Multiple sources and methodologies have identified different towns as the “poorest” in North Carolina, depending on the specific criteria used. For example, according to a 2024 analysis by 24/7 Wall St. focusing on poverty rates among towns with populations above 5,000, the town with the highest poverty rate is Forest City, with a poverty rate of 38.9% and a median household income of $35,2321. Another 24/7 Wall St. report from 2023, which considered all towns with populations between 1,000 and 25,000, named Scotland Neck as the poorest, with a median household income of just $15,985 and a poverty rate not listed in the summary, but with 46% of households receiving SNAP benefits5. More recently, a 2025 report by the same outlet listed Brunswick as the poorest town in North Carolina, with a median household income of $16,643 and a poverty rate of 64.2%.
Other rankings, such as those from Road Snacks, have identified Boone as the poorest city in North Carolina for 2024, citing its low median income ($28,242) and the highest poverty rate among cities (55.9%). However, Boone is a larger city compared to the small towns listed by 24/7 Wall St.
The town most recently named the poorest in North Carolina by 24/7 Wall St. is Brunswick, with a median household income of $16,643 and a poverty rate of 64.2%. However, depending on the criteria and population size considered, Forest City, Scotland Neck, and Boone have also been highlighted as among the poorest in the state.
Sources
[1] https://247wallst.com/income/2024/05/09/towns-in-north-carolina-with-the-worst-poverty/
[2] https://ncbudget.org/2025-economic-county-snapshots-for-north-carolina/
[3] https://www.roadsnacks.net/poorest-places-in-north-carolina/
[4] https://www.iheart.com/content/2025-01-07-north-carolina-city-named-among-the-neediest-cities-in-the-us/
[5] https://www.iheart.com/content/2023-11-14-north-carolina-town-named-the-poorest-in-the-state/
