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 (2023 ACS). This list covers the 174 cities in North Carolina that qualify, ranked against each other statewide.

Flip the list · Lowest poverty rate, US cities →

North CarolinaAll statesPop > 5KAll rankings

SAME RANKING BYCounties States Metros ZIP codes

YEAR1990 2000 2010 2020 2024

RANKPLACESTATEPOPPOVERTY RATEVS 2000

01Boone, NCNC19,92952.7%+42%

02Cullowhee, NCNC7,97347.6%+15%

03Laurinburg, NCNC14,58236.7%+55%

04Wadesboro, NCNC5,03535.9%+42%

05Selma, NCNC7,40635.3%+18%

06Forest City, NCNC7,41034.6%+80%

07Roxboro, NCNC8,38033.3%+98%

08Lumberton, NCNC18,95531.3%+21%

09Mount Airy, NCNC10,68229.5%+48%

10Henderson, NCNC15,01329.3%+4%

11Washington, NCNC9,91028.4%−1%

12Williamston, NCNC5,08628.4%−2%

13Kinston, NCNC19,70527.4%+19%

14Greenville, NCNC96,44327.3%+5%

15Clinton, NCNC8,46627.1%+16%

16Rockingham, NCNC8,81526.7%+31%

17Kings Mountain, NCNC12,11726.2%+36%

18Morganton, NCNC17,84926.1%+92%

19Marion, NCNC7,44025.4%+47%

20Lexington, NCNC20,23825.1%+18%

21Roanoke Rapids, NCNC14,38625.0%+33%

22Swannanoa, NCNC6,90125.0%+119%

23Graham, NCNC20,13124.8%+66%

24Smithfield, NCNC13,11424.7%+20%

25Elon, NCNC11,36624.6%–

26Oxford, NCNC8,98524.4%+14%

27Goldsboro, NCNC35,01224.3%+26%

28Reidsville, NCNC14,69223.5%+55%

29Hamlet, NCNC5,87023.4%+5%

30Mocksville, NCNC6,28223.2%+85%

31Wilson, NCNC49,57223.2%+7%

32Dunn, NCNC8,81422.9%−3%

33Ayden, NCNC5,26322.5%−14%

34Lincolnton, NCNC12,46522.1%+28%

35Eden, NCNC15,50021.9%+27%

36Salisbury, NCNC36,87921.9%+36%

37Siler City, NCNC8,15521.9%+49%

38Albemarle, NCNC17,76921.9%+39%

39Tarboro, NCNC10,97921.2%+38%

40Spring Lake, NCNC11,25221.2%−11%

41Woodfin, NCNC8,22920.9%−3%

42Sanford, NCNC34,13820.5%+19%

43Waynesville, NCNC11,00620.4%+31%

44Shelby, NCNC23,30920.2%+14%

45Sawmills, NCNC5,10520.1%+126%

46Fayetteville, NCNC209,12019.9%+35%

47Rocky Mount, NCNC55,12019.7%−2%

48Thomasville, NCNC27,73319.5%+21%

49Asheboro, NCNC27,99019.4%+23%

50Winston-Salem, NCNC257,27119.2%+27%

51Wilmington, NCNC126,80919.2%−2%

52Burlington, NCNC61,49619.1%+40%

53Hendersonville, NCNC15,86718.9%+13%

54Statesville, NCNC32,18118.8%+16%

55Nashville, NCNC5,91118.7%+78%

56Northchase, NCNC5,89618.5%–

57New Bern, NCNC34,72418.5%−5%

58Chapel Hill, NCNC63,56518.5%−14%

59Lenoir, NCNC18,37218.5%+29%

60Greensboro, NCNC308,66718.4%+50%

61Elizabeth City, NCNC19,62218.1%−34%

62Shallotte, NCNC5,33517.9%+125%

63Silver Lake, NCNC6,56316.9%+87%

64Hickory, NCNC45,97516.9%+50%

65Archer Lodge, NCNC5,64916.7%–

66Hope Mills, NCNC18,32415.8%+102%

67Anderson Creek, NCNC13,92715.5%–

68Gastonia, NCNC87,06715.2%+1%

69Havelock, NCNC17,43015.2%+77%

70Creedmoor, NCNC5,04615.2%+32%

71High Point, NCNC120,57115.1%+14%

72Wrightsboro, NCNC6,28715.1%+44%

73Half Moon, NCNC7,37815.0%+96%

74Belmont, NCNC16,41514.5%+52%

75Monroe, NCNC42,64414.5%−16%

76Butner, NCNC8,11214.3%+172%

77Dallas, NCNC6,39214.3%−26%

78Zebulon, NCNC11,93314.2%−11%

79Durham, NCNC305,56114.2%−5%

80Carrboro, NCNC20,96214.1%−26%

81Angier, NCNC9,41014.1%−14%

82Brevard, NCNC8,09814.0%+30%

83Jacksonville, NCNC72,73213.7%−3%

84Kannapolis, NCNC61,70813.6%+29%

85Cherryville, NCNC6,52313.4%+46%

86Pineville, NCNC11,85113.4%+104%

87Bessemer City, NCNC5,83413.3%+12%

88Asheville, NCNC93,52313.3%−14%

89Southern Pines, NCNC17,35713.0%−11%

90Morehead City, NCNC10,43413.0%−11%

91East Flat Rock, NCNC6,32312.7%−38%

92Conover, NCNC8,93812.5%+3%

93Piney Green, NCNC14,07812.3%+18%

94Lewisville, NCNC14,42112.2%+397%

95Hampstead, NCNC9,29212.0%–

96Charlotte, NCNC964,78411.9%+13%

97Raleigh, NCNC506,30611.8%+3%

98Kernersville, NCNC29,12811.8%+40%

99Wendell, NCNC19,68711.4%−9%

100Boiling Spring Lakes, NCNC6,87511.2%+17%

101Long View, NCNC5,38711.1%−27%

102Lillington, NCNC5,04011.1%−45%

103Pittsboro, NCNC5,05410.7%−41%

104Mebane, NCNC21,95210.7%−10%

105Trinity, NCNC7,27410.6%+24%

106Walkertown, NCNC6,12010.4%+111%

107Newton, NCNC13,82210.3%−15%

108Kings Grant, NCNC9,00310.0%+49%

109Concord, NCNC114,59810.0%+22%

110Fuquay-Varina, NCNC48,5369.9%−11%

111Locust, NCNC6,1209.8%+140%

112Gibsonville, NCNC9,8769.4%+7%

113Mount Holly, NCNC19,0339.4%−13%

114Hillsborough, NCNC9,7789.4%−26%

115Kill Devil Hills, NCNC7,7319.1%+11%

116Winterville, NCNC10,9739.1%−21%

117Clayton, NCNC32,6339.1%−20%

118Garner, NCNC41,5628.9%+30%

119Mooresville, NCNC55,8428.9%+24%

120Carolina Beach, NCNC6,8708.6%−9%

121Oak Island, NCNC9,3378.2%+2%

122Stokesdale, NCNC6,1338.1%+54%

123Fletcher, NCNC8,3737.9%+8%

124Archdale, NCNC12,2547.9%+40%

125Surf City, NCNC5,1427.8%−49%

126St. Stephens, NCNC9,4577.4%+5%

127Spout Springs, NCNC11,2427.3%–

128Murraysville, NCNC16,3397.2%−25%

129Mint Hill, NCNC29,4767.2%+49%

130Cornelius, NCNC35,0947.0%+59%

131Aberdeen, NCNC10,0667.0%−49%

132Mills River, NCNC7,5046.9%–

133Myrtle Grove, NCNC12,6376.8%+18%

134Midway, NCNC5,1046.8%–

135Summerfield, NCNC11,3276.5%+69%

136Pleasant Garden, NCNC5,1656.3%−29%

137Davidson, NCNC16,6626.0%−1%

138Indian Trail, NCNC44,3035.8%+1%

139Leland, NCNC35,7315.6%−70%

140Lake Norman of Catawba, NCNC9,9065.6%–

141Midland, NCNC5,1515.5%–

142Matthews, NCNC32,7695.2%+30%

143Carolina Shores, NCNC5,5405.1%+5%

144Morrisville, NCNC32,4665.1%+10%

145Knightdale, NCNC23,1445.0%+7%

146Whispering Pines, NCNC5,5054.9%+316%

147King, NCNC7,9774.8%+20%

148Cary, NCNC183,5824.7%+37%

149Clemmons, NCNC22,8084.7%+33%

150Pinehurst, NCNC18,6704.2%+52%

151Stallings, NCNC17,7604.2%−16%

152Holly Springs, NCNC50,2884.2%−12%

153Oak Ridge, NCNC7,8964.1%+8%

154Huntersville, NCNC68,5354.0%+32%

155Wake Forest, NCNC58,1474.0%−55%

156Holly Ridge, NCNC5,9084.0%−84%

157Black Mountain, NCNC8,4913.9%−61%

158Unionville, NCNC7,3223.7%−31%

159Cramerton, NCNC5,7133.6%−26%

160Apex, NCNC80,4193.6%+90%

161Westport, NCNC5,9153.6%−32%

162Waxhaw, NCNC23,1403.6%−17%

163Etowah, NCNC7,9683.4%−42%

164St. James, NCNC7,3183.2%–

165Porters Neck, NCNC7,6543.2%–

166Harrisburg, NCNC20,7422.9%+101%

167Marvin, NCNC7,0402.4%+29%

168Lake Norman of Iredell, NCNC12,4942.4%−66%

169Weddington, NCNC14,5172.4%+59%

170Ogden, NCNC8,2492.4%−59%

171Wesley Chapel, NCNC9,5661.8%−47%

172Rolesville, NCNC12,8390.9%−93%

173Moyock, NCNC5,6840.2%–

174Briar Chapel, NCNC6,0490.0%–

SHOWING 1–174 OF 174

Download CSV (full list, 174 rows)

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