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%−12.1 pts

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

11Hyde County, NCNC4,554-0.8%−8.4 pts

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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UPDATED 2026-08-08 · DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU POPULATION ESTIMATES