Like all states, North Carolina has certain places that are going on hard times. These North Carolina places have an above-average percentage of people living in poverty, out of work, or not making as much as they should be.
Even as the economy continues to improve, it’s worthwhile to look at the places in each state struggling to make ends meet. So we set our sites on locating the poorest places in North Carolina.
To do so, we used Saturday Night Science to analyze the newest Census data from the American Community Survey for the 142 cities in North Carolina with more than 5,000 people.
Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Summary | Table
The 10 Poorest Places In North Carolina For 2026:
What’s the poorest city in North Carolina? According to the facts, Boone is the poorest place in North Carolina for 2026.
This isn’t a commentary on the people that live there or the vibrant culture and traditions of these places. Instead, it’s just a look at the facts.
For more North Carolina reading, check out:
- Best Places To Live In North Carolina
- Cheapest Places To Live In North Carolina
- Most Dangerous Cities In North Carolina
- The poorest states in the US
- The poorest cities in the US
The 10 Poorest Cities In North Carolina For 2026
1. Boone
/10
Population: 20,032
Rank Last Year: 1 (No Change)
Median Income: $30,065 (lowest)
Poverty Rate: 51.2% (highest)
People In Poverty: 10,258
More on Boone: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
Boone, unfortunately, ranks as the poorest place in North Carolina thanks to combination of low pay and and a lack of jobs.
The city of 20,032 people averages the lowest median household income in North Carolina and the highest poverty rate. At the very least, the cost of living ranks in the bottom 15% of place in the state, so things like housing are relatively affordable.
2. Forest City
/10
Population: 7,363
Rank Last Year: 3 (Up 1)
Median Income: $35,524 (2nd lowest)
Poverty Rate: 32.1% (5th highest)
People In Poverty: 2,361
More on Forest City: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
The second poorest city in North Carolina is Forest City.
The city ranks as having the 5th highest incidence of poverty and 2nd lowest median household income. However, the unemployment rate ‘only’ ranks as the 19th highest in the Tar Heel State.
3. Roxboro
/10
Population: 8,182
Rank Last Year: 6 (Up 3)
Median Income: $36,553 (3rd lowest)
Poverty Rate: 33.3% (4th highest)
People In Poverty: 2,722
More on Roxboro: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
Placing as the third poorest city, Roxboro’s median income ranks as the 3rd lowest.
And that’s a sign that there’s a relatively substantial jump in the quality of the economy from second to third place on our list. The poverty rate is 33.27% and ranks near the bottom of places in the state.
But what makes up for the relatively low incomes of the city is its low cost of living. The income you do make here goes further than in most parts of the Tar Heel State.
4. Williamston
/10
Population: 5,112
Rank Last Year: 10 (Up 6)
Median Income: $38,738 (6th lowest)
Poverty Rate: 36.3% (2nd highest)
People In Poverty: 1,855
More on Williamston: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
Williamston ranks as the fourth poorest place in North Carolina.
The town ranks as having the 6th lowest median household income and the 2nd highest incidence of poverty in the state.
That being said, there’s still a ton of cultural diversity in the city as it hosts many events throughout the year.
5. Rockingham
/10
Population: 8,967
Rank Last Year: 2 (Down 3)
Median Income: $37,224 (5th lowest)
Poverty Rate: 30.6% (8th highest)
People In Poverty: 2,739
More on Rockingham: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
The fifth poorest city in North Carolina is Rockingham.
The city ranks as having the 5th lowest median income in the state. However, an extremely low cost of living prevents a good number of folks from living in poverty as the poverty rate only ranks as the 8th highest in North Carolina.
Still not the best news for Rockingham.
6. Kinston
/10
Population: 19,505
Rank Last Year: 4 (Down 2)
Median Income: $36,878 (4th lowest)
Poverty Rate: 27.9% (10th highest)
People In Poverty: 5,445
More on Kinston: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
Kinston ranks as the sixth poorest place in the Tar Heel State.
It ranks as having the 10th highest incidence of poverty and the highest unemployment rate.
7. Laurinburg
/10
Population: 15,087
Rank Last Year: 7 (No Change)
Median Income: $42,170 (12th lowest)
Poverty Rate: 31.1% (6th highest)
People In Poverty: 4,693
More on Laurinburg: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
Laurinburg places as the seventh poorest city in North Carolina.
The city of over 15,087 ranks as having the 6th highest incidence of poverty in the state. However, it has a very low cost of living which helps to pay the bills each month.
8. Henderson
/10
Population: 14,885
Rank Last Year: 9 (Up 1)
Median Income: $39,969 (7th lowest)
Poverty Rate: 27.3% (13th highest)
People In Poverty: 4,065
More on Henderson: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
Henderson ranks as the eighth poorest city in North Carolina.
The big issue for the town is the unemployment rate which ranks as one of the highest in the state.
9. Lumberton
/10
Population: 18,859
Rank Last Year: 12 (Up 3)
Median Income: $42,877 (14th lowest)
Poverty Rate: 30.8% (7th highest)
People In Poverty: 5,810
More on Lumberton: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
Lumberton couldn’t stay out of the top ten poorest places in North Carolina; it ranks number 9.
While the median income is the 14th lowest, there are a substantial number of people that live below the poverty line. Overall, Lumberton ranks as having the 7th most people living in poverty of all the places we analyzed in North Carolina.
10. Mount Airy
/10
Population: 10,633
Rank Last Year: 11 (Up 1)
Median Income: $40,275 (9th lowest)
Poverty Rate: 26.9% (14th highest)
People In Poverty: 2,862
More on Mount Airy: Data | Cost Of Living | Movers
And rounding out the top ten poorest cities in North Carolina is Mount Airy.
The city of 10,633 people ranks in the bottom 20% for both median income and poverty rate in the Tar Heel State.
Methodology: How We Determined The Poorest Places In North Carolina for 2026
The first thing that comes to most people’s minds when they think about determining the poorest places is to simply the poverty rate. That is, the number of people living below a federally established level of income for a household of a certain size.
However, we don’t think that one statistic wholly encompasses what it means to be one of the “poorest places”. So we used Saturday Night Science to look at this set of criteria from the newly released 2020-2024 American Community Survey:
- Poverty Level
- Median Household Income
After we collected the data for all 142 places with more than 5,000 people in North Carolina, we ranked each place from 1 to 142 for each of the criteria, with 1 being the poorest.
We then averaged all the rankings for a place into a “Poor Score” with the place having the lowest overall Poor Score, Boone, crowned the “Poorest Place In North Carolina For 2026”.
This report has been updated for 2026, which is our eleventh time ranking the poorest places in North Carolina.
Summary: The Poorest Cities In North Carolina For 2026
Like we said earlier, when we set out to identify the poorest places in North Carolina, we weren’t sure what we’d encounter, but it ended up being some of the best places to live in North Carolina.
When you look at the data, the cities and places mentioned above meet the criteria for being at the very bottom of the income ladder for everyone that lives there.
If you’re curious enough, here are the richest cities in North Carolina, according to data:
-
Richest: Rolesville
2nd Richest: Apex
3rd Richest: Oak Ridge
For more North Carolina reading, check out:
- Richest Cities In North Carolina
- Safest Cities in North Carolina
- Worst Places To Live In North Carolina
- Most Expensive Places To Live In North Carolina
Detailed List Of The Poorest Places To Live In North Carolina
| Rank | City | Population | Poverty Rate | Median Income | People In Poverty |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Boone | 20,032 | 51.2% | $30,065 | 10,258 |
| 2 | Forest City | 7,363 | 32.1% | $35,524 | 2,361 |
| 3 | Roxboro | 8,182 | 33.3% | $36,553 | 2,722 |
| 4 | Williamston | 5,112 | 36.3% | $38,738 | 1,855 |
| 5 | Rockingham | 8,967 | 30.6% | $37,224 | 2,739 |
| 6 | Kinston | 19,505 | 27.9% | $36,878 | 5,445 |
| 7 | Laurinburg | 15,087 | 31.1% | $42,170 | 4,693 |
| 8 | Henderson | 14,885 | 27.3% | $39,969 | 4,065 |
| 9 | Lumberton | 18,859 | 30.8% | $42,877 | 5,810 |
| 10 | Mount Airy | 10,633 | 26.9% | $40,275 | 2,862 |
| 11 | Siler City | 7,995 | 33.9% | $46,566 | 2,710 |
| 12 | Oxford | 8,914 | 28.3% | $43,054 | 2,524 |
| 13 | Selma | 6,817 | 24.7% | $41,368 | 1,685 |
| 14 | Lexington | 19,690 | 27.8% | $43,128 | 5,465 |
| 15 | Smithfield | 12,116 | 27.4% | $43,270 | 3,313 |
| 16 | Washington | 9,726 | 23.1% | $40,186 | 2,248 |
| 17 | Clinton | 8,304 | 23.6% | $44,953 | 1,956 |
| 18 | Hamlet | 5,961 | 21.6% | $41,590 | 1,289 |
| 19 | Ayden | 5,150 | 22.4% | $42,413 | 1,155 |
| 20 | Albemarle | 16,762 | 24.9% | $46,881 | 4,172 |
| 21 | Reidsville | 14,585 | 21.1% | $42,921 | 3,081 |
| 22 | Lincolnton | 11,783 | 22.6% | $46,320 | 2,668 |
| 23 | Greenville | 92,857 | 24.6% | $49,748 | 22,889 |
| 24 | Morganton | 17,646 | 25.7% | $51,355 | 4,542 |
| 25 | Kings Mountain | 12,039 | 23.0% | $49,564 | 2,765 |
| 26 | Goldsboro | 34,383 | 22.8% | $48,540 | 7,825 |
| 27 | Marion | 7,579 | 23.5% | $51,314 | 1,783 |
| 28 | Salisbury | 35,825 | 26.3% | $53,716 | 9,436 |
| 29 | Dunn | 8,559 | 19.6% | $46,830 | 1,681 |
| 30 | Asheboro | 27,580 | 19.7% | $47,197 | 5,430 |
| 31 | Wilson | 48,370 | 23.0% | $52,485 | 11,115 |
| 32 | Eden | 15,356 | 19.2% | $47,260 | 2,951 |
| 33 | Tarboro | 10,770 | 18.5% | $49,796 | 1,992 |
| 34 | Statesville | 29,894 | 20.4% | $52,880 | 6,110 |
| 35 | Shelby | 22,100 | 17.6% | $48,376 | 3,882 |
| 36 | Sanford | 31,478 | 22.0% | $57,586 | 6,918 |
| 37 | Spring Lake | 11,573 | 17.7% | $51,958 | 2,046 |
| 38 | Rocky Mount | 54,297 | 19.7% | $55,534 | 10,680 |
| 39 | Mocksville | 6,068 | 19.2% | $55,367 | 1,166 |
| 40 | Roanoke Rapids | 14,856 | 18.4% | $53,690 | 2,733 |
| 41 | Morehead City | 9,806 | 18.1% | $56,233 | 1,776 |
| 42 | Lenoir | 18,299 | 14.6% | $49,910 | 2,669 |
| 43 | Fayetteville | 210,815 | 17.7% | $58,407 | 37,314 |
| 44 | Winston-Salem | 252,037 | 17.7% | $59,268 | 44,686 |
| 45 | Graham | 18,048 | 16.8% | $56,239 | 3,030 |
| 46 | Waynesville | 10,502 | 15.9% | $54,923 | 1,669 |
| 47 | Burlington | 59,610 | 16.4% | $56,880 | 9,746 |
| 48 | Brevard | 7,897 | 15.1% | $54,103 | 1,189 |
| 49 | Long View | 5,011 | 11.3% | $46,739 | 567 |
| 50 | Hendersonville | 15,408 | 14.6% | $53,449 | 2,241 |
| 51 | Elizabeth City | 18,871 | 13.3% | $52,141 | 2,511 |
| 52 | New Bern | 32,734 | 17.2% | $61,031 | 5,646 |
| 53 | Nashville | 5,729 | 16.9% | $61,000 | 967 |
| 54 | Bessemer City | 5,580 | 16.4% | $60,300 | 916 |
| 55 | Greensboro | 301,198 | 17.0% | $61,515 | 51,233 |
| 56 | Thomasville | 27,321 | 16.3% | $60,935 | 4,442 |
| 57 | Hickory | 44,258 | 17.1% | $64,576 | 7,576 |
| 58 | Gastonia | 82,884 | 16.3% | $64,059 | 13,501 |
| 59 | Havelock | 17,691 | 14.3% | $58,408 | 2,522 |
| 60 | Angier | 6,241 | 10.6% | $52,214 | 662 |
| 61 | Jacksonville | 71,279 | 12.7% | $57,697 | 9,031 |
| 62 | High Point | 116,245 | 15.7% | $64,561 | 18,227 |
| 63 | Wilmington | 120,805 | 16.0% | $66,738 | 19,304 |
| 64 | Conover | 8,580 | 15.7% | $65,972 | 1,345 |
| 65 | Elon | 11,032 | 20.0% | $84,773 | 2,201 |
| 66 | Hope Mills | 17,939 | 14.1% | $65,774 | 2,525 |
| 67 | Dallas | 6,104 | 10.5% | $58,403 | 640 |
| 68 | Newton | 13,333 | 12.0% | $62,015 | 1,597 |
| 69 | Chapel Hill | 61,607 | 18.6% | $85,989 | 11,446 |
| 70 | Pineville | 11,055 | 13.8% | $69,354 | 1,530 |
| 71 | Asheville | 94,535 | 14.2% | $71,102 | 13,471 |
| 72 | Butner | 8,065 | 15.0% | $74,739 | 1,211 |
| 73 | Woodfin | 8,048 | 14.1% | $71,384 | 1,132 |
| 74 | Cherryville | 6,226 | 12.4% | $70,625 | 772 |
| 75 | Monroe | 36,759 | 13.3% | $72,540 | 4,896 |
| 76 | Kernersville | 27,830 | 12.6% | $71,918 | 3,503 |
| 77 | Kannapolis | 57,890 | 12.6% | $73,836 | 7,276 |
| 78 | Archer Lodge | 5,186 | 17.4% | $91,188 | 900 |
| 79 | Sawmills | 5,042 | 9.9% | $71,067 | 499 |
| 80 | Boiling Spring Lakes | 6,347 | 8.6% | $62,676 | 542 |
| 81 | King | 7,408 | 7.0% | $57,817 | 518 |
| 82 | Aberdeen | 9,228 | 10.5% | $75,078 | 967 |
| 83 | Durham | 291,467 | 11.7% | $81,619 | 34,043 |
| 84 | Charlotte | 903,844 | 11.7% | $82,068 | 105,478 |
| 85 | Trinity | 7,111 | 11.7% | $82,664 | 828 |
| 86 | Carrboro | 21,204 | 12.2% | $85,743 | 2,576 |
| 87 | Walke | 5,873 | 10.8% | $82,615 | 633 |
| 88 | Raleigh | 481,031 | 11.9% | $85,395 | 57,194 |
| 89 | Locust | 5,840 | 8.7% | $76,504 | 506 |
| 90 | Zebulon | 8,711 | 9.0% | $79,112 | 780 |
| 91 | Garner | 34,473 | 8.4% | $78,756 | 2,902 |
| 92 | Winterville | 10,725 | 9.8% | $83,193 | 1,053 |
| 93 | Fletcher | 8,098 | 7.6% | $75,272 | 613 |
| 94 | Mount Holly | 18,208 | 8.2% | $79,385 | 1,493 |
| 95 | Concord | 108,719 | 9.6% | $86,921 | 10,458 |
| 96 | Archdale | 12,087 | 5.2% | $64,757 | 626 |
| 97 | Pleasant Garden | 5,060 | 9.7% | $88,204 | 489 |
| 98 | Oak Island | 9,030 | 8.7% | $85,872 | 781 |
| 99 | Southern Pines | 16,420 | 9.6% | $88,535 | 1,571 |
| 100 | Black Mountain | 8,513 | 5.9% | $77,042 | 505 |