RANKING · 2025 ESTIMATES · 100 SHOWN OF 100

Fastest shrinking, North Carolina counties

North Carolina counties with the steepest population decline 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

YEAR2000 2010 2020 2025

RANKPLACESTATEPOPPOPULATION GROWTHVS 2000

01Hertford County, NCNC19,015-11.8%−3499%

02Northampton County, NCNC16,491-5.6%−191%

03Bertie County, NCNC17,086-4.7%+57%

04Halifax County, NCNC46,534-4.3%−229%

05Washington County, NCNC10,638-3.3%+69%

06Scotland County, NCNC33,322-2.5%−138%

07Gates County, NCNC10,234-2.3%−118%

08Richmond County, NCNC42,041-2.1%−146%

09Martin County, NCNC21,601-2.0%−195%

10Anson County, NCNC21,758-1.3%−118%

11Hyde County, NCNC4,554-0.8%−110%

12Caswell County, NCNC22,563-0.8%−106%

13Swain County, NCNC14,024-0.7%−104%

14Columbus County, NCNC50,487-0.3%−103%

15Beaufort County, NCNC44,670+0.0%−99%

16Vance County, NCNC42,638+0.1%−99%

17Wilkes County, NCNC66,233+0.4%−96%

18Edgecombe County, NCNC49,121+0.5%−127%

19Caldwell County, NCNC81,105+0.6%−94%

20Granville County, NCNC61,421+0.7%−97%

21Mitchell County, NCNC15,062+1.1%−88%

22Cumberland County, NCNC338,473+1.1%−89%

23Greene County, NCNC20,700+1.2%−95%

24Burke County, NCNC88,655+1.2%−93%

25Watauga County, NCNC54,786+1.3%−92%

26Lenoir County, NCNC55,837+1.3%−69%

27Surry County, NCNC72,287+1.3%−92%

28Bladen County, NCNC30,007+1.4%−89%

29Warren County, NCNC18,898+1.4%−91%

30McDowell County, NCNC45,198+1.4%−92%

31Alexander County, NCNC36,958+1.4%−94%

32Avery County, NCNC18,110+1.7%−89%

33Graham County, NCNC8,190+2.0%−82%

34Rutherford County, NCNC65,745+2.0%−81%

35Haywood County, NCNC63,369+2.1%−86%

36Montgomery County, NCNC26,403+2.5%−83%

37Orange County, NCNC152,498+2.6%−90%

38Chowan County, NCNC14,082+2.7%−64%

39Robeson County, NCNC119,941+2.9%−83%

40Buncombe County, NCNC277,417+3.0%−84%

41Yadkin County, NCNC38,325+3.0%−84%

42Wilson County, NCNC81,150+3.0%−74%

43Yancey County, NCNC19,084+3.3%−78%

44Rockingham County, NCNC94,195+3.4%−50%

45Ashe County, NCNC27,514+3.5%−64%

46Dare County, NCNC38,245+3.6%−89%

47Stokes County, NCNC46,126+3.6%−82%

48Randolph County, NCNC149,516+3.7%−83%

49Transylvania County, NCNC34,211+3.7%−75%

50Perquimans County, NCNC13,490+3.7%−58%

51Cleveland County, NCNC103,325+3.8%−72%

52Guilford County, NCNC562,234+3.9%−82%

53Pamlico County, NCNC12,758+3.9%−71%

54Person County, NCNC40,636+3.9%−78%

55Pasquotank County, NCNC42,201+4.0%−65%

56Carteret County, NCNC70,469+4.1%−68%

57Sampson County, NCNC61,504+4.2%−85%

58Wayne County, NCNC122,278+4.2%−49%

59Craven County, NCNC105,025+4.3%−64%

60Jones County, NCNC9,575+4.4%−57%

61Jackson County, NCNC45,039+4.5%−81%

62Nash County, NCNC99,365+4.6%−67%

63Forsyth County, NCNC401,718+5.0%−67%

64Henderson County, NCNC122,375+5.2%−82%

65Alleghany County, NCNC11,479+5.4%−52%

66Rowan County, NCNC155,096+5.6%−69%

67Duplin County, NCNC51,571+5.9%−74%

68Catawba County, NCNC170,172+6.0%−70%

69Macon County, NCNC39,232+6.0%−78%

70Onslow County, NCNC217,175+6.2%+1685%

71Polk County, NCNC20,533+6.2%−77%

72Madison County, NCNC22,553+6.4%−59%

73Davidson County, NCNC180,182+6.7%−59%

74Durham County, NCNC347,240+6.9%−70%

75Cherokee County, NCNC30,830+7.1%−65%

76Davie County, NCNC45,855+7.4%−71%

77Pitt County, NCNC182,936+7.5%−69%

78Gaston County, NCNC246,558+8.2%−6%

79Alamance County, NCNC186,177+8.6%−59%

80New Hanover County, NCNC245,959+9.0%−73%

81Tyrrell County, NCNC3,537+9.0%+18%

82Camden County, NCNC11,315+9.3%−44%

83Hoke County, NCNC56,939+9.3%−80%

84Stanly County, NCNC68,830+10.1%−17%

85Clay County, NCNC12,239+10.4%−54%

86Mecklenburg County, NCNC1,233,383+10.6%−71%

87Cabarrus County, NCNC249,725+10.6%−67%

88Moore County, NCNC110,619+10.9%−59%

89Lee County, NCNC70,258+11.0%−41%

90Wake County, NCNC1,257,235+11.3%−77%

91Chatham County, NCNC85,111+11.6%−58%

92Union County, NCNC267,674+12.3%−74%

93Harnett County, NCNC150,137+12.4%−64%

94Iredell County, NCNC211,798+13.4%−58%

95Lincoln County, NCNC98,654+13.6%−49%

96Currituck County, NCNC33,158+18.0%−44%

97Johnston County, NCNC256,448+18.7%−63%

98Franklin County, NCNC82,037+19.6%−34%

99Pender County, NCNC72,111+19.8%−53%

100Brunswick County, NCNC174,702+27.8%−36%

SHOWING 1–100 OF 100

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