RANKING · 2020 CENSUS · 174 SHOWN OF 174

Highest poverty rate, North Carolina cities · 2020

North Carolina cities with the highest share of residents below the federal poverty line (2020 ACS). This list covers the 174 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, NCNC19,92952.7%+15.7 pts

02Cullowhee, NCNC7,97347.6%+6.1 pts

03Laurinburg, NCNC14,58236.7%+13.1 pts

04Wadesboro, NCNC5,03535.9%+10.7 pts

05Selma, NCNC7,40635.3%+5.3 pts

06Forest City, NCNC7,41034.6%+15.4 pts

07Roxboro, NCNC8,38033.3%+16.5 pts

08Lumberton, NCNC18,95531.3%+5.4 pts

09Mount Airy, NCNC10,68229.5%+9.6 pts

10Henderson, NCNC15,01329.3%+1.0 pts

11Washington, NCNC9,91028.4%−0.3 pts

12Williamston, NCNC5,08628.4%−0.6 pts

13Kinston, NCNC19,70527.4%+4.4 pts

14Greenville, NCNC96,44327.3%+1.3 pts

15Clinton, NCNC8,46627.1%+3.7 pts

16Rockingham, NCNC8,81526.7%+6.3 pts

17Kings Mountain, NCNC12,11726.2%+7.0 pts

18Morganton, NCNC17,84926.1%+12.5 pts

19Marion, NCNC7,44025.4%+8.1 pts

20Lexington, NCNC20,23825.1%+3.8 pts

21Roanoke Rapids, NCNC14,38625.0%+6.3 pts

22Swannanoa, NCNC6,90125.0%+13.6 pts

23Graham, NCNC20,13124.8%+9.9 pts

24Smithfield, NCNC13,11424.7%+4.1 pts

25Elon, NCNC11,36624.6%–

26Oxford, NCNC8,98524.4%+3.1 pts

27Goldsboro, NCNC35,01224.3%+5.1 pts

28Reidsville, NCNC14,69223.5%+8.3 pts

29Hamlet, NCNC5,87023.4%+1.2 pts

30Mocksville, NCNC6,28223.2%+10.7 pts

31Wilson, NCNC49,57223.2%+1.6 pts

32Dunn, NCNC8,81422.9%−0.6 pts

33Ayden, NCNC5,26322.5%−3.8 pts

34Lincolnton, NCNC12,46522.1%+4.8 pts

35Eden, NCNC15,50021.9%+4.7 pts

36Salisbury, NCNC36,87921.9%+5.8 pts

37Siler City, NCNC8,15521.9%+7.2 pts

38Albemarle, NCNC17,76921.9%+6.2 pts

39Tarboro, NCNC10,97921.2%+5.8 pts

40Spring Lake, NCNC11,25221.2%−2.5 pts

41Woodfin, NCNC8,22920.9%−0.6 pts

42Sanford, NCNC34,13820.5%+3.3 pts

43Waynesville, NCNC11,00620.4%+4.9 pts

44Shelby, NCNC23,30920.2%+2.4 pts

45Sawmills, NCNC5,10520.1%+11.2 pts

46Fayetteville, NCNC209,12019.9%+5.1 pts

47Rocky Mount, NCNC55,12019.7%−0.4 pts

48Thomasville, NCNC27,73319.5%+3.3 pts

49Asheboro, NCNC27,99019.4%+3.6 pts

50Winston-Salem, NCNC257,27119.2%+4.0 pts

51Wilmington, NCNC126,80919.2%−0.4 pts

52Burlington, NCNC61,49619.1%+5.5 pts

53Hendersonville, NCNC15,86718.9%+2.2 pts

54Statesville, NCNC32,18118.8%+2.7 pts

55Nashville, NCNC5,91118.7%+8.2 pts

56Northchase, NCNC5,89618.5%–

57New Bern, NCNC34,72418.5%−0.9 pts

58Chapel Hill, NCNC63,56518.5%−3.1 pts

59Lenoir, NCNC18,37218.5%+4.2 pts

60Greensboro, NCNC308,66718.4%+6.2 pts

61Elizabeth City, NCNC19,62218.1%−9.1 pts

62Shallotte, NCNC5,33517.9%+10.0 pts

63Silver Lake, NCNC6,56316.9%+7.9 pts

64Hickory, NCNC45,97516.9%+5.6 pts

65Archer Lodge, NCNC5,64916.7%–

66Hope Mills, NCNC18,32415.8%+8.0 pts

67Anderson Creek, NCNC13,92715.5%–

68Gastonia, NCNC87,06715.2%+0.2 pts

69Havelock, NCNC17,43015.2%+6.6 pts

70Creedmoor, NCNC5,04615.2%+3.7 pts

71High Point, NCNC120,57115.1%+1.9 pts

72Wrightsboro, NCNC6,28715.1%+4.6 pts

73Half Moon, NCNC7,37815.0%+7.3 pts

74Belmont, NCNC16,41514.5%+4.9 pts

75Monroe, NCNC42,64414.5%−2.8 pts

76Butner, NCNC8,11214.3%+9.0 pts

77Dallas, NCNC6,39214.3%−5.0 pts

78Zebulon, NCNC11,93314.2%−1.8 pts

79Durham, NCNC305,56114.2%−0.8 pts

80Carrboro, NCNC20,96214.1%−4.9 pts

81Angier, NCNC9,41014.1%−2.2 pts

82Brevard, NCNC8,09814.0%+3.2 pts

83Jacksonville, NCNC72,73213.7%−0.4 pts

84Kannapolis, NCNC61,70813.6%+3.1 pts

85Cherryville, NCNC6,52313.4%+4.2 pts

86Pineville, NCNC11,85113.4%+6.8 pts

87Bessemer City, NCNC5,83413.3%+1.5 pts

88Asheville, NCNC93,52313.3%−2.2 pts

89Southern Pines, NCNC17,35713.0%−1.6 pts

90Morehead City, NCNC10,43413.0%−1.6 pts

91East Flat Rock, NCNC6,32312.7%−7.9 pts

92Conover, NCNC8,93812.5%+0.3 pts

93Piney Green, NCNC14,07812.3%+1.8 pts

94Lewisville, NCNC14,42112.2%+9.8 pts

95Hampstead, NCNC9,29212.0%–

96Charlotte, NCNC964,78411.9%+1.3 pts

97Raleigh, NCNC506,30611.8%+0.4 pts

98Kernersville, NCNC29,12811.8%+3.3 pts

99Wendell, NCNC19,68711.4%−1.2 pts

100Boiling Spring Lakes, NCNC6,87511.2%+1.7 pts

101Long View, NCNC5,38711.1%−4.2 pts

102Lillington, NCNC5,04011.1%−9.2 pts

103Pittsboro, NCNC5,05410.7%−7.6 pts

104Mebane, NCNC21,95210.7%−1.2 pts

105Trinity, NCNC7,27410.6%+2.0 pts

106Walkertown, NCNC6,12010.4%+5.5 pts

107Newton, NCNC13,82210.3%−1.8 pts

108Kings Grant, NCNC9,00310.0%+3.3 pts

109Concord, NCNC114,59810.0%+1.8 pts

110Fuquay-Varina, NCNC48,5369.9%−1.2 pts

111Locust, NCNC6,1209.8%+5.7 pts

112Gibsonville, NCNC9,8769.4%+0.6 pts

113Mount Holly, NCNC19,0339.4%−1.4 pts

114Hillsborough, NCNC9,7789.4%−3.2 pts

115Kill Devil Hills, NCNC7,7319.1%+0.9 pts

116Winterville, NCNC10,9739.1%−2.5 pts

117Clayton, NCNC32,6339.1%−2.3 pts

118Garner, NCNC41,5628.9%+2.1 pts

119Mooresville, NCNC55,8428.9%+1.7 pts

120Carolina Beach, NCNC6,8708.6%−0.8 pts

121Oak Island, NCNC9,3378.2%+0.2 pts

122Stokesdale, NCNC6,1338.1%+2.8 pts

123Fletcher, NCNC8,3737.9%+0.6 pts

124Archdale, NCNC12,2547.9%+2.3 pts

125Surf City, NCNC5,1427.8%−7.5 pts

126St. Stephens, NCNC9,4577.4%+0.3 pts

127Spout Springs, NCNC11,2427.3%–

128Murraysville, NCNC16,3397.2%−2.4 pts

129Mint Hill, NCNC29,4767.2%+2.4 pts

130Cornelius, NCNC35,0947.0%+2.6 pts

131Aberdeen, NCNC10,0667.0%−6.8 pts

132Mills River, NCNC7,5046.9%–

133Myrtle Grove, NCNC12,6376.8%+1.0 pts

134Midway, NCNC5,1046.8%–

135Summerfield, NCNC11,3276.5%+2.7 pts

136Pleasant Garden, NCNC5,1656.3%−2.6 pts

137Davidson, NCNC16,6626.0%−0.1 pts

138Indian Trail, NCNC44,3035.8%+0.0 pts

139Leland, NCNC35,7315.6%−13.2 pts

140Lake Norman of Catawba, NCNC9,9065.6%–

141Midland, NCNC5,1515.5%–

142Matthews, NCNC32,7695.2%+1.2 pts

143Carolina Shores, NCNC5,5405.1%+0.2 pts

144Morrisville, NCNC32,4665.1%+0.5 pts

145Knightdale, NCNC23,1445.0%+0.3 pts

146Whispering Pines, NCNC5,5054.9%+3.7 pts

147King, NCNC7,9774.8%+0.8 pts

148Cary, NCNC183,5824.7%+1.3 pts

149Clemmons, NCNC22,8084.7%+1.1 pts

150Pinehurst, NCNC18,6704.2%+1.5 pts

151Stallings, NCNC17,7604.2%−0.8 pts

152Holly Springs, NCNC50,2884.2%−0.6 pts

153Oak Ridge, NCNC7,8964.1%+0.3 pts

154Huntersville, NCNC68,5354.0%+1.0 pts

155Wake Forest, NCNC58,1474.0%−4.8 pts

156Holly Ridge, NCNC5,9084.0%−20.2 pts

157Black Mountain, NCNC8,4913.9%−6.2 pts

158Unionville, NCNC7,3223.7%−1.7 pts

159Cramerton, NCNC5,7133.6%−1.3 pts

160Apex, NCNC80,4193.6%+1.7 pts

161Westport, NCNC5,9153.6%−1.7 pts

162Waxhaw, NCNC23,1403.6%−0.7 pts

163Etowah, NCNC7,9683.4%−2.5 pts

164St. James, NCNC7,3183.2%+3.2 pts

165Porters Neck, NCNC7,6543.2%–

166Harrisburg, NCNC20,7422.9%+1.5 pts

167Marvin, NCNC7,0402.4%+0.5 pts

168Lake Norman of Iredell, NCNC12,4942.4%−4.7 pts

169Weddington, NCNC14,5172.4%+0.9 pts

170Ogden, NCNC8,2492.4%−3.4 pts

171Wesley Chapel, NCNC9,5661.8%−1.6 pts

172Rolesville, NCNC12,8390.9%−11.6 pts

173Moyock, NCNC5,6840.2%–

174Briar Chapel, NCNC6,0490.0%–

SHOWING 1–174 OF 174

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