RANKING · 2020 CENSUS · 170 SHOWN OF 170

Fastest growing, North Carolina cities · 2020

North Carolina cities ranked by population growth from the 2010 census to 2020. This list covers the 170 cities in North Carolina that qualify, ranked against each other statewide.

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North CarolinaAll statesPop > 5KAll rankings

SAME RANKING BYCounties States Metros

YEAR2000 2010 2020 2024

RANKPLACESTATEPOPPOPULATION GROWTHVS 2000

01Holly Ridge, NCNC5,908+228.9%+1433%

02Rolesville, NCNC12,839+150.3%+163%

03Surf City, NCNC5,142+108.7%+132%

04Waxhaw, NCNC23,140+108.3%+5%

05St. James, NCNC7,318+106.3%–

06Fuquay-Varina, NCNC48,536+90.4%+24%

07Hampstead, NCNC9,292+71.8%–

08Knightdale, NCNC23,144+70.5%−67%

09Whispering Pines, NCNC5,505+70.3%+3%

10Leland, NCNC35,731+69.4%+709%

11Wendell, NCNC19,687+67.5%+31%

12Holly Springs, NCNC50,288+67.2%−93%

13Harrisburg, NCNC20,742+64.6%−63%

14Clayton, NCNC32,633+63.2%+36%

15Morrisville, NCNC32,466+59.5%−85%

16Hillsborough, NCNC9,778+58.7%+112%

17Wake Forest, NCNC58,147+58.1%−51%

18Apex, NCNC80,419+56.8%−81%

19Mebane, NCNC21,952+56.2%+5%

20Zebulon, NCNC11,933+55.7%+103%

21Locust, NCNC6,120+54.8%+116%

22Lake Norman of Iredell, NCNC12,494+53.8%–

23Mooresville, NCNC55,842+53.4%−48%

24Midland, NCNC5,151+52.4%–

25Carolina Shores, NCNC5,540+50.5%–

26Belmont, NCNC16,415+49.0%+1424%

27Lillington, NCNC5,040+48.2%+14%

28Pineville, NCNC11,851+41.8%+121%

29Westport, NCNC5,915+41.7%−30%

30Weddington, NCNC14,517+39.3%−48%

31Gibsonville, NCNC9,876+39.2%+27%

32Davidson, NCNC16,662+38.0%−50%

33Moyock, NCNC5,684+37.1%–

34Aberdeen, NCNC10,066+34.1%+32%

35Pinehurst, NCNC18,670+34.0%−62%

36Concord, NCNC114,598+33.1%−68%

37Dallas, NCNC6,392+32.1%+148%

38Huntersville, NCNC68,535+31.2%−96%

39Mount Holly, NCNC19,033+29.6%+20%

40Woodfin, NCNC8,229+29.6%+68%

41Myrtle Grove, NCNC12,637+29.3%−56%

42Cary, NCNC183,582+29.2%−75%

43Cramerton, NCNC5,713+27.2%+11%

44Cornelius, NCNC35,094+26.3%−93%

45Southern Pines, NCNC17,357+26.0%+33%

46Kannapolis, NCNC61,708+24.6%+1%

47Durham, NCNC305,561+24.2%−35%

48Oak Island, NCNC9,337+23.8%–

49Cullowhee, NCNC7,973+23.3%−309%

50Walkertown, NCNC6,120+21.8%−91%

51Graham, NCNC20,131+21.2%−8%

52Pittsboro, NCNC5,054+21.2%−61%

53Ogden, NCNC8,249+21.2%−65%

54Angier, NCNC9,410+21.0%−60%

55Garner, NCNC41,562+21.0%+13%

56Oak Ridge, NCNC7,896+20.8%–

57Elon, NCNC11,366+20.4%–

58Charlotte, NCNC964,784+19.6%−46%

59Indian Trail, NCNC44,303+19.3%−96%

60Porters Neck, NCNC7,654+19.2%–

61Creedmoor, NCNC5,046+18.0%−61%

62Stokesdale, NCNC6,133+17.4%−68%

63Hope Mills, NCNC18,324+17.3%−54%

64Mocksville, NCNC6,282+16.8%−27%

65Murraysville, NCNC16,339+16.7%–

66Stallings, NCNC17,760+16.5%−63%

67Mint Hill, NCNC29,476+16.4%−43%

68Wesley Chapel, NCNC9,566+16.3%–

69Silver Lake, NCNC6,563+16.1%−62%

70Statesville, NCNC32,181+15.8%−52%

71Raleigh, NCNC506,306+15.8%−52%

72East Flat Rock, NCNC6,323+15.3%−45%

73Hendersonville, NCNC15,867+15.2%−65%

74Carolina Beach, NCNC6,870+15.0%−49%

75Burlington, NCNC61,496+14.7%+4%

76Kill Devil Hills, NCNC7,731+14.6%−63%

77Kernersville, NCNC29,128+14.4%−75%

78Marvin, NCNC7,040+14.0%–

79Shallotte, NCNC5,335+13.9%−67%

80Clemmons, NCNC22,808+13.6%−90%

81Asheville, NCNC93,523+13.4%+14%

82Winterville, NCNC10,973+12.9%−82%

83Wrightsboro, NCNC6,287+12.9%−299%

84Gastonia, NCNC87,067+12.1%−43%

85Unionville, NCNC7,322+12.0%–

86Archer Lodge, NCNC5,649+11.8%–

87Boone, NCNC19,929+11.5%+167%

88Pleasant Garden, NCNC5,165+11.4%−90%

89Fletcher, NCNC8,373+11.1%−78%

90Greensboro, NCNC308,667+10.9%−50%

91Boiling Spring Lakes, NCNC6,875+10.6%−86%

92Butner, NCNC8,112+10.6%−55%

93Morehead City, NCNC10,434+10.3%−62%

94Etowah, NCNC7,968+10.1%−74%

95Swannanoa, NCNC6,901+9.7%−30%

96High Point, NCNC120,571+9.3%−61%

97Carrboro, NCNC20,962+8.7%−81%

98Hickory, NCNC45,975+8.7%−72%

99Winston-Salem, NCNC257,271+8.7%−71%

100Asheboro, NCNC27,990+8.6%−74%

101Wilmington, NCNC126,809+8.4%−77%

102Chapel Hill, NCNC63,565+8.3%−68%

103Matthews, NCNC32,769+8.2%−87%

104Piney Green, NCNC14,078+8.2%−72%

105Kings Mountain, NCNC12,117+8.2%−24%

106Shelby, NCNC23,309+7.8%−76%

107Sanford, NCNC34,138+7.7%−87%

108Black Mountain, NCNC8,491+7.4%−81%

109Summerfield, NCNC11,327+7.0%−97%

110New Bern, NCNC34,724+6.0%−82%

111Trinity, NCNC7,274+5.9%−74%

112Lewisville, NCNC14,421+5.9%−97%

113Lincolnton, NCNC12,465+5.8%−87%

114Salisbury, NCNC36,879+5.6%−62%

115Cherryville, NCNC6,523+5.5%−57%

116Monroe, NCNC42,644+5.4%−91%

117Nashville, NCNC5,911+5.2%−79%

118Long View, NCNC5,387+4.5%−90%

119Kings Grant, NCNC9,003+4.4%–

120Archdale, NCNC12,254+4.3%−86%

121King, NCNC7,977+4.2%−91%

122Mills River, NCNC7,504+4.1%–

123Selma, NCNC7,406+4.0%−86%

124Fayetteville, NCNC209,120+4.0%−93%

125Lexington, NCNC20,238+3.7%−82%

126Jacksonville, NCNC72,732+3.7%−97%

127Greenville, NCNC96,443+3.5%−90%

128Albemarle, NCNC17,769+3.3%−33%

129Morganton, NCNC17,849+3.3%−78%

130Conover, NCNC8,938+3.1%−85%

131Smithfield, NCNC13,114+3.0%−94%

132Mount Airy, NCNC10,682+2.8%−85%

133Waynesville, NCNC11,006+2.7%−92%

134Northchase, NCNC5,896+2.5%–

135Oxford, NCNC8,985+2.0%−63%

136Brevard, NCNC8,098+1.8%−93%

137Bessemer City, NCNC5,834+1.6%−82%

138Thomasville, NCNC27,733+1.6%−93%

139Newton, NCNC13,822+1.4%−96%

140Midway, NCNC5,104+1.3%–

141Washington, NCNC9,910+1.3%−76%

142St. Stephens, NCNC9,457+1.1%−87%

143Ayden, NCNC5,263+0.9%−137%

144Lenoir, NCNC18,372+0.7%−96%

145Reidsville, NCNC14,692+0.4%−98%

146Elizabeth City, NCNC19,622-0.3%−101%

147Eden, NCNC15,500-0.7%−116%

148Forest City, NCNC7,410-1.3%−234%

149Marion, NCNC7,440-1.5%−141%

150Henderson, NCNC15,013-2.0%−195%

151Siler City, NCNC8,155-2.3%−105%

152Spring Lake, NCNC11,252-2.5%−133%

153Wilson, NCNC49,572-2.7%−113%

154Roxboro, NCNC8,380-2.7%−115%

155Clinton, NCNC8,466-3.0%−161%

156Rockingham, NCNC8,815-3.3%−213%

157Roanoke Rapids, NCNC14,386-3.3%−142%

158Sawmills, NCNC5,105-4.2%−118%

159Williamston, NCNC5,086-4.8%−177%

160Rocky Mount, NCNC55,120-5.5%−140%

161Tarboro, NCNC10,979-6.1%−764%

162Laurinburg, NCNC14,582-6.2%−117%

163Hamlet, NCNC5,870-7.2%+152%

164Goldsboro, NCNC35,012-7.6%+86%

165Kinston, NCNC19,705-8.2%+29%

166Dunn, NCNC8,814-8.8%−185%

167Half Moon, NCNC7,378-9.7%−280%

168Lumberton, NCNC18,955-11.7%−205%

169Wadesboro, NCNC5,035-13.8%+443%

170Havelock, NCNC17,430-19.8%−285%

SHOWING 1–170 OF 170

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UPDATED 2026-07-15 · DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU DECENNIAL CENSUS