RANKING · 2000 CENSUS · 161 SHOWN OF 161

Most sparsely populated, North Carolina cities · 2000

North Carolina cities with the fewest residents per square mile (2000). This list covers the 161 cities in North Carolina that qualify, ranked against each other statewide. The median across all 161 is 906.

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North CarolinaAll statesPop > 5KAll rankings

SAME RANKING BYCounties States Metros

YEAR1990 2000 2010 2020 2025

RANKPLACESTATEPOPPOPULATION DENSITYVS 1990

01Leland, NCNC35,73187+9%

02St. James, NCNC7,31888–

03Boiling Spring Lakes, NCNC6,875123+78%

04Rolesville, NCNC12,839149+57%

05Shallotte, NCNC5,335149+41%

06Etowah, NCNC7,968157+38%

07Unionville, NCNC7,322164–

08Stokesdale, NCNC6,133172+55%

09Marvin, NCNC7,040173–

10Surf City, NCNC5,142181+47%

11Holly Ridge, NCNC5,908197+15%

12Waxhaw, NCNC23,140216+103%

13Oak Ridge, NCNC7,896238–

14Wesley Chapel, NCNC9,566262–

15Summerfield, NCNC11,327266+224%

16Locust, NCNC6,120294+25%

17Pleasant Garden, NCNC5,165313+115%

18Aberdeen, NCNC10,066321+26%

19Oak Island, NCNC9,337341–

20Spring Lake, NCNC11,252343+8%

21Woodfin, NCNC8,229344+18%

22Harrisburg, NCNC20,742358+176%

23Stallings, NCNC17,760381+44%

24Weddington, NCNC14,517382+76%

25Trinity, NCNC7,274396+23%

26Wrightsboro, NCNC6,287404−6%

27Pittsboro, NCNC5,054406+55%

28Lillington, NCNC5,040407+42%

29Creedmoor, NCNC5,046410+46%

30Fuquay-Varina, NCNC48,536414+73%

31Clayton, NCNC32,633417+47%

32Butner, NCNC8,112420+24%

33Lake Norman of Iredell, NCNC12,494470–

34Holly Springs, NCNC50,288485+899%

35Wendell, NCNC19,687486+51%

36Carolina Shores, NCNC5,540516–

37Pineville, NCNC11,851519+19%

38Indian Trail, NCNC44,303522+513%

39Mocksville, NCNC6,282529+23%

40Wadesboro, NCNC5,035539−3%

41Westport, NCNC5,915546+59%

42Whispering Pines, NCNC5,505551+68%

43Morrisville, NCNC32,466568+410%

44Conover, NCNC8,938578+21%

45Pinehurst, NCNC18,670581+90%

46Walkertown, NCNC6,120598+234%

47Huntersville, NCNC68,535599+728%

48Mint Hill, NCNC29,476607+29%

49Lewisville, NCNC14,421608+175%

50Mebane, NCNC21,952611+54%

51Southern Pines, NCNC17,357618+20%

52Cramerton, NCNC5,713641+25%

53Wake Forest, NCNC58,147641+118%

54Knightdale, NCNC23,144644+216%

55Swannanoa, NCNC6,901648+14%

56Fletcher, NCNC8,373661+50%

57Zebulon, NCNC11,933665+28%

58Kings Mountain, NCNC12,117690+11%

59Mooresville, NCNC55,842691+102%

60Belmont, NCNC16,415714+3%

61Mount Airy, NCNC10,682724+19%

62Sanford, NCNC34,138735+60%

63Sawmills, NCNC5,105745+23%

64Angier, NCNC9,410771+53%

65Apex, NCNC80,419786+307%

66Lenoir, NCNC18,372806+18%

67New Bern, NCNC34,724812+33%

68Fayetteville, NCNC209,120816+60%

69Marion, NCNC7,440828+4%

70Monroe, NCNC42,644837+63%

71Statesville, NCNC32,181845+33%

72Murraysville, NCNC16,339845–

73Mount Holly, NCNC19,033854+25%

74Piney Green, NCNC14,078855+30%

75Albemarle, NCNC17,769871+5%

76Shelby, NCNC23,309871+33%

77Concord, NCNC114,598874+105%

78Forest City, NCNC7,410881+1%

79Half Moon, NCNC7,378895+5%

80Morganton, NCNC17,849900+15%

81Smithfield, NCNC13,114906+53%

82Bessemer City, NCNC5,834907+9%

83Newton, NCNC13,822910+35%

84Kernersville, NCNC29,128912+58%

85Nashville, NCNC5,911918+25%

86Cherryville, NCNC6,523924+13%

87Garner, NCNC41,562927+19%

88Cullowhee, NCNC7,973940−11%

89Cornelius, NCNC35,094944+364%

90Hillsborough, NCNC9,778949+28%

91King, NCNC7,977966+47%

92Winterville, NCNC10,973971+71%

93Reidsville, NCNC14,692978+19%

94East Flat Rock, NCNC6,323986+28%

95Tarboro, NCNC10,979988+1%

96Gibsonville, NCNC9,8761,001+31%

97Archdale, NCNC12,2541,020+31%

98Waynesville, NCNC11,0061,033+35%

99St. Stephens, NCNC9,4571,037+8%

100Lexington, NCNC20,2381,038+20%

101Morehead City, NCNC10,4341,038+27%

102Kill Devil Hills, NCNC7,7311,052+39%

103Myrtle Grove, NCNC12,6371,062+67%

104Kannapolis, NCNC61,7081,068+24%

105Selma, NCNC7,4061,094+29%

106Davidson, NCNC16,6621,100+76%

107Dallas, NCNC6,3921,107+13%

108Clinton, NCNC8,4661,118+5%

109Eden, NCNC15,5001,119+4%

110Black Mountain, NCNC8,4911,119+39%

111Lincolnton, NCNC12,4651,130+46%

112Asheboro, NCNC27,9901,137+32%

113Hamlet, NCNC5,8701,143−3%

114Lumberton, NCNC18,9551,145+11%

115Siler City, NCNC8,1551,152+45%

116Salisbury, NCNC36,8791,153+15%

117Clemmons, NCNC22,8081,154+130%

118Hickory, NCNC45,9751,167+31%

119Washington, NCNC9,9101,170+6%

120Thomasville, NCNC27,7331,173+24%

121Roxboro, NCNC8,3801,173+19%

122Long View, NCNC5,3871,173+47%

123Graham, NCNC20,1311,202+23%

124Ogden, NCNC8,2491,211+61%

125Ayden, NCNC5,2631,212−2%

126Gastonia, NCNC87,0671,249+21%

127Rocky Mount, NCNC55,1201,251+14%

128Brevard, NCNC8,0981,264+26%

129Laurinburg, NCNC14,5821,265+36%

130Rockingham, NCNC8,8151,265+3%

131Hope Mills, NCNC18,3241,272+37%

132Matthews, NCNC32,7691,293+62%

133Williamston, NCNC5,0861,295+6%

134Kinston, NCNC19,7051,296−6%

135Dunn, NCNC8,8141,299+10%

136Oxford, NCNC8,9851,303+5%

137Havelock, NCNC17,4301,313+11%

138Goldsboro, NCNC35,0121,366−4%

139Hendersonville, NCNC15,8671,366+43%

140Jacksonville, NCNC72,7321,367+122%

141Winston-Salem, NCNC257,2711,391+29%

142Wilson, NCNC49,5721,415+20%

143Elizabeth City, NCNC19,6221,468+20%

144Burlington, NCNC61,4961,470+14%

145Wilmington, NCNC126,8091,475+37%

146High Point, NCNC120,5711,497+24%

147Asheville, NCNC93,5231,515+12%

148Cary, NCNC183,5821,572+116%

149Durham, NCNC305,5611,602+37%

150Greenville, NCNC96,4431,615+34%

151Greensboro, NCNC308,6671,673+22%

152Kings Grant, NCNC9,0031,704–

153Roanoke Rapids, NCNC14,3861,711+8%

154Charlotte, NCNC964,7841,740+37%

155Raleigh, NCNC506,3061,847+33%

156Henderson, NCNC15,0131,866+2%

157Carolina Beach, NCNC6,8701,917+29%

158Boone, NCNC19,9292,111+4%

159Chapel Hill, NCNC63,5652,249+26%

160Silver Lake, NCNC6,5632,347+42%

161Carrboro, NCNC20,9622,592+45%

SHOWING 1–161 OF 161

Download CSV (full list, 161 rows)

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