RANKING · 2010 CENSUS · 100 SHOWN OF 100

Largest by population, North Carolina counties · 2010

The most populous North Carolina counties as of the 2010 population 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 population gained Most population lost Most densely populated Most sparsely populated

YEAR1990 2000 2010 2020 2025

RANKPLACESTATETOTAL POPULATIONVS 2000

01Mecklenburg County, NCNC919,628+32%

02Wake County, NCNC900,993+44%

03Guilford County, NCNC488,406+16%

04Forsyth County, NCNC350,670+15%

05Cumberland County, NCNC319,431+5%

06Durham County, NCNC267,587+20%

07Buncombe County, NCNC238,318+16%

08Gaston County, NCNC206,086+8%

09New Hanover County, NCNC202,667+26%

10Union County, NCNC201,292+63%

11Cabarrus County, NCNC178,011+36%

12Onslow County, NCNC177,772+18%

13Johnston County, NCNC168,878+38%

14Pitt County, NCNC168,148+26%

15Davidson County, NCNC162,878+11%

16Iredell County, NCNC159,437+30%

17Catawba County, NCNC154,358+9%

18Alamance County, NCNC151,131+16%

19Randolph County, NCNC141,752+9%

20Rowan County, NCNC138,428+6%

21Robeson County, NCNC134,168+9%

22Orange County, NCNC133,801+13%

23Wayne County, NCNC122,623+8%

24Harnett County, NCNC114,678+26%

25Brunswick County, NCNC107,431+47%

26Henderson County, NCNC106,740+20%

27Craven County, NCNC103,505+13%

28Cleveland County, NCNC98,078+2%

29Nash County, NCNC95,840+10%

30Rockingham County, NCNC93,643+2%

31Burke County, NCNC90,912+2%

32Moore County, NCNC88,247+18%

33Caldwell County, NCNC83,029+7%

34Wilson County, NCNC81,234+10%

35Lincoln County, NCNC78,265+23%

36Surry County, NCNC73,673+3%

37Wilkes County, NCNC69,340+6%

38Rutherford County, NCNC67,810+8%

39Carteret County, NCNC66,469+12%

40Chatham County, NCNC63,505+29%

41Sampson County, NCNC63,431+5%

42Franklin County, NCNC60,619+28%

43Stanly County, NCNC60,585+4%

44Granville County, NCNC59,916+24%

45Lenoir County, NCNC59,495−0%

46Haywood County, NCNC59,036+9%

47Duplin County, NCNC58,505+19%

48Columbus County, NCNC58,098+6%

49Lee County, NCNC57,866+18%

50Edgecombe County, NCNC56,552+2%

51Halifax County, NCNC54,691−5%

52Pender County, NCNC52,217+27%

53Watauga County, NCNC51,079+20%

54Beaufort County, NCNC47,759+6%

55Stokes County, NCNC47,401+6%

56Hoke County, NCNC46,952+40%

57Richmond County, NCNC46,639+0%

58Vance County, NCNC45,422+6%

59McDowell County, NCNC44,996+7%

60Davie County, NCNC41,240+18%

61Pasquotank County, NCNC40,661+17%

62Jackson County, NCNC40,271+22%

63Person County, NCNC39,464+11%

64Yadkin County, NCNC38,406+6%

65Alexander County, NCNC37,198+11%

66Scotland County, NCNC36,157+0%

67Bladen County, NCNC35,190+9%

68Macon County, NCNC33,922+14%

69Dare County, NCNC33,920+13%

70Transylvania County, NCNC33,090+13%

71Montgomery County, NCNC27,798+4%

72Cherokee County, NCNC27,444+13%

73Ashe County, NCNC27,281+12%

74Anson County, NCNC26,948+7%

75Hertford County, NCNC24,669+9%

76Martin County, NCNC24,505−4%

77Caswell County, NCNC23,719+1%

78Currituck County, NCNC23,547+29%

79Northampton County, NCNC22,099+0%

80Greene County, NCNC21,362+13%

81Bertie County, NCNC21,282+8%

82Warren County, NCNC20,972+5%

83Madison County, NCNC20,764+6%

84Polk County, NCNC20,510+12%

85Yancey County, NCNC17,818+0%

86Avery County, NCNC17,797+4%

87Mitchell County, NCNC15,579−1%

88Chowan County, NCNC14,793+2%

89Swain County, NCNC13,981+8%

90Perquimans County, NCNC13,453+18%

91Washington County, NCNC13,228−4%

92Pamlico County, NCNC13,144+2%

93Gates County, NCNC12,197+16%

94Alleghany County, NCNC11,155+4%

95Clay County, NCNC10,587+21%

96Jones County, NCNC10,153−2%

97Camden County, NCNC9,980+45%

98Graham County, NCNC8,861+11%

99Hyde County, NCNC5,810−0%

100Tyrrell County, NCNC4,407+6%

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UPDATED 2026-07-15 · DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU DECENNIAL CENSUS