RANKING · 2020 CENSUS · 100 SHOWN OF 100

Largest by population, North Carolina counties · 2020

The most populous North Carolina counties as of the 2020 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

01Wake County, NCNC1,129,410+80%

02Mecklenburg County, NCNC1,115,482+60%

03Guilford County, NCNC541,299+29%

04Forsyth County, NCNC382,590+25%

05Cumberland County, NCNC334,728+10%

06Durham County, NCNC324,833+45%

07Buncombe County, NCNC269,452+31%

08Union County, NCNC238,267+93%

09Gaston County, NCNC227,943+20%

10Cabarrus County, NCNC225,804+72%

11New Hanover County, NCNC225,702+41%

12Johnston County, NCNC215,999+77%

13Onslow County, NCNC204,576+36%

14Iredell County, NCNC186,693+52%

15Alamance County, NCNC171,415+31%

16Pitt County, NCNC170,243+27%

17Davidson County, NCNC168,930+15%

18Catawba County, NCNC160,610+13%

19Orange County, NCNC148,696+26%

20Rowan County, NCNC146,875+13%

21Randolph County, NCNC144,171+11%

22Brunswick County, NCNC136,693+87%

23Harnett County, NCNC133,568+47%

24Wayne County, NCNC117,333+4%

25Robeson County, NCNC116,530−6%

26Henderson County, NCNC116,281+30%

27Craven County, NCNC100,720+10%

28Moore County, NCNC99,727+33%

29Cleveland County, NCNC99,519+3%

30Nash County, NCNC94,970+9%

31Rockingham County, NCNC91,096−1%

32Burke County, NCNC87,570−2%

33Lincoln County, NCNC86,810+36%

34Caldwell County, NCNC80,652+4%

35Wilson County, NCNC78,784+7%

36Chatham County, NCNC76,285+55%

37Surry County, NCNC71,359+0%

38Franklin County, NCNC68,573+45%

39Carteret County, NCNC67,686+14%

40Wilkes County, NCNC65,969+1%

41Rutherford County, NCNC64,444+2%

42Lee County, NCNC63,285+29%

43Stanly County, NCNC62,504+8%

44Haywood County, NCNC62,089+15%

45Granville County, NCNC60,992+26%

46Pender County, NCNC60,203+47%

47Sampson County, NCNC59,036−2%

48Lenoir County, NCNC55,122−8%

49Watauga County, NCNC54,086+27%

50Hoke County, NCNC52,082+55%

51Columbus County, NCNC50,623−8%

52Edgecombe County, NCNC48,900−12%

53Duplin County, NCNC48,715−1%

54Halifax County, NCNC48,622−15%

55Beaufort County, NCNC44,652−1%

56McDowell County, NCNC44,578+6%

57Stokes County, NCNC44,520−0%

58Jackson County, NCNC43,109+30%

59Richmond County, NCNC42,946−8%

60Davie County, NCNC42,712+23%

61Vance County, NCNC42,578−1%

62Pasquotank County, NCNC40,568+16%

63Person County, NCNC39,097+10%

64Yadkin County, NCNC37,214+2%

65Macon County, NCNC37,014+24%

66Dare County, NCNC36,915+23%

67Alexander County, NCNC36,444+8%

68Scotland County, NCNC34,174−5%

69Transylvania County, NCNC32,986+12%

70Bladen County, NCNC29,606−8%

71Cherokee County, NCNC28,774+18%

72Currituck County, NCNC28,100+54%

73Ashe County, NCNC26,577+9%

74Montgomery County, NCNC25,751−4%

75Caswell County, NCNC22,736−3%

76Anson County, NCNC22,055−13%

77Martin County, NCNC22,031−14%

78Hertford County, NCNC21,552−5%

79Madison County, NCNC21,193+8%

80Greene County, NCNC20,451+8%

81Polk County, NCNC19,328+5%

82Warren County, NCNC18,642−7%

83Yancey County, NCNC18,470+4%

84Bertie County, NCNC17,934−9%

85Avery County, NCNC17,806+4%

86Northampton County, NCNC17,471−21%

87Mitchell County, NCNC14,903−5%

88Swain County, NCNC14,117+9%

89Chowan County, NCNC13,708−6%

90Perquimans County, NCNC13,005+14%

91Pamlico County, NCNC12,276−5%

92Clay County, NCNC11,089+26%

93Washington County, NCNC11,003−20%

94Alleghany County, NCNC10,888+2%

95Gates County, NCNC10,478−0%

96Camden County, NCNC10,355+50%

97Jones County, NCNC9,172−12%

98Graham County, NCNC8,030+0%

99Hyde County, NCNC4,589−21%

100Tyrrell County, NCNC3,245−22%

SHOWING 1–100 OF 100

Download CSV (full list, 100 rows)

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