RANKING · 2010 CENSUS · 170 SHOWN OF 170

Most sparsely populated, North Carolina cities · 2010

North Carolina cities with the fewest residents per square mile (2010). This list covers the 170 cities in North Carolina that qualify, ranked against each other statewide. The median across all 170 is 1,126.

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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, NCNC14,6929800%

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, NCNC8,4661,1230%

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