Data / Rankings / Child poverty rate, under 18 (US official measure) / Counties in North Carolina

Counties in North Carolina by child poverty rate, under 18 (US official measure)

Bladen County had the highest child poverty rate, under 18 (US official measure) of 100 counties in 2018, at 44.2%. Union County had the lowest, at 9.4%. The median was 23.5% and the figure for North Carolina was 20.2%. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

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Highest44.2Bladen County
Lowest9.4Union County
Median23.5100 counties
North Carolina20.2History

Map of counties, 2018

Alamance County: 19.8 %Alexander County: 19.6 %Alleghany County: 29.8 %Anson County: 31.5 %Ashe County: 26.2 %Avery County: 25.4 %Beaufort County: 27.5 %Bertie County: 32 %Bladen County: 44.2 %Brunswick County: 20.1 %Buncombe County: 16.8 %Burke County: 20.6 %Cabarrus County: 12.9 %Caldwell County: 22.4 %Camden County: 9.9 %Carteret County: 15.9 %Caswell County: 28.1 %Catawba County: 20 %Chatham County: 14.2 %Cherokee County: 27.9 %Chowan County: 30.2 %Clay County: 24.2 %Cleveland County: 28.4 %Columbus County: 36.2 %Craven County: 21.8 %Cumberland County: 23.7 %Currituck County: 13.8 %Dare County: 13.6 %Davidson County: 23.2 %Davie County: 15.5 %Duplin County: 30.7 %Durham County: 19.3 %Edgecombe County: 37 %Forsyth County: 25.1 %Franklin County: 20 %Gaston County: 19.2 %Gates County: 21.1 %Graham County: 26.3 %Granville County: 19.1 %Greene County: 34.3 %Guilford County: 23.1 %Halifax County: 33.6 %Harnett County: 19.7 %Haywood County: 21.8 %Henderson County: 15.5 %Hertford County: 31.7 %Hoke County: 25.6 %Hyde County: 31.9 %Iredell County: 13.6 %Jackson County: 21.4 %Johnston County: 16.7 %Jones County: 28.9 %Lee County: 22.5 %Lenoir County: 37.7 %Lincoln County: 14.6 %McDowell County: 21.4 %Macon County: 26.1 %Madison County: 23 %Martin County: 30.6 %Mecklenburg County: 17.5 %Mitchell County: 23.9 %Montgomery County: 26.1 %Moore County: 14.9 %Nash County: 22.8 %New Hanover County: 19.3 %Northampton County: 34.3 %Onslow County: 20.8 %Orange County: 10.8 %Pamlico County: 29.3 %Pasquotank County: 28.2 %Pender County: 21.9 %Perquimans County: 27.6 %Person County: 23.4 %Pitt County: 26.5 %Polk County: 20.4 %Randolph County: 20.6 %Richmond County: 31.1 %Robeson County: 35.6 %Rockingham County: 26 %Rowan County: 25.2 %Rutherford County: 28.3 %Sampson County: 33 %Scotland County: 41.8 %Stanly County: 19.2 %Stokes County: 18.2 %Surry County: 23.6 %Swain County: 22.9 %Transylvania County: 22.6 %Tyrrell County: 35.1 %Union County: 9.4 %Vance County: 35.8 %Wake County: 10.4 %Warren County: 30.1 %Washington County: 38.7 %Watauga County: 15.3 %Wayne County: 31.5 %Wilkes County: 31.6 %Wilson County: 31.1 %Yadkin County: 20.5 %Yancey County: 26.3 %
  • Under 17
  • 17 to 21
  • 21 to 24
  • 24 to 28
  • 28 to 32
  • 32 and over
%, 2018. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE): percent of people under age 18 in poverty, nation, states and counties. Boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau cartographic boundary files.

Top 40 counties, 2018

Bladen County: 44.2 %Bladen County44.2Scotland County: 41.8 %Scotland County41.8Washington County: 38.7 %Washington County38.7Lenoir County: 37.7 %Lenoir County37.7Edgecombe County: 37 %Edgecombe County37Columbus County: 36.2 %Columbus County36.2Vance County: 35.8 %Vance County35.8Robeson County: 35.6 %Robeson County35.6Tyrrell County: 35.1 %Tyrrell County35.1Greene County: 34.3 %Greene County34.3Northampton County: 34.3 %Northampton County34.3Halifax County: 33.6 %Halifax County33.6Sampson County: 33 %Sampson County33Bertie County: 32 %Bertie County32Hyde County: 31.9 %Hyde County31.9Hertford County: 31.7 %Hertford County31.7Wilkes County: 31.6 %Wilkes County31.6Anson County: 31.5 %Anson County31.5Wayne County: 31.5 %Wayne County31.5Richmond County: 31.1 %Richmond County31.1Wilson County: 31.1 %Wilson County31.1Duplin County: 30.7 %Duplin County30.7Martin County: 30.6 %Martin County30.6Chowan County: 30.2 %Chowan County30.2Warren County: 30.1 %Warren County30.1Alleghany County: 29.8 %Alleghany County29.8Pamlico County: 29.3 %Pamlico County29.3Jones County: 28.9 %Jones County28.9Cleveland County: 28.4 %Cleveland County28.4Rutherford County: 28.3 %Rutherford County28.3Pasquotank County: 28.2 %Pasquotank County28.2Caswell County: 28.1 %Caswell County28.1Cherokee County: 27.9 %Cherokee County27.9Perquimans County: 27.6 %Perquimans County27.6Beaufort County: 27.5 %Beaufort County27.5Pitt County: 26.5 %Pitt County26.5Graham County: 26.3 %Graham County26.3Yancey County: 26.3 %Yancey County26.3Ashe County: 26.2 %Ashe County26.2Macon County: 26.1 %Macon County26.1Bladen County: 44.2 %Bladen County44.2Scotland County: 41.8 %Scotland County41.8Washington County: 38.7 %Washington County38.7Lenoir County: 37.7 %Lenoir County37.7Edgecombe County: 37 %Edgecombe County37Columbus County: 36.2 %Columbus County36.2Vance County: 35.8 %Vance County35.8Robeson County: 35.6 %Robeson County35.6Tyrrell County: 35.1 %Tyrrell County35.1Greene County: 34.3 %Greene County34.3Northampton County: 34.3 %Northampton County34.3Halifax County: 33.6 %Halifax County33.6Sampson County: 33 %Sampson County33Bertie County: 32 %Bertie County32Hyde County: 31.9 %Hyde County31.9Hertford County: 31.7 %Hertford County31.7Wilkes County: 31.6 %Wilkes County31.6Anson County: 31.5 %Anson County31.5Wayne County: 31.5 %Wayne County31.5Richmond County: 31.1 %Richmond County31.1Wilson County: 31.1 %Wilson County31.1Duplin County: 30.7 %Duplin County30.7Martin County: 30.6 %Martin County30.6Chowan County: 30.2 %Chowan County30.2Warren County: 30.1 %Warren County30.1Alleghany County: 29.8 %Alleghany County29.8Pamlico County: 29.3 %Pamlico County29.3Jones County: 28.9 %Jones County28.9Cleveland County: 28.4 %Cleveland County28.4Rutherford County: 28.3 %Rutherford County28.3Pasquotank County: 28.2 %Pasquotank County28.2Caswell County: 28.1 %Caswell County28.1Cherokee County: 27.9 %Cherokee County27.9Perquimans County: 27.6 %Perquimans County27.6Beaufort County: 27.5 %Beaufort County27.5Pitt County: 26.5 %Pitt County26.5Graham County: 26.3 %Graham County26.3Yancey County: 26.3 %Yancey County26.3Ashe County: 26.2 %Ashe County26.2Macon County: 26.1 %Macon County26.1
%. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE): percent of people under age 18 in poverty, nation, states and counties. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankCounties2018 (%)Change on 2017
1Bladen County44.2+15.8 pts
2Scotland County41.8+2.5 pts
3Washington County38.7-2 pts
4Lenoir County37.70 pts
5Edgecombe County37-1.5 pts
6Columbus County36.2+1.5 pts
7Vance County35.8-2.2 pts
8Robeson County35.6-8.8 pts
9Tyrrell County35.1+0.1 pts
10Greene County34.3-9.4 pts
10Northampton County34.3-5.8 pts
12Halifax County33.6-6.6 pts
13Sampson County33+1.9 pts
14Bertie County32-7.2 pts
15Hyde County31.9+1.1 pts
16Hertford County31.7-5 pts
17Wilkes County31.6+6.9 pts
18Anson County31.5-1.5 pts
18Wayne County31.5+0.4 pts
20Richmond County31.1-6 pts
20Wilson County31.1+2.4 pts
22Duplin County30.7+0.2 pts
23Martin County30.6-0.1 pts
24Chowan County30.2+1 pts
25Warren County30.1-2.9 pts
26Alleghany County29.8-4.9 pts
27Pamlico County29.3-1.2 pts
28Jones County28.9-3.7 pts
29Cleveland County28.4+1.8 pts
30Rutherford County28.3+3.9 pts
31Pasquotank County28.2-2.5 pts
32Caswell County28.1-0.7 pts
33Cherokee County27.9-0.9 pts
34Perquimans County27.6-0.4 pts
35Beaufort County27.5-3.6 pts
36Pitt County26.5-3.1 pts
37Graham County26.3-1.7 pts
37Yancey County26.3+0.8 pts
39Ashe County26.2+1.1 pts
40Macon County26.1-0.4 pts
40Montgomery County26.1-1.2 pts
42Rockingham County26+2.1 pts
43Hoke County25.6+2.4 pts
44Avery County25.4-2.1 pts
45Rowan County25.2+2.8 pts
46Forsyth County25.10 pts
47Clay County24.2-3.2 pts
48Mitchell County23.9-1.7 pts
49Cumberland County23.7-1.4 pts
50Surry County23.6+0.5 pts
51Person County23.4+1.5 pts
52Davidson County23.2+1.7 pts
53Guilford County23.1+3.4 pts
54Madison County23-1.3 pts
55Swain County22.9-1.1 pts
56Nash County22.8-1.1 pts
57Transylvania County22.6-1.7 pts
58Lee County22.5-0.4 pts
59Caldwell County22.4+0.3 pts
60Pender County21.9+4.4 pts
61Craven County21.8-4.6 pts
61Haywood County21.8-0.7 pts
63Jackson County21.4-1.1 pts
63McDowell County21.4-4.5 pts
65Gates County21.1-1.5 pts
66Onslow County20.8+2.5 pts
67Burke County20.6-1.5 pts
67Randolph County20.6-2.8 pts
69Yadkin County20.5-1.5 pts
70Polk County20.4-0.9 pts
71Brunswick County20.1-1.4 pts
72Catawba County20+1.3 pts
72Franklin County20-3.9 pts
74Alamance County19.8-0.8 pts
75Harnett County19.7-3.2 pts
76Alexander County19.6+3.5 pts
77Durham County19.3-5 pts
77New Hanover County19.3-1.7 pts
79Gaston County19.2-2.5 pts
79Stanly County19.2-0.4 pts
81Granville County19.1+2.1 pts
82Stokes County18.2-2.4 pts
83Mecklenburg County17.5+0.7 pts
84Buncombe County16.8-0.8 pts
85Johnston County16.7-4.7 pts
86Carteret County15.9-5 pts
87Davie County15.5-1.6 pts
87Henderson County15.5-2 pts
89Watauga County15.3-1.5 pts
90Moore County14.9+0.1 pts
91Lincoln County14.6-0.5 pts
92Chatham County14.2-1.8 pts
93Currituck County13.8-1.2 pts
94Dare County13.6-2.7 pts
94Iredell County13.6-2.8 pts
96Cabarrus County12.9-0.7 pts
97Orange County10.8-0.4 pts
98Wake County10.4-1.2 pts
99Camden County9.9-0.8 pts
100Union County9.4-2.2 pts

Other periods

About this ranking

People under 18 in families or living alone with income below the official US poverty thresholds, as a percentage of people under 18 whose poverty status can be determined. United States: Census Bureau Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE) for the nation, states and counties.

A model-based single-year estimate; the national figure is the one-year American Community Survey estimate. The Census Bureau advises comparing years from 2006 on only. Absolute thresholds set by the US government, so not comparable with the EU at_risk_of_poverty_rate. The rate for all ages is poverty_rate.

Every value in the ranking comes from the same publisher and the same period, so the counties are compared on one definition. Equal values share a rank.

How to cite

U.S. Census Bureau. Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE): percent of people under age 18 in poverty, nation, states and counties. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/saipe/datasets/2018/2018-state-and-county/est18all.txt. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Citation styles

The publisher is the author. Invokely is named only as the place the figures were read, where a style asks for it.

APA 7

U.S. Census Bureau. (2026). Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE): percent of people under age 18 in poverty, nation, states and counties (Counties in North Carolina by child poverty rate, under 18 (US official measure), 2018) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/saipe/datasets/2018/2018-state-and-county/est18all.txt

MLA 9

Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE): percent of people under age 18 in poverty, nation, states and counties, Counties in North Carolina by child poverty rate, under 18 (US official measure), 2018. U.S. Census Bureau, 27 Jan. 2026, https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/saipe/datasets/2018/2018-state-and-county/est18all.txt. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/child-poverty-rate-under-18/north-carolina-counties?period=2018. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

Chicago (author-date)

U.S. Census Bureau. 2026. Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE): percent of people under age 18 in poverty, nation, states and counties. Counties in North Carolina by child poverty rate, under 18 (US official measure), 2018. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/saipe/datasets/2018/2018-state-and-county/est18all.txt. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/child-poverty-rate-under-18/north-carolina-counties?period=2018.

Harvard

U.S. Census Bureau (2026) Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE): percent of people under age 18 in poverty, nation, states and counties, Counties in North Carolina by child poverty rate, under 18 (US official measure), 2018 [Dataset]. Available at: https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/saipe/datasets/2018/2018-state-and-county/est18all.txt, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/child-poverty-rate-under-18/north-carolina-counties?period=2018 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{census_counties_in_north_carolina_2018,
  author = {{U.S. Census Bureau}},
  title = {{Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE): percent of people under age 18 in poverty, nation, states and counties: Counties in North Carolina by child poverty rate, under 18 (US official measure), 2018}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/saipe/datasets/2018/2018-state-and-county/est18all.txt},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/child-poverty-rate-under-18/north-carolina-counties?period=2018. Publisher attribution: U.S. Census Bureau. Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE): percent of people under age 18 in poverty, nation, states and counties. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/saipe/datasets/2018/2018-state-and-county/est18all.txt. Retrieved 2026-10-12.},
}
RIS
TY  - DATA
AU  - U.S. Census Bureau
TI  - Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE): percent of people under age 18 in poverty, nation, states and counties: Counties in North Carolina by child poverty rate, under 18 (US official measure), 2018
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/01/27
PB  - U.S. Census Bureau
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/saipe/datasets/2018/2018-state-and-county/est18all.txt
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/child-poverty-rate-under-18/north-carolina-counties?period=2018
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/child-poverty-rate-under-18/north-carolina-counties?period=2018.
N1  - Publisher attribution: U.S. Census Bureau. Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE): percent of people under age 18 in poverty, nation, states and counties. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/saipe/datasets/2018/2018-state-and-county/est18all.txt. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER  -
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Questions

Which county has the highest child poverty rate, under 18 (US official measure)?

Bladen County, with 44.2% in 2018, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which county has the lowest child poverty rate, under 18 (US official measure)?

Union County, with 9.4% in 2018.

Where does this ranking come from?

Every value comes from one source and one period, so the places are comparable: U.S. Census Bureau, Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE): percent of people under age 18 in poverty, nation, states and counties. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Child poverty rate, under 18 (US official measure): other rankings

Counties in North Carolina: more rankings