RANKING · 2025 ESTIMATES · 100 SHOWN OF 100

Most sparsely populated, North Carolina counties

North Carolina counties with the fewest residents per square mile (2025). This list covers the 100 counties in North Carolina that qualify, ranked against each other statewide. The median across all 100 is 116.

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SAME RANKING BYCities States Metros

YEAR1990 2000 2010 2020 2025

RANKPLACESTATEPOPPOPULATION DENSITYVS 2000

01Hyde County, NCNC4,5547−22%

02Tyrrell County, NCNC3,5379−15%

03Jones County, NCNC9,57520−8%

04Bertie County, NCNC17,08624−14%

05Swain County, NCNC14,02427+8%

06Graham County, NCNC8,19028+2%

07Gates County, NCNC10,23430−3%

08Washington County, NCNC10,63831−22%

09Northampton County, NCNC16,49131−25%

10Bladen County, NCNC30,00734−7%

11Pamlico County, NCNC12,75838−1%

12Anson County, NCNC21,75841−14%

13▲1Warren County, NCNC18,89844−5%

14▼1Camden County, NCNC11,31547+64%

15▲2Martin County, NCNC21,60147−16%

16▼1Alleghany County, NCNC11,47949+8%

17▼1Madison County, NCNC22,55350+15%

18▲3Caswell County, NCNC22,56353−4%

19▲3Beaufort County, NCNC44,67054−1%

20▼1Montgomery County, NCNC26,40354−2%

21▲2Columbus County, NCNC50,48754−8%

22▲4Hertford County, NCNC19,01554−16%

23▼3Perquimans County, NCNC13,49055+19%

24▼6Clay County, NCNC12,23957+39%

25▼1Yancey County, NCNC19,08461+7%

26▼1Duplin County, NCNC51,57163+5%

27▲3Halifax County, NCNC46,53464−19%

28▼1Ashe County, NCNC27,51465+13%

29▼1Sampson County, NCNC61,50465+2%

30▼1Cherokee County, NCNC30,83068+27%

31Mitchell County, NCNC15,06268−4%

32▲2Avery County, NCNC18,11073+5%

33Macon County, NCNC39,23276+32%

34▲1Greene County, NCNC20,70078+9%

35▲1Chowan County, NCNC14,08282−3%

36▼4Pender County, NCNC72,11183+76%

37Polk County, NCNC20,53386+12%

38▲1Wilkes County, NCNC66,23388+1%

39▲2Richmond County, NCNC42,04189−10%

40▼2Transylvania County, NCNC34,21190+17%

41▼1Jackson County, NCNC45,03992+36%

42▲1Edgecombe County, NCNC49,12197−12%

43▼1Dare County, NCNC38,245100+28%

44Stokes County, NCNC46,126103+3%

45▲1McDowell County, NCNC45,198103+7%

46▼1Person County, NCNC40,636104+14%

47Scotland County, NCNC33,322104−7%

48▲1Yadkin County, NCNC38,325114+5%

49▲2Haywood County, NCNC63,369114+17%

50▲3Granville County, NCNC61,421115+27%

51▲1Rutherford County, NCNC65,745116+5%

52▼2Chatham County, NCNC85,111125+73%

53▼5Currituck County, NCNC33,158127+82%

54Robeson County, NCNC119,941127−3%

55▲2Surry County, NCNC72,287136+1%

56▼1Carteret County, NCNC70,469139+19%

57▲1Lenoir County, NCNC55,837140−6%

58▲2Alexander County, NCNC36,958142+10%

59▼3Hoke County, NCNC56,939146+69%

60▲1Craven County, NCNC105,025149+15%

61▲1Moore County, NCNC110,619159+48%

62▲3Rockingham County, NCNC94,195167+2%

63▼4Franklin County, NCNC82,037167+74%

64▲3Vance County, NCNC42,638169−1%

65▲3Caldwell County, NCNC81,105172+5%

66Davie County, NCNC45,855174+32%

67▼4Stanly County, NCNC68,830174+18%

68▲1Burke County, NCNC88,655175−1%

69▲1Watauga County, NCNC54,786175+28%

70▲1Nash County, NCNC99,365184+14%

71▲1Pasquotank County, NCNC42,201186+21%

72▲1Randolph County, NCNC149,516191+15%

73▼9Brunswick County, NCNC174,702206+139%

74Wayne County, NCNC122,278221+8%

75Wilson County, NCNC81,150221+10%

76Cleveland County, NCNC103,325223+7%

77Harnett County, NCNC150,137252+65%

78Lee County, NCNC70,258275+43%

79Pitt County, NCNC182,936280+37%

80Onslow County, NCNC217,175285+44%

81▲1Rowan County, NCNC155,096303+19%

82▼1Johnston County, NCNC256,448324+110%

83▲1Davidson County, NCNC180,182326+22%

84▲1Henderson County, NCNC122,375328+37%

85▼2Lincoln County, NCNC98,654333+55%

86Iredell County, NCNC211,798369+73%

87Orange County, NCNC152,498384+29%

88▲3Buncombe County, NCNC277,417423+34%

89▼1Union County, NCNC267,674423+116%

90▼1Catawba County, NCNC170,172424+20%

91▼1Alamance County, NCNC186,177440+42%

92Cumberland County, NCNC338,473519+12%

93Cabarrus County, NCNC249,725691+91%

94Gaston County, NCNC246,558693+30%

95Guilford County, NCNC562,234870+34%

96Forsyth County, NCNC401,718985+31%

97Durham County, NCNC347,2401,208+55%

98New Hanover County, NCNC245,9591,279+53%

99Wake County, NCNC1,257,2351,506+100%

100Mecklenburg County, NCNC1,233,3832,356+77%

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UPDATED 2026-09-11 · DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU POPULATION ESTIMATES