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North Carolina is a state located in the Southern United States. According to the 2020 United States census, North Carolina is the 9th-most populous state with 10,439,388 inhabitants, but the 28th-largest by land area spanning 53,819 square miles (139,390 km2) of land.[1][2] North Carolina is divided into 100 counties and contains 551 municipalities consisting of cities, towns, or villages.[3] The three different terms have no legal distinction.
Most populous municipalities in North Carolina. Red dots represent top 10 municipalities; Green dots represent top 11-20 municipalities.
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‡ State capital and county seat
† County seat
Below is a list of the 50 most populous municipalities in North Carolina according to the 2020 census and 2023 census estimate.[4][5][6]
| Name | Population (2023) | Population (2020) | Change | Type | County |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Charlotte† | 911,311 | 874,579 | +4.20% | City | Mecklenburg |
| Raleigh‡ | 482,295 | 467,665 | +3.13% | City | Wake (seat), Durham |
| Greensboro† | 302,296 | 299,035 | +1.09% | City | Guilford |
| Durham† | 296,186 | 283,506 | +4.47% | City | Durham (seat), Wake, Orange |
| Winston-Salem† | 252,975 | 249,545 | +1.37% | City | Forsyth |
| Fayetteville† | 209,749 | 208,501 | +0.60% | City | Cumberland |
| Cary | 180,010 | 174,721 | +3.03% | Town | Wake, Chatham |
| Wilmington† | 122,698 | 115,451 | +6.28% | City | New Hanover |
| High Point | 116,926 | 114,059 | +2.51% | City | Guilford, Randolph, Davidson, Forsyth |
| Concord† | 110,119 | 105,240 | +4.64% | City | Cabarrus |
| Asheville† | 95,056 | 94,589 | +0.49% | City | Buncombe |
| Greenville† | 90,053 | 87,521 | +2.89% | City | Pitt |
| Gastonia† | 83,942 | 80,411 | +4.39% | City | Gaston |
| Jacksonville† | 72,879 | 72,723 | +0.21% | City | Onslow |
| Apex | 72,225 | 58,780 | +22.87% | Town | Wake |
| Huntersville | 64,688 | 61,376 | +5.40% | Town | Mecklenburg |
| Chapel Hill | 62,043 | 61,960 | +0.13% | Town | Orange, Durham |
| Burlington | 60,032 | 57,303 | +4.76% | City | Alamance |
| Kannapolis | 59,321 | 53,114 | +11.69% | City | Cabarrus, Rowan |
| Wake Forest | 54,337 | 47,601 | +14.15% | Town | Wake, Franklin |
| Rocky Mount | 54,245 | 54,341 | −0.18% | City | Edgecombe, Nash |
| Mooresville | 53,721 | 50,193 | +7.03% | Town | Iredell |
| Wilson† | 47,833 | 47,851 | −0.04% | City | Wilson |
| Holly Springs | 46,271 | 41,239 | +12.20% | Town | Wake |
| Hickory | 44,415 | 43,490 | +2.13% | City | Catawba, Burke, Caldwell |
| Fuquay-Varina | 43,817 | 34,152 | +28.30% | Town | Wake |
| Indian Trail | 42,854 | 39,997 | +7.14% | Town | Union |
| Monroe† | 37,797 | 34,562 | +9.36% | City | Union |
| Salisbury† | 36,319 | 35,540 | +2.19% | City | Rowan |
| Garner | 35,265 | 31,159 | +13.18% | Town | Wake |
| Goldsboro† | 33,469 | 33,657 | −0.56% | City | Wayne |
| Cornelius | 33,139 | 31,412 | +5.50% | Town | Mecklenburg |
| New Bern† | 32,226 | 31,291 | +2.99% | City | Craven |
| Sanford† | 32,064 | 30,261 | +5.96% | City | Lee |
| Morrisville | 31,703 | 29,630 | +7.00% | Town | Wake, Durham |
| Matthews | 30,934 | 29,435 | +5.09% | Town | Mecklenburg |
| Leland | 30,542 | 22,908 | +33.32% | Town | Brunswick |
| Statesville† | 30,220 | 28,419 | +6.34% | City | Iredell |
| Clayton | 30,216 | 26,307 | +14.86% | Town | Johnston, Wake |
| Kernersville | 28,016 | 26,449 | +5.92% | Town | Forsyth, Guilford |
| Mint Hill | 27,815 | 26,450 | +5.16% | Town | Mecklenburg, Union |
| Asheboro† | 27,726 | 27,156 | +2.10% | City | Randolph |
| Thomasville | 27,435 | 27,183 | +0.93% | City | Davidson, Randolph |
| Waxhaw | 23,073 | 20,534 | +12.36% | Town | Union |
| Clemmons | 22,159 | 21,163 | +4.71% | Village | Forsyth |
| Shelby† | 22,010 | 21,918 | +0.42% | City | Cleveland |
| Carrboro | 21,103 | 21,295 | −0.90% | Town | Orange |
| Knightdale | 20,275 | 19,435 | +4.32% | Town | Wake |
| Mebane | 20,212 | 17,797 | +13.57% | City | Alamance, Orange |
| Harrisburg | 19,883 | 18,967 | +4.83% | Town | Cabarrus |
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- Aberdeen – town, Moore County
- Ahoskie – town, Hertford County
- Alamance – village, Alamance County
- Albemarle – city, Stanly County
- Alliance – town, Pamlico County
- Andrews – town, Cherokee County
- Angier – town, Harnett County
- Ansonville – town, Anson County
- Apex – town, Wake County
- Arapahoe – town, Pamlico County
- Archdale – city, Randolph County
- Archer Lodge – town, Johnston County
- Asheboro – city, Randolph County
- Asheville – city, Buncombe County
- Askewville – town, Bertie County
- Atkinson – town, Pender County
- Atlantic Beach – town, Carteret County
- Aulander – town, Bertie County
- Aurora – town, Beaufort County
- Autryville – town, Sampson County
- Ayden – town, Pitt County
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- Badin – town, Stanly County
- Bailey – town, Nash County
- Bakersville – town, Mitchell County
- Bald Head Island – village, Brunswick County
- Banner Elk – town, Avery County
- Bath – town, Beaufort County
- Bayboro – town, Pamlico County
- Bear Grass – town, Martin County
- Beaufort – town, Carteret County
- Beech Mountain – town, Avery County
- Belhaven – town, Beaufort County
- Belmont – city, Gaston County
- Belville – town, Brunswick County
- Belwood – town, Cleveland County
- Benson – town, Johnston County
- Bermuda Run – town Davie County
- Bessemer City – city, Gaston County
- Bethania – town, Forsyth County
- Bethel – town, Pitt County
- Beulaville – town, Duplin County
- Biltmore Forest – town, Buncombe County
- Biscoe – town, Montgomery County
- Black Creek – town, Wilson County
- Black Mountain – town, Buncombe County
- Bladenboro – town, Bladen County
- Blowing Rock – town, Watauga County
- Boardman – town, Columbus County
- Bogue – town, Carteret County
- Boiling Spring Lakes – city, Brunswick County
- Boiling Springs – town, Cleveland County
- Bolivia – town, Brunswick County
- Bolton – town, Columbus County
- Boone – town, Watauga County
- Boonville – town, Yadkin County
- Bostic – town, Rutherford County
- Brevard – city, Transylvania County
- Bridgeton – town, Craven County
- Broadway – town, Lee County
- Brookford – town, Catawba County
- Brunswick – town, Columbus County
- Bryson City – town, Swain County
- Bunn – town, Franklin County
- Burgaw – town, Pender County
- Burlington – city, Alamance County
- Burnsville – town, Yancey County
- Butner – town, Granville County
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- Cajah's Mountain – town, Caldwell County
- Calabash – town, Brunswick County
- Calypso – town, Duplin County
- Camden – town, Camden County
- Cameron – town, Moore County
- Candor – town, Montgomery County
- Canton – town, Haywood County
- Cape Carteret – town, Carteret County
- Carolina Beach – town, New Hanover County
- Carolina Shores – town, Brunswick County
- Carrboro – town, Orange County
- Carthage – town, Moore County
- Cary – town, Wake County & Chatham County
- Casar – town, Cleveland County
- Castalia – town, Nash County
- Caswell Beach – town, Brunswick County
- Catawba – town, Catawba County
- Cedar Grove – village, Orange County
- Cedar Point – town, Carteret County
- Cedar Rock – village, Caldwell County
- Cerro Gordo – town, Columbus County
- Chadbourn – town, Columbus County
- Chapel Hill – town, Orange County
- Charlotte – city, Mecklenburg County
- Cherryville – town, Gaston County
- Chimney Rock – village, Rutherford County
- China Grove – town, Rowan County
- Chocowinity – town, Beaufort County
- Claremont – city, Catawba County
- Clarkton – town, Bladen County
- Clayton – town, Johnston County
- Clemmons – village, Forsyth County
- Cleveland – town, Rowan County
- Clinton – town, Sampson County
- Clyde – town, Haywood County
- Coats – town, Harnett County
- Cofield – village, Hertford County
- Colerain – town, Bertie County
- Columbia – town , Tyrrell County
- Columbus – town, Polk County
- Como – town, Hertford County
- Concord – city, Cabarrus County
- Conetoe – town, Edgecombe County
- Connelly Springs – town, Burke County
- Conover – city, Catawba County
- Conway – town, Northampton County
- Cooleemee – town, Davie County
- Cornelius – town, Mecklenburg County
- Cove City – town, Craven County
- Cramerton – town, Gaston County
- Creedmoor – town, Granville County
- Creswell – town, Washington County
- Crossnore – town, Avery County
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- Dallas – town, Gaston County
- Danbury – city, Stokes County
- Davidson – town, Mecklenburg County
- Denton – town, Davidson County
- Dillsboro – town, Jackson County
- Dobbins Heights – town, Richmond County
- Dobson – town, Surry County
- Dortches – town, Nash County
- Dover – town, Craven County
- Drexel – town, Burke County
- Dublin – town, Bladen County
- Duck – town, Dare County
- Dunn – town, Harnett County
- Durham – city, Durham County
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- Earl – town, Cleveland County
- East Arcadia – town, Bladen County
- East Bend – town, Yadkin County
- East Spencer – town, Rowan County
- Eastover – town, Cumberland County
- Eden – town, Rockingham County
- Edenton – town, Chowan County
- Efland – town, Orange County
- Elizabeth City – city, Pasquotank County
- Elizabethtown – town, Bladen County
- Elk Park – town, Avery County
- Elkin – town, Surry County
- Ellenboro – town, Rutherford County
- Ellerbe – town, Richmond County
- Elm City – town, Wilson County
- Elon – town, Alamance County
- Emerald Isle – town, Carteret County
- Enfield – town, Halifax County
- Erwin – town, Harnett County
- Eureka – town, Wayne County
- Everetts – town, Martin County
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- Fair Bluff – town, Columbus County
- Fairmont – town, Robeson County
- Fairview – town, Union County
- Faison – town, Duplin County
- Faith – town, Rowan County
- Falcon – town, Cumberland County & Sampson County
- Falkland – town, Pitt County
- Fallston – hamlet, Cleveland County
- Farmville – town, Pitt County
- Fayetteville – city, Cumberland County
- Flat Rock – village, Henderson County
- Fletcher – town, Henderson County
- Forest City – town, Rutherford County
- Forest Hills – village, Jackson County
- Fountain – town, Pitt County
- Four Oaks – town, Johnston County
- Foxfire – village, Moore County
- Franklin – town, Macon County
- Franklinton – town, Franklin County
- Franklinville – town, Randolph County
- Fremont – town, Wayne County
- Fuquay-Varina – town, Wake County
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- Gamewell – town, Caldwell County
- Garland – town, Sampson County
- Garner – town, Wake County
- Garysburg – town, Northampton County
- Gaston – town, Northampton County
- Gastonia – city, Gaston County
- Gatesville – town, Gates County
- Gibson – town, Scotland County
- Gibsonville – town, Alamance County & Guilford County
- Glen Alpine – town, Burke County
- Godwin – town, Cumberland County
- Goldsboro – city, Wayne County
- Graham – town, Alamance County
- Grandfather – village, Avery County
- Granite Falls – town, Caldwell County
- Granite Quarry – town, Rowan County
- Grantsboro – town, Pamlico County
- Green Level – town, Alamance County
- Greenevers – town, Duplin County
- Greensboro – city, Guilford County
- Greenville – city, Pitt County
- Grifton – town, Pitt County & Lenoir County
- Grimesland – town, Pitt County
- Grover – town, Cleveland County
- Halifax – town, Halifax County
- Hamilton – town, Martin County
- Hamlet – city, Richmond County
- Harmony – town, Iredell County
- Harrells – town
- Harrellsville – town, Hertford County
- Harrisburg – town, Cabarrus County
- Hassell – town, Martin County
- Havelock – city, Craven County
- Haw River – town, Alamance County
- Hayesville – town, Clay County
- Hemby Bridge – town, Union County
- Henderson – town, Vance County
- Hendersonville – town, Henderson County
- Hertford – town, Perquimans County
- Hickory – city, Catawba County
- High Point – city
- High Shoals – town, Gaston County
- Highlands – town, Macon County
- Hildebran – town, Burke County
- Hillsborough – town, Orange County
- Hobgood – town, Halifax County
- Hoffman – town, Richmond County
- Holden Beach – town, Brunswick County
- Holly Ridge – town, Onslow County
- Holly Springs – town, Wake County
- Hookerton – town, Greene County
- Hope Mills – town, Cumberland County
- Hot Springs – town, Madison County
- Hudson – town, Caldwell County
- Huntersville – town, Mecklenburg County
- Indian Beach – town, Carteret County
- Indian Trail – town, Union County
- Jackson – town, Northampton County
- Jacksonville – city, Onslow County
- Jamestown – town, Guilford County
- Jamesville – town, Martin County
- Jefferson – town, Ashe County
- Jonesville – town, Yadkin County
- Kannapolis – city, Cabarrus County & Rowan County
- Kelford – town, Bertie County
- Kenansville – town, Duplin County
- Kenly – town, Johnston County & Wilson County
- Kernersville – town, Forsyth County
- Kill Devil Hills – town, Dare County
- King – town, Stokes County
- Kings Mountain – city, Cleveland County & Gaston County
- Kingstown – town, Cleveland County
- Kinston – city, Lenoir County
- Kittrell – village, Vance County
- Kitty Hawk – town, Dare County
- Knightdale – town, Wake County
- Kure Beach – town, New Hanover County
- La Grange – town, Lenoir County
- Lake Lure – town, Rutherford County
- Lake Park – village, Union County
- Lake Santeetlah – town, Graham County
- Lake Waccamaw – town, Columbus County
- Landis – town, Rowan County
- Lansing – town, Ashe County
- Lasker – town, Northampton County
- Lattimore – town, Cleveland County
- Laurel Park – town, Henderson County
- Laurinburg – city, Scotland County
- Lawndale – town, Cleveland County
- Leggett – town, Edgecombe County
- Leland – town, Brunswick County
- Lenoir – city, Caldwell County
- Lewiston Woodville – town, Bertie County
- Lewisville – town, Forsyth County
- Lexington – city, Davidson County
- Liberty – town, Randolph County
- Lilesville – town, Anson County
- Lillington – town, Harnett County
- Lincolnton – city, Lincoln County
- Linden – town, Cumberland County
- Littleton – town, Halifax County
- Locust – city, Stanly County & Cabarrus County
- Long View – town, Burke County & Catawba County
- Louisburg – town, Franklin County
- Love Valley – town, Iredell County
- Lowell – city, Gaston County
- Lucama – town, Wilson County
- Lumber Bridge – town, Robeson County
- Lumberton – city, Robeson County
- Macclesfield
- Macon – town, Warren County
- Madison
- Maggie Valley
- Magnolia
- Maiden – town, Catawba County
- Manteo – town, Dare County
- Marietta
- Marion – town, McDowell County
- Marshville
- Mars Hill – town, Madison County
- Marshall – town, Madison County
- Marvin
- Matthews – town, Mecklenburg County
- Maxton
- Mayodan – town, Rockingham County
- Maysville
- McAdenville
- McDonald
- McFarlan
- Mebane
- Mesic
- Micro – town, Johnston County
- Middleburg – town, Vance County
- Middlesex
- Midland
- Midway
- Mills River
- Milton
- Mineral Springs
- Minnesott Beach
- Mint Hill
- Misenheimer
- Mocksville – town, Davie County
- Momeyer
- Monroe – town, Union County
- Montreat
- Mooresboro
- Mooresville – town, Iredell County
- Morehead City – town, Carteret County
- Morganton – city, Burke County
- Morrisville
- Morven
- Mount Airy – town, Surry County
- Mount Gilead
- Mount Holly
- Mount Olive
- Mount Pleasant
- Murfreesboro – town, Hertford County
- Murphy – town, Cherokee County
- Nags Head
- Nashville – town, Nash County
- Navassa
- New Bern – city, Craven County
- New London
- Newland – town, Avery County
- Newport
- Newton – city,seat, Catawba County
- Newton Grove
- Norlina – town, Warren County
- Norman
- North Topsail Beach
- North Wilkesboro – town, Wilkes County
- Northwest
- Norwood
- Pantego
- Parkton
- Parmele
- Patterson Springs
- Peachland
- Peletier
- Pembroke
- Pikeville
- Pilot Mountain
- Pine Knoll Shores – town, Carteret County
- Pine Level
- Pinebluff
- Pinehurst – town, Moore County
- Pinetops – town, Edgecombe County
- Pineville
- Pink Hill
- Pittsboro
- Pleasant Garden
- Plymouth – town, Washington County
- Polkton
- Polkville
- Pollocksville
- Powellsville
- Princeton
- Princeville
- Proctorville
- Raeford – town, Hoke County
- Raleigh – city, Wake County
- Ramseur
- Randleman
- Ranlo
- Raynham
- Red Cross
- Red Oak – town, Nash County
- Red Springs – town, Robeson County
- Reidsville – city, Rockingham County
- Rennert
- Rhodhiss
- Rich Square
- Richfield
- Richlands
- River Bend
- Roanoke Rapids – city, Halifax County
- Robbins
- Robbinsville
- Robersonville
- Rockingham – city, Richmond County
- Rockwell
- Rocky Mount
- Rolesville – town, Wake County
- Ronda
- Roper
- Rose Hill – city, Duplin County
- Roseboro
- Rosman
- Rowland
- Roxboro – city, Person County
- Roxobel
- Rural Hall
- Ruth
- Rutherford College
- Rutherfordton – town, Rutherford County
- Salemburg
- Salisbury – town, Rowan County
- Saluda
- Sandy Creek
- Sandyfield
- Sanford – city, Lee County
- Saratoga
- Sawmills
- Scotland Neck – town, Halifax County
- Seaboard
- Seagrove
- Sedalia
- Selma – town, Johnston County
- Seven Devils
- Seven Springs
- Severn
- Shallotte – town, Brunswick County
- Sharpsburg
- Shelby – city, Cleveland County
- Siler City – town, Chatham County
- Simpson
- Sims
- Smithfield
- Snow Hill – town, Greene County
- Southern Pines
- Southern Shores – town, Dare County
- Southport – town, Brunswick County
- Sparta – town, Alleghany County
- Speed
- Spencer
- Spencer Mountain – town, Gaston County
- Spindale
- Spring Hope
- Spring Lake
- Spruce Pine – town, Mitchell County
- St. Helena
- St. James
- St. Pauls – town, Robeson County
- Staley
- Stallings
- Stanfield
- Stanley
- Stantonsburg
- Star
- Statesville – city, Iredell County
- Stedman
- Stem
- Stokesdale
- Stoneville
- Stonewall
- Stovall
- Sugar Mountain
- Summerfield
- Sunset Beach
- Surf City
- Swansboro – town, Onslow County
- Swepsonville
- Sylva – city, Jackson County
- Tabor City – town, Columbus County
- Tar Heel
- Tarboro – town, Edgecombe County
- Taylorsville – town, Alexander County
- Taylortown
- Teachey
- Thomasville
- Tobaccoville
- Topsail Beach – town, Pender County
- Trent Woods
- Trenton
- Trinity – city, Randolph County
- Troutman
- Troy – town, Montgomery County
- Tryon – town, Polk County
- Turkey
- Waco
- Wade
- Wadesboro – town, Anson County
- Wagram
- Wake Forest – town, Wake County
- Walkertown
- Wallace
- Wallburg – town, Davidson County
- Walnut Cove
- Walnut Creek
- Walstonburg
- Wanchese – village, Dare County
- Warrenton – town, Warren County
- Warsaw – town, Duplin County
- Washington – city, Beaufort County
- Washington Park
- Watha
- Waxhaw – town, Union County
- Waynesville – city, Haywood County
- Weaverville
- Webster
- Weddington
- Weldon – town, Halifax County
- Wendell – town, Wake County
- Wentworth
- Wesley Chapel
- West Jefferson – town, Ashe County
- Whispering Pines
- Whitakers
- White Lake
- Whiteville – city, Columbus County
- Whitsett
- Wilkesboro – town, Wilkes County
- Williamston
- Wilmington – city, New Hanover County
- Wilson – city, Wilson County
- Wilson's Mills
- Windsor – town, Bertie County
- Winfall
- Wingate
- Winston-Salem – city, Forsyth County
- Winterville
- Winton
- Woodfin
- Woodland
- Wrightsville Beach – town, New Hanover County
- Yadkinville – town, Yadkin County
- Yanceyville – town, Caswell County
- Youngsville – town, Franklin County
- Zebulon – town, Wake County
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