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%+214.0 pts

02Rolesville, NCNC12,839+150.3%+93.1 pts

03Surf City, NCNC5,142+108.7%+61.7 pts

04Waxhaw, NCNC23,140+108.3%+5.4 pts

05St. James, NCNC7,318+106.3%–

06Fuquay-Varina, NCNC48,536+90.4%+17.3 pts

07Hampstead, NCNC9,292+71.8%–

08Knightdale, NCNC23,144+70.5%−145.8 pts

09Whispering Pines, NCNC5,505+70.3%+2.2 pts

10Leland, NCNC35,731+69.4%+60.8 pts

11Wendell, NCNC19,687+67.5%+16.1 pts

12Holly Springs, NCNC50,288+67.2%−831.9 pts

13Harrisburg, NCNC20,742+64.6%−111.9 pts

14Clayton, NCNC32,633+63.2%+16.6 pts

15Morrisville, NCNC32,466+59.5%−350.1 pts

16Hillsborough, NCNC9,778+58.7%+30.9 pts

17Wake Forest, NCNC58,147+58.1%−60.1 pts

18Apex, NCNC80,419+56.8%−250.0 pts

19Mebane, NCNC21,952+56.2%+2.5 pts

20Zebulon, NCNC11,933+55.7%+28.2 pts

21Locust, NCNC6,120+54.8%+29.5 pts

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

23Mooresville, NCNC55,842+53.4%−48.6 pts

24Midland, NCNC5,151+52.4%–

25Carolina Shores, NCNC5,540+50.5%–

26Belmont, NCNC16,415+49.0%+45.8 pts

27Lillington, NCNC5,040+48.2%+5.9 pts

28Pineville, NCNC11,851+41.8%+22.9 pts

29Westport, NCNC5,915+41.7%−17.8 pts

30Weddington, NCNC14,517+39.3%−36.7 pts

31Gibsonville, NCNC9,876+39.2%+8.3 pts

32Davidson, NCNC16,662+38.0%−38.4 pts

33Moyock, NCNC5,684+37.1%–

34Aberdeen, NCNC10,066+34.1%+8.2 pts

35Pinehurst, NCNC18,670+34.0%−56.2 pts

36Concord, NCNC114,598+33.1%−71.6 pts

37Dallas, NCNC6,392+32.1%+19.1 pts

38Huntersville, NCNC68,535+31.2%−696.9 pts

39Mount Holly, NCNC19,033+29.6%+4.9 pts

40Woodfin, NCNC8,229+29.6%+12.0 pts

41Myrtle Grove, NCNC12,637+29.3%−37.4 pts

42Cary, NCNC183,582+29.2%−86.4 pts

43Cramerton, NCNC5,713+27.2%+2.6 pts

44Cornelius, NCNC35,094+26.3%−337.4 pts

45Southern Pines, NCNC17,357+26.0%+6.4 pts

46Kannapolis, NCNC61,708+24.6%+0.3 pts

47Durham, NCNC305,561+24.2%−12.8 pts

48Oak Island, NCNC9,337+23.8%–

49Cullowhee, NCNC7,973+23.3%+34.5 pts

50Walkertown, NCNC6,120+21.8%−212.3 pts

51Graham, NCNC20,131+21.2%−1.9 pts

52Pittsboro, NCNC5,054+21.2%−33.8 pts

53Ogden, NCNC8,249+21.2%−40.1 pts

54Angier, NCNC9,410+21.0%−31.9 pts

55Garner, NCNC41,562+21.0%+2.4 pts

56Oak Ridge, NCNC7,896+20.8%–

57Elon, NCNC11,366+20.4%–

58Charlotte, NCNC964,784+19.6%−17.0 pts

59Indian Trail, NCNC44,303+19.3%−493.7 pts

60Porters Neck, NCNC7,654+19.2%–

61Creedmoor, NCNC5,046+18.0%−28.4 pts

62Stokesdale, NCNC6,133+17.4%−37.3 pts

63Hope Mills, NCNC18,324+17.3%−20.0 pts

64Mocksville, NCNC6,282+16.8%−6.1 pts

65Murraysville, NCNC16,339+16.7%–

66Stallings, NCNC17,760+16.5%−27.6 pts

67Mint Hill, NCNC29,476+16.4%−12.6 pts

68Wesley Chapel, NCNC9,566+16.3%–

69Silver Lake, NCNC6,563+16.1%−26.1 pts

70Statesville, NCNC32,181+15.8%−16.9 pts

71Raleigh, NCNC506,306+15.8%−17.0 pts

72East Flat Rock, NCNC6,323+15.3%−12.5 pts

73Hendersonville, NCNC15,867+15.2%−27.8 pts

74Carolina Beach, NCNC6,870+15.0%−14.4 pts

75Burlington, NCNC61,496+14.7%+0.6 pts

76Kill Devil Hills, NCNC7,731+14.6%−24.6 pts

77Kernersville, NCNC29,128+14.4%−43.7 pts

78Marvin, NCNC7,040+14.0%–

79Shallotte, NCNC5,335+13.9%−27.6 pts

80Clemmons, NCNC22,808+13.6%−116.1 pts

81Asheville, NCNC93,523+13.4%+1.7 pts

82Winterville, NCNC10,973+12.9%−58.2 pts

83Wrightsboro, NCNC6,287+12.9%+19.3 pts

84Gastonia, NCNC87,067+12.1%−9.0 pts

85Unionville, NCNC7,322+12.0%–

86Archer Lodge, NCNC5,649+11.8%–

87Boone, NCNC19,929+11.5%+7.2 pts

88Pleasant Garden, NCNC5,165+11.4%−103.6 pts

89Fletcher, NCNC8,373+11.1%−39.0 pts

90Greensboro, NCNC308,667+10.9%−11.1 pts

91Boiling Spring Lakes, NCNC6,875+10.6%−67.1 pts

92Butner, NCNC8,112+10.6%−13.2 pts

93Morehead City, NCNC10,434+10.3%−16.9 pts

94Etowah, NCNC7,968+10.1%−28.0 pts

95Swannanoa, NCNC6,901+9.7%−4.2 pts

96High Point, NCNC120,571+9.3%−14.4 pts

97Carrboro, NCNC20,962+8.7%−36.5 pts

98Hickory, NCNC45,975+8.7%−22.7 pts

99Winston-Salem, NCNC257,271+8.7%−20.8 pts

100Asheboro, NCNC27,990+8.6%−23.9 pts

101Wilmington, NCNC126,809+8.4%−28.1 pts

102Chapel Hill, NCNC63,565+8.3%−17.4 pts

103Matthews, NCNC32,769+8.2%−53.9 pts

104Piney Green, NCNC14,078+8.2%−21.3 pts

105Kings Mountain, NCNC12,117+8.2%−2.7 pts

106Shelby, NCNC23,309+7.8%−24.9 pts

107Sanford, NCNC34,138+7.7%−52.7 pts

108Black Mountain, NCNC8,491+7.4%−31.3 pts

109Summerfield, NCNC11,327+7.0%−216.8 pts

110New Bern, NCNC34,724+6.0%−27.2 pts

111Trinity, NCNC7,274+5.9%−16.6 pts

112Lewisville, NCNC14,421+5.9%−169.4 pts

113Lincolnton, NCNC12,465+5.8%−39.8 pts

114Salisbury, NCNC36,879+5.6%−9.0 pts

115Cherryville, NCNC6,523+5.5%−7.2 pts

116Monroe, NCNC42,644+5.4%−57.3 pts

117Nashville, NCNC5,911+5.2%−19.7 pts

118Long View, NCNC5,387+4.5%−42.2 pts

119Kings Grant, NCNC9,003+4.4%–

120Archdale, NCNC12,254+4.3%−26.7 pts

121King, NCNC7,977+4.2%−42.4 pts

122Mills River, NCNC7,504+4.1%–

123Selma, NCNC7,406+4.0%−24.5 pts

124Fayetteville, NCNC209,120+4.0%−55.9 pts

125Lexington, NCNC20,238+3.7%−16.6 pts

126Jacksonville, NCNC72,732+3.7%−118.6 pts

127Greenville, NCNC96,443+3.5%−31.0 pts

128Albemarle, NCNC17,769+3.3%−1.6 pts

129Morganton, NCNC17,849+3.3%−11.5 pts

130Conover, NCNC8,938+3.1%−17.7 pts

131Smithfield, NCNC13,114+3.0%−49.7 pts

132Mount Airy, NCNC10,682+2.8%−15.8 pts

133Waynesville, NCNC11,006+2.7%−32.6 pts

134Northchase, NCNC5,896+2.5%–

135Oxford, NCNC8,985+2.0%−3.4 pts

136Brevard, NCNC8,098+1.8%−24.2 pts

137Bessemer City, NCNC5,834+1.6%−7.3 pts

138Thomasville, NCNC27,733+1.6%−22.7 pts

139Newton, NCNC13,822+1.4%−33.6 pts

140Midway, NCNC5,104+1.3%–

141Washington, NCNC9,910+1.3%−4.3 pts

142St. Stephens, NCNC9,457+1.1%−7.0 pts

143Ayden, NCNC5,263+0.9%+3.4 pts

144Lenoir, NCNC18,372+0.7%−17.6 pts

145Reidsville, NCNC14,692+0.4%−18.5 pts

146Elizabeth City, NCNC19,622-0.3%−20.7 pts

147Eden, NCNC15,500-0.7%−5.1 pts

148Forest City, NCNC7,410-1.3%−2.3 pts

149Marion, NCNC7,440-1.5%−5.3 pts

150Henderson, NCNC15,013-2.0%−4.1 pts

151Siler City, NCNC8,155-2.3%−47.2 pts

152Spring Lake, NCNC11,252-2.5%−10.2 pts

153Wilson, NCNC49,572-2.7%−22.9 pts

154Roxboro, NCNC8,380-2.7%−21.3 pts

155Clinton, NCNC8,466-3.0%−7.8 pts

156Rockingham, NCNC8,815-3.3%−6.2 pts

157Roanoke Rapids, NCNC14,386-3.3%−11.2 pts

158Sawmills, NCNC5,105-4.2%−27.4 pts

159Williamston, NCNC5,086-4.8%−11.0 pts

160Rocky Mount, NCNC55,120-5.5%−19.1 pts

161Tarboro, NCNC10,979-6.1%−7.0 pts

162Laurinburg, NCNC14,582-6.2%−42.6 pts

163Hamlet, NCNC5,870-7.2%−4.4 pts

164Goldsboro, NCNC35,012-7.6%−3.5 pts

165Kinston, NCNC19,705-8.2%−1.8 pts

166Dunn, NCNC8,814-8.8%−19.1 pts

167Half Moon, NCNC7,378-9.7%−15.1 pts

168Lumberton, NCNC18,955-11.7%−22.8 pts

169Wadesboro, NCNC5,035-13.8%−11.3 pts

170Havelock, NCNC17,430-19.8%−30.6 pts

SHOWING 1–170 OF 170

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UPDATED 2026-08-08 · DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU DECENNIAL CENSUS