North Carolina Population By County in 2021

Updated on August 1, 2024.

Based on the US Census Vintage data estimates, in 2021, the population of North Carolina was 10,567,100. Among all North Carolina counties, Wake had the highest population (1,152,301), followed by Mecklenburg (1,126,283), and Guilford (542,495). Tyrrell was the least populated county (3,379).

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 2021
North Carolina Population By County in 2021
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County Population % of State Population
Alamance 173968 1.65
Alexander 36364 0.34
Alleghany 11079 0.11
Anson 21905 0.21
Ashe 26757 0.25
Avery 17522 0.17
Beaufort 44462 0.42
Bertie 17371 0.16
Bladen 29544 0.28
Brunswick 144843 1.37
Buncombe 271945 2.57
Burke 87589 0.83
Cabarrus 231788 2.19
Caldwell 80547 0.76
Camden 10821 0.10
Carteret 68729 0.65
Caswell 22691 0.22
Catawba 161675 1.53
Chatham 78141 0.74
Cherokee 29194 0.28
Chowan 13761 0.13
Clay 11375 0.11
Cleveland 100341 0.95
Columbus 50020 0.47
Craven 100396 0.95
Cumberland 337888 3.20
Currituck 29700 0.28
Dare 37914 0.36
Davidson 170717 1.62
Davie 43652 0.41
Duplin 48558 0.46
Durham 329849 3.12
Edgecombe 48333 0.46
Forsyth 386376 3.66
Franklin 71832 0.68
Gaston 231277 2.19
Gates 10403 0.10
Graham 8008 0.08
Granville 61365 0.58
Greene 20280 0.19
Guilford 542495 5.13
Halifax 48353 0.46
Harnett 135586 1.28
Haywood 62522 0.59
Henderson 117155 1.11
Hertford 19953 0.19
Hoke 53179 0.50
Hyde 4643 0.04
Iredell 192186 1.82
Jackson 42587 0.40
Johnston 227302 2.15
Jones 9210 0.09
Lee 64052 0.61
Lenoir 54683 0.52
Lincoln 89941 0.85
McDowell 44530 0.42
Macon 37470 0.36
Madison 21728 0.21
Martin 21741 0.21
Mecklenburg 1126283 10.66
Mitchell 14975 0.14
Montgomery 25862 0.25
Moore 103044 0.98
Nash 95204 0.90
New Hanover 230019 2.18
Northampton 17116 0.16
Onslow 206018 1.95
Orange 148693 1.41
Pamlico 12342 0.12
Pasquotank 40807 0.39
Pender 63020 0.60
Perquimans 13117 0.12
Person 39148 0.37
Pitt 172235 1.63
Polk 19714 0.19
Randolph 145154 1.37
Richmond 42805 0.41
Robeson 116142 1.10
Rockingham 91211 0.86
Rowan 147937 1.40
Rutherford 64616 0.61
Sampson 59022 0.56
Scotland 34285 0.32
Stanly 63100 0.60
Stokes 44625 0.42
Surry 71257 0.67
Swain 14128 0.13
Transylvania 33272 0.32
Tyrrell 3379 0.03
Union 244259 2.31
Vance 42101 0.40
Wake 1152301 10.91
Warren 18798 0.18
Washington 10883 0.10
Watauga 54968 0.52
Wayne 116857 1.11
Wilkes 65826 0.62
Wilson 78241 0.74
Yadkin 37276 0.35
Yancey 18764 0.18