RANKING · 1990 CENSUS · 100 SHOWN OF 100

Most densely populated, North Carolina counties · 1990

North Carolina counties ranked by residents per square mile (1990). This list covers the 100 counties in North Carolina that qualify, ranked against each other statewide. The median across all 100 is 85.

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SAME RANKING BYCities States Metros

YEAR1990 2000 2010 2020 2025

RANKPLACESTATEPOPPOPULATION DENSITYVS –

01Mecklenburg County, NCNC1,233,383977–

02Forsyth County, NCNC401,718652–

03Durham County, NCNC347,240632–

04New Hanover County, NCNC245,959626–

05Guilford County, NCNC562,234538–

06Wake County, NCNC1,257,235507–

07Gaston County, NCNC246,558492–

08Cumberland County, NCNC338,473421–

09Catawba County, NCNC170,172295–

10Cabarrus County, NCNC249,725274–

11Buncombe County, NCNC277,417266–

12Alamance County, NCNC186,177256–

13Orange County, NCNC152,498236–

14Davidson County, NCNC180,182229–

15Rowan County, NCNC155,096216–

16Onslow County, NCNC217,175197–

17Wayne County, NCNC122,278189–

18Henderson County, NCNC122,375186–

19Cleveland County, NCNC103,325182–

20Wilson County, NCNC81,150180–

21Lincoln County, NCNC98,654170–

22Pitt County, NCNC182,936165–

23Lee County, NCNC70,258162–

24Iredell County, NCNC211,798162–

25Vance County, NCNC42,638154–

26Rockingham County, NCNC94,195152–

27Caldwell County, NCNC81,105150–

28Burke County, NCNC88,655150–

29Lenoir County, NCNC55,837144–

30Nash County, NCNC99,365142–

31Pasquotank County, NCNC42,201138–

32Randolph County, NCNC149,516136–

33Union County, NCNC267,674133–

34Stanly County, NCNC68,830131–

35Watauga County, NCNC54,786118–

36Surry County, NCNC72,287116–

37Craven County, NCNC105,025116–

38Harnett County, NCNC150,137114–

39Edgecombe County, NCNC49,121112–

40Robeson County, NCNC119,941111–

41Alexander County, NCNC36,958106–

42Scotland County, NCNC33,322106–

43Davie County, NCNC45,855106–

44Carteret County, NCNC70,469104–

45Johnston County, NCNC256,448103–

46Rutherford County, NCNC65,745101–

47Richmond County, NCNC42,04194–

48Yadkin County, NCNC38,32591–

49Haywood County, NCNC63,36985–

50Moore County, NCNC110,61985–

51Stokes County, NCNC46,12683–

52McDowell County, NCNC45,19881–

53Wilkes County, NCNC66,23379–

54Chowan County, NCNC14,08278–

55Person County, NCNC40,63677–

56Halifax County, NCNC46,53477–

57Franklin County, NCNC82,03774–

58Granville County, NCNC61,42172–

59Transylvania County, NCNC34,21167–

60Mitchell County, NCNC15,06265–

61Hertford County, NCNC19,01564–

62Polk County, NCNC20,53361–

63Avery County, NCNC18,11060–

64Brunswick County, NCNC174,70260–

65Dare County, NCNC38,24559–

66Hoke County, NCNC56,93959–

67Greene County, NCNC20,70058–

68Chatham County, NCNC85,11157–

69Martin County, NCNC21,60155–

70Jackson County, NCNC45,03955–

71Columbus County, NCNC50,48753–

72Currituck County, NCNC33,15852–

73Ashe County, NCNC27,51452–

74Beaufort County, NCNC44,67051–

75Sampson County, NCNC61,50450–

76Yancey County, NCNC19,08449–

77Duplin County, NCNC51,57149–

78Caswell County, NCNC22,56349–

79Montgomery County, NCNC26,40347–

80Macon County, NCNC39,23246–

81Cherokee County, NCNC30,83044–

82Anson County, NCNC21,75844–

83Perquimans County, NCNC13,49042–

84Alleghany County, NCNC11,47941–

85Washington County, NCNC10,63840–

86Warren County, NCNC18,89840–

87Northampton County, NCNC16,49139–

88Madison County, NCNC22,55338–

89Pamlico County, NCNC12,75834–

90Clay County, NCNC12,23933–

91Pender County, NCNC72,11133–

92Bladen County, NCNC30,00733–

93Bertie County, NCNC17,08629–

94Gates County, NCNC10,23427–

95Graham County, NCNC8,19025–

96Camden County, NCNC11,31525–

97Swain County, NCNC14,02421–

98Jones County, NCNC9,57520–

99Tyrrell County, NCNC3,53710–

100Hyde County, NCNC4,5549–

SHOWING 1–100 OF 100

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UPDATED 2026-09-11 · DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU DECENNIAL CENSUS