RANKING · 2025 ACS · 151 SHOWN OF 151

Most sparsely populated, North Carolina cities

North Carolina cities with the fewest residents per square mile (2023). This list covers the 151 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

YEAR1990 2000 2010 2020 2025

RANKPLACESTATEPOPPOPULATION DENSITYVS 2000

01Unionville, NCNC7,322250+53%

02Boiling Spring Lakes, NCNC6,875285+131%

03Stokesdale, NCNC6,133322+88%

04Mills River, NCNC7,504335–

05Pleasant Garden, NCNC5,165343+10%

06Midland, NCNC5,151386–

07Summerfield, NCNC11,327429+61%

08Trinity, NCNC7,274431+9%

09Oak Ridge, NCNC7,896471+98%

10Spring Lake, NCNC11,252476+39%

11Oak Island, NCNC9,337484+42%

12Shallotte, NCNC5,335577+286%

13Butner, NCNC8,112588+40%

14Archer Lodge, NCNC5,649623–

15Midway, NCNC5,104654–

16Surf City, NCNC5,142669+269%

17Lillington, NCNC5,040703+73%

18Locust, NCNC6,120744+153%

19Wadesboro, NCNC5,035763+42%

20Sawmills, NCNC5,105773+4%

21Conover, NCNC8,938783+35%

22Mocksville, NCNC6,282795+50%

23St. James, NCNC7,318803+810%

24Weddington, NCNC14,517828+117%

25Kings Mountain, NCNC12,117863+25%

26Forest City, NCNC7,410865−2%

27Lenoir, NCNC18,372882+9%

28Woodfin, NCNC8,229895+160%

29Mount Airy, NCNC10,682912+26%

30Walkertown, NCNC6,120913+53%

31Pittsboro, NCNC5,054921+127%

32Creedmoor, NCNC5,046927+126%

33Morganton, NCNC17,849928+3%

34Aberdeen, NCNC10,066952+196%

35Tarboro, NCNC10,979974−1%

36Southern Pines, NCNC17,357982+59%

37Wesley Chapel, NCNC9,566984+275%

38Albemarle, NCNC17,769987+13%

39Reidsville, NCNC14,692992+1%

40Lewisville, NCNC14,421994+63%

41Newton, NCNC13,8221,002+10%

42Havelock, NCNC17,4301,020−22%

43Smithfield, NCNC13,1141,032+14%

44Bessemer City, NCNC5,8341,034+14%

45Shelby, NCNC23,3091,043+20%

46Lumberton, NCNC18,9551,044−9%

47Lexington, NCNC20,2381,053+1%

48Kinston, NCNC19,7051,078−17%

49Sanford, NCNC34,1381,081+47%

50Eden, NCNC15,5001,090−3%

51Clinton, NCNC8,4661,100−2%

52Hamlet, NCNC5,8701,114−2%

53Pinehurst, NCNC18,6701,117+92%

54Cherryville, NCNC6,5231,124+22%

55Williamston, NCNC5,0861,127−13%

56Roxboro, NCNC8,3801,131−4%

57Rockingham, NCNC8,8151,153−9%

58Laurinburg, NCNC14,5821,162−8%

59Statesville, NCNC32,1811,166+38%

60Marvin, NCNC7,0401,174+578%

61Mint Hill, NCNC29,4761,199+98%

62Washington, NCNC9,9101,210+3%

63New Bern, NCNC34,7241,220+50%

64Goldsboro, NCNC35,0121,225−10%

65Cramerton, NCNC5,7131,230+92%

66Waynesville, NCNC11,0061,232+19%

67Rocky Mount, NCNC55,1201,234−1%

68Dunn, NCNC8,8141,245−4%

69Marion, NCNC7,4401,246+51%

70Nashville, NCNC5,9111,259+37%

71Black Mountain, NCNC8,4911,265+13%

72King, NCNC7,9771,295+34%

73Fletcher, NCNC8,3731,322+100%

74Long View, NCNC5,3871,339+14%

75Belmont, NCNC16,4151,346+89%

76Siler City, NCNC8,1551,348+17%

77Monroe, NCNC42,6441,361+63%

78Selma, NCNC7,4061,369+25%

79Kill Devil Hills, NCNC7,7311,379+31%

80Ayden, NCNC5,2631,380+14%

81Archdale, NCNC12,2541,387+36%

82Holly Ridge, NCNC5,9081,398+611%

83Oxford, NCNC8,9851,404+8%

84Morehead City, NCNC10,4341,409+36%

85Fayetteville, NCNC209,1201,410+73%

86Lincolnton, NCNC12,4651,414+25%

87Hickory, NCNC45,9751,442+24%

88Roanoke Rapids, NCNC14,3861,451−15%

89Whispering Pines, NCNC5,5051,452+163%

90Asheboro, NCNC27,9901,469+29%

91Jacksonville, NCNC72,7321,490+9%

92Brevard, NCNC8,0981,507+19%

93Kernersville, NCNC29,1281,551+70%

94Wilson, NCNC49,5721,579+12%

95Leland, NCNC35,7311,600+1744%

96Salisbury, NCNC36,8791,607+39%

97Gastonia, NCNC87,0671,641+31%

98Thomasville, NCNC27,7331,644+40%

99Huntersville, NCNC68,5351,646+175%

100Harrisburg, NCNC20,7421,653+362%

101Elizabeth City, NCNC19,6221,676+14%

102Mount Holly, NCNC19,0331,689+98%

103Hillsborough, NCNC9,7781,704+80%

104Henderson, NCNC15,0131,741−7%

105Pineville, NCNC11,8511,785+244%

106Kannapolis, NCNC61,7081,785+67%

107Concord, NCNC114,5981,790+105%

108Mebane, NCNC21,9521,843+201%

109Graham, NCNC20,1311,886+57%

110Clemmons, NCNC22,8081,903+65%

111Waxhaw, NCNC23,1401,905+782%

112Matthews, NCNC32,7691,915+48%

113Winston-Salem, NCNC257,2711,926+38%

114Carolina Shores, NCNC5,5401,929+274%

115Indian Trail, NCNC44,3031,943+272%

116Clayton, NCNC32,6331,949+368%

117Zebulon, NCNC11,9331,961+195%

118Burlington, NCNC61,4962,013+37%

119Mooresville, NCNC55,8422,050+197%

120Asheville, NCNC93,5232,057+36%

121Hope Mills, NCNC18,3242,074+63%

122Hendersonville, NCNC15,8672,080+52%

123Dallas, NCNC6,3922,080+88%

124Rolesville, NCNC12,8392,102+1316%

125High Point, NCNC120,5712,103+40%

126Stallings, NCNC17,7602,120+457%

127Angier, NCNC9,4102,122+175%

128Garner, NCNC41,5622,170+134%

129Winterville, NCNC10,9732,225+129%

130Wendell, NCNC19,6872,251+364%

131Gibsonville, NCNC9,8762,262+126%

132Greensboro, NCNC308,6672,306+38%

133Wilmington, NCNC126,8092,466+67%

134Knightdale, NCNC23,1442,500+288%

135Fuquay-Varina, NCNC48,5362,543+515%

136Davidson, NCNC16,6622,568+133%

137Greenville, NCNC96,4432,576+59%

138Durham, NCNC305,5612,617+63%

139Holly Springs, NCNC50,2882,653+447%

140Elon, NCNC11,3662,723–

141Cornelius, NCNC35,0942,769+193%

142Carolina Beach, NCNC6,8702,802+46%

143Chapel Hill, NCNC63,5652,935+30%

144Wake Forest, NCNC58,1472,961+362%

145Cary, NCNC183,5823,053+94%

146Charlotte, NCNC964,7843,105+78%

147Boone, NCNC19,9293,122+48%

148Apex, NCNC80,4193,128+298%

149Carrboro, NCNC20,9623,237+25%

150Raleigh, NCNC506,3063,388+83%

151Morrisville, NCNC32,4663,541+523%

SHOWING 1–151 OF 151

Download CSV (full list, 151 rows)

UPDATED 2026-06-02 · DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR ESTIMATES