South By North Strategies, Ltd.

A recent policy brief from the NC Budget and Tax Center analyzes the characteristics of the 10 North Carolina counties that have experienced “persistent poverty,” meaning that they have had a countywide poverty rate of at least 20 percent in every decennial census since 1970.

As of 2000, there were 10 counties in North Carolina that fit the definition of persistently poor: Bertie, Bladen, Columbus, Halifax, Martin, Northampton, Pitt, Robeson, Tyrrell and Washington counties.
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All of North Carolina’s persistently poor counties are located in the eastern region of the state. This area is part of the northern tip of the Black Belt, a crescent of economically distressed communities that stretches south to Louisiana. The challenges for these communities can be traced back to the economic oppression of slavery and the economic exclusion of segregation and discrimination. As a result, these communities have long struggled with a lack of connection to the opportunities that generate improved economic outcomes such as education, employment, infrastructure, and technology. More recently, these communities have been impacted by economic restructuring—the dramatic decline in the state’s manufacturing employment base and the rise of low‐paying service‐sector jobs—and the need to adapt to today’s highly competitive economy.
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The lack of employment opportunities has meant these communities have little to offer residents in terms of good jobs and opportunities for advancement. Often, those residents who achieve middle‐class status leave the Black Belt to continue their post‐secondary education or seek higher‐paying jobs.