RANKING · 2010 CENSUS · 170 SHOWN OF 170

Most residents in poverty, North Carolina cities · 2010

North Carolina cities with the most residents living below the poverty line, as of the 2010 American Community Survey. Ranked by number of people, not the poverty rate. This list covers the 170 cities in North Carolina that qualify, ranked against each other statewide. The median across all 170 is 1,452.

North CarolinaAll statesPop > 5KAll rankings

SAME RANKING BYCounties States Metros

YEAR1990 2000 2010 2020 2024

RANKPLACESTATEPOPRESIDENTS IN POVERTYVS 2000

01Charlotte, NCNC964,784101,464+77%

02Raleigh, NCNC506,30658,823+86%

03Greensboro, NCNC308,66748,844+78%

04Winston-Salem, NCNC257,27144,370+57%

05Durham, NCNC305,56140,842+46%

06Fayetteville, NCNC209,12032,309+80%

07Greenville, NCNC96,44325,578+62%

08Wilmington, NCNC126,80923,825+61%

09High Point, NCNC120,57120,029+76%

10Asheville, NCNC93,52317,135+60%

11Gastonia, NCNC87,06715,020+51%

12Chapel Hill, NCNC63,56512,727+21%

13Wilson, NCNC49,57212,486+30%

14Rocky Mount, NCNC55,12010,900−3%

15Burlington, NCNC61,49610,633+73%

16Jacksonville, NCNC72,7329,685+3%

17Concord, NCNC114,5989,268+103%

18Goldsboro, NCNC35,0128,554+14%

19Boone, NCNC19,9298,381+68%

20Salisbury, NCNC36,8797,536+78%

21Kinston, NCNC19,7057,401+36%

22Kannapolis, NCNC61,7087,356+89%

23Thomasville, NCNC27,7337,305+128%

24New Bern, NCNC34,7247,123+58%

25Hickory, NCNC45,9756,964+66%

26Asheboro, NCNC27,9906,913+102%

27Cary, NCNC183,5826,813+110%

28Monroe, NCNC42,6446,447+43%

29Lumberton, NCNC18,9556,441+20%

30Sanford, NCNC34,1385,987+50%

31Laurinburg, NCNC14,5825,787+54%

32Statesville, NCNC32,1815,628+50%

33Elizabeth City, NCNC19,6225,242+12%

34Shelby, NCNC23,3095,172+49%

35Henderson, NCNC15,0135,125+13%

36Lexington, NCNC20,2384,989+18%

37Morganton, NCNC17,8494,558+94%

38Lenoir, NCNC18,3723,933+64%

39Eden, NCNC15,5003,782+38%

40Rockingham, NCNC8,8153,451+75%

41Carrboro, NCNC20,9623,1930%

42Mooresville, NCNC55,8423,129+132%

43Roxboro, NCNC8,3803,065+109%

44Havelock, NCNC17,4303,032+57%

45Reidsville, NCNC14,6922,993+36%

46Roanoke Rapids, NCNC14,3862,923−8%

47Hendersonville, NCNC15,8672,922+67%

48Albemarle, NCNC17,7692,912+18%

49Forest City, NCNC7,4102,879+98%

50Spring Lake, NCNC11,2522,732+42%

51Huntersville, NCNC68,5352,661+248%

52Lincolnton, NCNC12,4652,492+44%

53Washington, NCNC9,9102,466−10%

54Kernersville, NCNC29,1282,423+68%

55Tarboro, NCNC10,9792,353+38%

56Smithfield, NCNC13,1142,344−1%

57Dunn, NCNC8,8142,269+5%

58Wake Forest, NCNC58,1472,264+104%

59Cullowhee, NCNC7,9732,248+51%

60Mount Airy, NCNC10,6822,196+30%

61Clinton, NCNC8,4662,169+8%

62Waynesville, NCNC11,0062,141+50%

63Graham, NCNC20,1312,139+12%

64Selma, NCNC7,4062,115+19%

65Clayton, NCNC32,6332,111+165%

66Williamston, NCNC5,0862,059+22%

67Mebane, NCNC21,9522,043+137%

68Mount Holly, NCNC19,0331,961+88%

69Kings Mountain, NCNC12,1171,944+4%

70Hope Mills, NCNC18,3241,936+120%

71Newton, NCNC13,8221,935+27%

72Indian Trail, NCNC44,3031,933+181%

73Siler City, NCNC8,1551,929+89%

74Elon, NCNC11,3661,874–

75Marion, NCNC7,4401,852+117%

76Mint Hill, NCNC29,4761,775+146%

77Oxford, NCNC8,9851,709−4%

78Matthews, NCNC32,7691,555+74%

79Piney Green, NCNC14,0781,550+27%

80Southern Pines, NCNC17,3571,530−4%

81Leland, NCNC35,7311,520+318%

82Fuquay-Varina, NCNC48,5361,497+71%

83Morehead City, NCNC10,4341,455+29%

84East Flat Rock, NCNC6,3231,452+70%

85Woodfin, NCNC8,2291,452+113%

86Hamlet, NCNC5,8701,392+4%

87Butner, NCNC8,1121,235+305%

88Garner, NCNC41,5621,231+2%

89Wadesboro, NCNC5,0351,215+36%

90Zebulon, NCNC11,9331,215+87%

91Hillsborough, NCNC9,7781,208+76%

92Murraysville, NCNC16,3391,188+69%

93St. Stephens, NCNC9,4571,168+74%

94Cornelius, NCNC35,0941,151+118%

95Ayden, NCNC5,2631,117−8%

96Archdale, NCNC12,2541,103+117%

97Pineville, NCNC11,8511,102+388%

98Belmont, NCNC16,4151,084+31%

99Aberdeen, NCNC10,0661,061+127%

100Clemmons, NCNC22,8081,035+112%

101Lewisville, NCNC14,4211,009+365%

102Apex, NCNC80,419998+160%

103Bessemer City, NCNC5,834980+61%

104Sawmills, NCNC5,105966+121%

105Davidson, NCNC16,662963+123%

106Conover, NCNC8,938925+15%

107Holly Springs, NCNC50,288912+109%

108Lillington, NCNC5,040910+53%

109Winterville, NCNC10,973893+61%

110Kings Grant, NCNC9,003891+71%

111Brevard, NCNC8,098874+20%

112Wendell, NCNC19,687866+62%

113Black Mountain, NCNC8,491857+13%

114Waxhaw, NCNC23,140833+644%

115Cherryville, NCNC6,523812+66%

116Swannanoa, NCNC6,901806+71%

117Dallas, NCNC6,392798+22%

118Long View, NCNC5,387793+10%

119Pittsboro, NCNC5,054789+93%

120Mocksville, NCNC6,282769+46%

121Carolina Beach, NCNC6,870761+72%

122Pinehurst, NCNC18,670738+173%

123Etowah, NCNC7,968701+330%

124Wrightsboro, NCNC6,287674+43%

125Gibsonville, NCNC9,876672+74%

126Fletcher, NCNC8,373664+116%

127Lake Norman of Iredell, NCNC12,494656+95%

128Boiling Spring Lakes, NCNC6,875644+128%

129Angier, NCNC9,410640+15%

130Trinity, NCNC7,274639+11%

131Morrisville, NCNC32,466625+162%

132Hampstead, NCNC9,292582–

133Knightdale, NCNC23,144582+109%

134Stokesdale, NCNC6,133578+236%

135Myrtle Grove, NCNC12,637576+39%

136Half Moon, NCNC7,378567+11%

137Archer Lodge, NCNC5,649567–

138Summerfield, NCNC11,327560+107%

139Kill Devil Hills, NCNC7,731553+14%

140Oak Island, NCNC9,337549+4%

141Creedmoor, NCNC5,046510+99%

142Mills River, NCNC7,504500–

143Harrisburg, NCNC20,742478+635%

144Stallings, NCNC17,760448+180%

145Silver Lake, NCNC6,563428−18%

146Ogden, NCNC8,249396+25%

147Rolesville, NCNC12,839394+246%

148Shallotte, NCNC5,335374+240%

149King, NCNC7,977373+55%

150Pleasant Garden, NCNC5,165369−12%

151Cramerton, NCNC5,713342+133%

152Nashville, NCNC5,911339−25%

153Walkertown, NCNC6,120325+64%

154Midland, NCNC5,151282–

155Midway, NCNC5,104274–

156Northchase, NCNC5,896233–

157Holly Ridge, NCNC5,908228+13%

158Locust, NCNC6,120228+130%

159Unionville, NCNC7,322202−21%

160Wesley Chapel, NCNC9,566197+126%

161Moyock, NCNC5,684190–

162Oak Ridge, NCNC7,896170+13%

163Weddington, NCNC14,517143+43%

164Surf City, NCNC5,142136−36%

165Porters Neck, NCNC7,654121–

166Whispering Pines, NCNC5,50591+279%

167Marvin, NCNC7,04086+353%

168St. James, NCNC7,31862–

169Carolina Shores, NCNC5,54047−35%

170Westport, NCNC5,91528−74%

SHOWING 1–170 OF 170

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UPDATED 2026-09-11 · DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU DECENNIAL CENSUS