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 inhabitants, while the 28th-largest by land area spanning of land. North Carolina is divided into 100 counties and contains 551 municipalities consisting of cities, towns, or villages. The three different terms have no legal distinction.

Map

Most populous municipalities

Below is a list of the 50 most populous municipalities in North Carolina according to the 2020 census and 2025 census estimate.

Name (2025)Population (2020)ChangeTypeCounty Charlotte† City Mecklenburg Raleigh‡ City Wake (seat), Durham Greensboro† City Guilford Durham† City Durham (seat), Wake, Orange Winston-Salem† City Forsyth Fayetteville† City Cumberland Cary Town Wake, Chatham, Durham Wilmington† City New Hanover High Point City Guilford, Randolph, Davidson, Forsyth Concord† City Cabarrus Greenville† City Pitt Asheville† City Buncombe Gastonia† City Gaston Apex Town Wake Jacksonville† City Onslow Huntersville Town Mecklenburg Chapel Hill Town Orange, Durham Kannapolis City Cabarrus, Rowan Burlington City Alamance Wake Forest Town Wake, Franklin Mooresville Town Iredell Rocky Mount City Edgecombe, Nash Holly Springs Town Wake Wilson† City Wilson Fuquay-Varina Town Wake Hickory City Catawba, Burke, Caldwell Indian Trail Town Union Monroe† City Union Garner Town Wake Salisbury† City Rowan Leland Town Brunswick Cornelius Town Mecklenburg Goldsboro† City Wayne New Bern† City Craven Sanford† City Lee Matthews Town Mecklenburg Clayton Town Johnston, Wake Morrisville Town Wake, Durham Statesville† City Iredell Mint Hill Town Mecklenburg, Union Kernersville Town Forsyth, Guilford Asheboro† City Randolph Thomasville City Davidson, Randolph Shelby† City Cleveland Knightdale Town Wake Waxhaw Town Union Clemmons Village Forsyth Mebane City Alamance, Orange Carrboro Town Orange Harrisburg Town Cabarrus

A

B

C

D

E

F

G

H

I

J

K

L

M

N

O

P

R

S

T

U

V

W

Y

Z Zebulon – town, Wake County

See also North Carolina statistical areas List of counties in North Carolina List of census-designated places in North Carolina List of unincorporated communities in North Carolina

References

External links North Carolina League of Municipalities