RANKING · 2020 CENSUS · 174 SHOWN OF 174

Most residents in poverty, North Carolina cities · 2020

North Carolina cities with the most residents living below the poverty line, as of the 2020 American Community Survey. Ranked by number of people, not the poverty rate. This list covers the 174 cities in North Carolina that qualify, ranked against each other statewide. The median across all 174 is 1,636.

North CarolinaAll statesPop > 5KAll rankings

SAME RANKING BYCounties States Metros

YEAR1990 2000 2010 2020 2024

RANKPLACESTATEPOPRESIDENTS IN POVERTYVS 2000

01Charlotte, NCNC964,784104,460+82%

02Raleigh, NCNC506,30655,268+75%

03Greensboro, NCNC308,66755,167+101%

04Winston-Salem, NCNC257,27147,982+70%

05Fayetteville, NCNC209,12041,563+132%

06Durham, NCNC305,56140,201+44%

07Greenville, NCNC96,44323,902+52%

08Wilmington, NCNC126,80922,154+49%

09High Point, NCNC120,57117,243+52%

10Asheville, NCNC93,52312,566+18%

11Gastonia, NCNC87,06712,214+23%

12Chapel Hill, NCNC63,56511,466+9%

13Wilson, NCNC49,57211,092+15%

14Burlington, NCNC61,49610,960+79%

15Rocky Mount, NCNC55,12010,732−4%

16Concord, NCNC114,59810,518+130%

17Boone, NCNC19,92910,058+102%

18Jacksonville, NCNC72,7329,984+6%

19Cary, NCNC183,5828,248+154%

20Goldsboro, NCNC35,0128,168+9%

21Salisbury, NCNC36,8797,772+83%

22Hickory, NCNC45,9757,353+75%

23Kannapolis, NCNC61,7087,217+86%

24Sanford, NCNC34,1386,189+55%

25Lumberton, NCNC18,9555,951+11%

26New Bern, NCNC34,7245,799+29%

27Laurinburg, NCNC14,5825,502+47%

28Kinston, NCNC19,7055,4590%

29Statesville, NCNC32,1815,340+42%

30Thomasville, NCNC27,7335,300+66%

31Asheboro, NCNC27,9905,265+54%

32Monroe, NCNC42,6444,999+10%

33Lexington, NCNC20,2384,919+16%

34Morganton, NCNC17,8494,557+94%

35Mooresville, NCNC55,8424,453+230%

36Shelby, NCNC23,3094,430+28%

37Henderson, NCNC15,0134,412−3%

38Graham, NCNC20,1314,256+123%

39Roanoke Rapids, NCNC14,3863,815+20%

40Cullowhee, NCNC7,9733,658+146%

41Albemarle, NCNC17,7693,591+46%

42Reidsville, NCNC14,6923,425+56%

43Lenoir, NCNC18,3723,390+41%

44Fuquay-Varina, NCNC48,5363,377+285%

45Elizabeth City, NCNC19,6223,375−28%

46Eden, NCNC15,5003,372+23%

47Mount Airy, NCNC10,6823,150+86%

48Kernersville, NCNC29,1283,118+116%

49Carrboro, NCNC20,9623,000−6%

50Kings Mountain, NCNC12,1172,919+57%

51Hendersonville, NCNC15,8672,867+64%

52Hope Mills, NCNC18,3242,822+220%

53Washington, NCNC9,9102,805+2%

54Elon, NCNC11,3662,794–

55Smithfield, NCNC13,1142,787+18%

56Garner, NCNC41,5622,768+129%

57Roxboro, NCNC8,3802,710+85%

58Forest City, NCNC7,4102,555+76%

59Havelock, NCNC17,4302,524+31%

60Huntersville, NCNC68,5352,477+224%

61Rockingham, NCNC8,8152,470+25%

62Spring Lake, NCNC11,2522,469+29%

63Lincolnton, NCNC12,4652,454+42%

64Clayton, NCNC32,6332,390+200%

65Indian Trail, NCNC44,3032,328+238%

66Tarboro, NCNC10,9792,271+33%

67Clinton, NCNC8,4662,269+13%

68Selma, NCNC7,4062,228+26%

69Cornelius, NCNC35,0942,204+318%

70Belmont, NCNC16,4152,172+162%

71Apex, NCNC80,4192,124+453%

72Anderson Creek, NCNC13,9272,113–

73Oxford, NCNC8,9852,106+18%

74Waynesville, NCNC11,0062,068+44%

75Southern Pines, NCNC17,3572,023+27%

76Marion, NCNC7,4401,957+129%

77Dunn, NCNC8,8141,933−11%

78Mint Hill, NCNC29,4761,907+164%

79Mebane, NCNC21,9521,898+120%

80Wake Forest, NCNC58,1471,894+70%

81Wadesboro, NCNC5,0351,797+101%

82Piney Green, NCNC14,0781,770+45%

83Holly Springs, NCNC50,2881,727+295%

84Siler City, NCNC8,1551,684+65%

85Mount Holly, NCNC19,0331,672+60%

86Woodfin, NCNC8,2291,658+143%

87Lewisville, NCNC14,4211,636+654%

88Matthews, NCNC32,7691,544+73%

89Morrisville, NCNC32,4661,498+527%

90Williamston, NCNC5,0861,490−12%

91Pineville, NCNC11,8511,417+527%

92Hamlet, NCNC5,8701,410+5%

93Mocksville, NCNC6,2821,370+161%

94Newton, NCNC13,8221,357−11%

95Leland, NCNC35,7311,293+255%

96Swannanoa, NCNC6,9011,253+167%

97Morehead City, NCNC10,4341,240+10%

98Murraysville, NCNC16,3391,201+71%

99Butner, NCNC8,1121,201+294%

100Half Moon, NCNC7,3781,131+122%

101Ayden, NCNC5,2631,118−8%

102Wendell, NCNC19,6871,114+109%

103Silver Lake, NCNC6,5631,100+110%

104Brevard, NCNC8,0981,083+49%

105Nashville, NCNC5,9111,055+132%

106Conover, NCNC8,9381,051+31%

107Sawmills, NCNC5,1051,008+131%

108Clemmons, NCNC22,808989+103%

109Zebulon, NCNC11,933982+51%

110Knightdale, NCNC23,144966+247%

111Winterville, NCNC10,973952+72%

112Archdale, NCNC12,254942+85%

113Hillsborough, NCNC9,778905+32%

114Davidson, NCNC16,662902+109%

115Kings Grant, NCNC9,003847+63%

116Dallas, NCNC6,392845+29%

117Hampstead, NCNC9,292845–

118Gibsonville, NCNC9,876842+118%

119Wrightsboro, NCNC6,287835+77%

120Cherryville, NCNC6,523812+66%

121Spout Springs, NCNC11,242803–

122Archer Lodge, NCNC5,649802–

123Myrtle Grove, NCNC12,637786+90%

124Shallotte, NCNC5,335751+583%

125Trinity, NCNC7,274744+30%

126Pinehurst, NCNC18,670744+176%

127Angier, NCNC9,410741+33%

128Creedmoor, NCNC5,046739+189%

129East Flat Rock, NCNC6,323731−14%

130Waxhaw, NCNC23,140730+552%

131Bessemer City, NCNC5,834724+19%

132Summerfield, NCNC11,327713+164%

133Northchase, NCNC5,896712–

134Kill Devil Hills, NCNC7,731699+44%

135Oak Island, NCNC9,337689+30%

136Stallings, NCNC17,760681+326%

137Boiling Spring Lakes, NCNC6,875666+135%

138St. Stephens, NCNC9,457659−2%

139Fletcher, NCNC8,373633+106%

140Aberdeen, NCNC10,066593+27%

141Walkertown, NCNC6,120592+199%

142Long View, NCNC5,387567−22%

143Carolina Beach, NCNC6,870563+27%

144Harrisburg, NCNC20,742552+749%

145Lillington, NCNC5,040527−11%

146Lake Norman of Catawba, NCNC9,906487–

147Pittsboro, NCNC5,054487+19%

148Mills River, NCNC7,504486–

149Stokesdale, NCNC6,133479+178%

150Locust, NCNC6,120444+348%

151King, NCNC7,977348+45%

152Black Mountain, NCNC8,491329−57%

153Midway, NCNC5,104323–

154Pleasant Garden, NCNC5,165315−25%

155Weddington, NCNC14,517312+212%

156Oak Ridge, NCNC7,896304+101%

157Surf City, NCNC5,142303+42%

158Lake Norman of Iredell, NCNC12,494272−19%

159Etowah, NCNC7,968259+59%

160Midland, NCNC5,151258–

161Unionville, NCNC7,322245−5%

162Whispering Pines, NCNC5,505242+908%

163Carolina Shores, NCNC5,540235+226%

164Porters Neck, NCNC7,654233–

165St. James, NCNC7,318210–

166Westport, NCNC5,915205+93%

167Ogden, NCNC8,249193−39%

168Cramerton, NCNC5,713193+31%

169Holly Ridge, NCNC5,908165−18%

170Wesley Chapel, NCNC9,566156+79%

171Marvin, NCNC7,040153+705%

172Rolesville, NCNC12,83988−23%

173Moyock, NCNC5,68410–

174Briar Chapel, NCNC6,0490–

SHOWING 1–174 OF 174

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