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.

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

RANKPLACESTATEPOPPOPULATION DENSITYVS –

01Mecklenburg County, NCNC1,233,3832,356–

02Wake County, NCNC1,257,2351,506–

03New Hanover County, NCNC245,9591,279–

04Durham County, NCNC347,2401,208–

05Forsyth County, NCNC401,718985–

06Guilford County, NCNC562,234870–

07Gaston County, NCNC246,558693–

08Cabarrus County, NCNC249,725691–

09Cumberland County, NCNC338,473519–

10Alamance County, NCNC186,177440–

11Catawba County, NCNC170,172424–

12Union County, NCNC267,674423–

13Buncombe County, NCNC277,417423–

14Orange County, NCNC152,498384–

15Iredell County, NCNC211,798369–

16Lincoln County, NCNC98,654333–

17Henderson County, NCNC122,375328–

18Davidson County, NCNC180,182326–

19Johnston County, NCNC256,448324–

20Rowan County, NCNC155,096303–

21Onslow County, NCNC217,175285–

22Pitt County, NCNC182,936280–

23Lee County, NCNC70,258275–

24Harnett County, NCNC150,137252–

25Cleveland County, NCNC103,325223–

26Wilson County, NCNC81,150221–

27Wayne County, NCNC122,278221–

28Brunswick County, NCNC174,702206–

29Randolph County, NCNC149,516191–

30Pasquotank County, NCNC42,201186–

31Nash County, NCNC99,365184–

32Watauga County, NCNC54,786175–

33Burke County, NCNC88,655175–

34Stanly County, NCNC68,830174–

35Davie County, NCNC45,855174–

36Caldwell County, NCNC81,105172–

37Vance County, NCNC42,638169–

38Franklin County, NCNC82,037167–

39Rockingham County, NCNC94,195167–

40Moore County, NCNC110,619159–

41Craven County, NCNC105,025149–

42Hoke County, NCNC56,939146–

43Alexander County, NCNC36,958142–

44Lenoir County, NCNC55,837140–

45Carteret County, NCNC70,469139–

46Surry County, NCNC72,287136–

47Robeson County, NCNC119,941127–

48Currituck County, NCNC33,158127–

49Chatham County, NCNC85,111125–

50Rutherford County, NCNC65,745116–

51Granville County, NCNC61,421115–

52Haywood County, NCNC63,369114–

53Yadkin County, NCNC38,325114–

54Scotland County, NCNC33,322104–

55Person County, NCNC40,636104–

56McDowell County, NCNC45,198103–

57Stokes County, NCNC46,126103–

58Dare County, NCNC38,245100–

59Edgecombe County, NCNC49,12197–

60Jackson County, NCNC45,03992–

61Transylvania County, NCNC34,21190–

62Richmond County, NCNC42,04189–

63Wilkes County, NCNC66,23388–

64Polk County, NCNC20,53386–

65Pender County, NCNC72,11183–

66Chowan County, NCNC14,08282–

67Greene County, NCNC20,70078–

68Macon County, NCNC39,23276–

69Avery County, NCNC18,11073–

70Mitchell County, NCNC15,06268–

71Cherokee County, NCNC30,83068–

72Sampson County, NCNC61,50465–

73Ashe County, NCNC27,51465–

74Halifax County, NCNC46,53464–

75Duplin County, NCNC51,57163–

76Yancey County, NCNC19,08461–

77Clay County, NCNC12,23957–

78Perquimans County, NCNC13,49055–

79Hertford County, NCNC19,01554–

80Columbus County, NCNC50,48754–

81Montgomery County, NCNC26,40354–

82Beaufort County, NCNC44,67054–

83Caswell County, NCNC22,56353–

84Madison County, NCNC22,55350–

85Alleghany County, NCNC11,47949–

86Martin County, NCNC21,60147–

87Camden County, NCNC11,31547–

88Warren County, NCNC18,89844–

89Anson County, NCNC21,75841–

90Pamlico County, NCNC12,75838–

91Bladen County, NCNC30,00734–

92Northampton County, NCNC16,49131–

93Washington County, NCNC10,63831–

94Gates County, NCNC10,23430–

95Graham County, NCNC8,19028–

96Swain County, NCNC14,02427–

97Bertie County, NCNC17,08624–

98Jones County, NCNC9,57520–

99Tyrrell County, NCNC3,5379–

100Hyde County, NCNC4,5547–

SHOWING 1–100 OF 100

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UPDATED 2026-07-15 · DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU POPULATION ESTIMATES