RANKING · 2025 ESTIMATES · 100 SHOWN OF 100

Most population gained, North Carolina counties

North Carolina counties that added the most residents from the 2020 census to 2025, by raw count of people rather than percentage. This list covers the 100 counties in North Carolina that qualify, ranked against each other statewide.

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SAME RANKING BYCities States Metros

YEAR2000 2010 2020 2025

RANKPLACESTATEPOPPOPULATION CHANGEVS 2000

01Wake County, NCNC1,257,235+127,825−37%

02Mecklenburg County, NCNC1,233,383+117,901−36%

03Johnston County, NCNC256,448+40,449−1%

04Brunswick County, NCNC174,702+38,009+72%

05Union County, NCNC267,674+29,407−25%

06Iredell County, NCNC211,798+25,105−16%

07Cabarrus County, NCNC249,725+23,921−26%

08Durham County, NCNC347,240+22,407−46%

09Guilford County, NCNC562,234+20,935−72%

10New Hanover County, NCNC245,959+20,257−49%

11Forsyth County, NCNC401,718+19,128−52%

12Gaston County, NCNC246,558+18,615+22%

13Harnett County, NCNC150,137+16,569−29%

14Alamance County, NCNC186,177+14,762−35%

15Franklin County, NCNC82,037+13,464+24%

16Pitt County, NCNC182,936+12,693−51%

17Onslow County, NCNC217,175+12,599+2337%

18Pender County, NCNC72,111+11,908−3%

19Lincoln County, NCNC98,654+11,844−12%

20Davidson County, NCNC180,182+11,252−45%

21Moore County, NCNC110,619+10,892−31%

22Catawba County, NCNC170,172+9,562−59%

23Chatham County, NCNC85,111+8,826−16%

24Rowan County, NCNC155,096+8,221−58%

25Buncombe County, NCNC277,417+7,965−75%

26Lee County, NCNC70,258+6,973−9%

27Stanly County, NCNC68,830+6,326−0%

28Henderson County, NCNC122,375+6,094−69%

29Randolph County, NCNC149,516+5,345−78%

30Currituck County, NCNC33,158+5,058+14%

31Wayne County, NCNC122,278+4,945−43%

32Hoke County, NCNC56,939+4,857−55%

33Nash County, NCNC99,365+4,395−59%

34Craven County, NCNC105,025+4,305−56%

35Cleveland County, NCNC103,325+3,806−67%

36Orange County, NCNC152,498+3,802−84%

37Cumberland County, NCNC338,473+3,745−87%

38Robeson County, NCNC119,941+3,411−81%

39Davie County, NCNC45,855+3,143−55%

40Rockingham County, NCNC94,195+3,099−47%

41Duplin County, NCNC51,571+2,856−69%

42Carteret County, NCNC70,469+2,783−59%

43Sampson County, NCNC61,504+2,468−81%

44Wilson County, NCNC81,150+2,366−69%

45Macon County, NCNC39,232+2,218−65%

46Cherokee County, NCNC30,830+2,056−50%

47Jackson County, NCNC45,039+1,930−69%

48Pasquotank County, NCNC42,201+1,633−55%

49Stokes County, NCNC46,126+1,606−79%

50Person County, NCNC40,636+1,539−72%

51Madison County, NCNC22,553+1,360−49%

52Dare County, NCNC38,245+1,330−82%

53Rutherford County, NCNC65,745+1,301−78%

54Haywood County, NCNC63,369+1,280−82%

55Transylvania County, NCNC34,211+1,225−68%

56Polk County, NCNC20,533+1,205−69%

57Clay County, NCNC12,239+1,150−29%

58Yadkin County, NCNC38,325+1,111−81%

59Burke County, NCNC88,655+1,085−92%

60Camden County, NCNC11,315+960−2%

61Ashe County, NCNC27,514+937−57%

62Surry County, NCNC72,287+928−90%

63Lenoir County, NCNC55,837+715−70%

64Watauga County, NCNC54,786+700−88%

65Montgomery County, NCNC26,403+652−81%

66McDowell County, NCNC45,198+620−90%

67Yancey County, NCNC19,084+614−74%

68Alleghany County, NCNC11,479+591−46%

69Alexander County, NCNC36,958+514−92%

70Perquimans County, NCNC13,490+485−47%

71Pamlico County, NCNC12,758+482−69%

72Caldwell County, NCNC81,105+453−93%

73Granville County, NCNC61,421+429−96%

74Jones County, NCNC9,575+403−58%

75Bladen County, NCNC30,007+401−89%

76Chowan County, NCNC14,082+374−63%

77Avery County, NCNC18,110+304−87%

78Tyrrell County, NCNC3,537+292−0%

79Wilkes County, NCNC66,233+264−96%

80Warren County, NCNC18,898+256−91%

81Greene County, NCNC20,700+249−93%

82Edgecombe County, NCNC49,121+221−123%

83Graham County, NCNC8,190+160−80%

84Mitchell County, NCNC15,062+159−87%

85Vance County, NCNC42,638+60−99%

86Beaufort County, NCNC44,670+18−99%

87Hyde County, NCNC4,554-35−108%

88Swain County, NCNC14,024-93−105%

89Columbus County, NCNC50,487-136−103%

90Caswell County, NCNC22,563-173−106%

91Gates County, NCNC10,234-244−120%

92Anson County, NCNC21,758-297−116%

93Washington County, NCNC10,638-365+33%

94Martin County, NCNC21,601-430−183%

95Bertie County, NCNC17,086-848+38%

96Scotland County, NCNC33,322-852−138%

97Richmond County, NCNC42,041-905−144%

98Northampton County, NCNC16,491-980−176%

99Halifax County, NCNC46,534-2,088−213%

100Hertford County, NCNC19,015-2,537−3353%

SHOWING 1–100 OF 100

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