RANKING · 1990 CENSUS · 100 SHOWN OF 100

Most sparsely populated, North Carolina counties · 1990

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

YEAR1990 2000 2010 2020 2025

RANKPLACESTATEPOPPOPULATION DENSITYVS 2000

01Hyde County, NCNC4,5549−7%

02Tyrrell County, NCNC3,53710−7%

03Jones County, NCNC9,57520−9%

04Swain County, NCNC14,02421−13%

05Camden County, NCNC11,31525−14%

06Graham County, NCNC8,19025−10%

07Gates County, NCNC10,23427−12%

08Bertie County, NCNC17,08629+3%

09Bladen County, NCNC30,00733−11%

10Pender County, NCNC72,11133−30%

11Clay County, NCNC12,23933−18%

12Pamlico County, NCNC12,75834−12%

13Madison County, NCNC22,55338−14%

14Northampton County, NCNC16,49139−6%

15Warren County, NCNC18,89840−14%

16Washington County, NCNC10,63840+2%

17Alleghany County, NCNC11,47941−10%

18Perquimans County, NCNC13,49042−8%

19Anson County, NCNC21,75844−7%

20Cherokee County, NCNC30,83044−17%

21Macon County, NCNC39,23246−21%

22Montgomery County, NCNC26,40347−13%

23Caswell County, NCNC22,56349−12%

24Duplin County, NCNC51,57149−18%

25Yancey County, NCNC19,08449−13%

26Sampson County, NCNC61,50450−21%

27Beaufort County, NCNC44,67051−6%

28Ashe County, NCNC27,51452−9%

29Currituck County, NCNC33,15852−24%

30Columbus County, NCNC50,48753−9%

31Jackson County, NCNC45,03955−19%

32Martin County, NCNC21,60155−2%

33Chatham County, NCNC85,11157−21%

34Greene County, NCNC20,70058−19%

35Hoke County, NCNC56,93959−32%

36Dare County, NCNC38,24559−24%

37Brunswick County, NCNC174,70260−30%

38Avery County, NCNC18,11060−13%

39Polk County, NCNC20,53361−21%

40Hertford County, NCNC19,01564−0%

41Mitchell County, NCNC15,06265−8%

42Transylvania County, NCNC34,21167−13%

43Granville County, NCNC61,42172−21%

44Franklin County, NCNC82,03774−23%

45Halifax County, NCNC46,53477−3%

46Person County, NCNC40,63677−15%

47Chowan County, NCNC14,08278−7%

48Wilkes County, NCNC66,23379−10%

49McDowell County, NCNC45,19881−15%

50Stokes County, NCNC46,12683−17%

51Moore County, NCNC110,61985−21%

52Haywood County, NCNC63,36985−13%

53Yadkin County, NCNC38,32591−16%

54Richmond County, NCNC42,04194−4%

55Rutherford County, NCNC65,745101−10%

56Johnston County, NCNC256,448103−33%

57Carteret County, NCNC70,469104−11%

58Davie County, NCNC45,855106−20%

59Scotland County, NCNC33,322106−6%

60Alexander County, NCNC36,958106−18%

61Robeson County, NCNC119,941111−15%

62Edgecombe County, NCNC49,121112+2%

63Harnett County, NCNC150,137114−25%

64Craven County, NCNC105,025116−11%

65Surry County, NCNC72,287116−13%

66Watauga County, NCNC54,786118−13%

67Stanly County, NCNC68,830131−11%

68Union County, NCNC267,674133−32%

69Randolph County, NCNC149,516136−18%

70Pasquotank County, NCNC42,201138−10%

71Nash County, NCNC99,365142−12%

72Lenoir County, NCNC55,837144−4%

73Burke County, NCNC88,655150−15%

74Caldwell County, NCNC81,105150−9%

75Rockingham County, NCNC94,195152−6%

76Vance County, NCNC42,638154−9%

77Iredell County, NCNC211,798162−24%

78Lee County, NCNC70,258162−16%

79Pitt County, NCNC182,936165−19%

80Lincoln County, NCNC98,654170−21%

81Wilson County, NCNC81,150180−11%

82Cleveland County, NCNC103,325182−12%

83Henderson County, NCNC122,375186−22%

84Wayne County, NCNC122,278189−8%

85Onslow County, NCNC217,175197−0%

86Rowan County, NCNC155,096216−15%

87Davidson County, NCNC180,182229−14%

88Orange County, NCNC152,498236−21%

89Alamance County, NCNC186,177256−17%

90Buncombe County, NCNC277,417266−15%

91Cabarrus County, NCNC249,725274−25%

92Catawba County, NCNC170,172295−16%

93Cumberland County, NCNC338,473421−9%

94Gaston County, NCNC246,558492−8%

95Wake County, NCNC1,257,235507−33%

96Guilford County, NCNC562,234538−17%

97New Hanover County, NCNC245,959626−25%

98Durham County, NCNC347,240632−19%

99Forsyth County, NCNC401,718652−13%

100Mecklenburg County, NCNC1,233,383977−26%

SHOWING 1–100 OF 100

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