RANKING · 2010 CENSUS · 100 SHOWN OF 100

Fastest shrinking, North Carolina counties · 2010

North Carolina counties with the steepest population decline from the 2000 census to 2010. This list covers the 100 counties in North Carolina that qualify, ranked against each other statewide.

Flip the list · Fastest growing, US counties →

North CarolinaAll states All rankings

SAME RANKING BYCities States Metros

YEAR2000 2010 2020 2025

RANKPLACESTATEPOPPOPULATION GROWTHVS 2000

01Halifax County, NCNC46,534-4.7%−8.0 pts

02Martin County, NCNC21,601-4.3%−6.3 pts

03Washington County, NCNC10,638-3.6%−1.6 pts

04Jones County, NCNC9,575-2.2%−12.5 pts

05Mitchell County, NCNC15,062-0.7%−9.4 pts

06Hyde County, NCNC4,554-0.3%−7.9 pts

07Lenoir County, NCNC55,837-0.3%−4.4 pts

08Northampton County, NCNC16,491+0.1%−6.1 pts

09Richmond County, NCNC42,041+0.2%−4.4 pts

10Yancey County, NCNC19,084+0.2%−15.0 pts

11Scotland County, NCNC33,322+0.4%−6.2 pts

12Caswell County, NCNC22,563+0.9%−12.6 pts

13Pamlico County, NCNC12,758+1.6%−12.1 pts

14Edgecombe County, NCNC49,121+1.7%+3.4 pts

15Chowan County, NCNC14,082+1.8%−5.7 pts

16Cleveland County, NCNC103,325+1.9%−11.8 pts

17Rockingham County, NCNC94,195+1.9%−4.9 pts

18Burke County, NCNC88,655+2.0%−15.7 pts

19Surry County, NCNC72,287+3.4%−12.0 pts

20Montgomery County, NCNC26,403+3.6%−11.3 pts

21Avery County, NCNC18,110+3.7%−11.8 pts

22Stanly County, NCNC68,830+4.3%−8.0 pts

23Alleghany County, NCNC11,479+4.5%−6.9 pts

24Warren County, NCNC18,898+5.0%−10.7 pts

25Sampson County, NCNC61,504+5.4%−21.8 pts

26Cumberland County, NCNC338,473+5.4%−4.9 pts

27Wilkes County, NCNC66,233+5.6%−4.9 pts

28Yadkin County, NCNC38,325+5.7%−13.6 pts

29Vance County, NCNC42,638+5.7%−4.7 pts

30Madison County, NCNC22,553+5.7%−10.1 pts

31Stokes County, NCNC46,126+6.0%−14.1 pts

32Columbus County, NCNC50,487+6.1%−4.3 pts

33Rowan County, NCNC155,096+6.2%−11.6 pts

34Tyrrell County, NCNC3,537+6.2%−1.4 pts

35Beaufort County, NCNC44,670+6.2%−0.1 pts

36Anson County, NCNC21,758+6.6%−1.1 pts

37McDowell County, NCNC45,198+6.7%−11.4 pts

38Caldwell County, NCNC81,105+7.3%−2.2 pts

39Bertie County, NCNC17,086+7.6%+10.6 pts

40Rutherford County, NCNC65,745+7.8%−2.7 pts

41Swain County, NCNC14,024+7.8%−7.3 pts

42Wayne County, NCNC122,278+8.2%−0.1 pts

43Gaston County, NCNC246,558+8.3%−0.5 pts

44Randolph County, NCNC149,516+8.7%−13.8 pts

45Robeson County, NCNC119,941+8.8%−8.5 pts

46Catawba County, NCNC170,172+8.9%−10.7 pts

47Bladen County, NCNC30,007+9.0%−3.6 pts

48Hertford County, NCNC19,015+9.2%+8.8 pts

49Haywood County, NCNC63,369+9.3%−5.8 pts

50Nash County, NCNC99,365+9.6%−4.4 pts

51Wilson County, NCNC81,150+10.1%−1.7 pts

52Davidson County, NCNC180,182+10.6%−5.6 pts

53Alexander County, NCNC36,958+10.7%−11.3 pts

54Person County, NCNC40,636+10.8%−7.3 pts

55Graham County, NCNC8,190+10.9%−0.2 pts

56Ashe County, NCNC27,514+11.9%+2.1 pts

57Polk County, NCNC20,533+11.9%−15.2 pts

58Carteret County, NCNC70,469+11.9%−1.1 pts

59Greene County, NCNC20,700+12.6%−10.8 pts

60Transylvania County, NCNC34,211+12.8%−2.1 pts

61Cherokee County, NCNC30,830+12.9%−7.5 pts

62Orange County, NCNC152,498+13.2%−12.8 pts

63Dare County, NCNC38,245+13.2%−18.6 pts

64Craven County, NCNC105,025+13.2%+1.2 pts

65Macon County, NCNC39,232+13.8%−13.1 pts

66Forsyth County, NCNC401,718+14.6%−0.5 pts

67Buncombe County, NCNC277,417+15.5%−2.5 pts

68Alamance County, NCNC186,177+15.5%−5.3 pts

69Gates County, NCNC10,234+16.0%+3.0 pts

70Guilford County, NCNC562,234+16.0%−5.2 pts

71Pasquotank County, NCNC42,201+16.5%+5.0 pts

72Lee County, NCNC70,258+18.0%−0.5 pts

73Moore County, NCNC110,619+18.0%−8.7 pts

74Onslow County, NCNC217,175+18.2%+17.9 pts

75Perquimans County, NCNC13,490+18.3%+9.5 pts

76Davie County, NCNC45,855+18.4%−6.7 pts

77Duplin County, NCNC51,571+19.2%−3.4 pts

78Watauga County, NCNC54,786+19.6%+4.1 pts

79Henderson County, NCNC122,375+19.7%−9.0 pts

80Durham County, NCNC347,240+19.8%−3.0 pts

81Clay County, NCNC12,239+20.6%−2.0 pts

82Jackson County, NCNC45,039+21.6%−1.8 pts

83Lincoln County, NCNC98,654+22.7%−4.0 pts

84Granville County, NCNC61,421+23.5%−2.9 pts

85Pitt County, NCNC182,936+25.7%+1.7 pts

86Harnett County, NCNC150,137+26.0%−8.2 pts

87New Hanover County, NCNC245,959+26.4%−6.8 pts

88Pender County, NCNC72,111+27.1%−15.3 pts

89Franklin County, NCNC82,037+28.3%−1.5 pts

90Chatham County, NCNC85,111+28.7%+1.5 pts

91Currituck County, NCNC33,158+29.5%−3.0 pts

92Iredell County, NCNC211,798+30.0%−2.0 pts

93Mecklenburg County, NCNC1,233,383+32.2%−3.7 pts

94Cabarrus County, NCNC249,725+35.8%+3.3 pts

95Johnston County, NCNC256,448+38.5%−11.5 pts

96Hoke County, NCNC56,939+39.5%−7.7 pts

97Wake County, NCNC1,257,235+43.5%−4.8 pts

98Camden County, NCNC11,315+45.0%+28.3 pts

99Brunswick County, NCNC174,702+46.9%+3.4 pts

100Union County, NCNC267,674+62.8%+15.9 pts

SHOWING 1–100 OF 100

Download CSV (full list, 100 rows)

UPDATED 2026-08-08 · DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU DECENNIAL CENSUS