RANKING · 2024 ACS · 174 SHOWN OF 174

Most population lost, North Carolina cities

North Carolina cities that lost 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.

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North CarolinaAll statesPop > 5KAll rankings

SAME RANKING BYCounties States Metros

YEAR2000 2010 2020 2024

RANKPLACESTATEPOPPOPULATION CHANGEVS 2000

01Jacksonville, NCNC72,732-1,444−104%

02Kinston, NCNC19,705-395−75%

03Roanoke Rapids, NCNC14,386-373−130%

04Chapel Hill, NCNC63,565-353−104%

05Butner, NCNC8,112-332−130%

06Piney Green, NCNC14,078-308−112%

07Elon, NCNC11,366-304–

08Rockingham, NCNC8,815-276−201%

09Murraysville, NCNC16,339-243–

10Henderson, NCNC15,013-175−152%

11Lumberton, NCNC18,955-166−108%

12Half Moon, NCNC7,378-165−149%

13Washington, NCNC9,910-149−129%

14Marion, NCNC7,440-138−178%

15Williamston, NCNC5,086-136−140%

16Carrboro, NCNC20,962-91−102%

17Spring Lake, NCNC11,252-87−115%

18Clinton, NCNC8,466-79−120%

19Long View, NCNC5,387-77−105%

20Eden, NCNC15,500-65−110%

21Hamlet, NCNC5,870-64−64%

22Asheville, NCNC93,523-54−101%

23Lenoir, NCNC18,372-53−102%

24Rocky Mount, NCNC55,120-44−101%

25Mount Airy, NCNC10,682-43−103%

26Wadesboro, NCNC5,035-36−61%

27Lillington, NCNC5,040-26−103%

28Forest City, NCNC7,410-14−119%

29Reidsville, NCNC14,692+2−100%

30Sawmills, NCNC5,105+22−98%

31Roxboro, NCNC8,380+48−96%

32Ogden, NCNC8,249+49−98%

33Tarboro, NCNC10,979+49−51%

34Lexington, NCNC20,238+58−98%

35Pleasant Garden, NCNC5,165+60−98%

36Silver Lake, NCNC6,563+63−96%

37Hillsborough, NCNC9,778+64−95%

38Stokesdale, NCNC6,133+80−93%

39Black Mountain, NCNC8,491+87−96%

40Nashville, NCNC5,911+97−89%

41Kill Devil Hills, NCNC7,731+105−94%

42Trinity, NCNC7,274+105−91%

43Laurinburg, NCNC14,582+109−97%

44Fletcher, NCNC8,373+111−92%

45Woodfin, NCNC8,229+112−76%

46Dunn, NCNC8,814+113−87%

47Hope Mills, NCNC18,324+131−96%

48Creedmoor, NCNC5,046+131−81%

49Thomasville, NCNC27,733+138−96%

50Cherryville, NCNC6,523+148−76%

51Bessemer City, NCNC5,834+152−64%

52Brevard, NCNC8,098+153−89%

53Cramerton, NCNC5,713+154−74%

54Midway, NCNC5,104+155–

55Conover, NCNC8,938+159−86%

56Summerfield, NCNC11,327+165−97%

57Mocksville, NCNC6,282+168−78%

58Morganton, NCNC17,849+172−92%

59Ayden, NCNC5,263+173−247%

60Midland, NCNC5,151+176–

61Dallas, NCNC6,392+177−55%

62Archdale, NCNC12,254+180−92%

63Carolina Beach, NCNC6,870+181−83%

64Walkertown, NCNC6,120+181−94%

65Shelby, NCNC23,309+182−96%

66Newton, NCNC13,822+185−94%

67Spout Springs, NCNC11,242+202–

68Mills River, NCNC7,504+203–

69Westport, NCNC5,915+210−72%

70King, NCNC7,977+211−89%

71Pittsboro, NCNC5,054+215−73%

72Whispering Pines, NCNC5,505+224−74%

73Elizabeth City, NCNC19,622+240−92%

74Morehead City, NCNC10,434+250−85%

75Porters Neck, NCNC7,654+257–

76Winterville, NCNC10,973+263−87%

77Oak Ridge, NCNC7,896+270–

78Hendersonville, NCNC15,867+271−91%

79Salisbury, NCNC36,879+285−92%

80Oxford, NCNC8,985+286−33%

81Cullowhee, NCNC7,973+291−165%

82Anderson Creek, NCNC13,927+291–

83Siler City, NCNC8,155+293−86%

84Unionville, NCNC7,322+311–

85Etowah, NCNC7,968+326−57%

86Albemarle, NCNC17,769+330−55%

87Marvin, NCNC7,040+334–

88Waynesville, NCNC11,006+362−85%

89Archer Lodge, NCNC5,649+389–

90Boiling Spring Lakes, NCNC6,875+404−69%

91Wesley Chapel, NCNC9,566+409–

92Asheboro, NCNC27,990+424−92%

93Carolina Shores, NCNC5,540+429–

94Lewisville, NCNC14,421+447−92%

95Pineville, NCNC11,851+453−17%

96Shallotte, NCNC5,335+454+12%

97Selma, NCNC7,406+500−62%

98Mount Holly, NCNC19,033+505−74%

99Wilson, NCNC49,572+519−93%

100Surf City, NCNC5,142+529+19%

101Moyock, NCNC5,684+530–

102Belmont, NCNC16,415+536+98%

103Kings Grant, NCNC9,003+537–

104St. James, NCNC7,318+543–

105Gibsonville, NCNC9,876+547−47%

106Davidson, NCNC16,662+554−82%

107East Flat Rock, NCNC6,323+566−37%

108St. Stephens, NCNC9,457+605−14%

109Weddington, NCNC14,517+624−78%

110Oak Island, NCNC9,337+634–

111Harrisburg, NCNC20,742+666−77%

112Pinehurst, NCNC18,670+675−85%

113Lincolnton, NCNC12,465+692−78%

114Clemmons, NCNC22,808+708−91%

115Aberdeen, NCNC10,066+712+2%

116Goldsboro, NCNC35,012+726−144%

117Holly Ridge, NCNC5,908+733+579%

118Wrightsboro, NCNC6,287+761−345%

119Hickory, NCNC45,975+768−91%

120Stallings, NCNC17,760+774−21%

121Knightdale, NCNC23,144+779−81%

122Smithfield, NCNC13,114+824−79%

123Southern Pines, NCNC17,357+875−51%

124Graham, NCNC20,131+891−63%

125Kings Mountain, NCNC12,117+897−6%

126Boone, NCNC19,929+940+69%

127Briar Chapel, NCNC6,049+941–

128Angier, NCNC9,410+976−18%

129Havelock, NCNC17,430+1,070−51%

130Lake Norman of Iredell, NCNC12,494+1,099–

131Mint Hill, NCNC29,476+1,106−67%

132Matthews, NCNC32,769+1,142−87%

133Myrtle Grove, NCNC12,637+1,161−59%

134Sanford, NCNC34,138+1,217−86%

135Lake Norman of Catawba, NCNC9,906+1,248–

136Rolesville, NCNC12,839+1,291+291%

137Locust, NCNC6,120+1,303+166%

138Cornelius, NCNC35,094+1,371−85%

139Kernersville, NCNC29,128+1,381−78%

140New Bern, NCNC34,724+1,443−75%

141Statesville, NCNC32,181+1,475−74%

142Mebane, NCNC21,952+1,741−32%

143Waxhaw, NCNC23,140+1,741+31%

144Morrisville, NCNC32,466+1,792−57%

145Zebulon, NCNC11,933+1,808+107%

146Swannanoa, NCNC6,901+1,880+272%

147Indian Trail, NCNC44,303+2,039−80%

148Northchase, NCNC5,896+2,054–

149Greensboro, NCNC308,667+2,163−95%

150High Point, NCNC120,571+2,186−87%

151Mooresville, NCNC55,842+2,188−77%

152Monroe, NCNC42,644+2,197−78%

153Hampstead, NCNC9,292+2,276–

154Burlington, NCNC61,496+2,307−58%

155Fayetteville, NCNC209,120+2,314−95%

156Gastonia, NCNC87,067+2,473−79%

157Winston-Salem, NCNC257,271+2,492−94%

158Huntersville, NCNC68,535+2,593−88%

159Clayton, NCNC32,633+3,013+36%

160Wendell, NCNC19,687+3,271+127%

161Garner, NCNC41,562+3,314+19%

162Concord, NCNC114,598+3,479−88%

163Holly Springs, NCNC50,288+4,009−52%

164Cary, NCNC183,582+4,585−91%

165Kannapolis, NCNC61,708+4,776−34%

166Wake Forest, NCNC58,147+5,243−23%

167Greenville, NCNC96,443+5,336−66%

168Wilmington, NCNC126,809+5,354−74%

169Fuquay-Varina, NCNC48,536+6,333+90%

170Leland, NCNC35,731+6,699+4278%

171Durham, NCNC305,561+7,961−84%

172Apex, NCNC80,419+11,850−22%

173Raleigh, NCNC506,306+13,366−80%

174Charlotte, NCNC964,784+29,265−80%

SHOWING 1–174 OF 174

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UPDATED 2026-07-15 · DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR ESTIMATES