RANKING · 2020 CENSUS · 100 SHOWN OF 100

Fastest shrinking, North Carolina counties · 2020

North Carolina counties with the steepest population decline from the 2010 census to 2020. 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

01Tyrrell County, NCNC3,537-26.4%−34.0 pts

02Hyde County, NCNC4,554-21.0%−28.7 pts

03Northampton County, NCNC16,491-20.9%−27.1 pts

04Anson County, NCNC21,758-18.2%−25.8 pts

05Washington County, NCNC10,638-16.8%−14.9 pts

06Duplin County, NCNC51,571-16.7%−39.4 pts

07Bladen County, NCNC30,007-15.9%−28.5 pts

08Bertie County, NCNC17,086-15.7%−12.7 pts

09Gates County, NCNC10,234-14.1%−27.1 pts

10Edgecombe County, NCNC49,121-13.5%−11.8 pts

11Robeson County, NCNC119,941-13.1%−30.4 pts

12Columbus County, NCNC50,487-12.9%−23.3 pts

13Hertford County, NCNC19,015-12.6%−13.0 pts

14Warren County, NCNC18,898-11.1%−26.8 pts

15Halifax County, NCNC46,534-11.1%−14.4 pts

16Martin County, NCNC21,601-10.1%−12.1 pts

17Jones County, NCNC9,575-9.7%−19.9 pts

18Graham County, NCNC8,190-9.4%−20.5 pts

19Richmond County, NCNC42,041-7.9%−12.5 pts

20Montgomery County, NCNC26,403-7.4%−22.3 pts

21Lenoir County, NCNC55,837-7.4%−11.5 pts

22Chowan County, NCNC14,082-7.3%−14.9 pts

23Sampson County, NCNC61,504-6.9%−34.1 pts

24Pamlico County, NCNC12,758-6.6%−20.3 pts

25Beaufort County, NCNC44,670-6.5%−12.8 pts

26Vance County, NCNC42,638-6.3%−16.7 pts

27Stokes County, NCNC46,126-6.1%−26.2 pts

28Polk County, NCNC20,533-5.8%−32.9 pts

29Scotland County, NCNC33,322-5.5%−12.1 pts

30Rutherford County, NCNC65,745-5.0%−15.5 pts

31Wilkes County, NCNC66,233-4.9%−15.4 pts

32Mitchell County, NCNC15,062-4.3%−13.0 pts

33Wayne County, NCNC122,278-4.3%−12.6 pts

34Greene County, NCNC20,700-4.3%−27.6 pts

35Caswell County, NCNC22,563-4.1%−17.7 pts

36Burke County, NCNC88,655-3.7%−21.4 pts

37Perquimans County, NCNC13,490-3.3%−12.1 pts

38Surry County, NCNC72,287-3.1%−18.6 pts

39Yadkin County, NCNC38,325-3.1%−22.3 pts

40Wilson County, NCNC81,150-3.0%−14.8 pts

41Caldwell County, NCNC81,105-2.9%−12.3 pts

42Rockingham County, NCNC94,195-2.7%−9.5 pts

43Craven County, NCNC105,025-2.7%−14.7 pts

44Ashe County, NCNC27,514-2.6%−12.4 pts

45Alleghany County, NCNC11,479-2.4%−13.7 pts

46Alexander County, NCNC36,958-2.0%−24.0 pts

47Person County, NCNC40,636-0.9%−19.0 pts

48McDowell County, NCNC45,198-0.9%−19.1 pts

49Nash County, NCNC99,365-0.9%−14.9 pts

50Transylvania County, NCNC34,211-0.3%−15.3 pts

51Pasquotank County, NCNC42,201-0.2%−11.7 pts

52Avery County, NCNC18,110+0.1%−15.4 pts

53Swain County, NCNC14,024+1.0%−14.1 pts

54Pitt County, NCNC182,936+1.2%−22.7 pts

55Cleveland County, NCNC103,325+1.5%−12.2 pts

56Randolph County, NCNC149,516+1.7%−20.7 pts

57Granville County, NCNC61,421+1.8%−24.7 pts

58Carteret County, NCNC70,469+1.8%−11.2 pts

59Madison County, NCNC22,553+2.1%−13.8 pts

60Stanly County, NCNC68,830+3.2%−9.1 pts

61Davie County, NCNC45,855+3.6%−21.5 pts

62Yancey County, NCNC19,084+3.7%−11.6 pts

63Davidson County, NCNC180,182+3.7%−12.5 pts

64Camden County, NCNC11,315+3.8%−12.9 pts

65Catawba County, NCNC170,172+4.1%−15.6 pts

66Clay County, NCNC12,239+4.7%−17.9 pts

67Cumberland County, NCNC338,473+4.8%−5.6 pts

68Cherokee County, NCNC30,830+4.8%−15.6 pts

69Haywood County, NCNC63,369+5.2%−9.9 pts

70Watauga County, NCNC54,786+5.9%−9.7 pts

71Rowan County, NCNC155,096+6.1%−11.7 pts

72Jackson County, NCNC45,039+7.0%−16.3 pts

73Dare County, NCNC38,245+8.8%−22.9 pts

74Henderson County, NCNC122,375+8.9%−19.8 pts

75Forsyth County, NCNC401,718+9.1%−6.0 pts

76Macon County, NCNC39,232+9.1%−17.7 pts

77Lee County, NCNC70,258+9.4%−9.2 pts

78Gaston County, NCNC246,558+10.6%+1.9 pts

79Guilford County, NCNC562,234+10.8%−10.4 pts

80Lincoln County, NCNC98,654+10.9%−15.8 pts

81Hoke County, NCNC56,939+10.9%−36.3 pts

82Orange County, NCNC152,498+11.1%−14.8 pts

83New Hanover County, NCNC245,959+11.4%−21.9 pts

84Moore County, NCNC110,619+13.0%−13.7 pts

85Buncombe County, NCNC277,417+13.1%−5.0 pts

86Franklin County, NCNC82,037+13.1%−16.7 pts

87Alamance County, NCNC186,177+13.4%−7.5 pts

88Onslow County, NCNC217,175+15.1%+14.7 pts

89Pender County, NCNC72,111+15.3%−27.1 pts

90Harnett County, NCNC150,137+16.5%−17.7 pts

91Iredell County, NCNC211,798+17.1%−14.9 pts

92Union County, NCNC267,674+18.4%−28.5 pts

93Currituck County, NCNC33,158+19.3%−13.1 pts

94Chatham County, NCNC85,111+20.1%−7.1 pts

95Mecklenburg County, NCNC1,233,383+21.3%−14.7 pts

96Durham County, NCNC347,240+21.4%−1.4 pts

97Wake County, NCNC1,257,235+25.4%−22.9 pts

98Cabarrus County, NCNC249,725+26.8%−5.6 pts

99Brunswick County, NCNC174,702+27.2%−16.2 pts

100Johnston County, NCNC256,448+27.9%−22.1 pts

SHOWING 1–100 OF 100

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