RANKING · 2024 ACS · 100 SHOWN OF 100

Most residents in poverty, North Carolina counties

North Carolina counties 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 100 counties in North Carolina that qualify, ranked against each other statewide. The median across all 100 is 9,117. Biggest climber in the top 100 since 2020: Anson County, NC, up 11 places to #65.

North CarolinaAll states All rankings

SAME RANKING BYCities States Metros

YEAR1990 2000 2010 2020 2024

RANKPLACESTATEPOPRESIDENTS IN POVERTYVS 2000

01Mecklenburg County, NCNC1,233,383119,643+87%

02Wake County, NCNC1,257,23595,815+95%

03Guilford County, NCNC562,23479,867+79%

04▲1Forsyth County, NCNC401,71856,619+67%

05▼1Cumberland County, NCNC338,47356,536+46%

06Durham County, NCNC347,24038,241+28%

07Pitt County, NCNC182,93635,153+29%

08▲3Buncombe County, NCNC277,41732,471+38%

09Robeson County, NCNC119,94131,831+13%

10Gaston County, NCNC246,55831,753+54%

11▼3New Hanover County, NCNC245,95928,918+38%

12▲1Johnston County, NCNC256,44824,914+59%

13▲2Onslow County, NCNC217,17524,101+24%

14▲2Rowan County, NCNC155,09623,970+74%

15▼3Alamance County, NCNC186,17723,617+62%

16▼2Davidson County, NCNC180,18222,220+50%

17▲1Cabarrus County, NCNC249,72521,896+136%

18▲2Randolph County, NCNC149,51621,215+78%

19▲2Catawba County, NCNC170,17220,841+62%

20▼3Wayne County, NCNC122,27820,568+31%

21▲3Iredell County, NCNC211,79819,719+97%

22▲3Union County, NCNC267,67419,280+92%

23▼4Harnett County, NCNC150,13719,127+41%

24▼1Orange County, NCNC152,49818,675+12%

25▼3Cleveland County, NCNC103,32516,762+31%

26▲2Wilson County, NCNC81,15015,696+15%

27▼1Rockingham County, NCNC94,19514,999+28%

28▲1Brunswick County, NCNC174,70214,085+53%

29▲2Craven County, NCNC105,02514,057+18%

30▲2Watauga County, NCNC54,78614,031+83%

31▲4Henderson County, NCNC122,37513,696+58%

32▼5Burke County, NCNC88,65513,682+44%

33Sampson County, NCNC61,50412,975+23%

34▲2Lenoir County, NCNC55,83712,056+22%

35▲2Surry County, NCNC72,28712,012+36%

36▼6Nash County, NCNC99,36511,391−3%

37▲5Wilkes County, NCNC66,23311,030+42%

38▼4Halifax County, NCNC46,53410,878−21%

39▼1Rutherford County, NCNC65,74510,876+24%

40▲5Lee County, NCNC70,25810,843+72%

41▼2Caldwell County, NCNC81,10510,767+30%

42▲5Richmond County, NCNC42,04110,680+17%

43▼2Edgecombe County, NCNC49,12110,592−3%

44Moore County, NCNC110,61910,566+24%

45▼2Lincoln County, NCNC98,65410,427+78%

46▲3Duplin County, NCNC51,57110,096+6%

47▲10Stanly County, NCNC68,8309,857+58%

48▲2Granville County, NCNC61,4219,238+63%

49▼3Hoke County, NCNC56,9399,197+55%

50▼10Columbus County, NCNC50,4879,117−27%

51▲2Chatham County, NCNC85,1118,853+85%

52▼4Scotland County, NCNC33,3228,670+17%

53▼2Vance County, NCNC42,6388,376−5%

54▲1Franklin County, NCNC82,0378,224+38%

55▲3Haywood County, NCNC63,3698,224+32%

56▼2Beaufort County, NCNC44,6707,930−9%

57▼1Jackson County, NCNC45,0397,881+57%

58▲4Carteret County, NCNC70,4696,960+9%

59▲2Person County, NCNC40,6366,916+62%

60McDowell County, NCNC45,1986,636+36%

61▼2Bladen County, NCNC30,0076,493−4%

62▼10Pender County, NCNC72,1116,381+14%

63▲3Yadkin County, NCNC38,3255,252+45%

64▼1Stokes County, NCNC46,1265,041+24%

65▲11Anson County, NCNC21,7584,842+8%

66▲5Alexander County, NCNC36,9584,578+61%

67▲6Hertford County, NCNC19,0154,564+10%

68Pasquotank County, NCNC42,2014,508−30%

69Transylvania County, NCNC34,2114,450+60%

70Martin County, NCNC21,6014,408−15%

71▼7Macon County, NCNC39,2324,403+17%

72▲3Greene County, NCNC20,7004,312+12%

73▲6Caswell County, NCNC22,5634,171+23%

74▼9Davie County, NCNC45,8554,145+38%

75▼1Montgomery County, NCNC26,4034,016−3%

76▲2Warren County, NCNC18,8983,967+2%

77▼10Cherokee County, NCNC30,8303,655−2%

78▼1Ashe County, NCNC27,5143,636+11%

79▲1Northampton County, NCNC16,4913,573−24%

80▲4Yancey County, NCNC19,0842,852+2%

81▲10Polk County, NCNC20,5332,787+51%

82▼10Bertie County, NCNC17,0862,770−40%

83▲4Swain County, NCNC14,0242,678+13%

84▼2Madison County, NCNC22,5532,651−12%

85Chowan County, NCNC14,0822,641+3%

86▼3Washington County, NCNC10,6382,602−13%

87▼6Dare County, NCNC38,2452,508+4%

88▲1Currituck County, NCNC33,1582,296+18%

89▲4Mitchell County, NCNC15,0621,937−11%

90▲2Pamlico County, NCNC12,7581,877−5%

91▼3Avery County, NCNC18,1101,796−31%

92▼6Alleghany County, NCNC11,4791,785−3%

93▼3Jones County, NCNC9,5751,708−3%

94▲1Clay County, NCNC12,2391,496+49%

95▼1Perquimans County, NCNC13,4901,302−36%

96▲2Hyde County, NCNC4,5541,018+13%

97▼1Gates County, NCNC10,234976−45%

98▲1Camden County, NCNC11,315671−3%

99▲1Tyrrell County, NCNC3,537640−34%

100▼3Graham County, NCNC8,190541−65%

SHOWING 1–100 OF 100

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