RANKING · 2025 ESTIMATES · 100 SHOWN OF 100

Largest by population, North Carolina counties

The most populous North Carolina counties as of the 2025 population estimates. This list covers the 100 counties in North Carolina that qualify, ranked against each other statewide. The median across all 100 is 54,786. Biggest climber in the top 100 since 2020: Pender County, NC, up 7 places to #39.

North CarolinaAll states All rankings

SAME RANKING BYCities States Metros ZIP codes

RELATEDFastest growing Fastest shrinking Most population gained Most population lost Most densely populated Most sparsely populated

YEAR1990 2000 2010 2020 2025

RANKPLACESTATETOTAL POPULATIONVS 2000

01Wake County, NCNC1,257,235+100%

02Mecklenburg County, NCNC1,233,383+77%

03Guilford County, NCNC562,234+34%

04Forsyth County, NCNC401,718+31%

05▲1Durham County, NCNC347,240+55%

06▼1Cumberland County, NCNC338,473+12%

07Buncombe County, NCNC277,417+34%

08Union County, NCNC267,674+116%

09▲3Johnston County, NCNC256,448+110%

10Cabarrus County, NCNC249,725+91%

11▼2Gaston County, NCNC246,558+30%

12▼1New Hanover County, NCNC245,959+53%

13Onslow County, NCNC217,175+44%

14Iredell County, NCNC211,798+73%

15Alamance County, NCNC186,177+42%

16Pitt County, NCNC182,936+37%

17Davidson County, NCNC180,182+22%

18▲4Brunswick County, NCNC174,702+139%

19▼1Catawba County, NCNC170,172+20%

20Rowan County, NCNC155,096+19%

21▼2Orange County, NCNC152,498+29%

22▲1Harnett County, NCNC150,137+65%

23▼2Randolph County, NCNC149,516+15%

24▲2Henderson County, NCNC122,375+37%

25▼1Wayne County, NCNC122,278+8%

26▼1Robeson County, NCNC119,941−3%

27▲1Moore County, NCNC110,619+48%

28▼1Craven County, NCNC105,025+15%

29Cleveland County, NCNC103,325+7%

30Nash County, NCNC99,365+14%

31▲2Lincoln County, NCNC98,654+55%

32▼1Rockingham County, NCNC94,195+2%

33▼1Burke County, NCNC88,655−1%

34▲2Chatham County, NCNC85,111+73%

35▲3Franklin County, NCNC82,037+74%

36▼1Wilson County, NCNC81,150+10%

37▼3Caldwell County, NCNC81,105+5%

38▼1Surry County, NCNC72,287+1%

39▲7Pender County, NCNC72,111+76%

40▼1Carteret County, NCNC70,469+19%

41▲1Lee County, NCNC70,258+43%

42▲1Stanly County, NCNC68,830+18%

43▼3Wilkes County, NCNC66,233+1%

44▼3Rutherford County, NCNC65,745+5%

45▼1Haywood County, NCNC63,369+17%

46▲1Sampson County, NCNC61,504+2%

47▼2Granville County, NCNC61,421+27%

48▲2Hoke County, NCNC56,939+69%

49▼1Lenoir County, NCNC55,837−6%

50▼1Watauga County, NCNC54,786+28%

51▲2Duplin County, NCNC51,571+5%

52▼1Columbus County, NCNC50,487−8%

53▼1Edgecombe County, NCNC49,121−12%

54Halifax County, NCNC46,534−19%

55▲2Stokes County, NCNC46,126+3%

56▲4Davie County, NCNC45,855+32%

57▼1McDowell County, NCNC45,198+7%

58Jackson County, NCNC45,039+36%

59▼4Beaufort County, NCNC44,670−1%

60▲1Vance County, NCNC42,638−1%

61▲1Pasquotank County, NCNC42,201+21%

62▼3Richmond County, NCNC42,041−10%

63Person County, NCNC40,636+14%

64▲1Macon County, NCNC39,232+32%

65▼1Yadkin County, NCNC38,325+5%

66Dare County, NCNC38,245+28%

67Alexander County, NCNC36,958+10%

68▲1Transylvania County, NCNC34,211+17%

69▼1Scotland County, NCNC33,322−7%

70▲2Currituck County, NCNC33,158+82%

71Cherokee County, NCNC30,830+27%

72▼2Bladen County, NCNC30,007−7%

73Ashe County, NCNC27,514+13%

74Montgomery County, NCNC26,403−2%

75Caswell County, NCNC22,563−4%

76▲3Madison County, NCNC22,553+15%

77▼1Anson County, NCNC21,758−14%

78▼1Martin County, NCNC21,601−16%

79▲1Greene County, NCNC20,700+9%

80▲1Polk County, NCNC20,533+12%

81▲2Yancey County, NCNC19,084+7%

82▼4Hertford County, NCNC19,015−16%

83▼1Warren County, NCNC18,898−5%

84▲1Avery County, NCNC18,110+5%

85▼1Bertie County, NCNC17,086−14%

86Northampton County, NCNC16,491−25%

87Mitchell County, NCNC15,062−4%

88▲1Chowan County, NCNC14,082−3%

89▼1Swain County, NCNC14,024+8%

90Perquimans County, NCNC13,490+19%

91Pamlico County, NCNC12,758−1%

92Clay County, NCNC12,239+39%

93▲1Alleghany County, NCNC11,479+8%

94▲2Camden County, NCNC11,315+64%

95▼2Washington County, NCNC10,638−22%

96▼1Gates County, NCNC10,234−3%

97Jones County, NCNC9,575−8%

98Graham County, NCNC8,190+2%

99Hyde County, NCNC4,554−22%

100Tyrrell County, NCNC3,537−15%

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