RANKING · 2000 CENSUS · 100 SHOWN OF 100

Fastest shrinking, North Carolina counties · 2000

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

01Bertie County, NCNC17,086-3.0%+0%

02Washington County, NCNC10,638-2.0%+0%

03Edgecombe County, NCNC49,121-1.7%+0%

04Onslow County, NCNC217,175+0.3%+0%

05Hertford County, NCNC19,015+0.3%+0%

06Martin County, NCNC21,601+2.1%+0%

07Halifax County, NCNC46,534+3.3%+0%

08Lenoir County, NCNC55,837+4.1%+0%

09Richmond County, NCNC42,041+4.6%+0%

10Northampton County, NCNC16,491+6.2%+0%

11Beaufort County, NCNC44,670+6.3%+0%

12Scotland County, NCNC33,322+6.6%+0%

13Rockingham County, NCNC94,195+6.8%+0%

14Chowan County, NCNC14,082+7.6%+0%

15Tyrrell County, NCNC3,537+7.6%+0%

16Hyde County, NCNC4,554+7.7%+0%

17Anson County, NCNC21,758+7.7%+0%

18Wayne County, NCNC122,278+8.3%+0%

19Mitchell County, NCNC15,062+8.7%+0%

20Gaston County, NCNC246,558+8.7%+0%

21Perquimans County, NCNC13,490+8.8%+0%

22Caldwell County, NCNC81,105+9.5%+0%

23Ashe County, NCNC27,514+9.8%+0%

24Jones County, NCNC9,575+10.3%+0%

25Cumberland County, NCNC338,473+10.3%+0%

26Columbus County, NCNC50,487+10.4%+0%

27Vance County, NCNC42,638+10.4%+0%

28Wilkes County, NCNC66,233+10.5%+0%

29Rutherford County, NCNC65,745+10.5%+0%

30Graham County, NCNC8,190+11.1%+0%

31Alleghany County, NCNC11,479+11.3%+0%

32Pasquotank County, NCNC42,201+11.5%+0%

33Wilson County, NCNC81,150+11.7%+0%

34Craven County, NCNC105,025+12.0%+0%

35Stanly County, NCNC68,830+12.2%+0%

36Bladen County, NCNC30,007+12.6%+0%

37Carteret County, NCNC70,469+13.0%+0%

38Gates County, NCNC10,234+13.0%+0%

39Caswell County, NCNC22,563+13.6%+0%

40Cleveland County, NCNC103,325+13.7%+0%

41Pamlico County, NCNC12,758+13.7%+0%

42Nash County, NCNC99,365+14.0%+0%

43Montgomery County, NCNC26,403+14.9%+0%

44Transylvania County, NCNC34,211+14.9%+0%

45Swain County, NCNC14,024+15.1%+0%

46Haywood County, NCNC63,369+15.1%+0%

47Forsyth County, NCNC401,718+15.1%+0%

48Yancey County, NCNC19,084+15.3%+0%

49Surry County, NCNC72,287+15.4%+0%

50Avery County, NCNC18,110+15.5%+0%

51Watauga County, NCNC54,786+15.5%+0%

52Warren County, NCNC18,898+15.7%+0%

53Madison County, NCNC22,553+15.8%+0%

54Davidson County, NCNC180,182+16.2%+0%

55Camden County, NCNC11,315+16.6%+0%

56Robeson County, NCNC119,941+17.3%+0%

57Burke County, NCNC88,655+17.7%+0%

58Rowan County, NCNC155,096+17.8%+0%

59Buncombe County, NCNC277,417+18.0%+0%

60Person County, NCNC40,636+18.0%+0%

61McDowell County, NCNC45,198+18.1%+0%

62Lee County, NCNC70,258+18.5%+0%

63Yadkin County, NCNC38,325+19.2%+0%

64Catawba County, NCNC170,172+19.7%+0%

65Stokes County, NCNC46,126+20.1%+0%

66Cherokee County, NCNC30,830+20.5%+0%

67Alamance County, NCNC186,177+20.9%+0%

68Guilford County, NCNC562,234+21.2%+0%

69Alexander County, NCNC36,958+22.0%+0%

70Randolph County, NCNC149,516+22.4%+0%

71Clay County, NCNC12,239+22.6%+0%

72Duplin County, NCNC51,571+22.7%+0%

73Durham County, NCNC347,240+22.8%+0%

74Greene County, NCNC20,700+23.3%+0%

75Jackson County, NCNC45,039+23.4%+0%

76Pitt County, NCNC182,936+24.0%+0%

77Davie County, NCNC45,855+25.0%+0%

78Orange County, NCNC152,498+26.0%+0%

79Granville County, NCNC61,421+26.5%+0%

80Moore County, NCNC110,619+26.7%+0%

81Lincoln County, NCNC98,654+26.8%+0%

82Macon County, NCNC39,232+26.9%+0%

83Polk County, NCNC20,533+27.1%+0%

84Sampson County, NCNC61,504+27.2%+0%

85Chatham County, NCNC85,111+27.3%+0%

86Henderson County, NCNC122,375+28.7%+0%

87Franklin County, NCNC82,037+29.8%+0%

88Dare County, NCNC38,245+31.7%+0%

89Iredell County, NCNC211,798+32.0%+0%

90Currituck County, NCNC33,158+32.4%+0%

91Cabarrus County, NCNC249,725+32.5%+0%

92New Hanover County, NCNC245,959+33.3%+0%

93Harnett County, NCNC150,137+34.2%+0%

94Mecklenburg County, NCNC1,233,383+36.0%+0%

95Pender County, NCNC72,111+42.4%+0%

96Brunswick County, NCNC174,702+43.5%+0%

97Union County, NCNC267,674+46.9%+0%

98Hoke County, NCNC56,939+47.2%+0%

99Wake County, NCNC1,257,235+48.3%+0%

100Johnston County, NCNC256,448+50.0%+0%

SHOWING 1–100 OF 100

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