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. The median across all 100 is +3.8%. Biggest climber in the top 100 since 2020: Cumberland County, NC, up 45 places to #22.

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SAME RANKING BYCities States Metros

YEAR2000 2010 2020 2025

RANKPLACESTATEPOPPOPULATION GROWTHVS 2000

01▲12Hertford County, NCNC19,015-11.8%−12.1 pts

02▲1Northampton County, NCNC16,491-5.6%−11.8 pts

03▲5Bertie County, NCNC17,086-4.7%−1.7 pts

04▲11Halifax County, NCNC46,534-4.3%−7.6 pts

05Washington County, NCNC10,638-3.3%−1.4 pts

06▲23Scotland County, NCNC33,322-2.5%−9.1 pts

07▲2Gates County, NCNC10,234-2.3%−15.3 pts

08▲11Richmond County, NCNC42,041-2.1%−6.7 pts

09▲7Martin County, NCNC21,601-2.0%−4.0 pts

10▼6Anson County, NCNC21,758-1.3%−9.0 pts

11▼9Hyde County, NCNC4,554-0.8%−8.4 pts

12▲23Caswell County, NCNC22,563-0.8%−14.3 pts

13▲40Swain County, NCNC14,024-0.7%−15.7 pts

14▼2Columbus County, NCNC50,487-0.3%−10.7 pts

15▲10Beaufort County, NCNC44,670+0.0%−6.3 pts

16▲10Vance County, NCNC42,638+0.1%−10.3 pts

17▲14Wilkes County, NCNC66,233+0.4%−10.1 pts

18▼8Edgecombe County, NCNC49,121+0.5%+2.1 pts

19▲22Caldwell County, NCNC81,105+0.6%−8.9 pts

20▲37Granville County, NCNC61,421+0.7%−25.8 pts

21▲11Mitchell County, NCNC15,062+1.1%−7.6 pts

22▲45Cumberland County, NCNC338,473+1.1%−9.2 pts

23▲11Greene County, NCNC20,700+1.2%−22.1 pts

24▲12Burke County, NCNC88,655+1.2%−16.5 pts

25▲45Watauga County, NCNC54,786+1.3%−14.2 pts

26▼5Lenoir County, NCNC55,837+1.3%−2.8 pts

27▲11Surry County, NCNC72,287+1.3%−14.1 pts

28▼21Bladen County, NCNC30,007+1.4%−11.3 pts

29▼15Warren County, NCNC18,898+1.4%−14.3 pts

30▲18McDowell County, NCNC45,198+1.4%−16.7 pts

31▲15Alexander County, NCNC36,958+1.4%−20.6 pts

32▲20Avery County, NCNC18,110+1.7%−13.8 pts

33▼15Graham County, NCNC8,190+2.0%−9.1 pts

34▼4Rutherford County, NCNC65,745+2.0%−8.5 pts

35▲34Haywood County, NCNC63,369+2.1%−13.0 pts

36▼16Montgomery County, NCNC26,403+2.5%−12.4 pts

37▲45Orange County, NCNC152,498+2.6%−23.4 pts

38▼16Chowan County, NCNC14,082+2.7%−4.8 pts

39▼28Robeson County, NCNC119,941+2.9%−14.3 pts

40▲45Buncombe County, NCNC277,417+3.0%−15.1 pts

41▼2Yadkin County, NCNC38,325+3.0%−16.2 pts

42▼2Wilson County, NCNC81,150+3.0%−8.7 pts

43▲19Yancey County, NCNC19,084+3.3%−11.9 pts

44▼2Rockingham County, NCNC94,195+3.4%−3.4 pts

45▼1Ashe County, NCNC27,514+3.5%−6.3 pts

46▲27Dare County, NCNC38,245+3.6%−28.1 pts

47▼20Stokes County, NCNC46,126+3.6%−16.5 pts

48▲8Randolph County, NCNC149,516+3.7%−18.7 pts

49▲1Transylvania County, NCNC34,211+3.7%−11.2 pts

50▼13Perquimans County, NCNC13,490+3.7%−5.1 pts

51▲4Cleveland County, NCNC103,325+3.8%−9.8 pts

52▲27Guilford County, NCNC562,234+3.9%−17.3 pts

53▼29Pamlico County, NCNC12,758+3.9%−9.8 pts

54▼7Person County, NCNC40,636+3.9%−14.1 pts

55▼4Pasquotank County, NCNC42,201+4.0%−7.5 pts

56▲2Carteret County, NCNC70,469+4.1%−8.9 pts

57▼34Sampson County, NCNC61,504+4.2%−23.0 pts

58▼25Wayne County, NCNC122,278+4.2%−4.1 pts

59▼16Craven County, NCNC105,025+4.3%−7.8 pts

60▼43Jones County, NCNC9,575+4.4%−5.9 pts

61▲11Jackson County, NCNC45,039+4.5%−18.9 pts

62▼13Nash County, NCNC99,365+4.6%−9.4 pts

63▲12Forsyth County, NCNC401,718+5.0%−10.1 pts

64▲10Henderson County, NCNC122,375+5.2%−23.5 pts

65▼20Alleghany County, NCNC11,479+5.4%−5.9 pts

66▲5Rowan County, NCNC155,096+5.6%−12.2 pts

67▼61Duplin County, NCNC51,571+5.9%−16.8 pts

68▼3Catawba County, NCNC170,172+6.0%−13.7 pts

69▲7Macon County, NCNC39,232+6.0%−20.9 pts

70▲18Onslow County, NCNC217,175+6.2%+5.8 pts

71▼43Polk County, NCNC20,533+6.2%−20.9 pts

72▼13Madison County, NCNC22,553+6.4%−9.4 pts

73▼10Davidson County, NCNC180,182+6.7%−9.6 pts

74▲22Durham County, NCNC347,240+6.9%−15.9 pts

75▼7Cherokee County, NCNC30,830+7.1%−13.3 pts

76▼15Davie County, NCNC45,855+7.4%−17.7 pts

77▼23Pitt County, NCNC182,936+7.5%−16.5 pts

78Gaston County, NCNC246,558+8.2%−0.6 pts

79▲8Alamance County, NCNC186,177+8.6%−12.3 pts

80▲3New Hanover County, NCNC245,959+9.0%−24.3 pts

81▼80Tyrrell County, NCNC3,537+9.0%+1.4 pts

82▼18Camden County, NCNC11,315+9.3%−7.3 pts

83▼2Hoke County, NCNC56,939+9.3%−37.9 pts

84▼24Stanly County, NCNC68,830+10.1%−2.1 pts

85▼19Clay County, NCNC12,239+10.4%−12.3 pts

86▲9Mecklenburg County, NCNC1,233,383+10.6%−25.4 pts

87▲11Cabarrus County, NCNC249,725+10.6%−21.9 pts

88▼4Moore County, NCNC110,619+10.9%−15.8 pts

89▼12Lee County, NCNC70,258+11.0%−7.5 pts

90▲7Wake County, NCNC1,257,235+11.3%−37.0 pts

91▲3Chatham County, NCNC85,111+11.6%−15.7 pts

92Union County, NCNC267,674+12.3%−34.5 pts

93▼3Harnett County, NCNC150,137+12.4%−21.8 pts

94▼3Iredell County, NCNC211,798+13.4%−18.5 pts

95▼15Lincoln County, NCNC98,654+13.6%−13.1 pts

96▼3Currituck County, NCNC33,158+18.0%−14.4 pts

97▲3Johnston County, NCNC256,448+18.7%−31.3 pts

98▼12Franklin County, NCNC82,037+19.6%−10.2 pts

99▼10Pender County, NCNC72,111+19.8%−22.6 pts

100▼1Brunswick County, NCNC174,702+27.8%−15.7 pts

SHOWING 1–100 OF 100

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UPDATED 2026-09-11 · DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU POPULATION ESTIMATES