RANKING · 1990 CENSUS · 151 SHOWN OF 151

Most sparsely populated, North Carolina cities · 1990

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.

Flip the list · Most densely populated, US cities →

North CarolinaAll statesPop > 5KAll rankings

SAME RANKING BYCounties States Metros

YEAR1990 2000 2010 2020 2025

RANKPLACESTATEPOPPOPULATION DENSITYVS 2000

01Holly Springs, NCNC50,28849−90%

02Boiling Spring Lakes, NCNC6,87569−44%

03Huntersville, NCNC68,53572−88%

04Leland, NCNC35,73180−8%

05Summerfield, NCNC11,32782−69%

06Indian Trail, NCNC44,30385−84%

07Rolesville, NCNC12,83994−36%

08Shallotte, NCNC5,335106−29%

09Waxhaw, NCNC23,140107−51%

10Stokesdale, NCNC6,133111−35%

11Morrisville, NCNC32,466111−80%

12Etowah, NCNC7,968113−28%

13Surf City, NCNC5,142123−32%

14Harrisburg, NCNC20,742130−64%

15Pleasant Garden, NCNC5,165146−53%

16Holly Ridge, NCNC5,908171−13%

17Walkertown, NCNC6,120179−70%

18Apex, NCNC80,419193−75%

19Knightdale, NCNC23,144204−68%

20Cornelius, NCNC35,094204−78%

21Weddington, NCNC14,517217−43%

22Lewisville, NCNC14,421221−64%

23Locust, NCNC6,120234−20%

24Fuquay-Varina, NCNC48,536239−42%

25Aberdeen, NCNC10,066255−21%

26Pittsboro, NCNC5,054262−35%

27Stallings, NCNC17,760264−31%

28Creedmoor, NCNC5,046280−32%

29Clayton, NCNC32,633284−32%

30Lillington, NCNC5,040286−30%

31Woodfin, NCNC8,229293−15%

32Wake Forest, NCNC58,147294−54%

33Pinehurst, NCNC18,670305−47%

34Spring Lake, NCNC11,252319−7%

35Wendell, NCNC19,687321−34%

36Trinity, NCNC7,274323−18%

37Whispering Pines, NCNC5,505328−41%

38Butner, NCNC8,112339−19%

39Mooresville, NCNC55,842342−51%

40Westport, NCNC5,915343−37%

41Mebane, NCNC21,952398−35%

42Concord, NCNC114,598427−51%

43Mocksville, NCNC6,282430−19%

44Wrightsboro, NCNC6,287432+7%

45Pineville, NCNC11,851437−16%

46Fletcher, NCNC8,373440−33%

47Sanford, NCNC34,138458−38%

48Mint Hill, NCNC29,476470−22%

49Conover, NCNC8,938479−17%

50Clemmons, NCNC22,808502−56%

51Angier, NCNC9,410504−35%

52Fayetteville, NCNC209,120511−37%

53Cramerton, NCNC5,713514−20%

54Monroe, NCNC42,644515−39%

55Southern Pines, NCNC17,357517−16%

56Zebulon, NCNC11,933521−22%

57Wadesboro, NCNC5,035553+3%

58Winterville, NCNC10,973568−42%

59Swannanoa, NCNC6,901569−12%

60Kernersville, NCNC29,128577−37%

61Smithfield, NCNC13,114594−34%

62Sawmills, NCNC5,105604−19%

63New Bern, NCNC34,724610−25%

64Mount Airy, NCNC10,682611−16%

65Jacksonville, NCNC72,732615−55%

66Kings Mountain, NCNC12,117623−10%

67Davidson, NCNC16,662624−43%

68Statesville, NCNC32,181636−25%

69Myrtle Grove, NCNC12,637637−40%

70Shelby, NCNC23,309656−25%

71King, NCNC7,977659−32%

72Piney Green, NCNC14,078660−23%

73Newton, NCNC13,822674−26%

74Lenoir, NCNC18,372681−15%

75Mount Holly, NCNC19,033684−20%

76Belmont, NCNC16,415692−3%

77Cary, NCNC183,582729−54%

78Nashville, NCNC5,911735−20%

79Hillsborough, NCNC9,778743−22%

80Ogden, NCNC8,249751−38%

81Kill Devil Hills, NCNC7,731756−28%

82Waynesville, NCNC11,006763−26%

83Gibsonville, NCNC9,876765−24%

84East Flat Rock, NCNC6,323772−22%

85Lincolnton, NCNC12,465777−31%

86Archdale, NCNC12,254779−24%

87Garner, NCNC41,562781−16%

88Morganton, NCNC17,849785−13%

89Siler City, NCNC8,155795−31%

90Matthews, NCNC32,769798−38%

91Marion, NCNC7,440798−4%

92Long View, NCNC5,387800−32%

93Black Mountain, NCNC8,491807−28%

94Morehead City, NCNC10,434816−21%

95Cherryville, NCNC6,523819−11%

96Reidsville, NCNC14,692823−16%

97Albemarle, NCNC17,769830−5%

98Bessemer City, NCNC5,834833−8%

99Half Moon, NCNC7,378850−5%

100Selma, NCNC7,406851−22%

101Asheboro, NCNC27,990858−25%

102Kannapolis, NCNC61,708859−20%

103Lexington, NCNC20,238863−17%

104Forest City, NCNC7,410872−1%

105Hickory, NCNC45,975889−24%

106Hope Mills, NCNC18,324926−27%

107Laurinburg, NCNC14,582927−27%

108Thomasville, NCNC27,733943−20%

109Hendersonville, NCNC15,867955−30%

110St. Stephens, NCNC9,457960−7%

111Graham, NCNC20,131977−19%

112Tarboro, NCNC10,979979−1%

113Dallas, NCNC6,392980−11%

114Roxboro, NCNC8,380989−16%

115Brevard, NCNC8,0981,003−21%

116Salisbury, NCNC36,8791,006−13%

117Lumberton, NCNC18,9551,030−10%

118Gastonia, NCNC87,0671,031−17%

119Cullowhee, NCNC7,9731,058+13%

120Clinton, NCNC8,4661,066−5%

121Eden, NCNC15,5001,072−4%

122Winston-Salem, NCNC257,2711,074−23%

123Wilmington, NCNC126,8091,080−27%

124Rocky Mount, NCNC55,1201,100−12%

125Washington, NCNC9,9101,108−5%

126Durham, NCNC305,5611,170−27%

127Hamlet, NCNC5,8701,176+3%

128Wilson, NCNC49,5721,177−17%

129Dunn, NCNC8,8141,178−9%

130Havelock, NCNC17,4301,186−10%

131Greenville, NCNC96,4431,201−26%

132High Point, NCNC120,5711,210−19%

133Elizabeth City, NCNC19,6221,220−17%

134Williamston, NCNC5,0861,220−6%

135Rockingham, NCNC8,8151,230−3%

136Oxford, NCNC8,9851,236−5%

137Ayden, NCNC5,2631,243+3%

138Charlotte, NCNC964,7841,274−27%

139Burlington, NCNC61,4961,289−12%

140Asheville, NCNC93,5231,356−11%

141Greensboro, NCNC308,6671,371−18%

142Kinston, NCNC19,7051,384+7%

143Raleigh, NCNC506,3061,391−25%

144Goldsboro, NCNC35,0121,424+4%

145Carolina Beach, NCNC6,8701,481−23%

146Roanoke Rapids, NCNC14,3861,586−7%

147Silver Lake, NCNC6,5631,651−30%

148Carrboro, NCNC20,9621,784−31%

149Chapel Hill, NCNC63,5651,790−20%

150Henderson, NCNC15,0131,828−2%

151Boone, NCNC19,9292,023−4%

SHOWING 1–151 OF 151

Download CSV (full list, 151 rows)

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