RANKING · 2000 CENSUS · 100 SHOWN OF 100

Most population lost, North Carolina counties · 2000

North Carolina counties that lost the most residents from the 1990 census to 2000, by raw count of people rather than percentage. This list covers the 100 counties in North Carolina that qualify, ranked against each other statewide. The median across all 100 is +6,312.

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SAME RANKING BYCities States Metros

RELATEDLargest by population Fastest growing Fastest shrinking Most population gained Most densely populated Most sparsely populated

YEAR2000 2010 2020 2025

RANKPLACESTATEPOPPOPULATION CHANGEVS –

01Edgecombe County, NCNC49,121-952–

02Bertie County, NCNC17,086-615–

03Washington County, NCNC10,638-274–

04Hertford County, NCNC19,015+78–

05Tyrrell County, NCNC3,537+293–

06Hyde County, NCNC4,554+415–

07Martin County, NCNC21,601+515–

08Onslow County, NCNC217,175+517–

09Graham County, NCNC8,190+797–

10Perquimans County, NCNC13,490+921–

11Jones County, NCNC9,575+967–

12Camden County, NCNC11,315+981–

13Chowan County, NCNC14,082+1,020–

14Alleghany County, NCNC11,479+1,087–

15Gates County, NCNC10,234+1,211–

16Mitchell County, NCNC15,062+1,254–

17Northampton County, NCNC16,491+1,288–

18Pamlico County, NCNC12,758+1,562–

19Clay County, NCNC12,239+1,620–

20Swain County, NCNC14,024+1,700–

21Anson County, NCNC21,758+1,801–

22Halifax County, NCNC46,534+1,854–

23Richmond County, NCNC42,041+2,046–

24Ashe County, NCNC27,514+2,175–

25Scotland County, NCNC33,322+2,244–

26Avery County, NCNC18,110+2,300–

27Yancey County, NCNC19,084+2,355–

28Lenoir County, NCNC55,837+2,374–

29Beaufort County, NCNC44,670+2,675–

30Madison County, NCNC22,553+2,682–

31Warren County, NCNC18,898+2,707–

32Caswell County, NCNC22,563+2,808–

33Montgomery County, NCNC26,403+3,476–

34Greene County, NCNC20,700+3,590–

35Pasquotank County, NCNC42,201+3,599–

36Bladen County, NCNC30,007+3,615–

37Transylvania County, NCNC34,211+3,814–

38Polk County, NCNC20,533+3,908–

39Vance County, NCNC42,638+4,062–

40Cherokee County, NCNC30,830+4,128–

41Currituck County, NCNC33,158+4,454–

42Columbus County, NCNC50,487+5,162–

43Person County, NCNC40,636+5,443–

44Watauga County, NCNC54,786+5,743–

45Yadkin County, NCNC38,325+5,860–

46Rockingham County, NCNC94,195+5,864–

47Rutherford County, NCNC65,745+5,981–

48Alexander County, NCNC36,958+6,059–

49Wilkes County, NCNC66,233+6,239–

50Jackson County, NCNC45,039+6,275–

51Macon County, NCNC39,232+6,312–

52Stanly County, NCNC68,830+6,335–

53McDowell County, NCNC45,198+6,470–

54Caldwell County, NCNC81,105+6,706–

55Carteret County, NCNC70,469+6,827–

56Davie County, NCNC45,855+6,976–

57Haywood County, NCNC63,369+7,091–

58Dare County, NCNC38,245+7,221–

59Stokes County, NCNC46,126+7,488–

60Lee County, NCNC70,258+7,666–

61Wilson County, NCNC81,150+7,753–

62Wayne County, NCNC122,278+8,663–

63Duplin County, NCNC51,571+9,068–

64Surry County, NCNC72,287+9,515–

65Craven County, NCNC105,025+9,823–

66Granville County, NCNC61,421+10,153–

67Chatham County, NCNC85,111+10,570–

68Nash County, NCNC99,365+10,743–

69Hoke County, NCNC56,939+10,790–

70Franklin County, NCNC82,037+10,846–

71Cleveland County, NCNC103,325+11,573–

72Pender County, NCNC72,111+12,227–

73Sampson County, NCNC61,504+12,864–

74Burke County, NCNC88,655+13,404–

75Lincoln County, NCNC98,654+13,461–

76Gaston County, NCNC246,558+15,272–

77Moore County, NCNC110,619+15,756–

78Robeson County, NCNC119,941+18,160–

79Rowan County, NCNC155,096+19,735–

80Henderson County, NCNC122,375+19,888–

81Davidson County, NCNC180,182+20,569–

82Brunswick County, NCNC174,702+22,158–

83Alamance County, NCNC186,177+22,587–

84Harnett County, NCNC150,137+23,203–

85Catawba County, NCNC170,172+23,273–

86Randolph County, NCNC149,516+23,908–

87Orange County, NCNC152,498+24,376–

88Pitt County, NCNC182,936+25,874–

89Cumberland County, NCNC338,473+28,397–

90Iredell County, NCNC211,798+29,729–

91Buncombe County, NCNC277,417+31,509–

92Cabarrus County, NCNC249,725+32,128–

93Union County, NCNC267,674+39,466–

94New Hanover County, NCNC245,959+40,023–

95Forsyth County, NCNC401,718+40,189–

96Johnston County, NCNC256,448+40,659–

97Durham County, NCNC347,240+41,479–

98Guilford County, NCNC562,234+73,628–

99Mecklenburg County, NCNC1,233,383+184,021–

100Wake County, NCNC1,257,235+204,466–

SHOWING 1–100 OF 100

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