RANKING · 2010 CENSUS · 161 SHOWN OF 161

Most population lost, North Carolina cities · 2010

North Carolina cities that lost the most residents from the 2000 census to 2010, by raw count of people rather than percentage. This list covers the 161 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

01Goldsboro, NCNC35,012-2,606+56%

02Kinston, NCNC19,705-2,011+25%

03Havelock, NCNC17,430-1,707−179%

04Roanoke Rapids, NCNC14,386-1,203−197%

05Lexington, NCNC20,238-1,022−130%

06Henderson, NCNC15,013-727−318%

07St. Stephens, NCNC9,457-680−196%

08Smithfield, NCNC13,114-544−114%

09Morganton, NCNC17,849-392−118%

10Eden, NCNC15,500-381−157%

11Roxboro, NCNC8,380-334−124%

12Williamston, NCNC5,086-332−198%

13Pleasant Garden, NCNC5,165-225−109%

14Silver Lake, NCNC6,563-190−111%

15Rockingham, NCNC8,815-114−142%

16Trinity, NCNC7,274-76−106%

17Forest City, NCNC7,410-73−199%

18Reidsville, NCNC14,692+35−98%

19Clinton, NCNC8,466+39−90%

20Dunn, NCNC8,814+67−92%

21Laurinburg, NCNC14,582+88−98%

22Oxford, NCNC8,985+123−71%

23Long View, NCNC5,387+149−90%

24Selma, NCNC7,406+159−88%

25Washington, NCNC9,910+161−68%

26Oak Island, NCNC9,337+212–

27Bessemer City, NCNC5,834+221−48%

28Albemarle, NCNC17,769+223−70%

29Tarboro, NCNC10,979+277+174%

30Lillington, NCNC5,040+279−68%

31Ayden, NCNC5,263+310−363%

32Sawmills, NCNC5,105+319−66%

33Black Mountain, NCNC8,491+337−84%

34Kings Grant, NCNC9,003+375–

35Zebulon, NCNC11,933+387−56%

36Cherryville, NCNC6,523+399−34%

37Wrightsboro, NCNC6,287+400−229%

38Newton, NCNC13,822+408−87%

39Holly Ridge, NCNC5,908+437+305%

40Swannanoa, NCNC6,901+444−12%

41Surf City, NCNC5,142+460+3%

42Hamlet, NCNC5,870+477−368%

43Locust, NCNC6,120+514+5%

44Lincolnton, NCNC12,465+521−83%

45Kings Mountain, NCNC12,117+603−37%

46Waynesville, NCNC11,006+637−74%

47Hillsborough, NCNC9,778+641−46%

48Walkertown, NCNC6,120+666−76%

49Lumberton, NCNC18,955+747−64%

50Kill Devil Hills, NCNC7,731+786−53%

51Brevard, NCNC8,098+820−41%

52Whispering Pines, NCNC5,505+838−1%

53East Flat Rock, NCNC6,323+844−6%

54Shelby, NCNC23,309+846−82%

55Mocksville, NCNC6,282+873+12%

56Siler City, NCNC8,155+921−57%

57Angier, NCNC9,410+931−21%

58King, NCNC7,977+952−50%

59Morehead City, NCNC10,434+970−41%

60Carolina Beach, NCNC6,870+1,005−6%

61Nashville, NCNC5,911+1,043+21%

62Dallas, NCNC6,392+1,086+178%

63Unionville, NCNC7,322+1,132–

64Cramerton, NCNC5,713+1,189+103%

65Statesville, NCNC32,181+1,212−79%

66Ogden, NCNC8,249+1,285−38%

67Graham, NCNC20,131+1,320−45%

68Belmont, NCNC16,415+1,371+406%

69Southern Pines, NCNC17,357+1,416−21%

70Lenoir, NCNC18,372+1,435−45%

71Elizabeth City, NCNC19,622+1,495−49%

72Pittsboro, NCNC5,054+1,517+92%

73Conover, NCNC8,938+1,561+37%

74Carolina Shores, NCNC5,540+1,566–

75Rocky Mount, NCNC55,120+1,584−76%

76Wendell, NCNC19,687+1,598+11%

77Piney Green, NCNC14,078+1,635−39%

78Half Moon, NCNC7,378+1,707+404%

79Myrtle Grove, NCNC12,637+1,750−39%

80Stokesdale, NCNC6,133+1,780+54%

81Butner, NCNC8,112+1,799+62%

82Creedmoor, NCNC5,046+1,892+168%

83Mount Airy, NCNC10,682+1,904+43%

84Westport, NCNC5,915+2,020+170%

85Gibsonville, NCNC9,876+2,038+98%

86Oak Ridge, NCNC7,896+2,197–

87Wadesboro, NCNC5,035+2,261−2531%

88Shallotte, NCNC5,335+2,294+466%

89St. James, NCNC7,318+2,361–

90Boiling Spring Lakes, NCNC6,875+2,400+85%

91Archdale, NCNC12,254+2,401+13%

92Cullowhee, NCNC7,973+2,649−689%

93Lake Norman of Iredell, NCNC12,494+2,667–

94Hendersonville, NCNC15,867+2,717−13%

95Weddington, NCNC14,517+2,763−4%

96Hickory, NCNC45,975+2,788−69%

97Carrboro, NCNC20,962+2,800−46%

98Rolesville, NCNC12,839+2,879+772%

99Marion, NCNC7,440+2,895+1526%

100Aberdeen, NCNC10,066+2,950+321%

101Woodfin, NCNC8,229+2,961+526%

102Fletcher, NCNC8,373+3,002+115%

103Summerfield, NCNC11,327+3,214−34%

104Asheboro, NCNC27,990+3,340−37%

105Pinehurst, NCNC18,670+3,418−26%

106Jacksonville, NCNC72,732+3,430−91%

107Boone, NCNC19,929+3,650+555%

108Davidson, NCNC16,662+3,805+23%

109Lewisville, NCNC14,421+3,813−32%

110Spring Lake, NCNC11,252+3,866+574%

111Hope Mills, NCNC18,324+3,939+29%

112Pineville, NCNC11,851+4,030+635%

113Mount Holly, NCNC19,033+4,038+112%

114Mebane, NCNC21,952+4,109+62%

115Etowah, NCNC7,968+4,178+448%

116Winterville, NCNC10,973+4,478+125%

117Marvin, NCNC7,040+4,540–

118Wilson, NCNC49,572+4,762−36%

119Clemmons, NCNC22,808+4,800−39%

120Sanford, NCNC34,138+4,874−44%

121Wesley Chapel, NCNC9,566+4,914–

122Burlington, NCNC61,496+5,046−9%

123Matthews, NCNC32,769+5,071−40%

124Knightdale, NCNC23,144+5,443+34%

125Gastonia, NCNC87,067+5,464−53%

126Kannapolis, NCNC61,708+5,715−21%

127Kernersville, NCNC29,128+5,997−5%

128New Bern, NCNC34,724+6,396+11%

129Monroe, NCNC42,644+6,569−35%

130Murraysville, NCNC16,339+6,936–

131Thomasville, NCNC27,733+6,969+80%

132Harrisburg, NCNC20,742+7,033+145%

133Salisbury, NCNC36,879+7,200+113%

134Waxhaw, NCNC23,140+7,234+444%

135Mint Hill, NCNC29,476+7,800+132%

136Garner, NCNC41,562+7,988+186%

137Chapel Hill, NCNC63,565+8,518−14%

138Clayton, NCNC32,633+9,143+312%

139Fuquay-Varina, NCNC48,536+10,039+201%

140Stallings, NCNC17,760+10,642+990%

141Leland, NCNC35,731+11,589+7475%

142Cornelius, NCNC35,094+12,897+37%

143Morrisville, NCNC32,466+13,368+219%

144Mooresville, NCNC55,842+13,888+46%

145Asheville, NCNC93,523+14,504+100%

146Holly Springs, NCNC50,288+15,469+87%

147Apex, NCNC80,419+17,264+13%

148Wake Forest, NCNC58,147+17,529+157%

149High Point, NCNC120,571+18,532+13%

150Indian Trail, NCNC44,303+21,613+117%

151Huntersville, NCNC68,535+21,813−1%

152Concord, NCNC114,598+23,089−19%

153Greenville, NCNC96,443+24,078+55%

154Wilmington, NCNC126,809+30,638+51%

155Cary, NCNC183,582+40,698−20%

156Durham, NCNC305,561+41,295−18%

157Winston-Salem, NCNC257,271+43,841+4%

158Greensboro, NCNC308,667+45,775+13%

159Fayetteville, NCNC209,120+79,549+76%

160Raleigh, NCNC506,306+127,799+88%

161Charlotte, NCNC964,784+190,596+32%

SHOWING 1–161 OF 161

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