RANKING · 2024 ACS · 100 SHOWN OF 100

Fastest gentrifying, North Carolina counties

North Carolina counties 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 100 counties in North Carolina that qualify, ranked against each other statewide. The median across all 100 is 54.

North CarolinaAll states All rankings

SAME RANKING BYCities Metros

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

RANKPLACESTATEPOPGENTRIFICATION SCOREVS –

01Franklin County, NCNC82,03792–

02Chatham County, NCNC85,11192–

03Pender County, NCNC72,11191–

04Transylvania County, NCNC34,21190–

05Buncombe County, NCNC277,41789–

06Mitchell County, NCNC15,06289–

07Lincoln County, NCNC98,65489–

08Cabarrus County, NCNC249,72589–

09Johnston County, NCNC256,44888–

10Durham County, NCNC347,24088–

11Moore County, NCNC110,61986–

12Union County, NCNC267,67485–

13Iredell County, NCNC211,79885–

14Wake County, NCNC1,257,23585–

15Brunswick County, NCNC174,70282–

16Harnett County, NCNC150,13781–

17Yancey County, NCNC19,08480–

18Mecklenburg County, NCNC1,233,38380–

19Gaston County, NCNC246,55877–

20Clay County, NCNC12,23974–

21Orange County, NCNC152,49873–

22Currituck County, NCNC33,15872–

23Polk County, NCNC20,53371–

24Watauga County, NCNC54,78670–

25Madison County, NCNC22,55370–

26Ashe County, NCNC27,51469–

27Granville County, NCNC61,42169–

28Duplin County, NCNC51,57167–

29Montgomery County, NCNC26,40366–

30Hoke County, NCNC56,93965–

31Catawba County, NCNC170,17265–

32Onslow County, NCNC217,17564–

33New Hanover County, NCNC245,95964–

34Henderson County, NCNC122,37564–

35Carteret County, NCNC70,46963–

36Caswell County, NCNC22,56363–

37Cleveland County, NCNC103,32562–

38Avery County, NCNC18,11061–

39Haywood County, NCNC63,36961–

40Dare County, NCNC38,24560–

41Alexander County, NCNC36,95859–

42Rowan County, NCNC155,09659–

43Rutherford County, NCNC65,74558–

44Bertie County, NCNC17,08657–

45Chowan County, NCNC14,08257–

46Caldwell County, NCNC81,10557–

47Burke County, NCNC88,65556–

48Yadkin County, NCNC38,32556–

49Alamance County, NCNC186,17755–

50Warren County, NCNC18,89854–

51McDowell County, NCNC45,19854–

52Alleghany County, NCNC11,47954–

53Bladen County, NCNC30,00754–

54Edgecombe County, NCNC49,12152–

55Northampton County, NCNC16,49152–

56Jones County, NCNC9,57552–

57Guilford County, NCNC562,23451–

58Macon County, NCNC39,23251–

59Richmond County, NCNC42,04150–

60Stokes County, NCNC46,12650–

61Camden County, NCNC11,31550–

62Pamlico County, NCNC12,75849–

63Forsyth County, NCNC401,71847–

64Graham County, NCNC8,19047–

65Vance County, NCNC42,63846–

66Surry County, NCNC72,28746–

67Pitt County, NCNC182,93646–

68Pasquotank County, NCNC42,20145–

69Person County, NCNC40,63645–

70Cherokee County, NCNC30,83044–

71Randolph County, NCNC149,51643–

72Lee County, NCNC70,25843–

73Jackson County, NCNC45,03943–

74Wayne County, NCNC122,27842–

75Davidson County, NCNC180,18242–

76Stanly County, NCNC68,83041–

77Cumberland County, NCNC338,47341–

78Swain County, NCNC14,02440–

79Wilkes County, NCNC66,23340–

80Craven County, NCNC105,02539–

81Sampson County, NCNC61,50437–

82Wilson County, NCNC81,15036–

83Rockingham County, NCNC94,19536–

84Perquimans County, NCNC13,49035–

85Davie County, NCNC45,85534–

86Beaufort County, NCNC44,67033–

87Scotland County, NCNC33,32231–

88Anson County, NCNC21,75831–

89Halifax County, NCNC46,53427–

90Nash County, NCNC99,36526–

91Columbus County, NCNC50,48724–

92Tyrrell County, NCNC3,53721–

93Martin County, NCNC21,60120–

94Hertford County, NCNC19,01518–

95Gates County, NCNC10,23415–

96Robeson County, NCNC119,94114–

97Hyde County, NCNC4,55414–

98Greene County, NCNC20,70011–

99Washington County, NCNC10,63811–

100Lenoir County, NCNC55,8378–

SHOWING 1–100 OF 100

Download CSV (full list, 100 rows)How this score is calculated

UPDATED 2026-09-11 · DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR ESTIMATES