RANKING · 2000 CENSUS · 161 SHOWN OF 161

Most residents in poverty, North Carolina cities · 2000

North Carolina cities with the most residents living below the poverty line, as of the 2000 American Community Survey. Ranked by number of people, not the poverty rate. This list covers the 161 cities in North Carolina that qualify, ranked against each other statewide.

North CarolinaAll statesPop > 5KAll rankings

SAME RANKING BYCounties States Metros

YEAR1990 2000 2010 2020 2024

RANKPLACESTATEPOPRESIDENTS IN POVERTYVS 1990

01Charlotte, NCNC964,78457,411+34%

02Raleigh, NCNC506,30631,614+29%

03Winston-Salem, NCNC257,27128,219+29%

04Durham, NCNC305,56127,971+37%

05Greensboro, NCNC308,66727,449+29%

06Fayetteville, NCNC209,12017,906+26%

07Greenville, NCNC96,44315,754+32%

08Wilmington, NCNC126,80914,840+21%

09High Point, NCNC120,57111,353+28%

10Rocky Mount, NCNC55,12011,236+26%

11Asheville, NCNC93,52310,686+9%

12Chapel Hill, NCNC63,56510,518+68%

13Gastonia, NCNC87,0679,932+28%

14Wilson, NCNC49,5729,604+11%

15Jacksonville, NCNC72,7329,432+164%

16Goldsboro, NCNC35,0127,497−13%

17Burlington, NCNC61,4966,133+57%

18Kinston, NCNC19,7055,458−14%

19Lumberton, NCNC18,9555,385−1%

20Boone, NCNC19,9294,985−6%

21Elizabeth City, NCNC19,6224,683+16%

22Concord, NCNC114,5984,570+38%

23Henderson, NCNC15,0134,549+20%

24Monroe, NCNC42,6444,524+68%

25New Bern, NCNC34,7244,496+12%

26Salisbury, NCNC36,8794,244+18%

27Lexington, NCNC20,2384,239+38%

28Hickory, NCNC45,9754,205+32%

29Sanford, NCNC34,1383,982+31%

30Kannapolis, NCNC61,7083,887+11%

31Statesville, NCNC32,1813,762+36%

32Laurinburg, NCNC14,5823,751+10%

33Shelby, NCNC23,3093,461+22%

34Asheboro, NCNC27,9903,418+63%

35Cary, NCNC183,5823,246+133%

36Thomasville, NCNC27,7333,202+56%

37Carrboro, NCNC20,9623,194−6%

38Roanoke Rapids, NCNC14,3863,186+9%

39Washington, NCNC9,9102,751+11%

40Eden, NCNC15,5002,734+11%

41Albemarle, NCNC17,7692,461+17%

42Lenoir, NCNC18,3722,403−4%

43Smithfield, NCNC13,1142,371+79%

44Morganton, NCNC17,8492,346+47%

45Reidsville, NCNC14,6922,194−3%

46Dunn, NCNC8,8142,163−2%

47Clinton, NCNC8,4662,007−9%

48Rockingham, NCNC8,8151,972+32%

49Havelock, NCNC17,4301,930−10%

50Spring Lake, NCNC11,2521,921+20%

51Graham, NCNC20,1311,912+55%

52Kings Mountain, NCNC12,1171,863+19%

53Oxford, NCNC8,9851,778+3%

54Selma, NCNC7,4061,773+66%

55Hendersonville, NCNC15,8671,745+18%

56Lincolnton, NCNC12,4651,726+45%

57Tarboro, NCNC10,9791,709+16%

58Williamston, NCNC5,0861,694+5%

59Mount Airy, NCNC10,6821,692+42%

60Southern Pines, NCNC17,3571,594+4%

61Newton, NCNC13,8221,520+31%

62Cullowhee, NCNC7,9731,485+55%

63Roxboro, NCNC8,3801,465−7%

64Forest City, NCNC7,4101,451+9%

65Kernersville, NCNC29,1281,445+58%

66Waynesville, NCNC11,0061,432+8%

67Mooresville, NCNC55,8421,350+42%

68Hamlet, NCNC5,8701,337+19%

69Piney Green, NCNC14,0781,220+18%

70Ayden, NCNC5,2631,214+3%

71Garner, NCNC41,5621,210+75%

72Morehead City, NCNC10,4341,125−3%

73Wake Forest, NCNC58,1471,111+107%

74Mount Holly, NCNC19,0331,042+28%

75Siler City, NCNC8,1551,023+54%

76Matthews, NCNC32,769895+194%

77Wadesboro, NCNC5,035895+23%

78Hope Mills, NCNC18,324881+69%

79Fuquay-Varina, NCNC48,536878+46%

80Mebane, NCNC21,952861+96%

81Marion, NCNC7,440854+2%

82East Flat Rock, NCNC6,323854+60%

83Belmont, NCNC16,415830+1%

84Conover, NCNC8,938804+152%

85Clayton, NCNC32,633796+13%

86Huntersville, NCNC68,535765+219%

87Black Mountain, NCNC8,491760+56%

88Brevard, NCNC8,098729−5%

89Mint Hill, NCNC29,476723+534%

90Long View, NCNC5,387723+143%

91Murraysville, NCNC16,339703–

92Indian Trail, NCNC44,303689+657%

93Hillsborough, NCNC9,778685+33%

94Woodfin, NCNC8,229681+59%

95St. Stephens, NCNC9,457671+38%

96Dallas, NCNC6,392654+17%

97Zebulon, NCNC11,933649+35%

98Bessemer City, NCNC5,834608+19%

99Lillington, NCNC5,040593+81%

100Trinity, NCNC7,274574+24%

101Angier, NCNC9,410558+31%

102Winterville, NCNC10,973555+16%

103Wendell, NCNC19,687534+101%

104Oak Island, NCNC9,337528–

105Cornelius, NCNC35,094527+180%

106Mocksville, NCNC6,282525+74%

107Silver Lake, NCNC6,563524+157%

108Kings Grant, NCNC9,003520–

109Half Moon, NCNC7,378509+16%

110Archdale, NCNC12,254509+65%

111Cherryville, NCNC6,523490−21%

112Clemmons, NCNC22,808488+249%

113Kill Devil Hills, NCNC7,731487+39%

114Wrightsboro, NCNC6,287471+47%

115Swannanoa, NCNC6,901470+29%

116Aberdeen, NCNC10,066468+71%

117Nashville, NCNC5,911454+18%

118Carolina Beach, NCNC6,870442−16%

119Holly Springs, NCNC50,288437+84%

120Sawmills, NCNC5,105437+53%

121Davidson, NCNC16,662431+52%

122Pleasant Garden, NCNC5,165420+289%

123Myrtle Grove, NCNC12,637414+24%

124Pittsboro, NCNC5,054408+110%

125Gibsonville, NCNC9,876387+69%

126Apex, NCNC80,419384+19%

127Leland, NCNC35,731364+8%

128Lake Norman of Iredell, NCNC12,494336–

129Ogden, NCNC8,249318+89%

130Fletcher, NCNC8,373308+20%

131Butner, NCNC8,112305−5%

132Boiling Spring Lakes, NCNC6,875283+134%

133Knightdale, NCNC23,144278+491%

134Pinehurst, NCNC18,670270+69%

135Summerfield, NCNC11,327270+329%

136Unionville, NCNC7,322257–

137Creedmoor, NCNC5,046256+27%

138King, NCNC7,977240+20%

139Morrisville, NCNC32,466239+219%

140Pineville, NCNC11,851226+46%

141Lewisville, NCNC14,421217+168%

142Surf City, NCNC5,142214+234%

143Holly Ridge, NCNC5,908201+10%

144Walkertown, NCNC6,120198+179%

145Stokesdale, NCNC6,133172−34%

146Etowah, NCNC7,968163+23%

147Stallings, NCNC17,760160+25%

148Oak Ridge, NCNC7,896151–

149Cramerton, NCNC5,713147+4%

150Rolesville, NCNC12,839114+235%

151Waxhaw, NCNC23,140112−18%

152Shallotte, NCNC5,335110+47%

153Westport, NCNC5,915106+657%

154Weddington, NCNC14,517100+16%

155Locust, NCNC6,12099−2%

156Wesley Chapel, NCNC9,56687–

157Carolina Shores, NCNC5,54072–

158Harrisburg, NCNC20,74265+20%

159Whispering Pines, NCNC5,50524+85%

160Marvin, NCNC7,04019–

161St. James, NCNC7,3180–

SHOWING 1–161 OF 161

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