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. The median across all 174 is +362. Biggest climber in the top 100 since 2020: Asheville, NC, up 135 places to #22.

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North CarolinaAll statesPop > 5KAll rankings

SAME RANKING BYCounties States Metros

YEAR2000 2010 2020 2024

RANKPLACESTATEPOPPOPULATION CHANGEVS 2000

01▲116Jacksonville, NCNC72,732-1,444−104%

02▲3Kinston, NCNC19,705-395−75%

03▲9Roanoke Rapids, NCNC14,386-373−130%

04▲134Chapel Hill, NCNC63,565-353−104%

05▲66Butner, NCNC8,112-332−130%

06▲75Piney Green, NCNC14,078-308−112%

07▲96Elon, NCNC11,366-304–

08▲6Rockingham, NCNC8,815-276−201%

09▲104Murraysville, NCNC16,339-243–

10▲5Henderson, NCNC15,013-175−152%

11▼7Lumberton, NCNC18,955-166−108%

12▼3Half Moon, NCNC7,378-165−149%

13▲20Washington, NCNC9,910-149−129%

14▲8Marion, NCNC7,440-138−178%

15▲2Williamston, NCNC5,086-136−140%

16▲82Carrboro, NCNC20,962-91−102%

17▼1Spring Lake, NCNC11,252-87−115%

18Clinton, NCNC8,466-79−120%

19▲18Long View, NCNC5,387-77−105%

20▲3Eden, NCNC15,500-65−110%

21▼8Hamlet, NCNC5,870-64−64%

22▲135Asheville, NCNC93,523-54−101%

23▲9Lenoir, NCNC18,372-53−102%

24▼22Rocky Mount, NCNC55,120-44−101%

25▲18Mount Airy, NCNC10,682-43−103%

26▼16Wadesboro, NCNC5,035-36−61%

27▲65Lillington, NCNC5,040-26−103%

28▼4Forest City, NCNC7,410-14−119%

29▼1Reidsville, NCNC14,692+2−100%

30▼10Sawmills, NCNC5,105+22−98%

31▼12Roxboro, NCNC8,380+48−96%

32▲56Ogden, NCNC8,249+49−98%

33▼22Tarboro, NCNC10,979+49−51%

34▲28Lexington, NCNC20,238+58−98%

35▲19Pleasant Garden, NCNC5,165+60−98%

36▲41Silver Lake, NCNC6,563+63−96%

37▲92Hillsborough, NCNC9,778+64−95%

38▲37Stokesdale, NCNC6,133+80−93%

39▲19Black Mountain, NCNC8,491+87−96%

40▲2Nashville, NCNC5,911+97−89%

41▲38Kill Devil Hills, NCNC7,731+105−94%

42▲6Trinity, NCNC7,274+105−91%

43▼36Laurinburg, NCNC14,582+109−97%

44▲26Fletcher, NCNC8,373+111−92%

45▲56Woodfin, NCNC8,229+112−76%

46▼38Dunn, NCNC8,814+113−87%

47▲72Hope Mills, NCNC18,324+131−96%

48▲18Creedmoor, NCNC5,046+131−81%

49Thomasville, NCNC27,733+138−96%

50▼5Cherryville, NCNC6,523+148−76%

51▼22Bessemer City, NCNC5,834+152−64%

52▼18Brevard, NCNC8,098+153−89%

53▲29Cramerton, NCNC5,713+154−74%

54▼27Midway, NCNC5,104+155–

55▼16Conover, NCNC8,938+159−86%

56▲8Summerfield, NCNC11,327+165−97%

57▲16Mocksville, NCNC6,282+168−78%

58▼2Morganton, NCNC17,849+172−92%

59▼33Ayden, NCNC5,263+173−247%

60▲35Midland, NCNC5,151+176–

61▲28Dallas, NCNC6,392+177−55%

62▼11Archdale, NCNC12,254+180−92%

63▲11Carolina Beach, NCNC6,870+181−83%

64▲16Walkertown, NCNC6,120+181−94%

65▲28Shelby, NCNC23,309+182−96%

66▼30Newton, NCNC13,822+185−94%

67Spout Springs, NCNC11,242+202–

68▼27Mills River, NCNC7,504+203–

69▲28Westport, NCNC5,915+210−72%

70▼26King, NCNC7,977+211−89%

71▼2Pittsboro, NCNC5,054+215−73%

72▲35Whispering Pines, NCNC5,505+224−74%

73▼48Elizabeth City, NCNC19,622+240−92%

74▲2Morehead City, NCNC10,434+250−85%

75▲8Porters Neck, NCNC7,654+257–

76▲8Winterville, NCNC10,973+263−87%

77▲9Oak Ridge, NCNC7,896+270–

78▲27Hendersonville, NCNC15,867+271−91%

79▲23Salisbury, NCNC36,879+285−92%

80▼45Oxford, NCNC8,985+286−33%

81▲9Cullowhee, NCNC7,973+291−165%

82Anderson Creek, NCNC13,927+291–

83▼62Siler City, NCNC8,155+293−86%

84▼21Unionville, NCNC7,322+311–

85▼24Etowah, NCNC7,968+326−57%

86▼31Albemarle, NCNC17,769+330−55%

87▼19Marvin, NCNC7,040+334–

88▼48Waynesville, NCNC11,006+362−85%

89▼37Archer Lodge, NCNC5,649+389–

90▼33Boiling Spring Lakes, NCNC6,875+404−69%

91▼6Wesley Chapel, NCNC9,566+409–

92▲16Asheboro, NCNC27,990+424−92%

93▼2Carolina Shores, NCNC5,540+429–

94▼29Lewisville, NCNC14,421+447−92%

95▲29Pineville, NCNC11,851+453−17%

96▼43Shallotte, NCNC5,335+454+12%

97▼59Selma, NCNC7,406+500−62%

98▲37Mount Holly, NCNC19,033+505−74%

99▼93Wilson, NCNC49,572+519−93%

100▲6Surf City, NCNC5,142+529+19%

101▼14Moyock, NCNC5,684+530–

102▲37Belmont, NCNC16,415+536+98%

103▼56Kings Grant, NCNC9,003+537–

104▲23St. James, NCNC7,318+543–

105▲10Gibsonville, NCNC9,876+547−47%

106▲30Davidson, NCNC16,662+554−82%

107▼40East Flat Rock, NCNC6,323+566−37%

108▼78St. Stephens, NCNC9,457+605−14%

109▲21Weddington, NCNC14,517+624−78%

110▼14Oak Island, NCNC9,337+634–

111▲35Harrisburg, NCNC20,742+666−77%

112▲25Pinehurst, NCNC18,670+675−85%

113▼54Lincolnton, NCNC12,465+692−78%

114▲2Clemmons, NCNC22,808+708−91%

115▼6Aberdeen, NCNC10,066+712+2%

116▼113Goldsboro, NCNC35,012+726−144%

117▲3Holly Ridge, NCNC5,908+733+579%

118▼58Wrightsboro, NCNC6,287+761−345%

119▲9Hickory, NCNC45,975+768−91%

120▼8Stallings, NCNC17,760+774−21%

121▲27Knightdale, NCNC23,144+779−81%

122▼76Smithfield, NCNC13,114+824−79%

123▲2Southern Pines, NCNC17,357+875−51%

124▼1Graham, NCNC20,131+891−63%

125▼53Kings Mountain, NCNC12,117+897−6%

126▼22Boone, NCNC19,929+940+69%

127Briar Chapel, NCNC6,049+941–

128▼50Angier, NCNC9,410+976−18%

129▼128Havelock, NCNC17,430+1,070−51%

130▲4Lake Norman of Iredell, NCNC12,494+1,099–

131Mint Hill, NCNC29,476+1,106−67%

132▼21Matthews, NCNC32,769+1,142−87%

133▼15Myrtle Grove, NCNC12,637+1,161−59%

134▼24Sanford, NCNC34,138+1,217−86%

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

136▲5Rolesville, NCNC12,839+1,291+291%

137▼43Locust, NCNC6,120+1,303+166%

138▲6Cornelius, NCNC35,094+1,371−85%

139▼13Kernersville, NCNC29,128+1,381−78%

140▼40New Bern, NCNC34,724+1,443−75%

141▼9Statesville, NCNC32,181+1,475−74%

142Mebane, NCNC21,952+1,741−32%

143▲12Waxhaw, NCNC23,140+1,741+31%

144▲12Morrisville, NCNC32,466+1,792−57%

145▼31Zebulon, NCNC11,933+1,808+107%

146▼96Swannanoa, NCNC6,901+1,880+272%

147▼4Indian Trail, NCNC44,303+2,039−80%

148▼117Northchase, NCNC5,896+2,054–

149▲17Greensboro, NCNC308,667+2,163−95%

150▲2High Point, NCNC120,571+2,186−87%

151▲10Mooresville, NCNC55,842+2,188−77%

152▼53Monroe, NCNC42,644+2,197−78%

153▼32Hampstead, NCNC9,292+2,276–

154▼9Burlington, NCNC61,496+2,307−58%

155▼8Fayetteville, NCNC209,120+2,314−95%

156▼7Gastonia, NCNC87,067+2,473−79%

157▲6Winston-Salem, NCNC257,271+2,492−94%

158Huntersville, NCNC68,535+2,593−88%

159▼6Clayton, NCNC32,633+3,013+36%

160▼27Wendell, NCNC19,687+3,271+127%

161▼21Garner, NCNC41,562+3,314+19%

162▲3Concord, NCNC114,598+3,479−88%

163▼3Holly Springs, NCNC50,288+4,009−52%

164▲3Cary, NCNC183,582+4,585−91%

165▼11Kannapolis, NCNC61,708+4,776−34%

166▼4Wake Forest, NCNC58,147+5,243−23%

167▼45Greenville, NCNC96,443+5,336−66%

168▼18Wilmington, NCNC126,809+5,354−74%

169▼10Fuquay-Varina, NCNC48,536+6,333+90%

170▼19Leland, NCNC35,731+6,699+4278%

171▼3Durham, NCNC305,561+7,961−84%

172▼8Apex, NCNC80,419+11,850−22%

173▼4Raleigh, NCNC506,306+13,366−80%

174▼4Charlotte, NCNC964,784+29,265−80%

SHOWING 1–174 OF 174

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