RANKING · 2024 ACS · 174 SHOWN OF 174

Most population gained, North Carolina cities

North Carolina cities that added the most residents from the 2020 census to 2024, by raw count of people rather than percentage. This list covers the 174 cities in North Carolina that qualify, ranked against each other statewide. The median across all 174 is +362. Biggest climber in the top 100 since 2020: Havelock, NC, up 124 places to #46.

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North CarolinaAll statesPop > 5KAll rankings

SAME RANKING BYCounties States Metros

YEAR2000 2010 2020 2024

RANKPLACESTATEPOPPOPULATION CHANGEVS 2000

01Charlotte, NCNC964,784+29,265−80%

02Raleigh, NCNC506,306+13,366−80%

03▲4Apex, NCNC80,419+11,850−22%

04▼1Durham, NCNC305,561+7,961−84%

05▲15Leland, NCNC35,731+6,699+4278%

06▲6Fuquay-Varina, NCNC48,536+6,333+90%

07▲14Wilmington, NCNC126,809+5,354−74%

08▲41Greenville, NCNC96,443+5,336−66%

09Wake Forest, NCNC58,147+5,243−23%

10▲7Kannapolis, NCNC61,708+4,776−34%

11▼7Cary, NCNC183,582+4,585−91%

12▼1Holly Springs, NCNC50,288+4,009−52%

13▼7Concord, NCNC114,598+3,479−88%

14▲17Garner, NCNC41,562+3,314+19%

15▲23Wendell, NCNC19,687+3,271+127%

16▲2Clayton, NCNC32,633+3,013+36%

17▼4Huntersville, NCNC68,535+2,593−88%

18▼10Winston-Salem, NCNC257,271+2,492−94%

19▲3Gastonia, NCNC87,067+2,473−79%

20▲4Fayetteville, NCNC209,120+2,314−95%

21▲5Burlington, NCNC61,496+2,307−58%

22▲28Hampstead, NCNC9,292+2,276–

23▲49Monroe, NCNC42,644+2,197−78%

24▼14Mooresville, NCNC55,842+2,188−77%

25▼6High Point, NCNC120,571+2,186−87%

26▼21Greensboro, NCNC308,667+2,163−95%

27▲113Northchase, NCNC5,896+2,054–

28Indian Trail, NCNC44,303+2,039−80%

29▲92Swannanoa, NCNC6,901+1,880+272%

30▲27Zebulon, NCNC11,933+1,808+107%

31▼16Morrisville, NCNC32,466+1,792−57%

32▼16Waxhaw, NCNC23,140+1,741+31%

33▼4Mebane, NCNC21,952+1,741−32%

34▲5Statesville, NCNC32,181+1,475−74%

35▲36New Bern, NCNC34,724+1,443−75%

36▲9Kernersville, NCNC29,128+1,381−78%

37▼10Cornelius, NCNC35,094+1,371−85%

38▲39Locust, NCNC6,120+1,303+166%

39▼9Rolesville, NCNC12,839+1,291+291%

40Lake Norman of Catawba, NCNC9,906+1,248–

41▲20Sanford, NCNC34,138+1,217−86%

42▲11Myrtle Grove, NCNC12,637+1,161−59%

43▲17Matthews, NCNC32,769+1,142−87%

44▼4Mint Hill, NCNC29,476+1,106−67%

45▼8Lake Norman of Iredell, NCNC12,494+1,099–

46▲124Havelock, NCNC17,430+1,070−51%

47▲46Angier, NCNC9,410+976−18%

48Briar Chapel, NCNC6,049+941–

49▲18Boone, NCNC19,929+940+69%

50▲49Kings Mountain, NCNC12,117+897−6%

51▼3Graham, NCNC20,131+891−63%

52▼6Southern Pines, NCNC17,357+875−51%

53▲72Smithfield, NCNC13,114+824−79%

54▼31Knightdale, NCNC23,144+779−81%

55▲4Stallings, NCNC17,760+774−21%

56▼13Hickory, NCNC45,975+768−91%

57▲54Wrightsboro, NCNC6,287+761−345%

58▼7Holly Ridge, NCNC5,908+733+579%

59▲109Goldsboro, NCNC35,012+726−144%

60▲2Aberdeen, NCNC10,066+712+2%

61▼6Clemmons, NCNC22,808+708−91%

62▲50Lincolnton, NCNC12,465+692−78%

63▼29Pinehurst, NCNC18,670+675−85%

64▼39Harrisburg, NCNC20,742+666−77%

65▲10Oak Island, NCNC9,337+634–

66▼25Weddington, NCNC14,517+624−78%

67▲74St. Stephens, NCNC9,457+605−14%

68▲36East Flat Rock, NCNC6,323+566−37%

69▼34Davidson, NCNC16,662+554−82%

70▼14Gibsonville, NCNC9,876+547−47%

71▼27St. James, NCNC7,318+543–

72▲52Kings Grant, NCNC9,003+537–

73▼41Belmont, NCNC16,415+536+98%

74▲10Moyock, NCNC5,684+530–

75▼10Surf City, NCNC5,142+529+19%

76▲89Wilson, NCNC49,572+519−93%

77▼41Mount Holly, NCNC19,033+505−74%

78▲55Selma, NCNC7,406+500−62%

79▲39Shallotte, NCNC5,335+454+12%

80▼33Pineville, NCNC11,851+453−17%

81▲24Lewisville, NCNC14,421+447−92%

82▼2Carolina Shores, NCNC5,540+429–

83▼20Asheboro, NCNC27,990+424−92%

84▲2Wesley Chapel, NCNC9,566+409–

85▲29Boiling Spring Lakes, NCNC6,875+404−69%

86▲33Archer Lodge, NCNC5,649+389–

87▲44Waynesville, NCNC11,006+362−85%

88▲15Marvin, NCNC7,040+334–

89▲27Albemarle, NCNC17,769+330−55%

90▲20Etowah, NCNC7,968+326−57%

91▲17Unionville, NCNC7,322+311–

92▲58Siler City, NCNC8,155+293−86%

93▼12Cullowhee, NCNC7,973+291−165%

94Anderson Creek, NCNC13,927+291–

95▲41Oxford, NCNC8,985+286−33%

96▼27Salisbury, NCNC36,879+285−92%

97▼31Hendersonville, NCNC15,867+271−91%

98▼13Oak Ridge, NCNC7,896+270–

99▼11Winterville, NCNC10,973+263−87%

100▼13Porters Neck, NCNC7,654+257–

101▼6Morehead City, NCNC10,434+250−85%

102▲44Elizabeth City, NCNC19,622+240−92%

103▼39Whispering Pines, NCNC5,505+224−74%

104▼2Pittsboro, NCNC5,054+215−73%

105▲22King, NCNC7,977+211−89%

106▼32Westport, NCNC5,915+210−72%

107▲23Mills River, NCNC7,504+203–

108Spout Springs, NCNC11,242+202–

109▲26Newton, NCNC13,822+185−94%

110▼32Shelby, NCNC23,309+182−96%

111▼20Walkertown, NCNC6,120+181−94%

112▼15Carolina Beach, NCNC6,870+181−83%

113▲7Archdale, NCNC12,254+180−92%

114▼32Dallas, NCNC6,392+177−55%

115▼39Midland, NCNC5,151+176–

116▲29Ayden, NCNC5,263+173−247%

117▼2Morganton, NCNC17,849+172−92%

118▼20Mocksville, NCNC6,282+168−78%

119▼12Summerfield, NCNC11,327+165−97%

120▲12Conover, NCNC8,938+159−86%

121▲22Midway, NCNC5,104+155–

122▼33Cramerton, NCNC5,713+154−74%

123▲14Brevard, NCNC8,098+153−89%

124▲18Bessemer City, NCNC5,834+152−64%

125▲1Cherryville, NCNC6,523+148−76%

126▼4Thomasville, NCNC27,733+138−96%

127▼75Hope Mills, NCNC18,324+131−96%

128▼22Creedmoor, NCNC5,046+131−81%

129▲34Dunn, NCNC8,814+113−87%

130▼60Woodfin, NCNC8,229+112−76%

131▼30Fletcher, NCNC8,373+111−92%

132▲32Laurinburg, NCNC14,582+109−97%

133▼41Kill Devil Hills, NCNC7,731+105−94%

134▼11Trinity, NCNC7,274+105−91%

135▼6Nashville, NCNC5,911+97−89%

136▼23Black Mountain, NCNC8,491+87−96%

137▼41Stokesdale, NCNC6,133+80−93%

138▼96Hillsborough, NCNC9,778+64−95%

139▼45Silver Lake, NCNC6,563+63−96%

140▼23Pleasant Garden, NCNC5,165+60−98%

141▼32Lexington, NCNC20,238+58−98%

142▼59Ogden, NCNC8,249+49−98%

143▲17Tarboro, NCNC10,979+49−51%

144▲8Roxboro, NCNC8,380+48−96%

145▲6Sawmills, NCNC5,105+22−98%

146▼2Reidsville, NCNC14,692+2−100%

147Forest City, NCNC7,410-14−119%

148▼69Lillington, NCNC5,040-26−103%

149▲12Wadesboro, NCNC5,035-36−61%

150▼22Mount Airy, NCNC10,682-43−103%

151▲18Rocky Mount, NCNC55,120-44−101%

152▼13Lenoir, NCNC18,372-53−102%

153▼139Asheville, NCNC93,523-54−101%

154▲4Hamlet, NCNC5,870-64−64%

155▼7Eden, NCNC15,500-65−110%

156▼22Long View, NCNC5,387-77−105%

157▼4Clinton, NCNC8,466-79−120%

158▼3Spring Lake, NCNC11,252-87−115%

159▼86Carrboro, NCNC20,962-91−102%

160▼6Williamston, NCNC5,086-136−140%

161▼12Marion, NCNC7,440-138−178%

162▼24Washington, NCNC9,910-149−129%

163▼1Half Moon, NCNC7,378-165−149%

164▲3Lumberton, NCNC18,955-166−108%

165▼9Henderson, NCNC15,013-175−152%

166▼108Murraysville, NCNC16,339-243–

167▼10Rockingham, NCNC8,815-276−201%

168▼100Elon, NCNC11,366-304–

169▼79Piney Green, NCNC14,078-308−112%

170▼70Butner, NCNC8,112-332−130%

171▼138Chapel Hill, NCNC63,565-353−104%

172▼13Roanoke Rapids, NCNC14,386-373−130%

173▼7Kinston, NCNC19,705-395−75%

174▼120Jacksonville, NCNC72,732-1,444−104%

SHOWING 1–174 OF 174

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UPDATED 2026-09-11 · DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR ESTIMATES