RANKING · 2020 CENSUS · 170 SHOWN OF 170

Most population gained, North Carolina cities · 2020

North Carolina cities that added the most residents from the 2010 census to 2020, by raw count of people rather than percentage. This list covers the 170 cities in North Carolina that qualify, ranked against each other statewide.

Flip the list · Most population lost, US cities →

North CarolinaAll statesPop > 5KAll rankings

SAME RANKING BYCounties States Metros

YEAR2000 2010 2020 2024

RANKPLACESTATEPOPPOPULATION CHANGEVS 2000

01Charlotte, NCNC964,784+143,155−1%

02Raleigh, NCNC506,306+63,773−6%

03Durham, NCNC305,561+55,176+9%

04Cary, NCNC183,582+39,487−22%

05Greensboro, NCNC308,667+29,369−27%

06Concord, NCNC114,598+26,174−9%

07Apex, NCNC80,419+21,304+40%

08Winston-Salem, NCNC257,271+19,928−53%

09Wake Forest, NCNC58,147+17,484+156%

10Mooresville, NCNC55,842+17,482+84%

11Holly Springs, NCNC50,288+16,578+100%

12Fuquay-Varina, NCNC48,536+16,215+386%

13Huntersville, NCNC68,535+14,603−33%

14Asheville, NCNC93,523+11,196+55%

15Morrisville, NCNC32,466+11,054+164%

16Waxhaw, NCNC23,140+10,675+702%

17Kannapolis, NCNC61,708+10,489+45%

18Clayton, NCNC32,633+10,191+360%

19High Point, NCNC120,571+9,688−41%

20Leland, NCNC35,731+9,381+6031%

21Wilmington, NCNC126,809+8,975−56%

22Gastonia, NCNC87,067+8,670−25%

23Knightdale, NCNC23,144+8,034+97%

24Fayetteville, NCNC209,120+7,937−82%

25Harrisburg, NCNC20,742+7,441+159%

26Burlington, NCNC61,496+7,340+32%

27Cornelius, NCNC35,094+6,546−30%

28Indian Trail, NCNC44,303+6,479−35%

29Mebane, NCNC21,952+6,404+152%

30Rolesville, NCNC12,839+5,689+1624%

31Garner, NCNC41,562+5,414+94%

32Belmont, NCNC16,415+4,934+1721%

33Chapel Hill, NCNC63,565+4,727−53%

34Pinehurst, NCNC18,670+4,457−3%

35Davidson, NCNC16,662+4,162+35%

36Mount Holly, NCNC19,033+4,047+112%

37Lake Norman of Iredell, NCNC12,494+3,984–

38Wendell, NCNC19,687+3,948+174%

39Statesville, NCNC32,181+3,887−32%

40Mint Hill, NCNC29,476+3,728+11%

41Weddington, NCNC14,517+3,722+29%

42Hillsborough, NCNC9,778+3,573+202%

43Hickory, NCNC45,975+3,480−61%

44St. James, NCNC7,318+3,364–

45Kernersville, NCNC29,128+3,326−47%

46Southern Pines, NCNC17,357+3,211+79%

47Pineville, NCNC11,851+3,123+470%

48Graham, NCNC20,131+3,004+25%

49Greenville, NCNC96,443+2,967−81%

50Hampstead, NCNC9,292+2,933–

51Holly Ridge, NCNC5,908+2,903+2588%

52Hope Mills, NCNC18,324+2,632−14%

53Myrtle Grove, NCNC12,637+2,601−9%

54Jacksonville, NCNC72,732+2,578−93%

55Clemmons, NCNC22,808+2,536−68%

56Gibsonville, NCNC9,876+2,510+144%

57Zebulon, NCNC11,933+2,470+183%

58Murraysville, NCNC16,339+2,367–

59Stallings, NCNC17,760+2,281+134%

60Matthews, NCNC32,769+2,237−74%

61Sanford, NCNC34,138+2,167−75%

62Aberdeen, NCNC10,066+2,166+209%

63Asheboro, NCNC27,990+2,144−60%

64Whispering Pines, NCNC5,505+2,059+143%

65Surf City, NCNC5,142+2,014+353%

66Hendersonville, NCNC15,867+2,000−36%

67Boone, NCNC19,929+1,970+254%

68Elon, NCNC11,366+1,917–

69Salisbury, NCNC36,879+1,878−44%

70Woodfin, NCNC8,229+1,813+283%

71New Bern, NCNC34,724+1,767−69%

72Monroe, NCNC42,644+1,765−83%

73Carrboro, NCNC20,962+1,713−67%

74Westport, NCNC5,915+1,679+124%

75Oak Island, NCNC9,337+1,613–

76Midland, NCNC5,151+1,611–

77Locust, NCNC6,120+1,607+229%

78Shelby, NCNC23,309+1,595−67%

79Lillington, NCNC5,040+1,541+78%

80Carolina Shores, NCNC5,540+1,540–

81Cullowhee, NCNC7,973+1,454−423%

82Dallas, NCNC6,392+1,439+269%

83Ogden, NCNC8,249+1,434−31%

84Moyock, NCNC5,684+1,395–

85Oak Ridge, NCNC7,896+1,289–

86Wesley Chapel, NCNC9,566+1,218–

87Porters Neck, NCNC7,654+1,193–

88Winterville, NCNC10,973+1,193−40%

89Cramerton, NCNC5,713+1,131+93%

90Piney Green, NCNC14,078+1,093−59%

91Walkertown, NCNC6,120+1,017−64%

92Kill Devil Hills, NCNC7,731+973−41%

93Angier, NCNC9,410+915−23%

94Silver Lake, NCNC6,563+902−47%

95Morehead City, NCNC10,434+895−46%

96Stokesdale, NCNC6,133+877−24%

97Carolina Beach, NCNC6,870+858−20%

98Mocksville, NCNC6,282+849+9%

99Kings Mountain, NCNC12,117+846−11%

100Butner, NCNC8,112+806−28%

101Fletcher, NCNC8,373+800−43%

102Pittsboro, NCNC5,054+794+1%

103Marvin, NCNC7,040+779–

104East Flat Rock, NCNC6,323+762−15%

105Lewisville, NCNC14,421+742−87%

106Creedmoor, NCNC5,046+742+5%

107Summerfield, NCNC11,327+719−85%

108Unionville, NCNC7,322+714–

109Lexington, NCNC20,238+701−79%

110Etowah, NCNC7,968+698−9%

111Wrightsboro, NCNC6,287+630−303%

112Lincolnton, NCNC12,465+605−81%

113Black Mountain, NCNC8,491+578−72%

114Boiling Spring Lakes, NCNC6,875+571−56%

115Morganton, NCNC17,849+556−75%

116Albemarle, NCNC17,769+529−29%

117Pleasant Garden, NCNC5,165+511−80%

118Shallotte, NCNC5,335+510+26%

119Archer Lodge, NCNC5,649+505–

120Archdale, NCNC12,254+492−77%

121Swannanoa, NCNC6,901+445−12%

122Thomasville, NCNC27,733+426−89%

123Trinity, NCNC7,274+392−68%

124Kings Grant, NCNC9,003+353–

125Smithfield, NCNC13,114+326−92%

126Cherryville, NCNC6,523+318−47%

127King, NCNC7,977+293−85%

128Mount Airy, NCNC10,682+288−78%

129Nashville, NCNC5,911+280−67%

130Mills River, NCNC7,504+276–

131Waynesville, NCNC11,006+271−89%

132Conover, NCNC8,938+256−78%

133Selma, NCNC7,406+244−81%

134Long View, NCNC5,387+217−86%

135Newton, NCNC13,822+180−94%

136Oxford, NCNC8,985+167−61%

137Brevard, NCNC8,098+135−90%

138Washington, NCNC9,910+131−74%

139Lenoir, NCNC18,372+124−95%

140Northchase, NCNC5,896+95–

141St. Stephens, NCNC9,457+93−87%

142Bessemer City, NCNC5,834+88−79%

143Midway, NCNC5,104+63–

144Reidsville, NCNC14,692+63−97%

145Ayden, NCNC5,263+45−138%

146Elizabeth City, NCNC19,622-52−102%

147Forest City, NCNC7,410-99−234%

148Eden, NCNC15,500-106−116%

149Marion, NCNC7,440-121−168%

150Siler City, NCNC8,155-185−109%

151Sawmills, NCNC5,105-220−124%

152Roxboro, NCNC8,380-228−117%

153Clinton, NCNC8,466-256−165%

154Williamston, NCNC5,086-263−177%

155Spring Lake, NCNC11,252-304−153%

156Henderson, NCNC15,013-308−192%

157Rockingham, NCNC8,815-315−215%

158Hamlet, NCNC5,870-470+164%

159Roanoke Rapids, NCNC14,386-525−143%

160Tarboro, NCNC10,979-694−787%

161Wadesboro, NCNC5,035-805+766%

162Half Moon, NCNC7,378-809−339%

163Dunn, NCNC8,814-817−195%

164Laurinburg, NCNC14,582-984−123%

165Wilson, NCNC49,572-1,316−118%

166Kinston, NCNC19,705-1,777+11%

167Lumberton, NCNC18,955-2,517−221%

168Goldsboro, NCNC35,012-2,780+67%

169Rocky Mount, NCNC55,120-3,136−147%

170Havelock, NCNC17,430-4,114−289%

SHOWING 1–170 OF 170

Download CSV (full list, 170 rows)

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