RANKING · 2025 ACS · 100 SHOWN OF 100

Most sparsely populated, North Carolina counties

North Carolina counties with the fewest residents per square mile (2023). This list covers the 100 counties in North Carolina that qualify, ranked against each other statewide.

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SAME RANKING BYCities States Metros

RELATEDLargest by population Fastest growing Fastest shrinking Most densely populated Best broadband access Worst broadband access

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%

13Warren County, NCNC18,89844−5%

14Camden County, NCNC11,31547+64%

15Martin County, NCNC21,60147−16%

16Alleghany County, NCNC11,47949+8%

17Madison County, NCNC22,55350+15%

18Caswell County, NCNC22,56353−4%

19Beaufort County, NCNC44,67054−1%

20Montgomery County, NCNC26,40354−2%

21Columbus County, NCNC50,48754−8%

22Hertford County, NCNC19,01554−16%

23Perquimans County, NCNC13,49055+19%

24Clay County, NCNC12,23957+39%

25Yancey County, NCNC19,08461+7%

26Duplin County, NCNC51,57163+5%

27Halifax County, NCNC46,53464−19%

28Ashe County, NCNC27,51465+13%

29Sampson County, NCNC61,50465+2%

30Cherokee County, NCNC30,83068+27%

31Mitchell County, NCNC15,06268−4%

32Avery County, NCNC18,11073+5%

33Macon County, NCNC39,23276+32%

34Greene County, NCNC20,70078+9%

35Chowan County, NCNC14,08282−3%

36Pender County, NCNC72,11183+76%

37Polk County, NCNC20,53386+12%

38Wilkes County, NCNC66,23388+1%

39Richmond County, NCNC42,04189−10%

40Transylvania County, NCNC34,21190+17%

41Jackson County, NCNC45,03992+36%

42Edgecombe County, NCNC49,12197−12%

43Dare County, NCNC38,245100+28%

44Stokes County, NCNC46,126103+3%

45McDowell County, NCNC45,198103+7%

46Person County, NCNC40,636104+14%

47Scotland County, NCNC33,322104−7%

48Yadkin County, NCNC38,325114+5%

49Haywood County, NCNC63,369114+17%

50Granville County, NCNC61,421115+27%

51Rutherford County, NCNC65,745116+5%

52Chatham County, NCNC85,111125+73%

53Currituck County, NCNC33,158127+82%

54Robeson County, NCNC119,941127−3%

55Surry County, NCNC72,287136+1%

56Carteret County, NCNC70,469139+19%

57Lenoir County, NCNC55,837140−6%

58Alexander County, NCNC36,958142+10%

59Hoke County, NCNC56,939146+69%

60Craven County, NCNC105,025149+15%

61Moore County, NCNC110,619159+48%

62Rockingham County, NCNC94,195167+2%

63Franklin County, NCNC82,037167+74%

64Vance County, NCNC42,638169−1%

65Caldwell County, NCNC81,105172+5%

66Davie County, NCNC45,855174+32%

67Stanly County, NCNC68,830174+18%

68Burke County, NCNC88,655175−1%

69Watauga County, NCNC54,786175+28%

70Nash County, NCNC99,365184+14%

71Pasquotank County, NCNC42,201186+21%

72Randolph County, NCNC149,516191+15%

73Brunswick 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%

81Rowan County, NCNC155,096303+19%

82Johnston County, NCNC256,448324+110%

83Davidson County, NCNC180,182326+22%

84Henderson County, NCNC122,375328+37%

85Lincoln County, NCNC98,654333+55%

86Iredell County, NCNC211,798369+73%

87Orange County, NCNC152,498384+29%

88Buncombe County, NCNC277,417423+34%

89Union County, NCNC267,674423+116%

90Catawba County, NCNC170,172424+20%

91Alamance 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%

SHOWING 1–100 OF 100

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