RANKING · 2000 CENSUS · 100 SHOWN OF 100

Largest by population, North Carolina counties · 2000

The most populous us counties as of the 2023 estimates. This list covers the 100 counties in North Carolina that qualify, ranked against each other statewide.

North CarolinaAll states All rankings

SAME RANKING BYCities States Metros ZIP codes

RELATEDFastest growing Fastest shrinking Most densely populated Most sparsely populated Best broadband access Worst broadband access

YEAR1990 2000 2010 2020 2025

RANKPLACESTATEPOPTOTAL POPULATIONVS 2000

01Mecklenburg County, NCNC1,233,383695,454+0%

02Wake County, NCNC1,257,235627,846+0%

03Guilford County, NCNC562,234421,048+0%

04Forsyth County, NCNC401,718306,067+0%

05Cumberland County, NCNC338,473302,963+0%

06Durham County, NCNC347,240223,314+0%

07Buncombe County, NCNC277,417206,330+0%

08Gaston County, NCNC246,558190,365+0%

09New Hanover County, NCNC245,959160,307+0%

10Onslow County, NCNC217,175150,355+0%

11Davidson County, NCNC180,182147,246+0%

12Catawba County, NCNC170,172141,685+0%

13Pitt County, NCNC182,936133,798+0%

14Cabarrus County, NCNC249,725131,063+0%

15Alamance County, NCNC186,177130,800+0%

16Randolph County, NCNC149,516130,454+0%

17Rowan County, NCNC155,096130,340+0%

18Union County, NCNC267,674123,677+0%

19Robeson County, NCNC119,941123,339+0%

20Iredell County, NCNC211,798122,660+0%

21Johnston County, NCNC256,448121,965+0%

22Orange County, NCNC152,498118,227+0%

23Wayne County, NCNC122,278113,329+0%

24Cleveland County, NCNC103,32596,287+0%

25Rockingham County, NCNC94,19591,928+0%

26Craven County, NCNC105,02591,436+0%

27Harnett County, NCNC150,13791,025+0%

28Henderson County, NCNC122,37589,173+0%

29Burke County, NCNC88,65589,148+0%

30Nash County, NCNC99,36587,420+0%

31Caldwell County, NCNC81,10577,415+0%

32Moore County, NCNC110,61974,769+0%

33Wilson County, NCNC81,15073,814+0%

34Brunswick County, NCNC174,70273,143+0%

35Surry County, NCNC72,28771,219+0%

36Wilkes County, NCNC66,23365,632+0%

37Lincoln County, NCNC98,65463,780+0%

38Rutherford County, NCNC65,74562,899+0%

39Sampson County, NCNC61,50460,161+0%

40Lenoir County, NCNC55,83759,648+0%

41Carteret County, NCNC70,46959,383+0%

42Stanly County, NCNC68,83058,100+0%

43Halifax County, NCNC46,53457,370+0%

44Edgecombe County, NCNC49,12155,606+0%

45Columbus County, NCNC50,48754,749+0%

46Haywood County, NCNC63,36954,033+0%

47Chatham County, NCNC85,11149,329+0%

48Duplin County, NCNC51,57149,063+0%

49Lee County, NCNC70,25849,040+0%

50Granville County, NCNC61,42148,498+0%

51Franklin County, NCNC82,03747,260+0%

52Richmond County, NCNC42,04146,564+0%

53Beaufort County, NCNC44,67044,958+0%

54Stokes County, NCNC46,12644,711+0%

55Vance County, NCNC42,63842,954+0%

56Watauga County, NCNC54,78642,695+0%

57McDowell County, NCNC45,19842,151+0%

58Pender County, NCNC72,11141,082+0%

59Yadkin County, NCNC38,32536,348+0%

60Scotland County, NCNC33,32235,998+0%

61Person County, NCNC40,63635,623+0%

62Pasquotank County, NCNC42,20134,897+0%

63Davie County, NCNC45,85534,835+0%

64Hoke County, NCNC56,93933,646+0%

65Alexander County, NCNC36,95833,603+0%

66Jackson County, NCNC45,03933,121+0%

67Bladen County, NCNC30,00732,278+0%

68Dare County, NCNC38,24529,967+0%

69Macon County, NCNC39,23229,811+0%

70Transylvania County, NCNC34,21129,334+0%

71Montgomery County, NCNC26,40326,822+0%

72Martin County, NCNC21,60125,593+0%

73Anson County, NCNC21,75825,275+0%

74Ashe County, NCNC27,51424,384+0%

75Cherokee County, NCNC30,83024,298+0%

76Caswell County, NCNC22,56323,501+0%

77Hertford County, NCNC19,01522,601+0%

78Northampton County, NCNC16,49122,086+0%

79Warren County, NCNC18,89819,972+0%

80Bertie County, NCNC17,08619,773+0%

81Madison County, NCNC22,55319,635+0%

82Greene County, NCNC20,70018,974+0%

83Polk County, NCNC20,53318,324+0%

84Currituck County, NCNC33,15818,190+0%

85Yancey County, NCNC19,08417,774+0%

86Avery County, NCNC18,11017,167+0%

87Mitchell County, NCNC15,06215,687+0%

88Chowan County, NCNC14,08214,526+0%

89Washington County, NCNC10,63813,723+0%

90Swain County, NCNC14,02412,968+0%

91Pamlico County, NCNC12,75812,934+0%

92Perquimans County, NCNC13,49011,368+0%

93Alleghany County, NCNC11,47910,677+0%

94Gates County, NCNC10,23410,516+0%

95Jones County, NCNC9,57510,381+0%

96Clay County, NCNC12,2398,775+0%

97Graham County, NCNC8,1907,993+0%

98Camden County, NCNC11,3156,885+0%

99Hyde County, NCNC4,5545,826+0%

100Tyrrell County, NCNC3,5374,149+0%

SHOWING 1–100 OF 100

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