RANKING · 2025 ESTIMATES · 151 SHOWN OF 151

Most sparsely populated, North Carolina cities

North Carolina cities with the fewest residents per square mile (2025). This list covers the 151 cities in North Carolina that qualify, ranked against each other statewide. The median across all 151 is 1,348. Biggest climber in the top 100 since 2020: Rockingham, NC, up 31 places to #57.

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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%

06▲1Midland, NCNC5,151386–

07▲2Summerfield, NCNC11,327429+61%

08▲2Trinity, NCNC7,274431+9%

09▲4Oak Ridge, NCNC7,896471+98%

10▲5Spring Lake, NCNC11,252476+39%

11▲1Oak Island, NCNC9,337484+42%

12▲2Shallotte, NCNC5,335577+286%

13▲9Butner, NCNC8,112588+40%

14▲5Archer Lodge, NCNC5,649623–

15▲6Midway, NCNC5,104654–

16▲2Surf City, NCNC5,142669+269%

17▲6Lillington, NCNC5,040703+73%

18▲2Locust, NCNC6,120744+153%

19▲10Wadesboro, NCNC5,035763+42%

20▲10Sawmills, NCNC5,105773+4%

21▲5Conover, NCNC8,938783+35%

22▲5Mocksville, NCNC6,282795+50%

23▲2St. James, NCNC7,318803+810%

24▲4Weddington, NCNC14,517828+117%

25▲7Kings Mountain, NCNC12,117863+25%

26▲10Forest City, NCNC7,410865−2%

27▲12Lenoir, NCNC18,372882+9%

28▲9Woodfin, NCNC8,229895+160%

29▲15Mount Airy, NCNC10,682912+26%

30▲5Walkertown, NCNC6,120913+53%

31▲3Pittsboro, NCNC5,054921+127%

32▲10Creedmoor, NCNC5,046927+126%

33▲10Morganton, NCNC17,849928+3%

34▼1Aberdeen, NCNC10,066952+196%

35▲12Tarboro, NCNC10,979974−1%

36▲2Southern Pines, NCNC17,357982+59%

37▲4Wesley Chapel, NCNC9,566984+275%

38▲7Albemarle, NCNC17,769987+13%

39▲15Reidsville, NCNC14,692992+1%

40▲6Lewisville, NCNC14,421994+63%

41▲7Newton, NCNC13,8221,002+10%

42▲10Havelock, NCNC17,4301,020−22%

43▼3Smithfield, NCNC13,1141,032+14%

44▲6Bessemer City, NCNC5,8341,034+14%

45▲8Shelby, NCNC23,3091,043+20%

46▲15Lumberton, NCNC18,9551,044−9%

47▲10Lexington, NCNC20,2381,053+1%

48▲20Kinston, NCNC19,7051,078−17%

49Sanford, NCNC34,1381,081+47%

50▲17Eden, NCNC15,5001,090−3%

51▲18Clinton, NCNC8,4661,100−2%

52▲26Hamlet, NCNC5,8701,114−2%

53▲9Pinehurst, NCNC18,6701,117+92%

54▲6Cherryville, NCNC6,5231,124+22%

55▲24Williamston, NCNC5,0861,127−13%

56▲14Roxboro, NCNC8,3801,131−4%

57▲31Rockingham, NCNC8,8151,153−9%

58▲27Laurinburg, NCNC14,5821,162−8%

59Statesville, NCNC32,1811,166+38%

60▲4Marvin, NCNC7,0401,174+578%

61▲5Mint Hill, NCNC29,4761,199+98%

62▲25Washington, NCNC9,9101,210+3%

63▲8New Bern, NCNC34,7241,220+50%

64▲18Goldsboro, NCNC35,0121,225−10%

65▲12Cramerton, NCNC5,7131,230+92%

66▲10Waynesville, NCNC11,0061,232+19%

67▲22Rocky Mount, NCNC55,1201,234−1%

68▲16Dunn, NCNC8,8141,245−4%

69▲28Marion, NCNC7,4401,246+51%

70▲16Nashville, NCNC5,9111,259+37%

71▲20Black Mountain, NCNC8,4911,265+13%

72▲9King, NCNC7,9771,295+34%

73▲20Fletcher, NCNC8,3731,322+100%

74▲20Long View, NCNC5,3871,339+14%

75▲15Belmont, NCNC16,4151,346+89%

76▲19Siler City, NCNC8,1551,348+17%

77▼5Monroe, NCNC42,6441,361+63%

78▲2Selma, NCNC7,4061,369+25%

79▲24Kill Devil Hills, NCNC7,7311,379+31%

80▲18Ayden, NCNC5,2631,380+14%

81▲19Archdale, NCNC12,2541,387+36%

82▼27Holly Ridge, NCNC5,9081,398+611%

83▲18Oxford, NCNC8,9851,404+8%

84▲12Morehead City, NCNC10,4341,409+36%

85▲21Fayetteville, NCNC209,1201,410+73%

86▲6Lincolnton, NCNC12,4651,414+25%

87▲15Hickory, NCNC45,9751,442+24%

88▲28Roanoke Rapids, NCNC14,3861,451−15%

89▲10Whispering Pines, NCNC5,5051,452+163%

90▲18Asheboro, NCNC27,9901,469+29%

91▲20Jacksonville, NCNC72,7321,490+9%

92▲17Brevard, NCNC8,0981,507+19%

93▲14Kernersville, NCNC29,1281,551+70%

94▲21Wilson, NCNC49,5721,579+12%

95▼37Leland, NCNC35,7311,600+1744%

96▲22Salisbury, NCNC36,8791,607+39%

97▲17Gastonia, NCNC87,0671,641+31%

98▲29Thomasville, NCNC27,7331,644+40%

99▲11Huntersville, NCNC68,5351,646+175%

100▲13Harrisburg, NCNC20,7421,653+362%

101▲22Elizabeth City, NCNC19,6221,676+14%

102▲19Mount Holly, NCNC19,0331,689+98%

103▲27Hillsborough, NCNC9,7781,704+80%

104▲30Henderson, NCNC15,0131,741−7%

105▲19Pineville, NCNC11,8511,785+244%

106▲11Kannapolis, NCNC61,7081,785+67%

107▲22Concord, NCNC114,5981,790+105%

108▲4Mebane, NCNC21,9521,843+201%

109▲17Graham, NCNC20,1311,886+57%

110▲26Clemmons, NCNC22,8081,903+65%

111▲20Waxhaw, NCNC23,1401,905+782%

112▲21Matthews, NCNC32,7691,915+48%

113▲28Winston-Salem, NCNC257,2711,926+38%

114▲11Carolina Shores, NCNC5,5401,929+274%

115▲20Indian Trail, NCNC44,3031,943+272%

116▲6Clayton, NCNC32,6331,949+368%

117▼42Zebulon, NCNC11,9331,961+195%

118▲24Burlington, NCNC61,4962,013+37%

119▲20Mooresville, NCNC55,8422,050+197%

120▲31Asheville, NCNC93,5232,057+36%

121▲27Hope Mills, NCNC18,3242,074+63%

122▲24Hendersonville, NCNC15,8672,080+52%

123▲22Dallas, NCNC6,3922,080+88%

124▼5Rolesville, NCNC12,8392,102+1316%

125▲22High Point, NCNC120,5712,103+40%

126▲17Stallings, NCNC17,7602,120+457%

127▼44Angier, NCNC9,4102,122+175%

128Garner, NCNC41,5622,170+134%

129▲24Winterville, NCNC10,9732,225+129%

130▼57Wendell, NCNC19,6872,251+364%

131▲19Gibsonville, NCNC9,8762,262+126%

132▲24Greensboro, NCNC308,6672,306+38%

133▲24Wilmington, NCNC126,8092,466+67%

134▲18Knightdale, NCNC23,1442,500+288%

135▲2Fuquay-Varina, NCNC48,5362,543+515%

136▲23Davidson, NCNC16,6622,568+133%

137▲23Greenville, NCNC96,4432,576+59%

138▲24Durham, NCNC305,5612,617+63%

139▲15Holly Springs, NCNC50,2882,653+447%

140▲27Elon, NCNC11,3662,723–

141▲23Cornelius, NCNC35,0942,769+193%

142▲24Carolina Beach, NCNC6,8702,802+46%

143▲26Chapel Hill, NCNC63,5652,935+30%

144▲17Wake Forest, NCNC58,1472,961+362%

145▲25Cary, NCNC183,5823,053+94%

146▲22Charlotte, NCNC964,7843,105+78%

147▲24Boone, NCNC19,9293,122+48%

148▲10Apex, NCNC80,4193,128+298%

149▲25Carrboro, NCNC20,9623,237+25%

150▲22Raleigh, NCNC506,3063,388+83%

151▲22Morrisville, NCNC32,4663,541+523%

SHOWING 1–151 OF 151

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UPDATED 2026-09-11 · DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU POPULATION ESTIMATES