RANKING · 2010 CENSUS · 170 SHOWN OF 170

Highest poverty rate, North Carolina cities · 2010

North Carolina cities with the highest share of residents below the federal poverty line (2010 ACS). This list covers the 170 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, NCNC19,92948.9%+11.9 pts

02Forest City, NCNC7,41038.5%+19.3 pts

03Williamston, NCNC5,08637.4%+8.4 pts

04Roxboro, NCNC8,38036.7%+19.8 pts

05Laurinburg, NCNC14,58236.3%+12.6 pts

06Rockingham, NCNC8,81536.1%+15.7 pts

07Cullowhee, NCNC7,97336.1%−5.4 pts

08Selma, NCNC7,40634.8%+4.8 pts

09Kinston, NCNC19,70534.1%+11.1 pts

10Henderson, NCNC15,01333.3%+5.1 pts

11Greenville, NCNC96,44330.3%+4.2 pts

12Lumberton, NCNC18,95529.9%+4.0 pts

13East Flat Rock, NCNC6,32329.1%+8.5 pts

14Lillington, NCNC5,04028.5%+8.1 pts

15Elizabeth City, NCNC19,62228.1%+0.8 pts

16Asheboro, NCNC27,99027.6%+11.9 pts

17Zebulon, NCNC11,93327.4%+11.4 pts

18Thomasville, NCNC27,73327.3%+11.1 pts

19Morganton, NCNC17,84926.9%+13.4 pts

20Lexington, NCNC20,23826.4%+5.1 pts

21Shelby, NCNC23,30925.4%+7.7 pts

22Wilson, NCNC49,57225.4%+3.8 pts

23Washington, NCNC9,91025.3%−3.4 pts

24Clinton, NCNC8,46625.1%+1.8 pts

25Dunn, NCNC8,81424.5%+1.0 pts

26Siler City, NCNC8,15524.5%+9.8 pts

27Eden, NCNC15,50024.4%+7.2 pts

28New Bern, NCNC34,72424.1%+4.7 pts

29Lincolnton, NCNC12,46523.8%+6.4 pts

30Woodfin, NCNC8,22923.7%+2.2 pts

31Marion, NCNC7,44023.6%+6.4 pts

32Goldsboro, NCNC35,01223.5%+4.3 pts

33Statesville, NCNC32,18122.9%+6.8 pts

34Spring Lake, NCNC11,25222.8%−0.9 pts

35Ayden, NCNC5,26322.6%−3.6 pts

36Salisbury, NCNC36,87922.4%+6.4 pts

37Wilmington, NCNC126,80922.4%+2.8 pts

38Hendersonville, NCNC15,86722.2%+5.5 pts

39Chapel Hill, NCNC63,56522.2%+0.6 pts

40Waynesville, NCNC11,00621.7%+6.2 pts

41Lenoir, NCNC18,37221.6%+7.3 pts

42Hamlet, NCNC5,87021.4%−0.8 pts

43Smithfield, NCNC13,11421.4%+0.8 pts

44Sanford, NCNC34,13821.3%+4.2 pts

45Burlington, NCNC61,49621.3%+7.6 pts

46Mount Airy, NCNC10,68221.1%+1.2 pts

47Pittsboro, NCNC5,05421.1%+2.8 pts

48Gastonia, NCNC87,06720.9%+5.9 pts

49Wadesboro, NCNC5,03520.9%−4.3 pts

50Tarboro, NCNC10,97920.6%+5.3 pts

51Reidsville, NCNC14,69220.6%+5.5 pts

52Asheville, NCNC93,52320.5%+5.0 pts

53Oxford, NCNC8,98520.2%−1.1 pts

54Elon, NCNC11,36619.9%–

55Hillsborough, NCNC9,77819.8%+7.3 pts

56Monroe, NCNC42,64419.7%+2.4 pts

57Winston-Salem, NCNC257,27119.3%+4.1 pts

58High Point, NCNC120,57119.2%+6.0 pts

59Rocky Mount, NCNC55,12019.0%−1.1 pts

60Kings Mountain, NCNC12,11718.9%−0.3 pts

61Roanoke Rapids, NCNC14,38618.6%−0.2 pts

62Sawmills, NCNC5,10518.4%+9.6 pts

63Bessemer City, NCNC5,83418.4%+6.5 pts

64Albemarle, NCNC17,76918.3%+2.6 pts

65Greensboro, NCNC308,66718.1%+5.9 pts

66Holly Ridge, NCNC5,90817.9%−6.2 pts

67Mebane, NCNC21,95217.9%+6.1 pts

68Durham, NCNC305,56117.9%+2.9 pts

69Dallas, NCNC6,39217.8%−1.4 pts

70Swannanoa, NCNC6,90117.6%+6.2 pts

71Hickory, NCNC45,97517.4%+6.1 pts

72Kannapolis, NCNC61,70817.3%+6.7 pts

73Morehead City, NCNC10,43416.8%+2.2 pts

74Aberdeen, NCNC10,06616.7%+3.0 pts

75Carrboro, NCNC20,96216.3%−2.7 pts

76Long View, NCNC5,38716.3%+1.0 pts

77Butner, NCNC8,11216.3%+11.0 pts

78Fayetteville, NCNC209,12016.1%+1.3 pts

79Mocksville, NCNC6,28215.2%+2.6 pts

80Graham, NCNC20,13115.1%+0.2 pts

81Newton, NCNC13,82214.9%+2.8 pts

82Wendell, NCNC19,68714.8%+2.2 pts

83Pineville, NCNC11,85114.7%+8.2 pts

84Angier, NCNC9,41014.7%−1.6 pts

85Havelock, NCNC17,43014.6%+6.0 pts

86Raleigh, NCNC506,30614.6%+3.1 pts

87Mount Holly, NCNC19,03314.4%+3.5 pts

88Hampstead, NCNC9,29214.2%–

89Cherryville, NCNC6,52314.1%+5.0 pts

90Charlotte, NCNC964,78413.9%+3.3 pts

91Jacksonville, NCNC72,73213.8%−0.3 pts

92Wrightsboro, NCNC6,28713.8%+3.3 pts

93St. Stephens, NCNC9,45713.3%+6.2 pts

94Carolina Beach, NCNC6,87013.3%+3.9 pts

95Archer Lodge, NCNC5,64913.2%–

96Clayton, NCNC32,63313.1%+1.7 pts

97Hope Mills, NCNC18,32412.8%+4.9 pts

98Southern Pines, NCNC17,35712.4%−2.2 pts

99Creedmoor, NCNC5,04612.4%+0.9 pts

100Boiling Spring Lakes, NCNC6,87512.0%+2.4 pts

101Concord, NCNC114,59811.7%+3.6 pts

102Piney Green, NCNC14,07811.7%+1.2 pts

103Brevard, NCNC8,09811.5%+0.7 pts

104Stokesdale, NCNC6,13311.5%+6.2 pts

105Conover, NCNC8,93811.3%−0.8 pts

106Leland, NCNC35,73111.2%−7.6 pts

107Kings Grant, NCNC9,00311.0%+4.3 pts

108Black Mountain, NCNC8,49110.9%+0.8 pts

109Belmont, NCNC16,41510.8%+1.2 pts

110Gibsonville, NCNC9,87610.5%+1.6 pts

111Kernersville, NCNC29,12810.5%+2.0 pts

112Rolesville, NCNC12,83910.4%−2.1 pts

113Shallotte, NCNC5,33510.2%+2.2 pts

114Etowah, NCNC7,96810.1%+4.2 pts

115Archdale, NCNC12,2549.7%+4.0 pts

116Trinity, NCNC7,2749.7%+1.1 pts

117Winterville, NCNC10,9739.6%−2.0 pts

118Mooresville, NCNC55,8429.6%+2.4 pts

119Fletcher, NCNC8,3739.2%+1.9 pts

120Midland, NCNC5,1519.2%–

121Lake Norman of Iredell, NCNC12,4948.9%+1.8 pts

122Davidson, NCNC16,6628.8%+2.8 pts

123Waxhaw, NCNC23,1408.5%+4.2 pts

124Murraysville, NCNC16,3398.4%−1.3 pts

125Fuquay-Varina, NCNC48,5368.3%−2.8 pts

126Kill Devil Hills, NCNC7,7318.3%+0.0 pts

127Pleasant Garden, NCNC5,1658.2%−0.7 pts

128Cramerton, NCNC5,7138.2%+3.3 pts

129Oak Island, NCNC9,3378.1%+0.1 pts

130Lewisville, NCNC14,4218.0%+5.5 pts

131Mint Hill, NCNC29,4767.8%+3.0 pts

132Locust, NCNC6,1207.8%+3.7 pts

133Silver Lake, NCNC6,5637.6%−1.4 pts

134Wake Forest, NCNC58,1477.5%−1.3 pts

135Mills River, NCNC7,5047.4%–

136Surf City, NCNC5,1427.4%−8.0 pts

137Walkertown, NCNC6,1206.9%+2.0 pts

138Half Moon, NCNC7,3786.8%−0.9 pts

139Myrtle Grove, NCNC12,6376.5%+0.7 pts

140Nashville, NCNC5,9116.3%−4.2 pts

141Northchase, NCNC5,8966.2%–

142Midway, NCNC5,1045.9%–

143Ogden, NCNC8,2495.8%+0.0 pts

144Indian Trail, NCNC44,3035.8%−0.0 pts

145Matthews, NCNC32,7695.7%+1.7 pts

146Huntersville, NCNC68,5355.7%+2.6 pts

147Pinehurst, NCNC18,6705.6%+2.8 pts

148Clemmons, NCNC22,8085.6%+2.0 pts

149Summerfield, NCNC11,3275.5%+1.6 pts

150King, NCNC7,9775.4%+1.4 pts

151Knightdale, NCNC23,1445.1%+0.4 pts

152Moyock, NCNC5,6845.0%–

153Cary, NCNC183,5825.0%+1.6 pts

154Garner, NCNC41,5624.8%−2.0 pts

155Cornelius, NCNC35,0944.6%+0.2 pts

156Harrisburg, NCNC20,7424.1%+2.7 pts

157Holly Springs, NCNC50,2883.7%−1.1 pts

158Unionville, NCNC7,3223.4%−1.9 pts

159Morrisville, NCNC32,4663.4%−1.2 pts

160Stallings, NCNC17,7603.2%−1.8 pts

161Whispering Pines, NCNC5,5053.1%+1.9 pts

162Oak Ridge, NCNC7,8962.8%−1.0 pts

163Apex, NCNC80,4192.7%+0.8 pts

164Wesley Chapel, NCNC9,5662.6%−0.8 pts

165St. James, NCNC7,3182.0%+2.0 pts

166Porters Neck, NCNC7,6541.9%–

167Carolina Shores, NCNC5,5401.5%−3.4 pts

168Marvin, NCNC7,0401.5%−0.3 pts

169Weddington, NCNC14,5171.5%+0.0 pts

170Westport, NCNC5,9150.7%−4.6 pts

SHOWING 1–170 OF 170

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