RANKING · 2020 CENSUS · 100 SHOWN OF 100

Most sparsely populated, North Carolina counties · 2020

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, NCNC4,5547−21%

02Tyrrell County, NCNC3,5378−22%

03Jones County, NCNC9,57519−12%

04Bertie County, NCNC17,08626−9%

05Swain County, NCNC14,02427+9%

06Graham County, NCNC8,19028+0%

07Gates County, NCNC10,23431−0%

08Washington County, NCNC10,63832−20%

09Northampton County, NCNC16,49133−21%

10Bladen County, NCNC30,00734−8%

11Pamlico County, NCNC12,75836−5%

12Anson County, NCNC21,75841−13%

13Camden County, NCNC11,31543+50%

14Warren County, NCNC18,89843−7%

15Alleghany County, NCNC11,47946+2%

16Madison County, NCNC22,55347+8%

17Martin County, NCNC21,60148−14%

18Clay County, NCNC12,23952+26%

19Montgomery County, NCNC26,40352−4%

20Perquimans County, NCNC13,49053+14%

21Caswell County, NCNC22,56353−3%

22Beaufort County, NCNC44,67054−1%

23Columbus County, NCNC50,48754−8%

24Yancey County, NCNC19,08459+4%

25Duplin County, NCNC51,57160−1%

26Hertford County, NCNC19,01561−5%

27Ashe County, NCNC27,51462+9%

28Sampson County, NCNC61,50462−2%

29Cherokee County, NCNC30,83063+18%

30Halifax County, NCNC46,53467−15%

31Mitchell County, NCNC15,06267−5%

32Pender County, NCNC72,11169+47%

33Macon County, NCNC39,23272+24%

34Avery County, NCNC18,11072+4%

35Greene County, NCNC20,70077+8%

36Chowan County, NCNC14,08279−6%

37Polk County, NCNC20,53381+5%

38Transylvania County, NCNC34,21187+12%

39Wilkes County, NCNC66,23388+1%

40Jackson County, NCNC45,03988+30%

41Richmond County, NCNC42,04191−8%

42Dare County, NCNC38,24596+23%

43Edgecombe County, NCNC49,12197−12%

44Stokes County, NCNC46,12699−0%

45Person County, NCNC40,636100+10%

46McDowell County, NCNC45,198101+6%

47Scotland County, NCNC33,322107−5%

48Currituck County, NCNC33,158107+54%

49Yadkin County, NCNC38,325111+2%

50Chatham County, NCNC85,111112+55%

51Haywood County, NCNC63,369112+15%

52Rutherford County, NCNC65,745114+2%

53Granville County, NCNC61,421115+26%

54Robeson County, NCNC119,941123−6%

55Carteret County, NCNC70,469133+14%

56Hoke County, NCNC56,939133+55%

57Surry County, NCNC72,287134+0%

58Lenoir County, NCNC55,837138−8%

59Franklin County, NCNC82,037139+45%

60Alexander County, NCNC36,958140+8%

61Craven County, NCNC105,025143+10%

62Moore County, NCNC110,619143+33%

63Stanly County, NCNC68,830158+8%

64Brunswick County, NCNC174,702161+87%

65Rockingham County, NCNC94,195161−1%

66Davie County, NCNC45,855162+23%

67Vance County, NCNC42,638169−1%

68Caldwell County, NCNC81,105171+4%

69Burke County, NCNC88,655173−2%

70Watauga County, NCNC54,786173+27%

71Nash County, NCNC99,365176+9%

72Pasquotank County, NCNC42,201179+16%

73Randolph County, NCNC149,516184+11%

74Wayne County, NCNC122,278212+4%

75Wilson County, NCNC81,150214+7%

76Cleveland County, NCNC103,325214+3%

77Harnett County, NCNC150,137224+47%

78Lee County, NCNC70,258248+29%

79Pitt County, NCNC182,936261+27%

80Onslow County, NCNC217,175268+36%

81Johnston County, NCNC256,448273+77%

82Rowan County, NCNC155,096287+13%

83Lincoln County, NCNC98,654293+36%

84Davidson County, NCNC180,182305+15%

85Henderson County, NCNC122,375312+30%

86Iredell County, NCNC211,798325+52%

87Orange County, NCNC152,498374+26%

88Union County, NCNC267,674377+93%

89Catawba County, NCNC170,172400+13%

90Alamance County, NCNC186,177405+31%

91Buncombe County, NCNC277,417410+31%

92Cumberland County, NCNC338,473513+10%

93Cabarrus County, NCNC249,725625+72%

94Gaston County, NCNC246,558641+20%

95Guilford County, NCNC562,234838+29%

96Forsyth County, NCNC401,718938+25%

97Durham County, NCNC347,2401,130+45%

98New Hanover County, NCNC245,9591,174+41%

99Wake County, NCNC1,257,2351,353+80%

100Mecklenburg County, NCNC1,233,3832,130+60%

SHOWING 1–100 OF 100

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