RANKING · 2020 CENSUS · 170 SHOWN OF 170

Most population lost, North Carolina cities · 2020

North Carolina cities that lost 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. The median across all 170 is +1,289.

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SAME RANKING BYCounties States Metros

YEAR2000 2010 2020 2024

RANKPLACESTATEPOPPOPULATION CHANGEVS 2000

01Havelock, NCNC17,430-4,114−289%

02Rocky Mount, NCNC55,120-3,136−147%

03Goldsboro, NCNC35,012-2,780+67%

04Lumberton, NCNC18,955-2,517−221%

05Kinston, NCNC19,705-1,777+11%

06Wilson, NCNC49,572-1,316−118%

07Laurinburg, NCNC14,582-984−123%

08Dunn, NCNC8,814-817−195%

09Half Moon, NCNC7,378-809−339%

10Wadesboro, NCNC5,035-805+766%

11Tarboro, NCNC10,979-694−787%

12Roanoke Rapids, NCNC14,386-525−143%

13Hamlet, NCNC5,870-470+164%

14Rockingham, NCNC8,815-315−215%

15Henderson, NCNC15,013-308−192%

16Spring Lake, NCNC11,252-304−153%

17Williamston, NCNC5,086-263−177%

18Clinton, NCNC8,466-256−165%

19Roxboro, NCNC8,380-228−117%

20Sawmills, NCNC5,105-220−124%

21Siler City, NCNC8,155-185−109%

22Marion, NCNC7,440-121−168%

23Eden, NCNC15,500-106−116%

24Forest City, NCNC7,410-99−234%

25Elizabeth City, NCNC19,622-52−102%

26Ayden, NCNC5,263+45−138%

27Midway, NCNC5,104+63–

28Reidsville, NCNC14,692+63−97%

29Bessemer City, NCNC5,834+88−79%

30St. Stephens, NCNC9,457+93−87%

31Northchase, NCNC5,896+95–

32Lenoir, NCNC18,372+124−95%

33Washington, NCNC9,910+131−74%

34Brevard, NCNC8,098+135−90%

35Oxford, NCNC8,985+167−61%

36Newton, NCNC13,822+180−94%

37Long View, NCNC5,387+217−86%

38Selma, NCNC7,406+244−81%

39Conover, NCNC8,938+256−78%

40Waynesville, NCNC11,006+271−89%

41Mills River, NCNC7,504+276–

42Nashville, NCNC5,911+280−67%

43Mount Airy, NCNC10,682+288−78%

44King, NCNC7,977+293−85%

45Cherryville, NCNC6,523+318−47%

46Smithfield, NCNC13,114+326−92%

47Kings Grant, NCNC9,003+353–

48Trinity, NCNC7,274+392−68%

49Thomasville, NCNC27,733+426−89%

50Swannanoa, NCNC6,901+445−12%

51Archdale, NCNC12,254+492−77%

52Archer Lodge, NCNC5,649+505–

53Shallotte, NCNC5,335+510+26%

54Pleasant Garden, NCNC5,165+511−80%

55Albemarle, NCNC17,769+529−29%

56Morganton, NCNC17,849+556−75%

57Boiling Spring Lakes, NCNC6,875+571−56%

58Black Mountain, NCNC8,491+578−72%

59Lincolnton, NCNC12,465+605−81%

60Wrightsboro, NCNC6,287+630−303%

61Etowah, NCNC7,968+698−9%

62Lexington, NCNC20,238+701−79%

63Unionville, NCNC7,322+714–

64Summerfield, NCNC11,327+719−85%

65Lewisville, NCNC14,421+742−87%

66Creedmoor, NCNC5,046+742+5%

67East Flat Rock, NCNC6,323+762−15%

68Marvin, NCNC7,040+779–

69Pittsboro, NCNC5,054+794+1%

70Fletcher, NCNC8,373+800−43%

71Butner, NCNC8,112+806−28%

72Kings Mountain, NCNC12,117+846−11%

73Mocksville, NCNC6,282+849+9%

74Carolina Beach, NCNC6,870+858−20%

75Stokesdale, NCNC6,133+877−24%

76Morehead City, NCNC10,434+895−46%

77Silver Lake, NCNC6,563+902−47%

78Angier, NCNC9,410+915−23%

79Kill Devil Hills, NCNC7,731+973−41%

80Walkertown, NCNC6,120+1,017−64%

81Piney Green, NCNC14,078+1,093−59%

82Cramerton, NCNC5,713+1,131+93%

83Porters Neck, NCNC7,654+1,193–

84Winterville, NCNC10,973+1,193−40%

85Wesley Chapel, NCNC9,566+1,218–

86Oak Ridge, NCNC7,896+1,289–

87Moyock, NCNC5,684+1,395–

88Ogden, NCNC8,249+1,434−31%

89Dallas, NCNC6,392+1,439+269%

90Cullowhee, NCNC7,973+1,454−423%

91Carolina Shores, NCNC5,540+1,540–

92Lillington, NCNC5,040+1,541+78%

93Shelby, NCNC23,309+1,595−67%

94Locust, NCNC6,120+1,607+229%

95Midland, NCNC5,151+1,611–

96Oak Island, NCNC9,337+1,613–

97Westport, NCNC5,915+1,679+124%

98Carrboro, NCNC20,962+1,713−67%

99Monroe, NCNC42,644+1,765−83%

100New Bern, NCNC34,724+1,767−69%

101Woodfin, NCNC8,229+1,813+283%

102Salisbury, NCNC36,879+1,878−44%

103Elon, NCNC11,366+1,917–

104Boone, NCNC19,929+1,970+254%

105Hendersonville, NCNC15,867+2,000−36%

106Surf City, NCNC5,142+2,014+353%

107Whispering Pines, NCNC5,505+2,059+143%

108Asheboro, NCNC27,990+2,144−60%

109Aberdeen, NCNC10,066+2,166+209%

110Sanford, NCNC34,138+2,167−75%

111Matthews, NCNC32,769+2,237−74%

112Stallings, NCNC17,760+2,281+134%

113Murraysville, NCNC16,339+2,367–

114Zebulon, NCNC11,933+2,470+183%

115Gibsonville, NCNC9,876+2,510+144%

116Clemmons, NCNC22,808+2,536−68%

117Jacksonville, NCNC72,732+2,578−93%

118Myrtle Grove, NCNC12,637+2,601−9%

119Hope Mills, NCNC18,324+2,632−14%

120Holly Ridge, NCNC5,908+2,903+2588%

121Hampstead, NCNC9,292+2,933–

122Greenville, NCNC96,443+2,967−81%

123Graham, NCNC20,131+3,004+25%

124Pineville, NCNC11,851+3,123+470%

125Southern Pines, NCNC17,357+3,211+79%

126Kernersville, NCNC29,128+3,326−47%

127St. James, NCNC7,318+3,364–

128Hickory, NCNC45,975+3,480−61%

129Hillsborough, NCNC9,778+3,573+202%

130Weddington, NCNC14,517+3,722+29%

131Mint Hill, NCNC29,476+3,728+11%

132Statesville, NCNC32,181+3,887−32%

133Wendell, NCNC19,687+3,948+174%

134Lake Norman of Iredell, NCNC12,494+3,984–

135Mount Holly, NCNC19,033+4,047+112%

136Davidson, NCNC16,662+4,162+35%

137Pinehurst, NCNC18,670+4,457−3%

138Chapel Hill, NCNC63,565+4,727−53%

139Belmont, NCNC16,415+4,934+1721%

140Garner, NCNC41,562+5,414+94%

141Rolesville, NCNC12,839+5,689+1624%

142Mebane, NCNC21,952+6,404+152%

143Indian Trail, NCNC44,303+6,479−35%

144Cornelius, NCNC35,094+6,546−30%

145Burlington, NCNC61,496+7,340+32%

146Harrisburg, NCNC20,742+7,441+159%

147Fayetteville, NCNC209,120+7,937−82%

148Knightdale, NCNC23,144+8,034+97%

149Gastonia, NCNC87,067+8,670−25%

150Wilmington, NCNC126,809+8,975−56%

151Leland, NCNC35,731+9,381+6031%

152High Point, NCNC120,571+9,688−41%

153Clayton, NCNC32,633+10,191+360%

154Kannapolis, NCNC61,708+10,489+45%

155Waxhaw, NCNC23,140+10,675+702%

156Morrisville, NCNC32,466+11,054+164%

157Asheville, NCNC93,523+11,196+55%

158Huntersville, NCNC68,535+14,603−33%

159Fuquay-Varina, NCNC48,536+16,215+386%

160Holly Springs, NCNC50,288+16,578+100%

161Mooresville, NCNC55,842+17,482+84%

162Wake Forest, NCNC58,147+17,484+156%

163Winston-Salem, NCNC257,271+19,928−53%

164Apex, NCNC80,419+21,304+40%

165Concord, NCNC114,598+26,174−9%

166Greensboro, NCNC308,667+29,369−27%

167Cary, NCNC183,582+39,487−22%

168Durham, NCNC305,561+55,176+9%

169Raleigh, NCNC506,306+63,773−6%

170Charlotte, NCNC964,784+143,155−1%

SHOWING 1–170 OF 170

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UPDATED 2026-09-11 · DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU DECENNIAL CENSUS