RANKING · 2024 ACS · 175 SHOWN OF 175

Most residents in poverty, North Carolina cities

North Carolina cities with the most residents living below the poverty line, as of the 2024 American Community Survey. Ranked by number of people, not the poverty rate. This list covers the 175 cities in North Carolina that qualify, ranked against each other statewide. The median across all 175 is 1,493. Biggest climber in the top 100 since 2020: St. Stephens, NC, up 53 places to #85.

North CarolinaAll statesPop > 5KAll rankings

SAME RANKING BYCounties States Metros

YEAR1990 2000 2010 2020 2024

RANKPLACESTATEPOPRESIDENTS IN POVERTYVS 2000

01Charlotte, NCNC964,784105,459+84%

02Raleigh, NCNC506,30657,181+81%

03Greensboro, NCNC308,66751,241+87%

04Winston-Salem, NCNC257,27144,689+58%

05Fayetteville, NCNC209,12037,305+108%

06Durham, NCNC305,56134,041+22%

07Greenville, NCNC96,44322,888+45%

08Wilmington, NCNC126,80919,310+30%

09High Point, NCNC120,57118,226+61%

10▲1Gastonia, NCNC87,06713,505+36%

11▼1Asheville, NCNC93,52313,476+26%

12Chapel Hill, NCNC63,56511,449+9%

13Wilson, NCNC49,57211,117+16%

14▲1Rocky Mount, NCNC55,12010,680−5%

15▲1Concord, NCNC114,59810,458+129%

16▲1Boone, NCNC19,92910,259+106%

17▲2Cary, NCNC183,58210,146+213%

18▼4Burlington, NCNC61,4969,749+59%

19▲2Salisbury, NCNC36,8799,436+122%

20▼2Jacksonville, NCNC72,7329,033−4%

21▼1Goldsboro, NCNC35,0127,825+4%

22Hickory, NCNC45,9757,575+80%

23Kannapolis, NCNC61,7087,276+87%

24Sanford, NCNC34,1386,919+74%

25▲4Statesville, NCNC32,1816,109+62%

26▼1Lumberton, NCNC18,9555,811+8%

27▼1New Bern, NCNC34,7245,648+26%

28▲5Lexington, NCNC20,2385,467+29%

29▼1Kinston, NCNC19,7055,4450%

30▲1Asheboro, NCNC27,9905,431+59%

31▲1Monroe, NCNC42,6444,896+8%

32▼5Laurinburg, NCNC14,5824,694+25%

33▲1Morganton, NCNC17,8494,541+94%

34▼4Thomasville, NCNC27,7334,441+39%

35▲6Albemarle, NCNC17,7694,173+70%

36▲1Henderson, NCNC15,0134,066−11%

37▼1Shelby, NCNC23,3093,882+12%

38▼3Mooresville, NCNC55,8423,809+182%

39▲1Cullowhee, NCNC7,9733,655+146%

40▲8Kernersville, NCNC29,1283,503+142%

41▲3Fuquay-Varina, NCNC48,5363,328+279%

42▲13Smithfield, NCNC13,1143,313+40%

43▼1Reidsville, NCNC14,6923,082+40%

44▼6Graham, NCNC20,1313,030+58%

45▲1Eden, NCNC15,5002,951+8%

46▲10Garner, NCNC41,5622,904+140%

47Mount Airy, NCNC10,6822,863+69%

48▲2Kings Mountain, NCNC12,1172,765+48%

49▲12Rockingham, NCNC8,8152,740+39%

50▼11Roanoke Rapids, NCNC14,3862,734−14%

51▲6Roxboro, NCNC8,3802,722+86%

52▲32Siler City, NCNC8,1552,710+165%

53▼10Lenoir, NCNC18,3722,671+11%

54▲9Lincolnton, NCNC12,4652,669+55%

55▼6Carrboro, NCNC20,9622,576−19%

56▼4Hope Mills, NCNC18,3242,525+187%

57▲16Oxford, NCNC8,9852,524+42%

58▲1Havelock, NCNC17,4302,523+31%

59▼14Elizabeth City, NCNC19,6222,511−46%

60▲20Wake Forest, NCNC58,1472,371+113%

61▼3Forest City, NCNC7,4102,361+63%

62▲16Mint Hill, NCNC29,4762,313+220%

63▲2Indian Trail, NCNC44,3032,250+227%

64▼11Washington, NCNC9,9102,249−18%

65▼14Hendersonville, NCNC15,8672,243+29%

66▼12Elon, NCNC11,3662,202–

67▲16Holly Springs, NCNC50,2882,162+395%

68▼6Spring Lake, NCNC11,2522,046+7%

69▲3Anderson Creek, NCNC13,9272,031–

70▼4Tarboro, NCNC10,9791,992+17%

71▼11Huntersville, NCNC68,5351,960+156%

72▼5Clinton, NCNC8,4661,956−3%

73▲17Williamston, NCNC5,0861,856+10%

74▲21Leland, NCNC35,7311,804+396%

75▲1Marion, NCNC7,4401,784+109%

76▲21Morehead City, NCNC10,4341,777+58%

77▼8Cornelius, NCNC35,0941,764+235%

78▼14Clayton, NCNC32,6331,722+116%

79▼11Selma, NCNC7,4061,685−5%

80▼3Dunn, NCNC8,8141,682−22%

81▼7Waynesville, NCNC11,0061,670+17%

82▲12Newton, NCNC13,8221,598+5%

83▼12Apex, NCNC80,4191,588+314%

84▼9Southern Pines, NCNC17,3571,572−1%

85▲53St. Stephens, NCNC9,4571,536+129%

86▲5Pineville, NCNC11,8511,530+577%

87▼5Piney Green, NCNC14,0781,518+24%

88▼3Mount Holly, NCNC19,0331,493+43%

89▲19Clemmons, NCNC22,8081,423+192%

90▼3Lewisville, NCNC14,4211,412+551%

91▼12Mebane, NCNC21,9521,401+63%

92▼11Wadesboro, NCNC5,0351,363+52%

93▲13Conover, NCNC8,9381,346+67%

94▲21Kings Grant, NCNC9,0031,322+154%

95▲38Northchase, NCNC5,8961,317–

96▼4Hamlet, NCNC5,8701,289−4%

97▼27Belmont, NCNC16,4151,230+48%

98▲1Butner, NCNC8,1121,211+297%

99▲5Brevard, NCNC8,0981,189+63%

100▼7Mocksville, NCNC6,2821,166+122%

101▼5Swannanoa, NCNC6,9011,157+146%

102▼1Ayden, NCNC5,2631,156−5%

103▲56Etowah, NCNC7,9681,145+602%

104▼18Woodfin, NCNC8,2291,132+66%

105▼17Matthews, NCNC32,7691,121+25%

106▲8Davidson, NCNC16,6621,094+154%

107▲3Knightdale, NCNC23,1441,069+285%

108▲3Winterville, NCNC10,9731,053+90%

109▲21Waxhaw, NCNC23,1401,004+796%

110▼21Morrisville, NCNC32,466969+305%

111▲29Aberdeen, NCNC10,066967+107%

112▼7Nashville, NCNC5,911967+113%

113▲18Bessemer City, NCNC5,834916+51%

114▲14Creedmoor, NCNC5,046910+255%

115▲7Archer Lodge, NCNC5,649901–

116▲1Hampstead, NCNC9,292881–

117▲8Trinity, NCNC7,274828+44%

118▲18Stallings, NCNC17,760803+402%

119▲10East Flat Rock, NCNC6,323794−7%

120▲6Pinehurst, NCNC18,670790+193%

121▲2Myrtle Grove, NCNC12,637785+90%

122▲10Summerfield, NCNC11,327785+191%

123▲12Oak Island, NCNC9,337782+48%

124▼15Zebulon, NCNC11,933780+20%

125▼12Hillsborough, NCNC9,778774+13%

126▼6Cherryville, NCNC6,523773+58%

127▲17Harrisburg, NCNC20,742735+1031%

128▼30Murraysville, NCNC16,339732+4%

129▲5Kill Devil Hills, NCNC7,731710+46%

130▼11Wrightsboro, NCNC6,287674+43%

131▼4Angier, NCNC9,410663+19%

132▲29Unionville, NCNC7,322654+154%

133▼17Dallas, NCNC6,392640−2%

134▼31Silver Lake, NCNC6,563636+21%

135▲6Walkertown, NCNC6,120633+220%

136▼24Archdale, NCNC12,254626+23%

137▲2Fletcher, NCNC8,373613+99%

138▼38Half Moon, NCNC7,378582+14%

139▲3Long View, NCNC5,387567−22%

140▲7Pittsboro, NCNC5,054556+36%

141▲14Weddington, NCNC14,517553+453%

142▼24Gibsonville, NCNC9,876545+41%

143▼6Boiling Spring Lakes, NCNC6,875543+92%

144▲7King, NCNC7,977518+116%

145▲5Locust, NCNC6,120507+412%

146▲25Marvin, NCNC7,040506+2563%

147▲5Black Mountain, NCNC8,491505−34%

148▼41Sawmills, NCNC5,105500+14%

149▲5Pleasant Garden, NCNC5,165490+17%

150▼26Shallotte, NCNC5,335479+335%

151▼30Spout Springs, NCNC11,242472–

152▼6Lake Norman of Catawba, NCNC9,906420–

153▼51Wendell, NCNC19,687417−22%

154▼11Carolina Beach, NCNC6,870407−8%

155▲15Wesley Chapel, NCNC9,566405+366%

156▲11Ogden, NCNC8,249395+24%

157▲16Moyock, NCNC5,684386–

158▲10Cramerton, NCNC5,713340+131%

159▼10Stokesdale, NCNC6,133336+95%

160▼2Lake Norman of Iredell, NCNC12,494314−7%

161▲4St. James, NCNC7,318305–

162▲2Porters Neck, NCNC7,654294–

163▼7Oak Ridge, NCNC7,896281+86%

164▼2Whispering Pines, NCNC5,505275+1046%

165▼12Midway, NCNC5,104245–

166▼9Surf City, NCNC5,142242+13%

167Barbecue, NCNC5,910233–

168▼23Lillington, NCNC5,040229−61%

169▼6Carolina Shores, NCNC5,540198+175%

170▼10Midland, NCNC5,151198–

171▼23Mills River, NCNC7,504187–

172▼6Westport, NCNC5,915151+42%

173▼1Rolesville, NCNC12,839122+7%

174▼5Holly Ridge, NCNC5,90838−81%

175▼1Briar Chapel, NCNC6,04936–

SHOWING 1–175 OF 175

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