RANKING · 2024 ACS · 175 SHOWN OF 175

Lowest poverty rate, North Carolina cities

North Carolina cities with the lowest share of residents below the federal poverty line (2024 ACS). This list covers the 175 cities in North Carolina that qualify, ranked against each other statewide. The median across all 175 is 11.7%. Biggest climber in the top 100 since 2020: Wendell, NC, up 66 places to #10.

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North CarolinaAll statesPop > 5KAll rankings

SAME RANKING BYCounties States Metros ZIP codes

YEAR1990 2000 2010 2020 2024

RANKPLACESTATEPOPPOVERTY RATEVS 2000

01Briar Chapel, NCNC6,0490.6%–

02▲17Holly Ridge, NCNC5,9080.8%−23.4 pts

03Rolesville, NCNC12,8391.1%−11.4 pts

04▲11Apex, NCNC80,4192.2%+0.3 pts

05▲2Lake Norman of Iredell, NCNC12,4942.5%−4.6 pts

06▲8Westport, NCNC5,9152.6%−2.7 pts

07▲36Mills River, NCNC7,5042.6%–

08▲13Huntersville, NCNC68,5353.1%0.0 pts

09▲22Morrisville, NCNC32,4663.1%−1.5 pts

10▲66Wendell, NCNC19,6873.2%−9.4 pts

11▲11Oak Ridge, NCNC7,8963.6%−0.2 pts

12▲21Matthews, NCNC32,7693.7%−0.4 pts

13▼4Harrisburg, NCNC20,7423.7%+2.3 pts

14▼4Porters Neck, NCNC7,6543.8%–

15Barbecue, NCNC5,9103.9%–

16▲16Carolina Shores, NCNC5,5403.9%−0.9 pts

17▼11Weddington, NCNC14,5174.0%+2.5 pts

18▲16Midland, NCNC5,1514.1%–

19▲29Spout Springs, NCNC11,2424.2%–

20▲15Lake Norman of Catawba, NCNC9,9064.2%–

21▼10St. James, NCNC7,3184.3%+4.3 pts

22▲3Pinehurst, NCNC18,6704.3%+1.5 pts

23▼19Wesley Chapel, NCNC9,5664.5%+1.1 pts

24▲23Murraysville, NCNC16,3394.5%−5.2 pts

25▼5Wake Forest, NCNC58,1474.5%−4.3 pts

26▼13Waxhaw, NCNC23,1404.5%+0.2 pts

27▼3Stallings, NCNC17,7604.8%−0.3 pts

28▼5Holly Springs, NCNC50,2884.8%0.0 pts

29▼24Ogden, NCNC8,2494.8%−1.0 pts

30▲43Lillington, NCNC5,0404.9%−15.5 pts

31▲10Midway, NCNC5,1045.0%–

32▲19Archdale, NCNC12,2545.2%−0.5 pts

33▼4Whispering Pines, NCNC5,5055.3%+4.1 pts

34▼4Knightdale, NCNC23,1445.3%+0.6 pts

35▲2Indian Trail, NCNC44,3035.4%−0.4 pts

36▲9Cornelius, NCNC35,0945.4%+1.0 pts

37▲13Surf City, NCNC5,1425.5%−9.9 pts

38▲15Stokesdale, NCNC6,1335.6%+0.3 pts

39▼12Cary, NCNC183,5825.7%+2.2 pts

40▲23Gibsonville, NCNC9,8765.8%−3.1 pts

41▲17Clayton, NCNC32,6335.9%−5.5 pts

42▼24Black Mountain, NCNC8,4915.9%−4.2 pts

43▲12Carolina Beach, NCNC6,8706.0%−3.4 pts

44▼8Leland, NCNC35,7316.1%−12.7 pts

45▼3Myrtle Grove, NCNC12,6376.2%+0.4 pts

46▼30Cramerton, NCNC5,7136.2%+1.3 pts

47▼21Clemmons, NCNC22,8086.5%+3.0 pts

48▼46Moyock, NCNC5,6846.8%–

49▼11Davidson, NCNC16,6627.0%+0.9 pts

50▼22King, NCNC7,9777.0%+3.0 pts

51▼11Summerfield, NCNC11,3277.1%+3.2 pts

52▲19Mebane, NCNC21,9527.2%−4.7 pts

53▲3Mooresville, NCNC55,8427.3%+0.1 pts

54▼46Marvin, NCNC7,0407.6%+5.7 pts

55▼3Fletcher, NCNC8,3737.6%+0.2 pts

56▲46Half Moon, NCNC7,3787.9%+0.2 pts

57▲44Belmont, NCNC16,4157.9%−1.6 pts

58▲3Hillsborough, NCNC9,7788.0%−4.6 pts

59▲3Mount Holly, NCNC19,0338.2%−2.6 pts

60▲5Fuquay-Varina, NCNC48,5368.2%−2.9 pts

61▼15Mint Hill, NCNC29,4768.4%+3.6 pts

62▼5Garner, NCNC41,5628.4%+1.6 pts

63▲12Boiling Spring Lakes, NCNC6,8758.5%−1.0 pts

64▼10Oak Island, NCNC9,3378.7%+0.6 pts

65▼1Locust, NCNC6,1208.7%+4.6 pts

66▲31Zebulon, NCNC11,9339.0%−7.1 pts

67▼7Kill Devil Hills, NCNC7,7319.1%+0.9 pts

68▼51Unionville, NCNC7,3229.4%+4.1 pts

69▲11Hampstead, NCNC9,2929.5%–

70▲16Southern Pines, NCNC17,3579.6%−5.0 pts

71▼5Concord, NCNC114,5989.6%+1.5 pts

72▼33Pleasant Garden, NCNC5,1659.7%+0.8 pts

73▲39Silver Lake, NCNC6,5639.7%+0.6 pts

74▼15Winterville, NCNC10,9739.8%−1.8 pts

75▲55Sawmills, NCNC5,1059.9%+1.0 pts

76▲5Lewisville, NCNC14,42110.2%+7.8 pts

77▲36Shallotte, NCNC5,33510.3%+2.3 pts

78▼34Aberdeen, NCNC10,06610.5%−3.3 pts

79▲19Dallas, NCNC6,39210.5%−8.7 pts

80▲14Angier, NCNC9,41010.6%−5.7 pts

81▲22Wrightsboro, NCNC6,28710.7%+0.2 pts

82▼13Walkertown, NCNC6,12010.8%+5.8 pts

83▼1Piney Green, NCNC14,07810.8%+0.3 pts

84▼10Long View, NCNC5,38711.3%−4.0 pts

85▼15Trinity, NCNC7,27411.6%+3.1 pts

86▼7Charlotte, NCNC964,78411.7%+1.1 pts

87▲9Durham, NCNC305,56111.7%−3.3 pts

88▼16Pittsboro, NCNC5,05411.7%−6.6 pts

89▼11Raleigh, NCNC506,30611.9%+0.4 pts

90▼22Newton, NCNC13,82212.0%−0.1 pts

91▲4Carrboro, NCNC20,96212.2%−6.9 pts

92▼2Cherryville, NCNC6,52312.4%+3.3 pts

93▼9East Flat Rock, NCNC6,32312.6%−8.0 pts

94▼3Kannapolis, NCNC61,70812.6%+2.0 pts

95▼18Kernersville, NCNC29,12812.6%+4.1 pts

96▼4Jacksonville, NCNC72,73212.7%−1.5 pts

97▲17Elizabeth City, NCNC19,62213.3%−13.9 pts

98▲2Monroe, NCNC42,64413.3%−3.9 pts

99▼10Pineville, NCNC11,85113.8%+7.3 pts

100▲34Woodfin, NCNC8,22914.1%−7.5 pts

101▲8Hope Mills, NCNC18,32414.1%+6.2 pts

102▼15Asheville, NCNC93,52314.3%−1.3 pts

103▲3Havelock, NCNC17,43014.3%+5.7 pts

104▼92Etowah, NCNC7,96814.4%+8.5 pts

105▲17Hendersonville, NCNC15,86714.6%−2.2 pts

106▲2Anderson Creek, NCNC13,92714.6%–

107▲9Lenoir, NCNC18,37214.6%+0.3 pts

108▼41Kings Grant, NCNC9,00314.7%+8.0 pts

109▼10Butner, NCNC8,11215.0%+9.8 pts

110▼17Brevard, NCNC8,09815.1%+4.3 pts

111▼7High Point, NCNC120,57115.7%+2.5 pts

112▼29Conover, NCNC8,93815.7%+3.5 pts

113▲19Waynesville, NCNC11,00615.9%+0.4 pts

114▲10Wilmington, NCNC126,80916.0%−3.6 pts

115▼66St. Stephens, NCNC9,45716.2%+9.1 pts

116▲11Thomasville, NCNC27,73316.3%+0.1 pts

117▼10Gastonia, NCNC87,06716.3%+1.3 pts

118▲5Burlington, NCNC61,49616.4%+2.7 pts

119▼31Bessemer City, NCNC5,83416.4%+4.5 pts

120▲33Swannanoa, NCNC6,90116.8%+5.4 pts

121▲31Graham, NCNC20,13116.8%+1.9 pts

122▼2Nashville, NCNC5,91116.9%+6.3 pts

123▼8Greensboro, NCNC308,66717.0%+4.8 pts

124▼13Hickory, NCNC45,97517.1%+5.8 pts

125▼7New Bern, NCNC34,72417.3%−2.2 pts

126▼16Archer Lodge, NCNC5,64917.4%–

127▲4Shelby, NCNC23,30917.6%−0.2 pts

128▲7Spring Lake, NCNC11,25217.7%−6.0 pts

129Fayetteville, NCNC209,12017.7%+2.9 pts

130▼5Winston-Salem, NCNC257,27117.7%+2.5 pts

131▼46Morehead City, NCNC10,43418.1%+3.5 pts

132▼27Creedmoor, NCNC5,04618.2%+6.7 pts

133▲21Roanoke Rapids, NCNC14,38618.4%−0.4 pts

134▲2Tarboro, NCNC10,97918.5%+3.2 pts

135▼18Chapel Hill, NCNC63,56518.6%−3.0 pts

136▲4Eden, NCNC15,50019.2%+2.0 pts

137▲8Mocksville, NCNC6,28219.2%+6.6 pts

138▲5Dunn, NCNC8,81419.7%−3.9 pts

139▼11Rocky Mount, NCNC55,12019.7%−0.4 pts

140▼14Asheboro, NCNC27,99019.7%+3.9 pts

141▲9Elon, NCNC11,36620.0%–

142▼21Statesville, NCNC32,18120.4%+4.3 pts

143▲4Reidsville, NCNC14,69221.1%+6.0 pts

144▲2Hamlet, NCNC5,87021.6%−0.6 pts

145▼12Sanford, NCNC34,13822.0%+4.8 pts

146▼27Northchase, NCNC5,89622.3%–

147▼5Ayden, NCNC5,26322.4%−3.8 pts

148▼7Lincolnton, NCNC12,46522.7%+5.3 pts

149▼1Goldsboro, NCNC35,01222.8%+3.6 pts

150▲8Kings Mountain, NCNC12,11723.0%+3.7 pts

151▼7Wilson, NCNC49,57223.0%+1.4 pts

152▲12Washington, NCNC9,91023.1%−5.6 pts

153▲3Marion, NCNC7,44023.5%+6.3 pts

154▲6Clinton, NCNC8,46623.6%+0.2 pts

155▲6Greenville, NCNC96,44324.6%−1.4 pts

156▲14Selma, NCNC7,40624.7%−5.3 pts

157▼20Albemarle, NCNC17,76924.9%+9.2 pts

158▼1Morganton, NCNC17,84925.7%+12.2 pts

159▼20Salisbury, NCNC36,87926.3%+10.3 pts

160▲6Mount Airy, NCNC10,68226.9%+7.0 pts

161▲4Henderson, NCNC15,01327.3%−0.9 pts

162▼11Smithfield, NCNC13,11427.3%+6.7 pts

163▲8Wadesboro, NCNC5,03527.4%+2.2 pts

164▼9Lexington, NCNC20,23827.8%+6.5 pts

165▼3Kinston, NCNC19,70527.9%+4.9 pts

166▼17Oxford, NCNC8,98528.3%+7.0 pts

167▼8Rockingham, NCNC8,81530.6%+10.2 pts

168▼1Lumberton, NCNC18,95530.8%+4.9 pts

169▲3Laurinburg, NCNC14,58231.1%+7.5 pts

170▼1Forest City, NCNC7,41032.1%+12.9 pts

171▼3Roxboro, NCNC8,38033.3%+16.4 pts

172▼34Siler City, NCNC8,15533.9%+19.2 pts

173▼10Williamston, NCNC5,08636.3%+7.3 pts

174▼1Cullowhee, NCNC7,97345.8%+4.4 pts

175▼1Boone, NCNC19,92951.2%+14.2 pts

SHOWING 1–175 OF 175

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