RANKING · 2020 CENSUS · 100 SHOWN OF 100

Fastest shrinking, North Carolina counties

North Carolina counties with the steepest population decline since the prior decennial census. 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

YEAR2000 2010 2020

RANKPLACESTATEPOPPOPULATION GROWTHVS 2000

01Tyrrell County, NCNC3,537-26.4%−447%

02Hyde County, NCNC4,554-21.0%−374%

03Northampton County, NCNC16,491-20.9%−438%

04Anson County, NCNC21,758-18.2%−337%

05Washington County, NCNC10,638-16.8%+759%

06Duplin County, NCNC51,571-16.7%−174%

07Bladen County, NCNC30,007-15.9%−226%

08Bertie County, NCNC17,086-15.7%+422%

09Gates County, NCNC10,234-14.1%−208%

10Edgecombe County, NCNC49,121-13.5%+704%

11Robeson County, NCNC119,941-13.1%−176%

12Columbus County, NCNC50,487-12.9%−224%

13Hertford County, NCNC19,015-12.6%−3749%

14Warren County, NCNC18,898-11.1%−171%

15Halifax County, NCNC46,534-11.1%−432%

16Martin County, NCNC21,601-10.1%−592%

17Jones County, NCNC9,575-9.7%−194%

18Graham County, NCNC8,190-9.4%−185%

19Richmond County, NCNC42,041-7.9%−272%

20Montgomery County, NCNC26,403-7.4%−149%

21Lenoir County, NCNC55,837-7.4%−277%

22Chowan County, NCNC14,082-7.3%−197%

23Sampson County, NCNC61,504-6.9%−125%

24Pamlico County, NCNC12,758-6.6%−148%

25Beaufort County, NCNC44,670-6.5%−203%

26Vance County, NCNC42,638-6.3%−160%

27Stokes County, NCNC46,126-6.1%−130%

28Polk County, NCNC20,533-5.8%−121%

29Scotland County, NCNC33,322-5.5%−182%

30Rutherford County, NCNC65,745-5.0%−147%

31Wilkes County, NCNC66,233-4.9%−146%

32Mitchell County, NCNC15,062-4.3%−150%

33Wayne County, NCNC122,278-4.3%−152%

34Greene County, NCNC20,700-4.3%−118%

35Caswell County, NCNC22,563-4.1%−131%

36Burke County, NCNC88,655-3.7%−121%

37Perquimans County, NCNC13,490-3.3%−138%

38Surry County, NCNC72,287-3.1%−120%

39Yadkin County, NCNC38,325-3.1%−116%

40Wilson County, NCNC81,150-3.0%−126%

41Caldwell County, NCNC81,105-2.9%−130%

42Rockingham County, NCNC94,195-2.7%−140%

43Craven County, NCNC105,025-2.7%−122%

44Ashe County, NCNC27,514-2.6%−126%

45Alleghany County, NCNC11,479-2.4%−121%

46Alexander County, NCNC36,958-2.0%−109%

47Person County, NCNC40,636-0.9%−105%

48McDowell County, NCNC45,198-0.9%−105%

49Nash County, NCNC99,365-0.9%−106%

50Transylvania County, NCNC34,211-0.3%−102%

51Pasquotank County, NCNC42,201-0.2%−102%

52Avery County, NCNC18,110+0.1%−100%

53Swain County, NCNC14,024+1.0%−94%

54Pitt County, NCNC182,936+1.2%−95%

55Cleveland County, NCNC103,325+1.5%−89%

56Randolph County, NCNC149,516+1.7%−92%

57Granville County, NCNC61,421+1.8%−93%

58Carteret County, NCNC70,469+1.8%−86%

59Madison County, NCNC22,553+2.1%−87%

60Stanly County, NCNC68,830+3.2%−74%

61Davie County, NCNC45,855+3.6%−86%

62Yancey County, NCNC19,084+3.7%−76%

63Davidson County, NCNC180,182+3.7%−77%

64Camden County, NCNC11,315+3.8%−77%

65Catawba County, NCNC170,172+4.1%−79%

66Clay County, NCNC12,239+4.7%−79%

67Cumberland County, NCNC338,473+4.8%−54%

68Cherokee County, NCNC30,830+4.8%−76%

69Haywood County, NCNC63,369+5.2%−66%

70Watauga County, NCNC54,786+5.9%−62%

71Rowan County, NCNC155,096+6.1%−66%

72Jackson County, NCNC45,039+7.0%−70%

73Dare County, NCNC38,245+8.8%−72%

74Henderson County, NCNC122,375+8.9%−69%

75Forsyth County, NCNC401,718+9.1%−40%

76Macon County, NCNC39,232+9.1%−66%

77Lee County, NCNC70,258+9.4%−49%

78Gaston County, NCNC246,558+10.6%+22%

79Guilford County, NCNC562,234+10.8%−49%

80Lincoln County, NCNC98,654+10.9%−59%

81Hoke County, NCNC56,939+10.9%−77%

82Orange County, NCNC152,498+11.1%−57%

83New Hanover County, NCNC245,959+11.4%−66%

84Moore County, NCNC110,619+13.0%−51%

85Buncombe County, NCNC277,417+13.1%−28%

86Franklin County, NCNC82,037+13.1%−56%

87Alamance County, NCNC186,177+13.4%−36%

88Onslow County, NCNC217,175+15.1%+4270%

89Pender County, NCNC72,111+15.3%−64%

90Harnett County, NCNC150,137+16.5%−52%

91Iredell County, NCNC211,798+17.1%−47%

92Union County, NCNC267,674+18.4%−61%

93Currituck County, NCNC33,158+19.3%−40%

94Chatham County, NCNC85,111+20.1%−26%

95Mecklenburg County, NCNC1,233,383+21.3%−41%

96Durham County, NCNC347,240+21.4%−6%

97Wake County, NCNC1,257,235+25.4%−48%

98Cabarrus County, NCNC249,725+26.8%−17%

99Brunswick County, NCNC174,702+27.2%−37%

100Johnston County, NCNC256,448+27.9%−44%

SHOWING 1–100 OF 100

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UPDATED 2026-06-02 · DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR ESTIMATES