List of municipalities in North Carolina
Most populous municipalities in North Carolina. Red dots represent top 10 municipalities; Green dots represent top 11-20 municipalities.
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. 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.
Most populous municipalities
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Below is a list of the 50 most populous municipalities in North Carolina according to the 2020 census and 2023 census estimate.
A
- 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
B
- 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
C
- 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 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
D
- 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
E
- 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
F
- 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
G
- 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
H
- 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
I
- Indian Beach – town, Carteret County
- Indian Trail – town, Union County
J
- Jackson – town, Northampton County
- Jacksonville – city, Onslow County
- Jamestown – town, Guilford County
- Jamesville – town, Martin County
- Jefferson – town, Ashe County
- Jonesville – town, Yadkin County
K
- 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
L
- 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
M
- Macclesfield - town, Edgecombe County
- Macon – town, Warren County
- Madison – town, Rockingham County
- Maggie Valley – town, Haywood County
- Magnolia – town, Duplin County
- Maiden – town, Catawba County
- Manteo – town, Dare County
- Marietta – town, Robeson County
- Marion – town, McDowell County
- Marshville – town, Union County
- Mars Hill – town, Madison County
- Marshall – town, Madison County
- Marvin – village, Union County
- Matthews – town, Mecklenburg County
- Maxton – town, Robeson County
- Mayodan – town, Rockingham County
- Maysville – town, Jones County
- 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 – city, Surry County
- Mount Gilead
- Mount Holly
- Mount Olive
- Mount Pleasant
- Murfreesboro – town, Hertford County
- Murphy – town, Cherokee County
N
- 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
O
P
- 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
R
- 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
S
- 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
- Soul City
- 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
T
- 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
U
V
W
- 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
Y
- Yadkinville – town, Yadkin County
- Yanceyville – town, Caswell County
- Youngsville – town, Franklin County
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