North Carolina Population By County in 2020

Updated on June 16, 2025.

Based on the US Census Vintage data estimates, in 2020, the population of North Carolina was 10,449,652. Among all North Carolina counties, Wake had the highest population (1,130,694), followed by Mecklenburg (1,116,263), and Guilford (538,761). Tyrrell was the least populated county (3,234).

Hover over or click on the counties in the map below to see the populations. The data can also be found in a table below. You can use the table to sort, filter, and explore the data further.

You can see similar information for other states and by state for the United States.

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North Carolina Population By County in 2020
North Carolina Population By County in 2020
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County Population % of State Population
Alamance 171620 1.64
Alexander 36410 0.35
Alleghany 10889 0.10
Anson 22034 0.21
Ashe 26590 0.25
Avery 17815 0.17
Beaufort 44690 0.43
Bertie 17717 0.17
Bladen 29630 0.28
Brunswick 138167 1.32
Buncombe 269704 2.58
Burke 87248 0.84
Cabarrus 227235 2.17
Caldwell 80584 0.77
Camden 10407 0.10
Carteret 67695 0.65
Caswell 22473 0.22
Catawba 160889 1.54
Chatham 76662 0.73
Cherokee 28864 0.28
Chowan 13707 0.13
Clay 11145 0.11
Cleveland 99945 0.96
Columbus 50475 0.48
Craven 101505 0.97
Cumberland 337195 3.23
Currituck 28404 0.27
Dare 37038 0.35
Davidson 169050 1.62
Davie 42894 0.41
Duplin 48668 0.47
Durham 322505 3.09
Edgecombe 48780 0.47
Forsyth 382634 3.66
Franklin 69028 0.66
Gaston 228625 2.19
Gates 10450 0.10
Graham 8039 0.08
Granville 60151 0.58
Greene 20438 0.20
Guilford 538761 5.16
Halifax 48416 0.46
Harnett 133716 1.28
Haywood 62218 0.60
Henderson 116571 1.12
Hertford 21787 0.21
Hoke 52249 0.50
Hyde 4514 0.04
Iredell 187696 1.80
Jackson 42146 0.40
Johnston 217426 2.08
Jones 9145 0.09
Lee 63402 0.61
Lenoir 55058 0.53
Lincoln 87169 0.83
McDowell 44554 0.43
Macon 37095 0.36
Madison 21295 0.20
Martin 21959 0.21
Mecklenburg 1116263 10.68
Mitchell 14898 0.14
Montgomery 25720 0.25
Moore 100293 0.96
Nash 95159 0.91
New Hanover 226442 2.17
Northampton 17439 0.17
Onslow 205111 1.96
Orange 143732 1.38
Pamlico 12312 0.12
Pasquotank 40270 0.39
Pender 60625 0.58
Perquimans 13022 0.13
Person 39187 0.38
Pitt 173643 1.66
Polk 19380 0.19
Randolph 144407 1.38
Richmond 42725 0.41
Robeson 115967 1.11
Rockingham 91214 0.87
Rowan 146909 1.41
Rutherford 64357 0.62
Sampson 59070 0.56
Scotland 33420 0.32
Stanly 62679 0.60
Stokes 44579 0.43
Surry 71371 0.68
Swain 14103 0.14
Transylvania 33258 0.32
Tyrrell 3234 0.03
Union 239688 2.29
Vance 42559 0.41
Wake 1130694 10.82
Warren 18601 0.18
Washington 10981 0.11
Watauga 54470 0.52
Wayne 117772 1.13
Wilkes 65872 0.63
Wilson 79301 0.76
Yadkin 37253 0.36
Yancey 18496 0.18