RANKING · 2010 CENSUS · 161 SHOWN OF 161

Fastest shrinking, North Carolina cities · 2010

North Carolina cities with the steepest population decline from the 2000 census to 2010. This list covers the 161 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

01Kinston, NCNC19,705-8.5%−2.1 pts

02Havelock, NCNC17,430-7.6%−18.3 pts

03St. Stephens, NCNC9,457-7.2%−15.3 pts

04Roanoke Rapids, NCNC14,386-7.1%−14.9 pts

05Goldsboro, NCNC35,012-6.7%−2.6 pts

06Williamston, NCNC5,086-5.7%−11.9 pts

07Lexington, NCNC20,238-5.1%−25.5 pts

08Pleasant Garden, NCNC5,165-4.8%−119.7 pts

09Smithfield, NCNC13,114-4.7%−57.4 pts

10Henderson, NCNC15,013-4.5%−6.6 pts

11Roxboro, NCNC8,380-3.8%−22.4 pts

12Silver Lake, NCNC6,563-3.3%−45.5 pts

13Eden, NCNC15,500-2.4%−6.8 pts

14Morganton, NCNC17,849-2.3%−17.0 pts

15Rockingham, NCNC8,815-1.2%−4.1 pts

16Trinity, NCNC7,274-1.1%−23.6 pts

17Forest City, NCNC7,410-1.0%−2.0 pts

18Reidsville, NCNC14,692+0.2%−18.7 pts

19Clinton, NCNC8,466+0.5%−4.4 pts

20Laurinburg, NCNC14,582+0.6%−35.9 pts

21Dunn, NCNC8,814+0.7%−9.6 pts

22Albemarle, NCNC17,769+1.4%−3.5 pts

23Oxford, NCNC8,985+1.5%−3.9 pts

24Washington, NCNC9,910+1.7%−3.9 pts

25Tarboro, NCNC10,979+2.5%+1.6 pts

26Selma, NCNC7,406+2.7%−25.9 pts

27Rocky Mount, NCNC55,120+2.8%−10.9 pts

28Long View, NCNC5,387+3.2%−43.5 pts

29Oak Island, NCNC9,337+3.2%–

30Newton, NCNC13,822+3.2%−31.7 pts

31Lumberton, NCNC18,955+3.6%−7.6 pts

32Bessemer City, NCNC5,834+4.3%−4.6 pts

33Shelby, NCNC23,309+4.3%−28.4 pts

34Black Mountain, NCNC8,491+4.5%−34.1 pts

35Kings Grant, NCNC9,003+4.8%–

36Jacksonville, NCNC72,732+5.1%−117.1 pts

37Statesville, NCNC32,181+5.2%−27.6 pts

38Lincolnton, NCNC12,465+5.2%−40.3 pts

39Kings Mountain, NCNC12,117+6.2%−4.7 pts

40Sawmills, NCNC5,105+6.5%−16.7 pts

41Ayden, NCNC5,263+6.7%+9.2 pts

42Waynesville, NCNC11,006+6.9%−28.5 pts

43Cherryville, NCNC6,523+7.4%−5.3 pts

44Hickory, NCNC45,975+7.5%−23.9 pts

45Hamlet, NCNC5,870+7.9%+10.8 pts

46Gastonia, NCNC87,067+8.2%−12.8 pts

47Lenoir, NCNC18,372+8.5%−9.8 pts

48Elizabeth City, NCNC19,622+8.7%−11.7 pts

49Wrightsboro, NCNC6,287+8.9%+15.4 pts

50Zebulon, NCNC11,933+9.6%−17.9 pts

51Lillington, NCNC5,040+9.6%−32.8 pts

52Graham, NCNC20,131+10.3%−12.8 pts

53Wilson, NCNC49,572+10.7%−9.5 pts

54Swannanoa, NCNC6,901+10.7%−3.2 pts

55Burlington, NCNC61,496+11.2%−2.9 pts

56Hillsborough, NCNC9,778+11.8%−16.0 pts

57Brevard, NCNC8,098+12.1%−13.9 pts

58Morehead City, NCNC10,434+12.6%−14.6 pts

59Southern Pines, NCNC17,357+13.0%−6.6 pts

60Siler City, NCNC8,155+13.2%−31.7 pts

61Kill Devil Hills, NCNC7,731+13.3%−25.8 pts

62Piney Green, NCNC14,078+14.0%−15.5 pts

63Asheboro, NCNC27,990+15.4%−17.0 pts

64Kannapolis, NCNC61,708+15.5%−8.8 pts

65Belmont, NCNC16,415+15.7%+12.5 pts

66King, NCNC7,977+16.0%−30.6 pts

67Walkertown, NCNC6,120+16.6%−217.5 pts

68Carrboro, NCNC20,962+16.7%−28.6 pts

69Chapel Hill, NCNC63,565+17.5%−8.2 pts

70East Flat Rock, NCNC6,323+20.3%−7.4 pts

71Greensboro, NCNC308,667+20.4%−1.6 pts

72Mocksville, NCNC6,282+20.9%−2.0 pts

73Sanford, NCNC34,138+21.0%−39.4 pts

74Asheville, NCNC93,523+21.1%+9.3 pts

75Locust, NCNC6,120+21.3%−4.1 pts

76Carolina Beach, NCNC6,870+21.4%−8.1 pts

77High Point, NCNC120,571+21.6%−2.1 pts

78Durham, NCNC305,561+22.1%−14.8 pts

79Mount Airy, NCNC10,682+22.4%+3.9 pts

80Matthews, NCNC32,769+22.9%−39.2 pts

81Ogden, NCNC8,249+23.4%−37.8 pts

82Unionville, NCNC7,322+23.6%–

83Winston-Salem, NCNC257,271+23.6%−5.9 pts

84Conover, NCNC8,938+23.6%+2.8 pts

85Nashville, NCNC5,911+24.2%−0.7 pts

86Myrtle Grove, NCNC12,637+24.6%−42.1 pts

87Monroe, NCNC42,644+25.0%−37.6 pts

88Half Moon, NCNC7,378+25.7%+20.3 pts

89Hendersonville, NCNC15,867+26.1%−17.0 pts

90Archdale, NCNC12,254+26.6%−4.3 pts

91Boone, NCNC19,929+27.1%+22.8 pts

92Salisbury, NCNC36,879+27.2%+12.6 pts

93Angier, NCNC9,410+27.2%−25.7 pts

94New Bern, NCNC34,724+27.7%−5.5 pts

95Butner, NCNC8,112+31.1%+7.3 pts

96Dallas, NCNC6,392+31.9%+19.0 pts

97Surf City, NCNC5,142+33.0%−13.9 pts

98Clemmons, NCNC22,808+34.7%−95.0 pts

99Kernersville, NCNC29,128+35.0%−23.0 pts

100Hope Mills, NCNC18,324+35.1%−2.3 pts

101Pinehurst, NCNC18,670+35.2%−55.0 pts

102Thomasville, NCNC27,733+35.2%+10.9 pts

103Charlotte, NCNC964,784+35.2%−1.3 pts

104Wendell, NCNC19,687+37.6%−13.8 pts

105Greenville, NCNC96,443+39.8%+5.3 pts

106Cramerton, NCNC5,713+40.0%+15.4 pts

107Whispering Pines, NCNC5,505+40.1%−28.0 pts

108Wilmington, NCNC126,809+40.4%+3.8 pts

109Concord, NCNC114,598+41.2%−63.4 pts

110Weddington, NCNC14,517+41.3%−34.8 pts

111Mount Holly, NCNC19,033+42.0%+17.2 pts

112Cary, NCNC183,582+43.1%−72.5 pts

113Lewisville, NCNC14,421+43.2%−132.1 pts

114Garner, NCNC41,562+45.0%+26.3 pts

115Summerfield, NCNC11,327+45.8%−178.1 pts

116Raleigh, NCNC506,306+46.3%+13.5 pts

117Gibsonville, NCNC9,876+46.6%+15.8 pts

118Spring Lake, NCNC11,252+47.7%+40.1 pts

119Mint Hill, NCNC29,476+52.3%+23.3 pts

120Holly Ridge, NCNC5,908+52.6%+37.6 pts

121Davidson, NCNC16,662+53.3%−23.1 pts

122Stokesdale, NCNC6,133+54.5%−0.2 pts

123Oak Ridge, NCNC7,896+55.1%–

124Lake Norman of Iredell, NCNC12,494+56.2%–

125Mebane, NCNC21,952+56.4%+2.7 pts

126Marion, NCNC7,440+58.6%+54.8 pts

127Wadesboro, NCNC5,035+63.7%+66.2 pts

128Fayetteville, NCNC209,120+65.7%+5.9 pts

129Pittsboro, NCNC5,054+68.1%+13.1 pts

130Fletcher, NCNC8,373+71.7%+21.6 pts

131Mooresville, NCNC55,842+73.8%−28.2 pts

132Cullowhee, NCNC7,973+74.0%+85.2 pts

133Boiling Spring Lakes, NCNC6,875+80.8%+3.0 pts

134Creedmoor, NCNC5,046+84.8%+38.4 pts

135Apex, NCNC80,419+85.4%−221.4 pts

136Aberdeen, NCNC10,066+86.8%+60.8 pts

137Huntersville, NCNC68,535+87.4%−640.7 pts

138Knightdale, NCNC23,144+91.4%−124.9 pts

139Winterville, NCNC10,973+93.5%+22.4 pts

140Woodfin, NCNC8,229+93.6%+76.1 pts

141Murraysville, NCNC16,339+95.3%–

142Westport, NCNC5,915+100.7%+41.2 pts

143Carolina Shores, NCNC5,540+105.7%–

144Cornelius, NCNC35,094+107.8%−256.0 pts

145Pineville, NCNC11,851+116.8%+98.0 pts

146Fuquay-Varina, NCNC48,536+127.1%+54.0 pts

147Clayton, NCNC32,633+131.1%+84.5 pts

148Wake Forest, NCNC58,147+139.3%+21.1 pts

149Etowah, NCNC7,968+151.0%+113.0 pts

150Harrisburg, NCNC20,742+156.5%−20.0 pts

151Shallotte, NCNC5,335+166.1%+124.6 pts

152Holly Springs, NCNC50,288+168.3%−730.8 pts

153Indian Trail, NCNC44,303+181.5%−331.5 pts

154Wesley Chapel, NCNC9,566+192.8%–

155Morrisville, NCNC32,466+256.7%−152.9 pts

156Waxhaw, NCNC23,140+275.6%+172.7 pts

157St. James, NCNC7,318+293.7%–

158Rolesville, NCNC12,839+317.4%+260.2 pts

159Stallings, NCNC17,760+333.7%+289.6 pts

160Marvin, NCNC7,040+437.0%–

161Leland, NCNC35,731+598.0%+589.4 pts

SHOWING 1–161 OF 161

Download CSV (full list, 161 rows)

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