RANKING · 2000 CENSUS · 161 SHOWN OF 161

Most sparsely populated, North Carolina cities · 2000

North Carolina cities with the fewest residents per square mile (2023). This list covers the 161 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

01Leland, NCNC35,73187+0%

02St. James, NCNC7,31888+0%

03Boiling Spring Lakes, NCNC6,875123+0%

04Rolesville, NCNC12,839149+0%

05Shallotte, NCNC5,335149+0%

06Etowah, NCNC7,968157+0%

07Unionville, NCNC7,322164+0%

08Stokesdale, NCNC6,133172+0%

09Marvin, NCNC7,040173+0%

10Surf City, NCNC5,142181+0%

11Holly Ridge, NCNC5,908197+0%

12Waxhaw, NCNC23,140216+0%

13Oak Ridge, NCNC7,896238+0%

14Wesley Chapel, NCNC9,566262+0%

15Summerfield, NCNC11,327266+0%

16Locust, NCNC6,120294+0%

17Pleasant Garden, NCNC5,165313+0%

18Aberdeen, NCNC10,066321+0%

19Oak Island, NCNC9,337341+0%

20Spring Lake, NCNC11,252343+0%

21Woodfin, NCNC8,229344+0%

22Harrisburg, NCNC20,742358+0%

23Stallings, NCNC17,760381+0%

24Weddington, NCNC14,517382+0%

25Trinity, NCNC7,274396+0%

26Wrightsboro, NCNC6,287404+0%

27Pittsboro, NCNC5,054406+0%

28Lillington, NCNC5,040407+0%

29Creedmoor, NCNC5,046410+0%

30Fuquay-Varina, NCNC48,536414+0%

31Clayton, NCNC32,633417+0%

32Butner, NCNC8,112420+0%

33Lake Norman of Iredell, NCNC12,494470+0%

34Holly Springs, NCNC50,288485+0%

35Wendell, NCNC19,687486+0%

36Carolina Shores, NCNC5,540516+0%

37Pineville, NCNC11,851519+0%

38Indian Trail, NCNC44,303522+0%

39Mocksville, NCNC6,282529+0%

40Wadesboro, NCNC5,035539+0%

41Westport, NCNC5,915546+0%

42Whispering Pines, NCNC5,505551+0%

43Morrisville, NCNC32,466568+0%

44Conover, NCNC8,938578+0%

45Pinehurst, NCNC18,670581+0%

46Walkertown, NCNC6,120598+0%

47Huntersville, NCNC68,535599+0%

48Mint Hill, NCNC29,476607+0%

49Lewisville, NCNC14,421608+0%

50Mebane, NCNC21,952611+0%

51Southern Pines, NCNC17,357618+0%

52Cramerton, NCNC5,713641+0%

53Wake Forest, NCNC58,147641+0%

54Knightdale, NCNC23,144644+0%

55Swannanoa, NCNC6,901648+0%

56Fletcher, NCNC8,373661+0%

57Zebulon, NCNC11,933665+0%

58Kings Mountain, NCNC12,117690+0%

59Mooresville, NCNC55,842691+0%

60Belmont, NCNC16,415714+0%

61Mount Airy, NCNC10,682724+0%

62Sanford, NCNC34,138735+0%

63Sawmills, NCNC5,105745+0%

64Angier, NCNC9,410771+0%

65Apex, NCNC80,419786+0%

66Lenoir, NCNC18,372806+0%

67New Bern, NCNC34,724812+0%

68Fayetteville, NCNC209,120816+0%

69Marion, NCNC7,440828+0%

70Monroe, NCNC42,644837+0%

71Statesville, NCNC32,181845+0%

72Murraysville, NCNC16,339845+0%

73Mount Holly, NCNC19,033854+0%

74Piney Green, NCNC14,078855+0%

75Albemarle, NCNC17,769871+0%

76Shelby, NCNC23,309871+0%

77Concord, NCNC114,598874+0%

78Forest City, NCNC7,410881+0%

79Half Moon, NCNC7,378895+0%

80Morganton, NCNC17,849900+0%

81Smithfield, NCNC13,114906+0%

82Bessemer City, NCNC5,834907+0%

83Newton, NCNC13,822910+0%

84Kernersville, NCNC29,128912+0%

85Nashville, NCNC5,911918+0%

86Cherryville, NCNC6,523924+0%

87Garner, NCNC41,562927+0%

88Cullowhee, NCNC7,973940+0%

89Cornelius, NCNC35,094944+0%

90Hillsborough, NCNC9,778949+0%

91King, NCNC7,977966+0%

92Winterville, NCNC10,973971+0%

93Reidsville, NCNC14,692978+0%

94East Flat Rock, NCNC6,323986+0%

95Tarboro, NCNC10,979988+0%

96Gibsonville, NCNC9,8761,001+0%

97Archdale, NCNC12,2541,020+0%

98Waynesville, NCNC11,0061,033+0%

99St. Stephens, NCNC9,4571,037+0%

100Lexington, NCNC20,2381,038+0%

101Morehead City, NCNC10,4341,038+0%

102Kill Devil Hills, NCNC7,7311,052+0%

103Myrtle Grove, NCNC12,6371,062+0%

104Kannapolis, NCNC61,7081,068+0%

105Selma, NCNC7,4061,094+0%

106Davidson, NCNC16,6621,100+0%

107Dallas, NCNC6,3921,107+0%

108Clinton, NCNC8,4661,118+0%

109Eden, NCNC15,5001,119+0%

110Black Mountain, NCNC8,4911,119+0%

111Lincolnton, NCNC12,4651,130+0%

112Asheboro, NCNC27,9901,137+0%

113Hamlet, NCNC5,8701,143+0%

114Lumberton, NCNC18,9551,145+0%

115Siler City, NCNC8,1551,152+0%

116Salisbury, NCNC36,8791,153+0%

117Clemmons, NCNC22,8081,154+0%

118Hickory, NCNC45,9751,167+0%

119Washington, NCNC9,9101,170+0%

120Thomasville, NCNC27,7331,173+0%

121Roxboro, NCNC8,3801,173+0%

122Long View, NCNC5,3871,173+0%

123Graham, NCNC20,1311,202+0%

124Ogden, NCNC8,2491,211+0%

125Ayden, NCNC5,2631,212+0%

126Gastonia, NCNC87,0671,249+0%

127Rocky Mount, NCNC55,1201,251+0%

128Brevard, NCNC8,0981,264+0%

129Laurinburg, NCNC14,5821,265+0%

130Rockingham, NCNC8,8151,265+0%

131Hope Mills, NCNC18,3241,272+0%

132Matthews, NCNC32,7691,293+0%

133Williamston, NCNC5,0861,295+0%

134Kinston, NCNC19,7051,296+0%

135Dunn, NCNC8,8141,299+0%

136Oxford, NCNC8,9851,303+0%

137Havelock, NCNC17,4301,313+0%

138Goldsboro, NCNC35,0121,366+0%

139Hendersonville, NCNC15,8671,366+0%

140Jacksonville, NCNC72,7321,367+0%

141Winston-Salem, NCNC257,2711,391+0%

142Wilson, NCNC49,5721,415+0%

143Elizabeth City, NCNC19,6221,468+0%

144Burlington, NCNC61,4961,470+0%

145Wilmington, NCNC126,8091,475+0%

146High Point, NCNC120,5711,497+0%

147Asheville, NCNC93,5231,515+0%

148Cary, NCNC183,5821,572+0%

149Durham, NCNC305,5611,602+0%

150Greenville, NCNC96,4431,615+0%

151Greensboro, NCNC308,6671,673+0%

152Kings Grant, NCNC9,0031,704+0%

153Roanoke Rapids, NCNC14,3861,711+0%

154Charlotte, NCNC964,7841,740+0%

155Raleigh, NCNC506,3061,847+0%

156Henderson, NCNC15,0131,866+0%

157Carolina Beach, NCNC6,8701,917+0%

158Boone, NCNC19,9292,111+0%

159Chapel Hill, NCNC63,5652,249+0%

160Silver Lake, NCNC6,5632,347+0%

161Carrboro, NCNC20,9622,592+0%

SHOWING 1–161 OF 161

Download CSV (full list, 161 rows)

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