A family of five with a total income of less than $40,000 is defined by the Census Bureau as living in poverty. Over 12% of North Carolinians were in poverty in 2024, according to Census data.
A new report from United Way finds a much larger group in NC still struggles to make ends meet. An additional 28% of the state’s households earn above the federal poverty threshold, but not enough to afford basic expenses. That number has trended up from 2010 to 2024, although it decreased slightly from 2022 to 2024.
Charlotte is one of the most expensive cities in NC, and the cost of living nationwide has shot up in recent years — overall prices of everyday goods and services are up 25% since 2020, and roughly one third of Americans now spend over 30 percent of their income on housing.
Meanwhile, the federal minimum wage remains $7.25 per hour.
On this episode, we sit down with researchers behind the study and a local economist to understand the latest data on affordability in North Carolina.
GUESTS:
Jamese Ivy, senior vice president and chief impact officer for United Way of Greater Charlotte
Stephanie Hoopes, national director of the United Way ALICE Project
Matthew Mezgar, clinical professor of economics at UNC Charlotte
