Largest Cities in North Carolina

Top 100 cities ranked by largest cities

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All Countries · United States · North Carolina

Largest Cities — North Carolina

1 Charlotte 886,283

2 Raleigh 470,763

3 Greensboro 298,564

4 Durham 288,465

5 Winston-Salem 250,887

6 Fayetteville 209,692

7 Cary 176,686

8 Wilmington 118,578

9 High Point 115,263

10 Concord 106,518

11 Asheville 94,369

12 Greenville 88,540

13 Gastonia 81,632

14 Jacksonville 73,507

15 Apex 67,765

16 Huntersville 62,458

17 Chapel Hill 59,889

18 Burlington 58,599

19 Kannapolis 56,470

20 Rocky Mount 54,175

21 Mooresville 51,447

22 Wake Forest 51,199

23 Wilson 47,740

24 Hickory 43,747

25 Holly Springs 43,429

26 Indian Trail 41,146

27 Fuquay-Varina 37,749

28 Salisbury 35,730

29 Monroe 35,596

30 Goldsboro 33,448

31 Garner 32,543

32 Cornelius 32,009

33 New Bern 31,563

34 Sanford 30,833

35 Morrisville 30,471

36 Matthews 29,959

37 Statesville 29,161

38 Clayton 28,043

39 Kernersville 27,439

40 Asheboro 27,353

41 Thomasville 27,261

42 Mint Hill 26,954

43 Leland 26,307

44 Shelby 21,868

45 Clemmons 21,574

46 Waxhaw 21,565

47 Carrboro 21,170

48 Lexington 19,691

49 Kinston 19,576

50 Boone 19,534

51 Knightdale 19,532

52 Lumberton 19,220

53 Harrisburg 19,203

54 Mebane 18,899

55 Elizabeth City 18,740

56 Lenoir 18,282

57 Pinehurst 17,992

58 Mount Holly 17,928

59 Hope Mills 17,823

60 Morganton 17,541

61 Graham 17,537

62 Murraysville 17,307

63 Albemarle 16,527

64 Stallings 16,495

65 Havelock 16,471

66 Southern Pines 16,052

67 Eden 15,353

68 Hendersonville 15,253

69 Belmont 15,140

70 Laurinburg 15,079

71 Roanoke Rapids 15,024

72 Henderson 14,922

73 Davidson 14,852

74 Reidsville 14,547

75 Piney Green 14,205

76 Anderson Creek 14,021

77 Lewisville 13,655

78 Weddington 13,468

79 Newton 13,223

80 Lake Norman of Iredell 12,496

81 Myrtle Grove 12,404

82 Archdale 11,992

83 Smithfield 11,798

84 Spring Lake 11,613

85 Wendell 11,585

86 Lincolnton 11,503

87 Kings Mountain 11,472

88 Elon 11,325

89 Spout Springs 11,073

90 Summerfield 11,031

91 Pineville 10,780

92 Tarboro 10,705

93 Mount Airy 10,631

94 Winterville 10,624

95 Waynesville 10,408

96 Rolesville 10,200

97 Washington 9,754

98 Morehead City 9,696

99 Hillsborough 9,656

100 St. Stephens 9,409

The largest cities in North Carolina represent major centers of economic activity, cultural influence, and population growth. Charlotte leads with a population of 886,283, followed by Raleigh and Greensboro. These cities serve as hubs for employment, education, and innovation, attracting residents from across the country and around the world.

Population size is a key indicator of a city's economic influence and infrastructure capacity. Larger cities typically offer more diverse job markets, extensive public transit systems, and a wider range of cultural amenities. NC dominates the top 10 with 10 cities on the list, reflecting the state's strong economic pull and quality of life.

While large populations bring economic advantages, they also present challenges including higher costs of living, traffic congestion, and housing affordability concerns. Many of these cities have experienced significant growth over the past decade, driven by job opportunities in technology, healthcare, and professional services.

Did You Know?

1. Charlotte's population is larger than that of many small nations.
2. NC has 10 cities in the top 10, more than any other state.
3. The 50th largest city still has a population of 19,534 — larger than most cities worldwide.
4. The top 5 cities combined have a population of 2,194,962.

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