RANKING · 2025 ESTIMATES · 100 SHOWN OF 100

Most densely populated, North Carolina counties

North Carolina counties ranked by residents per square mile (2025). This list covers the 100 counties in North Carolina that qualify, ranked against each other statewide. The median across all 100 is 116. Biggest climber in the top 100 since 2020: Brunswick County, NC, up 9 places to #28.

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SAME RANKING BYCities States Metros

RELATEDLargest by population Fastest growing Fastest shrinking Most population gained Most population lost Most sparsely populated

YEAR1990 2000 2010 2020 2025

RANKPLACESTATEPOPPOPULATION DENSITYVS 2000

01Mecklenburg County, NCNC1,233,3832,356+77%

02Wake County, NCNC1,257,2351,506+100%

03New Hanover County, NCNC245,9591,279+53%

04Durham County, NCNC347,2401,208+55%

05Forsyth County, NCNC401,718985+31%

06Guilford County, NCNC562,234870+34%

07Gaston County, NCNC246,558693+30%

08Cabarrus County, NCNC249,725691+91%

09Cumberland County, NCNC338,473519+12%

10▲1Alamance County, NCNC186,177440+42%

11▲1Catawba County, NCNC170,172424+20%

12▲1Union County, NCNC267,674423+116%

13▼3Buncombe County, NCNC277,417423+34%

14Orange County, NCNC152,498384+29%

15Iredell County, NCNC211,798369+73%

16▲2Lincoln County, NCNC98,654333+55%

17▼1Henderson County, NCNC122,375328+37%

18▼1Davidson County, NCNC180,182326+22%

19▲1Johnston County, NCNC256,448324+110%

20▼1Rowan County, NCNC155,096303+19%

21Onslow County, NCNC217,175285+44%

22Pitt County, NCNC182,936280+37%

23Lee County, NCNC70,258275+43%

24Harnett County, NCNC150,137252+65%

25Cleveland County, NCNC103,325223+7%

26Wilson County, NCNC81,150221+10%

27Wayne County, NCNC122,278221+8%

28▲9Brunswick County, NCNC174,702206+139%

29▼1Randolph County, NCNC149,516191+15%

30▼1Pasquotank County, NCNC42,201186+21%

31▼1Nash County, NCNC99,365184+14%

32▼1Watauga County, NCNC54,786175+28%

33▼1Burke County, NCNC88,655175−1%

34▲4Stanly County, NCNC68,830174+18%

35Davie County, NCNC45,855174+32%

36▼3Caldwell County, NCNC81,105172+5%

37▼3Vance County, NCNC42,638169−1%

38▲4Franklin County, NCNC82,037167+74%

39▼3Rockingham County, NCNC94,195167+2%

40▼1Moore County, NCNC110,619159+48%

41▼1Craven County, NCNC105,025149+15%

42▲3Hoke County, NCNC56,939146+69%

43▼2Alexander County, NCNC36,958142+10%

44▼1Lenoir County, NCNC55,837140−6%

45▲1Carteret County, NCNC70,469139+19%

46▼2Surry County, NCNC72,287136+1%

47Robeson County, NCNC119,941127−3%

48▲5Currituck County, NCNC33,158127+82%

49▲2Chatham County, NCNC85,111125+73%

50▼1Rutherford County, NCNC65,745116+5%

51▼3Granville County, NCNC61,421115+27%

52▼2Haywood County, NCNC63,369114+17%

53▼1Yadkin County, NCNC38,325114+5%

54Scotland County, NCNC33,322104−7%

55▲1Person County, NCNC40,636104+14%

56▼1McDowell County, NCNC45,198103+7%

57Stokes County, NCNC46,126103+3%

58▲1Dare County, NCNC38,245100+28%

59▼1Edgecombe County, NCNC49,12197−12%

60▲1Jackson County, NCNC45,03992+36%

61▲2Transylvania County, NCNC34,21190+17%

62▼2Richmond County, NCNC42,04189−10%

63▼1Wilkes County, NCNC66,23388+1%

64Polk County, NCNC20,53386+12%

65▲4Pender County, NCNC72,11183+76%

66▼1Chowan County, NCNC14,08282−3%

67▼1Greene County, NCNC20,70078+9%

68Macon County, NCNC39,23276+32%

69▼2Avery County, NCNC18,11073+5%

70Mitchell County, NCNC15,06268−4%

71▲1Cherokee County, NCNC30,83068+27%

72▲1Sampson County, NCNC61,50465+2%

73▲1Ashe County, NCNC27,51465+13%

74▼3Halifax County, NCNC46,53464−19%

75▲1Duplin County, NCNC51,57163+5%

76▲1Yancey County, NCNC19,08461+7%

77▲6Clay County, NCNC12,23957+39%

78▲3Perquimans County, NCNC13,49055+19%

79▼4Hertford County, NCNC19,01554−16%

80▼2Columbus County, NCNC50,48754−8%

81▲1Montgomery County, NCNC26,40354−2%

82▼3Beaufort County, NCNC44,67054−1%

83▼3Caswell County, NCNC22,56353−4%

84▲1Madison County, NCNC22,55350+15%

85▲1Alleghany County, NCNC11,47949+8%

86▼2Martin County, NCNC21,60147−16%

87▲1Camden County, NCNC11,31547+64%

88▼1Warren County, NCNC18,89844−5%

89Anson County, NCNC21,75841−14%

90Pamlico County, NCNC12,75838−1%

91Bladen County, NCNC30,00734−7%

92Northampton County, NCNC16,49131−25%

93Washington County, NCNC10,63831−22%

94Gates County, NCNC10,23430−3%

95Graham County, NCNC8,19028+2%

96Swain County, NCNC14,02427+8%

97Bertie County, NCNC17,08624−14%

98Jones County, NCNC9,57520−8%

99Tyrrell County, NCNC3,5379−15%

100Hyde County, NCNC4,5547−22%

SHOWING 1–100 OF 100

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