In the 1950s, Roanoke Rapids was a mill town, home to multiple textile mills. The town became famous for the story of union organizer and Mill Worker Crystal Lee Sutton, who worked at the J.P. Stevens & Co. mill. The town has since lost its textile mills and almost 3,000 jobs, but is now home to the KapStone Paper and Packaging paper manufacturing facility.
In Roanoke Rapids, North Carolina, the largest employers are in the Manufacturing, Construction, and Retail Trade industries. The Census Bureau uses a money income threshold for poverty, which differs by race and family composition. If a family's income falls below this threshold, it is considered impoverished. In Roanoke Rapids, NC, the most common racial groups are White, Black, and Hispanic.
Roanoke Rapids is located on the Roanoke River, along the fall line. The fall line is the line where the upland region meets the coastal plain. This region is characterized by waterfalls and rapids. As a result, settlements developed along rivers. Roanoke Rapids was no exception, as it was used by textile manufacturers to power their mills.
In 2016, the average household income in Roanoke Rapids, NC was $643/mo. That is less than half of the national average. The city's rent burden is also higher than that of its neighboring cities, including Enfield and Macon. Among the renter-occupied housing units, 174.5% of households live in rented houses. The rent burden in Roanoke Rapids is higher than the state average of 30.3%, but the city's rent burden is lower than that of many other nearby cities.