RANKING · 2020 CENSUS · 100 SHOWN OF 100

Highest poverty rate, North Carolina counties · 2020

North Carolina counties with the highest share of residents below the federal poverty line (2020 ACS). This list covers the 100 counties in North Carolina that qualify, ranked against each other statewide.

Flip the list · Lowest poverty rate, US counties →

North CarolinaAll states All rankings

SAME RANKING BYCities States Metros ZIP codes

YEAR1990 2000 2010 2020 2024

RANKPLACESTATEPOPPOVERTY RATEVS 2000

01Washington County, NCNC10,63827.3%+26%

02Scotland County, NCNC33,32227.3%+33%

03Robeson County, NCNC119,94127.1%+19%

04Halifax County, NCNC46,53425.6%+7%

05Bertie County, NCNC17,08625.0%+7%

06Watauga County, NCNC54,78624.5%+37%

07Bladen County, NCNC30,00724.3%+16%

08Jones County, NCNC9,57523.5%+39%

09Alleghany County, NCNC11,47922.6%+32%

10Richmond County, NCNC42,04122.4%+14%

11Edgecombe County, NCNC49,12122.3%+14%

12Columbus County, NCNC50,48722.1%−3%

13Lenoir County, NCNC55,83722.0%+33%

14Sampson County, NCNC61,50421.7%+24%

15Hyde County, NCNC4,55421.6%+40%

16Greene County, NCNC20,70021.2%+5%

17Warren County, NCNC18,89820.9%+7%

18Pitt County, NCNC182,93620.8%+2%

19Hertford County, NCNC19,01520.5%+12%

20Martin County, NCNC21,60120.4%+1%

21Northampton County, NCNC16,49120.1%−5%

22Vance County, NCNC42,63820.0%−2%

23Wilson County, NCNC81,15019.9%+8%

24Chowan County, NCNC14,08219.6%+11%

25Cleveland County, NCNC103,32519.1%+44%

26Tyrrell County, NCNC3,53718.9%−19%

27Anson County, NCNC21,75818.8%+6%

28Cumberland County, NCNC338,47318.7%+47%

29Wayne County, NCNC122,27818.7%+35%

30Hoke County, NCNC56,93918.6%+5%

31Burke County, NCNC88,65518.5%+74%

32Duplin County, NCNC51,57118.2%−6%

33Jackson County, NCNC45,03918.0%+19%

34Rockingham County, NCNC94,19517.9%+40%

35Cherokee County, NCNC30,83017.8%+16%

36Rutherford County, NCNC65,74517.8%+28%

37Beaufort County, NCNC44,67017.8%−9%

38Swain County, NCNC14,02417.0%−7%

39Montgomery County, NCNC26,40316.9%+10%

40Surry County, NCNC72,28716.4%+32%

41Wilkes County, NCNC66,23316.4%+39%

42Lee County, NCNC70,25816.3%+27%

43Person County, NCNC40,63616.3%+36%

44Rowan County, NCNC155,09616.2%+53%

45Caswell County, NCNC22,56316.2%+12%

46Macon County, NCNC39,23216.0%+27%

47Forsyth County, NCNC401,71815.8%+43%

48Harnett County, NCNC150,13715.8%+6%

49Nash County, NCNC99,36515.8%+17%

50McDowell County, NCNC45,19815.6%+34%

51Pamlico County, NCNC12,75815.5%+1%

52Alamance County, NCNC186,17715.4%+38%

53Guilford County, NCNC562,23415.3%+44%

54Davidson County, NCNC180,18215.2%+50%

55Ashe County, NCNC27,51414.8%+10%

56Yancey County, NCNC19,08414.7%−7%

57New Hanover County, NCNC245,95914.6%+12%

58Randolph County, NCNC149,51614.6%+60%

59Transylvania County, NCNC34,21114.4%+52%

60Craven County, NCNC105,02514.3%+10%

61Madison County, NCNC22,55314.3%−7%

62Granville County, NCNC61,42114.2%+22%

63Yadkin County, NCNC38,32514.1%+42%

64Pender County, NCNC72,11114.0%+3%

65Caldwell County, NCNC81,10514.0%+31%

66Graham County, NCNC8,19014.0%−28%

67Davie County, NCNC45,85513.7%+60%

68Stokes County, NCNC46,12613.6%+50%

69Gaston County, NCNC246,55813.6%+25%

70Clay County, NCNC12,23913.5%+18%

71Durham County, NCNC347,24013.5%+1%

72Avery County, NCNC18,11013.1%−14%

73Gates County, NCNC10,23413.0%−24%

74Onslow County, NCNC217,17512.4%−4%

75Orange County, NCNC152,49812.4%−12%

76Catawba County, NCNC170,17212.4%+36%

77Mitchell County, NCNC15,06212.4%−11%

78Pasquotank County, NCNC42,20112.3%−33%

79Alexander County, NCNC36,95812.3%+45%

80Johnston County, NCNC256,44812.2%−5%

81Stanly County, NCNC68,83012.2%+14%

82Lincoln County, NCNC98,65412.2%+33%

83Haywood County, NCNC63,36912.2%+6%

84Perquimans County, NCNC13,49012.1%−32%

85Buncombe County, NCNC277,41711.5%+1%

86Franklin County, NCNC82,03711.4%−9%

87Brunswick County, NCNC174,70211.1%−12%

88Mecklenburg County, NCNC1,233,38310.9%+18%

89Chatham County, NCNC85,11110.7%+10%

90Moore County, NCNC110,61910.5%−7%

91Henderson County, NCNC122,37510.5%+8%

92Polk County, NCNC20,53310.0%−0%

93Iredell County, NCNC211,7989.8%+20%

94Cabarrus County, NCNC249,7259.6%+36%

95Carteret County, NCNC70,4699.2%−14%

96Wake County, NCNC1,257,2358.5%+9%

97Dare County, NCNC38,2458.2%+2%

98Currituck County, NCNC33,1588.2%−23%

99Union County, NCNC267,6747.4%−9%

100Camden County, NCNC11,3156.4%−37%

SHOWING 1–100 OF 100

Download CSV (full list, 100 rows)

UPDATED 2026-07-15 · DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU DECENNIAL CENSUS