%–

100Belmont, NCNC16,4159.5%−0.2 pts

101Boiling Spring Lakes, NCNC6,8759.5%+2.3 pts

102Carolina Beach, NCNC6,8709.4%−5.2 pts

103Cherryville, NCNC6,5239.1%−3.9 pts

104Silver Lake, NCNC6,5639.1%+4.0 pts

105Pleasant Garden, NCNC5,1658.9%+4.0 pts

106Sawmills, NCNC5,1058.9%+1.7 pts

107Gibsonville, NCNC9,8768.9%+2.0 pts

108Wake Forest, NCNC58,1478.8%−0.5 pts

109Havelock, NCNC17,4308.6%−1.9 pts

110Trinity, NCNC7,2748.6%+0.1 pts

111Kernersville, NCNC29,1288.4%−0.0 pts

112Kill Devil Hills, NCNC7,7318.3%−0.0 pts

113Concord, NCNC114,5988.2%−4.0 pts

114Oak Island, NCNC9,3378.0%–

115Shallotte, NCNC5,3358.0%+0.3 pts

116Hope Mills, NCNC18,3247.8%+1.5 pts

117Half Moon, NCNC7,3787.7%+0.7 pts

118Fletcher, NCNC8,3737.4%−1.8 pts

119Mooresville, NCNC55,8427.2%−3.0 pts

120St. Stephens, NCNC9,4577.1%+1.5 pts

121Lake Norman of Iredell, NCNC12,4947.1%–

122Garner, NCNC41,5626.8%+2.2 pts

123Kings Grant, NCNC9,0036.7%–

124Pineville, NCNC11,8516.6%+1.2 pts

125Davidson, NCNC16,6626.0%−1.0 pts

126Etowah, NCNC7,9685.9%−0.7 pts

127Myrtle Grove, NCNC12,6375.8%−2.0 pts

128Ogden, NCNC8,2495.8%+0.8 pts

129Indian Trail, NCNC44,3035.8%+1.1 pts

130Archdale, NCNC12,2545.7%+1.2 pts

131Unionville, NCNC7,3225.3%–

132Westport, NCNC5,9155.3%+4.2 pts

133Stokesdale, NCNC6,1335.3%−7.0 pts

134Butner, NCNC8,1125.3%−1.6 pts

135Stallings, NCNC17,7605.0%−0.8 pts

136Walkertown, NCNC6,1204.9%−1.0 pts

137Cramerton, NCNC5,7134.9%−1.0 pts

138Carolina Shores, NCNC5,5404.9%–

139Mint Hill, NCNC29,4764.8%+3.9 pts

140Holly Springs, NCNC50,2884.8%−21.0 pts

141Knightdale, NCNC23,1444.7%+2.2 pts

142Morrisville, NCNC32,4664.6%−2.8 pts

143Cornelius, NCNC35,0944.4%−2.9 pts

144Waxhaw, NCNC23,1404.3%−6.2 pts

145Locust, NCNC6,1204.1%−1.2 pts

146Matthews, NCNC32,7694.0%+1.8 pts

147King, NCNC7,9774.0%−0.9 pts

148Summerfield, NCNC11,3273.8%+0.9 pts

149Oak Ridge, NCNC7,8963.8%–

150Clemmons, NCNC22,8083.5%+1.2 pts

151Cary, NCNC183,5823.4%+0.3 pts

152Wesley Chapel, NCNC9,5663.4%–

153Huntersville, NCNC68,5353.1%−4.9 pts

154Pinehurst, NCNC18,6702.8%−0.4 pts

155Lewisville, NCNC14,4212.5%−0.1 pts

156Apex, NCNC80,4191.9%−4.6 pts

157Marvin, NCNC7,0401.9%–

158Weddington, NCNC14,5171.5%−0.8 pts

159Harrisburg, NCNC20,7421.4%−1.9 pts

160Whispering Pines, NCNC5,5051.2%+0.1 pts

161St. James, NCNC7,3180.0%–

SHOWING 1–161 OF 161

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UPDATED 2026-08-08 · DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU DECENNIAL CENSUS