RANKING · 2024 ACS · 170 SHOWN OF 170

Fastest gentrifying, North Carolina cities

North Carolina cities ranked by the CensusEasy Gentrification Score, blending a decade of growth in real income, real home value, and college attainment. Higher means faster upmarket change. This list covers the 170 cities in North Carolina that qualify, ranked against each other statewide.

North CarolinaAll statesPop > 5KAll rankings

SAME RANKING BYCounties Metros

RELATEDMost expensive homes Cheapest homes Highest median rent Lowest median rent Highest homeownership rate Highest renter share

RANKPLACESTATEPOPGENTRIFICATION SCOREVS 2000

01Holly Ridge, NCNC5,90898–

02Lake Norman of Iredell, NCNC12,49497–

03Zebulon, NCNC11,93394–

04Hillsborough, NCNC9,77892–

05Rolesville, NCNC12,83991–

06Wendell, NCNC19,68790–

07Fuquay-Varina, NCNC48,53690–

08Woodfin, NCNC8,22989–

09Pineville, NCNC11,85187–

10Mills River, NCNC7,50487–

11Black Mountain, NCNC8,49187–

12Swannanoa, NCNC6,90186–

13Harrisburg, NCNC20,74286–

14Belmont, NCNC16,41585–

15Whispering Pines, NCNC5,50585–

16Asheville, NCNC93,52384–

17Southern Pines, NCNC17,35784–

18Kannapolis, NCNC61,70883–

19Midland, NCNC5,15183–

20Aberdeen, NCNC10,06683–

21Mooresville, NCNC55,84281–

22Stokesdale, NCNC6,13381–

23Durham, NCNC305,56179–

24Apex, NCNC80,41979–

25Concord, NCNC114,59879–

26Waxhaw, NCNC23,14078–

27Holly Springs, NCNC50,28878–

28Bessemer City, NCNC5,83478–

29Etowah, NCNC7,96878–

30Pinehurst, NCNC18,67077–

31Butner, NCNC8,11275–

32Wake Forest, NCNC58,14775–

33Leland, NCNC35,73174–

34Archer Lodge, NCNC5,64974–

35Carolina Beach, NCNC6,87073–

36Walkertown, NCNC6,12073–

37Elon, NCNC11,36672–

38Pittsboro, NCNC5,05472–

39Mount Holly, NCNC19,03372–

40Kill Devil Hills, NCNC7,73172–

41Waynesville, NCNC11,00672–

42Brevard, NCNC8,09872–

43Monroe, NCNC42,64471–

44Lillington, NCNC5,04071–

45Trinity, NCNC7,27471–

46Oak Island, NCNC9,33771–

47Stallings, NCNC17,76070–

48Charlotte, NCNC964,78470–

49Mebane, NCNC21,95269–

50Raleigh, NCNC506,30669–

51Davidson, NCNC16,66268–

52Silver Lake, NCNC6,56368–

53Cherryville, NCNC6,52368–

54Hickory, NCNC45,97568–

55Clayton, NCNC32,63367–

56Weddington, NCNC14,51767–

57Wilmington, NCNC126,80967–

58Selma, NCNC7,40667–

59Carrboro, NCNC20,96267–

60Hampstead, NCNC9,29267–

61Indian Trail, NCNC44,30366–

62Summerfield, NCNC11,32765–

63Gibsonville, NCNC9,87665–

64Matthews, NCNC32,76965–

65Mint Hill, NCNC29,47665–

66Cary, NCNC183,58265–

67Marvin, NCNC7,04064–

68Garner, NCNC41,56264–

69East Flat Rock, NCNC6,32364–

70Unionville, NCNC7,32264–

71Morehead City, NCNC10,43464–

72Morrisville, NCNC32,46664–

73Cornelius, NCNC35,09464–

74Lenoir, NCNC18,37263–

75Ayden, NCNC5,26363–

76St. Stephens, NCNC9,45762–

77Creedmoor, NCNC5,04662–

78Cramerton, NCNC5,71362–

79Morganton, NCNC17,84962–

80Hendersonville, NCNC15,86762–

81Myrtle Grove, NCNC12,63762–

82Wrightsboro, NCNC6,28761–

83Gastonia, NCNC87,06761–

84Angier, NCNC9,41061–

85Murraysville, NCNC16,33960–

86Locust, NCNC6,12060–

87Boone, NCNC19,92959–

88Dunn, NCNC8,81459–

89Kernersville, NCNC29,12859–

90Huntersville, NCNC68,53559–

91Knightdale, NCNC23,14459–

92Dallas, NCNC6,39259–

93Newton, NCNC13,82258–

94Rockingham, NCNC8,81558–

95Marion, NCNC7,44057–

96Statesville, NCNC32,18157–

97Salisbury, NCNC36,87957–

98Graham, NCNC20,13157–

99New Bern, NCNC34,72456–

100Moyock, NCNC5,68456–

101Siler City, NCNC8,15556–

102Thomasville, NCNC27,73355–

103Fletcher, NCNC8,37355–

104Lewisville, NCNC14,42155–

105Forest City, NCNC7,41055–

106Oak Ridge, NCNC7,89654–

107Shelby, NCNC23,30953–

108Tarboro, NCNC10,97953–

109Winston-Salem, NCNC257,27153–

110Sawmills, NCNC5,10552–

111Lincolnton, NCNC12,46552–

112Greensboro, NCNC308,66752–

113Conover, NCNC8,93852–

114Chapel Hill, NCNC63,56552–

115Smithfield, NCNC13,11450–

116Ogden, NCNC8,24950–

117High Point, NCNC120,57150–

118Piney Green, NCNC14,07849–

119Wesley Chapel, NCNC9,56649–

120Wadesboro, NCNC5,03549–

121Shallotte, NCNC5,33548–

122Boiling Spring Lakes, NCNC6,87548–

123Sanford, NCNC34,13848–

124Asheboro, NCNC27,99048–

125Clinton, NCNC8,46647–

126Rocky Mount, NCNC55,12047–

127Cullowhee, NCNC7,97347–

128Burlington, NCNC61,49646–

129Greenville, NCNC96,44346–

130Porters Neck, NCNC7,65446–

131Kings Mountain, NCNC12,11745–

132Pleasant Garden, NCNC5,16545–

133Spring Lake, NCNC11,25245–

134Goldsboro, NCNC35,01244–

135Clemmons, NCNC22,80844–

136Fayetteville, NCNC209,12044–

137Roxboro, NCNC8,38044–

138Wilson, NCNC49,57244–

139Eden, NCNC15,50043–

140Winterville, NCNC10,97343–

141Archdale, NCNC12,25443–

142Roanoke Rapids, NCNC14,38643–

143Midway, NCNC5,10443–

144Hope Mills, NCNC18,32443–

145Lexington, NCNC20,23842–

146Laurinburg, NCNC14,58242–

147Havelock, NCNC17,43042–

148Long View, NCNC5,38741–

149Elizabeth City, NCNC19,62241–

150Northchase, NCNC5,89640–

151Albemarle, NCNC17,76940–

152Reidsville, NCNC14,69240–

153Half Moon, NCNC7,37840–

154Lumberton, NCNC18,95539–

155Oxford, NCNC8,98538–

156Mocksville, NCNC6,28238–

157King, NCNC7,97738–

158Jacksonville, NCNC72,73238–

159Kings Grant, NCNC9,00337–

160Hamlet, NCNC5,87036–

161Henderson, NCNC15,01335–

162Carolina Shores, NCNC5,54035–

163Washington, NCNC9,91033–

164St. James, NCNC7,31831–

165Williamston, NCNC5,08631–

166Mount Airy, NCNC10,68225–

167Kinston, NCNC19,70525–

168Nashville, NCNC5,91122–

169Surf City, NCNC5,14222–

170Westport, NCNC5,91518–

SHOWING 1–170 OF 170

Download CSV (full list, 170 rows)How this score is calculated

UPDATED 2026-06-02 · DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR ESTIMATES