List of municipalities in North Carolina


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.

Most populous municipalities

Below is a list of the 50 most populous municipalities in North Carolina according to the 2020 census and 2024 census estimate.
Name Population ChangeTypeCounty
Charlotte†CityMecklenburg--
Raleigh‡CityWake, Durham--
Greensboro†CityGuilford--
Durham†CityDurham, Wake, Orange--
Winston-Salem†CityForsyth--
Fayetteville†CityCumberland--
CaryTownWake, Chatham, Durham--
Wilmington†CityNew Hanover--
High PointCityGuilford, Randolph, Davidson, Forsyth--
Concord†CityCabarrus--
Greenville†CityPitt--
Asheville†CityBuncombe--
Gastonia†CityGaston--
ApexTownWake--
Jacksonville†CityOnslow--
HuntersvilleTownMecklenburg--
Chapel HillTownOrange, Durham--
BurlingtonCityAlamance--
KannapolisCityCabarrus, Rowan--
Wake ForestTownWake, Franklin--
Rocky MountCityEdgecombe, Nash--
MooresvilleTownIredell--
Holly SpringsTownWake--
Wilson†CityWilson--
Fuquay-VarinaTownWake--
HickoryCityCatawba, Burke, Caldwell--
Indian TrailTownUnion--
Monroe†CityUnion--
GarnerTownWake--
Salisbury†CityRowan--
CorneliusTownMecklenburg--
Goldsboro†CityWayne--
LelandTownBrunswick--
New Bern†CityCraven--
Sanford†CityLee--
MorrisvilleTownWake, Durham--
MatthewsTownMecklenburg--
ClaytonTownJohnston, Wake--
Statesville†CityIredell--
Mint HillTownMecklenburg, Union--
KernersvilleTownForsyth, Guilford--
Asheboro†CityRandolph--
ThomasvilleCityDavidson, Randolph--
WaxhawTownUnion--
ClemmonsVillageForsyth--
Shelby†CityCleveland--
KnightdaleTownWake--
CarrboroTownOrange--
MebaneCityAlamance, Orange--
HarrisburgTownCabarrus--

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