WECT TV6-WECT.com:News, weather & sports Wilmington, NC Report ranks Bladen, Columbus counties as ‘persistently poor'

Report ranks Bladen, Columbus counties as ‘persistently poor'

BLADEN COUNTY and COLUMBUS COUNTY, NC (WECT) – According to a press release from the North Carolina Budget & Tax Center, a new report released Wed. details why 10 North Carolina counties were classified as "persistently poor" between 1970 and 2000.

For a county to be considered "persistently poor," it must have high poverty rates annually for three decades.

"Persistently poor" is also defined by the percentage of people who live in poverty in addition to the period of time that the poverty rate has stayed high in a given geographic region.

The 10 counties included in the report include Bertie, Bladen, Columbus, Halifax, Martin, Northampton, Pitt, Robeson, Tyrell and Washington.

Some residents and officials in Columbus County feel that the state is to blame for making the list.

Chandler Worley's roots run deep in Columbus County. His family has owned a farm in the county since the Revolutionary War, and he believes the county is neglected when it comes to state officials helping the rural county grow. 

Columbus, Bladen and Robeson counties all neighbor each other, which is why Columbus County Commission Chairman Amon McKenzie says that he believes his county's location may play a part in being persistently poor.

However, McKenzie remains optimistic that currently, the county is heading in the right direction.

The NC Budget and Tax Center is a project of the NC Justice Center.

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