According to a 2023 analysis by 24/7 Wall St., the town named the “poorest” in North Carolina is Scotland Neck.
This small eastern North Carolina town has a population of around 2,000 and a median household income of just $15,985, which is dramatically lower than the state average of $60,516.
The median home value in Scotland Neck is $63,300, also far below the state average. Notably, 46% of households in Scotland Neck receive SNAP benefits, highlighting the widespread economic hardship in the area.
The methodology used by 24/7 Wall St. to determine the poorest town involved analyzing U.S. Census Bureau data for cities, towns, or unincorporated communities with populations between 1,000 and 25,000, ranking them by median household income.
While other sources list cities like Boone, Forest City, and Laurinburg as having high poverty rates or low median incomes, Scotland Neck stands out for its exceptionally low household income and high reliance on public assistance, making it the poorest town in North Carolina by this widely cited measure.
Sources
[1] https://kiss951.com/listicle/20-cities-in-north-carolina-with-the-most-living-in-poverty/
[2] https://www.roadsnacks.net/poorest-places-in-north-carolina/
[3] https://spectacularmag.com/2024/09/08/towns-in-north-carolina-experiencing-the-most-people-living-in-poverty/
[4] https://247wallst.com/income/2024/05/09/towns-in-north-carolina-with-the-worst-poverty/
[5] https://www.iheart.com/content/2023-11-14-north-carolina-town-named-the-poorest-in-the-state/