RANKING · 2010 CENSUS · 170 SHOWN OF 170

Most sparsely populated, North Carolina cities · 2010

North Carolina cities with the fewest residents per square mile (2023). This list covers the 170 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

01Hampstead, NCNC9,292202–

02Unionville, NCNC7,322203+24%

03Boiling Spring Lakes, NCNC6,875223+81%

04Midland, NCNC5,151230–

05Surf City, NCNC5,142241+33%

06Stokesdale, NCNC6,133265+54%

07Pleasant Garden, NCNC5,165299−5%

08Holly Ridge, NCNC5,908300+53%

09Mills River, NCNC7,504304–

10St. James, NCNC7,318347+294%

11Oak Island, NCNC9,337352+3%

12Locust, NCNC6,120356+21%

13Moyock, NCNC5,684360–

14Oak Ridge, NCNC7,896369+55%

15Summerfield, NCNC11,327388+46%

16Trinity, NCNC7,274392−1%

17Etowah, NCNC7,968393+151%

18Shallotte, NCNC5,335398+166%

19Wrightsboro, NCNC6,287440+9%

20Lillington, NCNC5,040446+10%

21Archer Lodge, NCNC5,649473–

22Spring Lake, NCNC11,252507+48%

23Weddington, NCNC14,517540+41%

24Butner, NCNC8,112550+31%

25Midway, NCNC5,104600–

26Aberdeen, NCNC10,066600+87%

27Leland, NCNC35,731606+598%

28Rolesville, NCNC12,839620+317%

29Mocksville, NCNC6,282639+21%

30Woodfin, NCNC8,229666+94%

31Wendell, NCNC19,687668+38%

32Pittsboro, NCNC5,054682+68%

33Walkertown, NCNC6,120698+17%

34Southern Pines, NCNC17,357698+13%

35Conover, NCNC8,938715+24%

36Swannanoa, NCNC6,901718+11%

37Zebulon, NCNC11,933729+10%

38Kings Mountain, NCNC12,117733+6%

39Lake Norman of Iredell, NCNC12,494734+56%

40Creedmoor, NCNC5,046758+85%

41Wesley Chapel, NCNC9,566768+193%

42Whispering Pines, NCNC5,505772+40%

43Pinehurst, NCNC18,670785+35%

44Sawmills, NCNC5,105793+6%

45Waxhaw, NCNC23,140812+276%

46Belmont, NCNC16,415826+16%

47Smithfield, NCNC13,114863−5%

48Lewisville, NCNC14,421871+43%

49Forest City, NCNC7,410872−1%

50Lenoir, NCNC18,372875+9%

51Morganton, NCNC17,849880−2%

52Wadesboro, NCNC5,035881+64%

53Albemarle, NCNC17,769884+1%

54Mount Airy, NCNC10,682887+22%

55Statesville, NCNC32,181888+5%

56Sanford, NCNC34,138890+21%

57Cramerton, NCNC5,713897+40%

58Shelby, NCNC23,309909+4%

59Harrisburg, NCNC20,742919+157%

60Mint Hill, NCNC29,476924+52%

61Marvin, NCNC7,040930+437%

62Fuquay-Varina, NCNC48,536940+127%

63Newton, NCNC13,822940+3%

64Bessemer City, NCNC5,834946+4%

65Mebane, NCNC21,952956+56%

66St. Stephens, NCNC9,457962−7%

67Clayton, NCNC32,633963+131%

68Piney Green, NCNC14,078975+14%

69Reidsville, NCNC14,692980+0%

70Angier, NCNC9,410981+27%

71Lexington, NCNC20,238985−5%

72Cherryville, NCNC6,523992+7%

73Tarboro, NCNC10,9791,013+2%

74New Bern, NCNC34,7241,037+28%

75Monroe, NCNC42,6441,047+25%

76Hillsborough, NCNC9,7781,061+12%

77Carolina Shores, NCNC5,5401,061+106%

78Eden, NCNC15,5001,092−2%

79Westport, NCNC5,9151,097+101%

80Waynesville, NCNC11,0061,105+7%

81King, NCNC7,9771,121+16%

82Selma, NCNC7,4061,123+3%

83Clinton, NCNC8,4661,123+0%

84Huntersville, NCNC68,5351,123+87%

85Half Moon, NCNC7,3781,125+26%

86Pineville, NCNC11,8511,126+117%

87Roxboro, NCNC8,3801,128−4%

88Fletcher, NCNC8,3731,135+72%

89Nashville, NCNC5,9111,140+24%

90Porters Neck, NCNC7,6541,147–

91Morehead City, NCNC10,4341,169+13%

92Black Mountain, NCNC8,4911,169+4%

93Kinston, NCNC19,7051,186−8%

94Lumberton, NCNC18,9551,187+4%

95East Flat Rock, NCNC6,3231,187+20%

96Lincolnton, NCNC12,4651,189+5%

97Washington, NCNC9,9101,190+2%

98Kill Devil Hills, NCNC7,7311,192+13%

99Mooresville, NCNC55,8421,201+74%

100Long View, NCNC5,3871,210+3%

101Mount Holly, NCNC19,0331,212+42%

102Havelock, NCNC17,4301,214−8%

103Williamston, NCNC5,0861,222−6%

104Kernersville, NCNC29,1281,231+35%

105Knightdale, NCNC23,1441,232+91%

106Kannapolis, NCNC61,7081,233+15%

107Hamlet, NCNC5,8701,233+8%

108Concord, NCNC114,5981,235+41%

109Rockingham, NCNC8,8151,251−1%

110Hickory, NCNC45,9751,255+7%

111Laurinburg, NCNC14,5821,272+1%

112Goldsboro, NCNC35,0121,274−7%

113Rocky Mount, NCNC55,1201,286+3%

114Archdale, NCNC12,2541,292+27%

115Ayden, NCNC5,2631,293+7%

116Holly Springs, NCNC50,2881,301+168%

117Siler City, NCNC8,1551,304+13%

118Dunn, NCNC8,8141,309+1%

119Marion, NCNC7,4401,312+59%

120Asheboro, NCNC27,9901,312+15%

121Oxford, NCNC8,9851,322+1%

122Myrtle Grove, NCNC12,6371,323+25%

123Graham, NCNC20,1311,326+10%

124Garner, NCNC41,5621,344+45%

125Gastonia, NCNC87,0671,352+8%

126Fayetteville, NCNC209,1201,353+66%

127Brevard, NCNC8,0981,416+12%

128Jacksonville, NCNC72,7321,437+5%

129Apex, NCNC80,4191,458+85%

130Dallas, NCNC6,3921,460+32%

131Salisbury, NCNC36,8791,467+27%

132Gibsonville, NCNC9,8761,468+47%

133Indian Trail, NCNC44,3031,470+182%

134Ogden, NCNC8,2491,495+23%

135Wake Forest, NCNC58,1471,534+139%

136Clemmons, NCNC22,8081,554+35%

137Wilson, NCNC49,5721,567+11%

138Thomasville, NCNC27,7331,586+35%

139Matthews, NCNC32,7691,589+23%

140Roanoke Rapids, NCNC14,3861,589−7%

141Elizabeth City, NCNC19,6221,596+9%

142Burlington, NCNC61,4961,635+11%

143Cullowhee, NCNC7,9731,636+74%

144Murraysville, NCNC16,3391,650+95%

145Stallings, NCNC17,7601,651+334%

146Davidson, NCNC16,6621,687+53%

147Hope Mills, NCNC18,3241,717+35%

148Winston-Salem, NCNC257,2711,719+24%

149Hendersonville, NCNC15,8671,722+26%

150Henderson, NCNC15,0131,782−5%

151Kings Grant, NCNC9,0031,787+5%

152High Point, NCNC120,5711,821+22%

153Asheville, NCNC93,5231,834+21%

154Winterville, NCNC10,9731,879+93%

155Durham, NCNC305,5611,956+22%

156Cornelius, NCNC35,0941,962+108%

157Greensboro, NCNC308,6672,015+20%

158Morrisville, NCNC32,4662,026+257%

159Wilmington, NCNC126,8092,071+40%

160Northchase, NCNC5,8962,178–

161Cary, NCNC183,5822,249+43%

162Elon, NCNC11,3662,257–

163Greenville, NCNC96,4432,258+40%

164Silver Lake, NCNC6,5632,270−3%

165Carolina Beach, NCNC6,8702,327+21%

166Charlotte, NCNC964,7842,354+35%

167Chapel Hill, NCNC63,5652,643+17%

168Boone, NCNC19,9292,682+27%

169Raleigh, NCNC506,3062,703+46%

170Carrboro, NCNC20,9623,024+17%

SHOWING 1–170 OF 170

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