RANKING · 2025 ESTIMATES · 100 SHOWN OF 100

Fastest growing, North Carolina counties

North Carolina counties ranked by population growth from the 2020 census to 2025. This list covers the 100 counties in North Carolina that qualify, ranked against each other statewide.

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SAME RANKING BYCities States Metros

RELATEDLargest by population Fastest shrinking Most population gained Most population lost Most densely populated Most sparsely populated

YEAR2000 2010 2020 2025

RANKPLACESTATEPOPPOPULATION GROWTHVS 2000

01Brunswick County, NCNC174,702+27.8%−36%

02Pender County, NCNC72,111+19.8%−53%

03Franklin County, NCNC82,037+19.6%−34%

04Johnston County, NCNC256,448+18.7%−63%

05Currituck County, NCNC33,158+18.0%−44%

06Lincoln County, NCNC98,654+13.6%−49%

07Iredell County, NCNC211,798+13.4%−58%

08Harnett County, NCNC150,137+12.4%−64%

09Union County, NCNC267,674+12.3%−74%

10Chatham County, NCNC85,111+11.6%−58%

11Wake County, NCNC1,257,235+11.3%−77%

12Lee County, NCNC70,258+11.0%−41%

13Moore County, NCNC110,619+10.9%−59%

14Cabarrus County, NCNC249,725+10.6%−67%

15Mecklenburg County, NCNC1,233,383+10.6%−71%

16Clay County, NCNC12,239+10.4%−54%

17Stanly County, NCNC68,830+10.1%−17%

18Hoke County, NCNC56,939+9.3%−80%

19Camden County, NCNC11,315+9.3%−44%

20Tyrrell County, NCNC3,537+9.0%+18%

21New Hanover County, NCNC245,959+9.0%−73%

22Alamance County, NCNC186,177+8.6%−59%

23Gaston County, NCNC246,558+8.2%−6%

24Pitt County, NCNC182,936+7.5%−69%

25Davie County, NCNC45,855+7.4%−71%

26Cherokee County, NCNC30,830+7.1%−65%

27Durham County, NCNC347,240+6.9%−70%

28Davidson County, NCNC180,182+6.7%−59%

29Madison County, NCNC22,553+6.4%−59%

30Polk County, NCNC20,533+6.2%−77%

31Onslow County, NCNC217,175+6.2%+1685%

32Macon County, NCNC39,232+6.0%−78%

33Catawba County, NCNC170,172+6.0%−70%

34Duplin County, NCNC51,571+5.9%−74%

35Rowan County, NCNC155,096+5.6%−69%

36Alleghany County, NCNC11,479+5.4%−52%

37Henderson County, NCNC122,375+5.2%−82%

38Forsyth County, NCNC401,718+5.0%−67%

39Nash County, NCNC99,365+4.6%−67%

40Jackson County, NCNC45,039+4.5%−81%

41Jones County, NCNC9,575+4.4%−57%

42Craven County, NCNC105,025+4.3%−64%

43Wayne County, NCNC122,278+4.2%−49%

44Sampson County, NCNC61,504+4.2%−85%

45Carteret County, NCNC70,469+4.1%−68%

46Pasquotank County, NCNC42,201+4.0%−65%

47Person County, NCNC40,636+3.9%−78%

48Pamlico County, NCNC12,758+3.9%−71%

49Guilford County, NCNC562,234+3.9%−82%

50Cleveland County, NCNC103,325+3.8%−72%

51Perquimans County, NCNC13,490+3.7%−58%

52Transylvania County, NCNC34,211+3.7%−75%

53Randolph County, NCNC149,516+3.7%−83%

54Stokes County, NCNC46,126+3.6%−82%

55Dare County, NCNC38,245+3.6%−89%

56Ashe County, NCNC27,514+3.5%−64%

57Rockingham County, NCNC94,195+3.4%−50%

58Yancey County, NCNC19,084+3.3%−78%

59Wilson County, NCNC81,150+3.0%−74%

60Yadkin County, NCNC38,325+3.0%−84%

61Buncombe County, NCNC277,417+3.0%−84%

62Robeson County, NCNC119,941+2.9%−83%

63Chowan County, NCNC14,082+2.7%−64%

64Orange County, NCNC152,498+2.6%−90%

65Montgomery County, NCNC26,403+2.5%−83%

66Haywood County, NCNC63,369+2.1%−86%

67Rutherford County, NCNC65,745+2.0%−81%

68Graham County, NCNC8,190+2.0%−82%

69Avery County, NCNC18,110+1.7%−89%

70Alexander County, NCNC36,958+1.4%−94%

71McDowell County, NCNC45,198+1.4%−92%

72Warren County, NCNC18,898+1.4%−91%

73Bladen County, NCNC30,007+1.4%−89%

74Surry County, NCNC72,287+1.3%−92%

75Lenoir County, NCNC55,837+1.3%−69%

76Watauga County, NCNC54,786+1.3%−92%

77Burke County, NCNC88,655+1.2%−93%

78Greene County, NCNC20,700+1.2%−95%

79Cumberland County, NCNC338,473+1.1%−89%

80Mitchell County, NCNC15,062+1.1%−88%

81Granville County, NCNC61,421+0.7%−97%

82Caldwell County, NCNC81,105+0.6%−94%

83Edgecombe County, NCNC49,121+0.5%−127%

84Wilkes County, NCNC66,233+0.4%−96%

85Vance County, NCNC42,638+0.1%−99%

86Beaufort County, NCNC44,670+0.0%−99%

87Columbus County, NCNC50,487-0.3%−103%

88Swain County, NCNC14,024-0.7%−104%

89Caswell County, NCNC22,563-0.8%−106%

90Hyde County, NCNC4,554-0.8%−110%

91Anson County, NCNC21,758-1.3%−118%

92Martin County, NCNC21,601-2.0%−195%

93Richmond County, NCNC42,041-2.1%−146%

94Gates County, NCNC10,234-2.3%−118%

95Scotland County, NCNC33,322-2.5%−138%

96Washington County, NCNC10,638-3.3%+69%

97Halifax County, NCNC46,534-4.3%−229%

98Bertie County, NCNC17,086-4.7%+57%

99Northampton County, NCNC16,491-5.6%−191%

100Hertford County, NCNC19,015-11.8%−3499%

SHOWING 1–100 OF 100

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UPDATED 2026-07-15 · DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU POPULATION ESTIMATES