RANKING · 2024 ACS · 100 SHOWN OF 100

Highest poverty rate, North Carolina counties

North Carolina counties with the highest share of residents below the federal poverty line (2024 ACS). This list covers the 100 counties in North Carolina that qualify, ranked against each other statewide. The median across all 100 is 14.6%. Biggest climber in the top 100 since 2020: Polk County, NC, up 39 places to #53.

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SAME RANKING BYCities States Metros ZIP codes

YEAR1990 2000 2010 2020 2024

RANKPLACESTATEPOPPOVERTY RATEVS 2000

01▲2Robeson County, NCNC119,94127.2%+4.4 pts

02Scotland County, NCNC33,32225.8%+5.2 pts

03▲3Watauga County, NCNC54,78625.5%+7.5 pts

04▲6Richmond County, NCNC42,04125.2%+5.7 pts

05▼4Washington County, NCNC10,63824.1%+2.3 pts

06▲13Hertford County, NCNC19,01522.9%+4.6 pts

07▼3Halifax County, NCNC46,53422.8%−1.1 pts

08▲7Hyde County, NCNC4,55422.2%+6.7 pts

09▼2Bladen County, NCNC30,00722.0%+1.0 pts

10▲3Lenoir County, NCNC55,83722.0%+5.4 pts

11▲3Sampson County, NCNC61,50421.8%+4.3 pts

12▼1Edgecombe County, NCNC49,12121.7%+2.1 pts

13▲14Anson County, NCNC21,75821.7%+4.0 pts

14▲7Northampton County, NCNC16,49121.1%−0.1 pts

15▲2Warren County, NCNC18,89821.1%+1.7 pts

16Greene County, NCNC20,70021.0%+0.8 pts

17▲15Duplin County, NCNC51,57120.5%+1.0 pts

18▲2Martin County, NCNC21,60120.4%+0.2 pts

19▼1Pitt County, NCNC182,93619.8%−0.5 pts

20▲3Wilson County, NCNC81,15019.8%+1.3 pts

21▲1Vance County, NCNC42,63819.8%−0.7 pts

22▲16Swain County, NCNC14,02419.1%+0.8 pts

23▲1Chowan County, NCNC14,08219.1%+1.5 pts

24▲2Tyrrell County, NCNC3,53718.7%−4.6 pts

25▲20Caswell County, NCNC22,56318.6%+4.2 pts

26▼18Jones County, NCNC9,57518.4%+1.5 pts

27▼15Columbus County, NCNC50,48718.2%−4.5 pts

28▲5Jackson County, NCNC45,03918.0%+2.9 pts

29▲8Beaufort County, NCNC44,67017.8%−1.6 pts

30▲13Person County, NCNC40,63617.5%+5.5 pts

31▼2Wayne County, NCNC122,27817.3%+3.5 pts

32▼2Hoke County, NCNC56,93917.1%−0.6 pts

33▲7Surry County, NCNC72,28716.8%+4.4 pts

34▲2Rutherford County, NCNC65,74516.8%+2.8 pts

35▲6Wilkes County, NCNC66,23316.7%+4.9 pts

36▼8Cumberland County, NCNC338,47316.7%+3.9 pts

37▼12Cleveland County, NCNC103,32516.6%+3.3 pts

38▲4Lee County, NCNC70,25816.5%+3.6 pts

39▼5Rockingham County, NCNC94,19516.3%+3.5 pts

40▼35Bertie County, NCNC17,08616.1%−7.3 pts

41▲3Rowan County, NCNC155,09616.0%+5.4 pts

42▼33Alleghany County, NCNC11,47916.0%−1.2 pts

43▼12Burke County, NCNC88,65515.6%+4.9 pts

44▼5Montgomery County, NCNC26,40315.4%+0.1 pts

45▲36Stanly County, NCNC68,83015.2%+4.5 pts

46▲16Granville County, NCNC61,42115.2%+3.5 pts

47▲9Yancey County, NCNC19,08415.2%−0.6 pts

48▲3Pamlico County, NCNC12,75815.2%−0.2 pts

49▲1McDowell County, NCNC45,19814.8%+3.2 pts

50▲3Guilford County, NCNC562,23414.6%+4.0 pts

51▼4Forsyth County, NCNC401,71814.5%+3.5 pts

52▲6Randolph County, NCNC149,51614.5%+5.3 pts

53▲39Polk County, NCNC20,53314.0%+3.9 pts

54▲9Yadkin County, NCNC38,32514.0%+4.0 pts

55▼7Harnett County, NCNC150,13713.7%−1.2 pts

56▲4Craven County, NCNC105,02513.7%+0.6 pts

57▲12Gaston County, NCNC246,55813.5%+2.7 pts

58▼3Ashe County, NCNC27,51413.5%0.0 pts

59▲6Caldwell County, NCNC81,10513.4%+2.7 pts

60▼8Alamance County, NCNC186,17713.4%+2.2 pts

61▼2Transylvania County, NCNC34,21113.2%+3.7 pts

62▲21Haywood County, NCNC63,36913.1%+1.6 pts

63▲14Mitchell County, NCNC15,06212.9%−0.9 pts

64▲6Clay County, NCNC12,23912.9%+1.4 pts

65▼11Davidson County, NCNC180,18212.8%+2.8 pts

66▲10Catawba County, NCNC170,17212.7%+3.7 pts

67▲12Alexander County, NCNC36,95812.6%+4.1 pts

68▲7Orange County, NCNC152,49812.5%−1.7 pts

69▼34Cherokee County, NCNC30,83012.4%−3.0 pts

70▼13New Hanover County, NCNC245,95912.3%−0.8 pts

71▼10Madison County, NCNC22,55312.1%−3.3 pts

72▼23Nash County, NCNC99,36511.8%−1.6 pts

73▲12Buncombe County, NCNC277,41711.8%+0.4 pts

74▼28Macon County, NCNC39,23211.6%−1.0 pts

75▼1Onslow County, NCNC217,17511.6%−1.3 pts

76▲15Henderson County, NCNC122,37511.6%+1.8 pts

77▼6Durham County, NCNC347,24011.5%−1.9 pts

78▲4Lincoln County, NCNC98,65411.2%+2.1 pts

79▼11Stokes County, NCNC46,12611.2%+2.1 pts

80▲6Franklin County, NCNC82,03711.1%−1.5 pts

81▲8Chatham County, NCNC85,11111.0%+1.3 pts

82▼4Pasquotank County, NCNC42,20111.0%−7.4 pts

83▼3Johnston County, NCNC256,44810.6%−2.2 pts

84▲4Mecklenburg County, NCNC1,233,38310.4%+1.2 pts

85▼13Avery County, NCNC18,11010.2%−5.1 pts

86▲4Moore County, NCNC110,61910.1%−1.3 pts

87▲8Carteret County, NCNC70,46910.1%−0.6 pts

88▲5Iredell County, NCNC211,79810.0%+1.9 pts

89▼5Perquimans County, NCNC13,4909.8%−8.1 pts

90▼26Pender County, NCNC72,1119.7%−3.9 pts

91▼18Gates County, NCNC10,2349.4%−7.6 pts

92▼25Davie County, NCNC45,8559.4%+0.8 pts

93▲1Cabarrus County, NCNC249,7259.3%+2.2 pts

94▼7Brunswick County, NCNC174,7029.2%−3.3 pts

95▲1Wake County, NCNC1,257,2358.1%+0.3 pts

96▲3Union County, NCNC267,6747.7%−0.5 pts

97▲1Currituck County, NCNC33,1587.5%−3.2 pts

98▼32Graham County, NCNC8,1906.7%−12.8 pts

99▼2Dare County, NCNC38,2456.6%−1.4 pts

100Camden County, NCNC11,3156.1%−3.9 pts

SHOWING 1–100 OF 100

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UPDATED 2026-09-11 · DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR ESTIMATES