Counties in North Carolina by poverty rate (US five-year survey estimate)

Robeson County had the highest poverty rate (US five-year survey estimate) of 100 counties in 2023, at 28.8%. Camden County had the lowest, at 5%. The median was 14.5% and the figure for North Carolina was 13.2%. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

Keep it in a collection in your library.
Highest28.8Robeson County
Median14.5100 counties
North Carolina13.2History

Map of counties, 2023

Alamance County: 14.2 %Alexander County: 12.1 %Alleghany County: 17.4 %Anson County: 21.2 %Ashe County: 14.1 %Avery County: 11 %Beaufort County: 18 %Bertie County: 19.8 %Bladen County: 21.2 %Brunswick County: 9.4 %Buncombe County: 11.8 %Burke County: 17.9 %Cabarrus County: 8.9 %Caldwell County: 12.7 %Camden County: 5 %Carteret County: 10 %Caswell County: 15.7 %Catawba County: 12.8 %Chatham County: 10.5 %Cherokee County: 14.6 %Chowan County: 20.5 %Clay County: 13.5 %Cleveland County: 17.2 %Columbus County: 18.8 %Craven County: 13.9 %Cumberland County: 17.2 %Currituck County: 7.6 %Dare County: 7.5 %Davidson County: 13.8 %Davie County: 10 %Duplin County: 17.9 %Durham County: 12 %Edgecombe County: 21.9 %Forsyth County: 14.7 %Franklin County: 10.1 %Gaston County: 12.8 %Gates County: 11.8 %Graham County: 8.7 %Granville County: 14.1 %Greene County: 22.4 %Guilford County: 15.2 %Halifax County: 25.2 %Harnett County: 14.5 %Haywood County: 11.3 %Henderson County: 11.7 %Hertford County: 21.4 %Hoke County: 17.4 %Hyde County: 22.4 %Iredell County: 9.1 %Jackson County: 19.3 %Johnston County: 11.2 %Jones County: 21.3 %Lee County: 15.5 %Lenoir County: 22.5 %Lincoln County: 9.1 %McDowell County: 14 %Macon County: 14.4 %Madison County: 11.4 %Martin County: 19.6 %Mecklenburg County: 10.4 %Mitchell County: 13 %Montgomery County: 16.1 %Moore County: 10 %Nash County: 14 %New Hanover County: 12.4 %Northampton County: 20 %Onslow County: 11.7 %Orange County: 12.4 %Pamlico County: 12.4 %Pasquotank County: 10 %Pender County: 10.7 %Perquimans County: 11.4 %Person County: 18.5 %Pitt County: 19.4 %Polk County: 13.7 %Randolph County: 14.8 %Richmond County: 25.2 %Robeson County: 28.8 %Rockingham County: 16.9 %Rowan County: 15.8 %Rutherford County: 17.6 %Sampson County: 20.2 %Scotland County: 26.6 %Stanly County: 14.3 %Stokes County: 12 %Surry County: 16.7 %Swain County: 21.1 %Transylvania County: 14.2 %Tyrrell County: 20.8 %Union County: 7.7 %Vance County: 19 %Wake County: 7.9 %Warren County: 22.2 %Washington County: 24.7 %Watauga County: 24.7 %Wayne County: 16.9 %Wilkes County: 16.4 %Wilson County: 21 %Yadkin County: 13.6 %Yancey County: 14.9 %
  • Under 11
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  • 21 and over
%, 2023. Source: Invokely calculation with data from U.S. Census Bureau. Boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau cartographic boundary files.

Top 40 counties, 2023

Robeson County: 28.8 %Robeson County28.8Scotland County: 26.6 %Scotland County26.6Richmond County: 25.2 %Richmond County25.2Halifax County: 25.2 %Halifax County25.2Washington County: 24.7 %Washington County24.7Watauga County: 24.7 %Watauga County24.7Lenoir County: 22.5 %Lenoir County22.5Hyde County: 22.4 %Hyde County22.4Greene County: 22.4 %Greene County22.4Warren County: 22.2 %Warren County22.2Edgecombe County: 21.9 %Edgecombe County21.9Hertford County: 21.4 %Hertford County21.4Jones County: 21.3 %Jones County21.3Bladen County: 21.2 %Bladen County21.2Anson County: 21.2 %Anson County21.2Swain County: 21.1 %Swain County21.1Wilson County: 21 %Wilson County21Tyrrell County: 20.8 %Tyrrell County20.8Chowan County: 20.5 %Chowan County20.5Sampson County: 20.2 %Sampson County20.2Northampton County: 20 %Northampton County20Bertie County: 19.8 %Bertie County19.8Martin County: 19.6 %Martin County19.6Pitt County: 19.4 %Pitt County19.4Jackson County: 19.3 %Jackson County19.3Vance County: 19 %Vance County19Columbus County: 18.8 %Columbus County18.8Person County: 18.5 %Person County18.5Beaufort County: 18 %Beaufort County18Burke County: 17.9 %Burke County17.9Duplin County: 17.9 %Duplin County17.9Rutherford County: 17.6 %Rutherford County17.6Alleghany County: 17.4 %Alleghany County17.4Hoke County: 17.4 %Hoke County17.4Cleveland County: 17.2 %Cleveland County17.2Cumberland County: 17.2 %Cumberland County17.2Wayne County: 16.9 %Wayne County16.9Rockingham County: 16.9 %Rockingham County16.9Surry County: 16.7 %Surry County16.7Wilkes County: 16.4 %Wilkes County16.4Robeson County: 28.8 %Robeson County28.8Scotland County: 26.6 %Scotland County26.6Richmond County: 25.2 %Richmond County25.2Halifax County: 25.2 %Halifax County25.2Washington County: 24.7 %Washington County24.7Watauga County: 24.7 %Watauga County24.7Lenoir County: 22.5 %Lenoir County22.5Hyde County: 22.4 %Hyde County22.4Greene County: 22.4 %Greene County22.4Warren County: 22.2 %Warren County22.2Edgecombe County: 21.9 %Edgecombe County21.9Hertford County: 21.4 %Hertford County21.4Jones County: 21.3 %Jones County21.3Bladen County: 21.2 %Bladen County21.2Anson County: 21.2 %Anson County21.2Swain County: 21.1 %Swain County21.1Wilson County: 21 %Wilson County21Tyrrell County: 20.8 %Tyrrell County20.8Chowan County: 20.5 %Chowan County20.5Sampson County: 20.2 %Sampson County20.2Northampton County: 20 %Northampton County20Bertie County: 19.8 %Bertie County19.8Martin County: 19.6 %Martin County19.6Pitt County: 19.4 %Pitt County19.4Jackson County: 19.3 %Jackson County19.3Vance County: 19 %Vance County19Columbus County: 18.8 %Columbus County18.8Person County: 18.5 %Person County18.5Beaufort County: 18 %Beaufort County18Burke County: 17.9 %Burke County17.9Duplin County: 17.9 %Duplin County17.9Rutherford County: 17.6 %Rutherford County17.6Alleghany County: 17.4 %Alleghany County17.4Hoke County: 17.4 %Hoke County17.4Cleveland County: 17.2 %Cleveland County17.2Cumberland County: 17.2 %Cumberland County17.2Wayne County: 16.9 %Wayne County16.9Rockingham County: 16.9 %Rockingham County16.9Surry County: 16.7 %Surry County16.7Wilkes County: 16.4 %Wilkes County16.4
%. Source: Invokely calculation with data from U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankCounties2023 (%)Change on 2022
1Robeson County28.8+1.6 pts
2Scotland County26.6+0.4 pts
3Richmond County25.2+2.2 pts
4Halifax County25.2+1.3 pts
5Washington County24.7+3.1 pts
6Watauga County24.7-0.2 pts
7Lenoir County22.50 pts
8Hyde County22.4-7.5 pts
9Greene County22.4-0.2 pts
10Warren County22.2+1 pts
11Edgecombe County21.9-0.2 pts
12Hertford County21.4+1.1 pts
13Jones County21.3+3.6 pts
14Bladen County21.2-3.2 pts
15Anson County21.2+1.8 pts
16Swain County21.1+1.3 pts
17Wilson County21+0.6 pts
18Tyrrell County20.8+4.8 pts
19Chowan County20.5-0.3 pts
20Sampson County20.2-2 pts
21Northampton County20+1.3 pts
22Bertie County19.8-1.6 pts
23Martin County19.6-0.9 pts
24Pitt County19.4-0.6 pts
25Jackson County19.3-0 pts
26Vance County19+0.2 pts
27Columbus County18.8-2.3 pts
28Person County18.5+1.2 pts
29Beaufort County18+1 pts
30Burke County17.9+1 pts
31Duplin County17.9-0.6 pts
32Rutherford County17.6-0.8 pts
33Alleghany County17.4-2.2 pts
34Hoke County17.4+0.1 pts
35Cleveland County17.2-1.1 pts
36Cumberland County17.2-0.3 pts
37Wayne County16.9-1 pts
38Rockingham County16.9-2 pts
39Surry County16.7-1.3 pts
40Wilkes County16.4-0.7 pts
41Montgomery County16.1-0.1 pts
42Rowan County15.8-0.6 pts
43Caswell County15.7+0.3 pts
44Lee County15.5-0.5 pts
45Guilford County15.2+0.1 pts
46Yancey County14.9-0.4 pts
47Randolph County14.80 pts
48Forsyth County14.7-0.5 pts
49Cherokee County14.6-2.1 pts
50Harnett County14.5+0.2 pts
51Macon County14.4-1 pts
52Stanly County14.3+0.5 pts
53Transylvania County14.2+0.8 pts
54Alamance County14.2-0.1 pts
55Granville County14.1-0.3 pts
56Ashe County14.1-0.1 pts
57Nash County14-0.5 pts
58McDowell County14-1 pts
59Craven County13.9-0.1 pts
60Davidson County13.8-0.1 pts
61Polk County13.7+2.7 pts
62Yadkin County13.6-0.2 pts
63Clay County13.5-0 pts
64Mitchell County13-0.4 pts
65Catawba County12.8-0.2 pts
66Gaston County12.8+0.3 pts
67Caldwell County12.7-0.6 pts
68Orange County12.4+0.2 pts
69New Hanover County12.4-0.3 pts
69Pamlico County12.4-1.5 pts
71Alexander County12.1-0.2 pts
72Durham County12-0.3 pts
73Stokes County12-0 pts
74Gates County11.8-2.5 pts
75Buncombe County11.8+0.5 pts
76Onslow County11.7-1 pts
77Henderson County11.7+0.3 pts
78Madison County11.4-1.1 pts
79Perquimans County11.4-1.9 pts
80Haywood County11.3-0.8 pts
81Johnston County11.2+0.5 pts
82Avery County11-0.3 pts
83Pender County10.7-1 pts
84Chatham County10.5+0.1 pts
85Mecklenburg County10.4-0.1 pts
86Franklin County10.1+0.4 pts
87Carteret County10+0.4 pts
88Pasquotank County10-1.6 pts
89Davie County10-1.6 pts
90Moore County10+0.5 pts
91Brunswick County9.4+0.3 pts
92Iredell County9.1-0.3 pts
93Lincoln County9.1-0.2 pts
94Cabarrus County8.9+0.5 pts
95Graham County8.7-2.6 pts
96Wake County7.9-0.3 pts
97Union County7.7+0.9 pts
98Currituck County7.6-0.8 pts
99Dare County7.5+1.1 pts
100Camden County5-0.9 pts

Other periods

About this ranking

People with income in the past 12 months below the official US poverty thresholds, as a percentage of people whose poverty status is determined. United States: American Community Survey five-year estimate, where the period shown is the last year of the five-year span.

The headline single-year rate for states and counties is poverty_rate (SAIPE). Poverty status is not determined for people in institutions, military group quarters or college dormitories, or for unrelated children under 15. Absolute thresholds set by the US government, so not comparable with the EU at_risk_of_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. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B17001: population with income in the past 12 months below the poverty level as a percentage of the population for whom poverty status is determined, calculated with stored inputs. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-b17001.dat. 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). American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B17001: population with income in the past 12 months below the poverty level as a percentage of the population for whom poverty status is determined, calculated with stored inputs (Counties in North Carolina by poverty rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2023) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-b17001.dat

MLA 9

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B17001: population with income in the past 12 months below the poverty level as a percentage of the population for whom poverty status is determined, calculated with stored inputs, Counties in North Carolina by poverty rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2023. U.S. Census Bureau, 29 Jan. 2026, https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-b17001.dat. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/poverty-rate-acs/north-carolina-counties?period=2023. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

Chicago (author-date)

U.S. Census Bureau. 2026. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B17001: population with income in the past 12 months below the poverty level as a percentage of the population for whom poverty status is determined, calculated with stored inputs. Counties in North Carolina by poverty rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2023. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-b17001.dat. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/poverty-rate-acs/north-carolina-counties?period=2023.

Harvard

U.S. Census Bureau (2026) American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B17001: population with income in the past 12 months below the poverty level as a percentage of the population for whom poverty status is determined, calculated with stored inputs, Counties in North Carolina by poverty rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2023 [Dataset]. Available at: https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-b17001.dat, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/poverty-rate-acs/north-carolina-counties?period=2023 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{census_counties_in_north_carolina_2023,
  author = {{U.S. Census Bureau}},
  title = {{American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B17001: population with income in the past 12 months below the poverty level as a percentage of the population for whom poverty status is determined, calculated with stored inputs: Counties in North Carolina by poverty rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2023}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-b17001.dat},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/poverty-rate-acs/north-carolina-counties?period=2023. Publisher attribution: U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B17001: population with income in the past 12 months below the poverty level as a percentage of the population for whom poverty status is determined, calculated with stored inputs. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary\_file/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-b17001.dat. Retrieved 2026-10-12.},
}
RIS
TY  - DATA
AU  - U.S. Census Bureau
TI  - American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B17001: population with income in the past 12 months below the poverty level as a percentage of the population for whom poverty status is determined, calculated with stored inputs: Counties in North Carolina by poverty rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2023
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/01/29
PB  - U.S. Census Bureau
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-b17001.dat
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/poverty-rate-acs/north-carolina-counties?period=2023
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/poverty-rate-acs/north-carolina-counties?period=2023.
N1  - Publisher attribution: U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B17001: population with income in the past 12 months below the poverty level as a percentage of the population for whom poverty status is determined, calculated with stored inputs. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-b17001.dat. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER  - 
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Questions

Which county has the highest poverty rate (US five-year survey estimate)?

Robeson County, with 28.8% in 2023, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which county has the lowest poverty rate (US five-year survey estimate)?

Camden County, with 5% in 2023.

Where does this ranking come from?

Every value comes from one source and one period, so the places are comparable: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B17001: population with income in the past 12 months below the poverty level as a percentage of the population for whom poverty status is determined, calculated with stored inputs. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Poverty rate (US five-year survey estimate): other rankings

Counties in North Carolina: more rankings