North Carolina · 147 places of 5,000+
Fastest-growing cities in North Carolina, 2020 to 2024
Short answer
Wendell is the fastest-growing city of 5,000+ in North Carolina, +68.6% from 2020 to 2024. Zebulon (+49.2%) is second.
- Fastest
- +68.6%
- Growing
- 129
- Shrinking
- 18
The 20 fastest-growing
Wendell grew fastest, from 9,991 in July 2020 to 16,845 in July 2024, +68.6%. It is the 66th largest of the 147 places ranked. 129 places grew and 18 shrank or held flat; the median change was +4.7%.
By raw numbers the biggest gain was in Charlotte, +68,528 people. At the other end, Rockingham changed by -4.4%. Growth is measured between the July 2020 and July 2024 estimates for places with 5,000 or more residents in 2024, so fast growth from a small base can outrank larger absolute gains.
- 01Wendell+68.6%
- 02Zebulon+49.2%
- 03Angier+45.3%
- 04Leland+36.9%
- 05Holly Ridge+35.9%
- 06Fuquay-Varina+34.0%
- 07Garner+25.3%
- 08Shallotte+24.0%
- 09Locust+23.6%
- 10Rolesville+22.0%
- 11Carolina Shores+19.6%
- 12Clayton+18.9%
- 13Holly Springs+17.1%
- 14Apex+16.5%
- 15Monroe+15.5%
- 16Archer Lodge+14.3%
- 17Wake Forest+14.2%
- 18Boiling Spring Lakes+14.1%
- 19Selma+13.6%
- 20Mebane+13.2%
Dots: the 20 places in the chart. Orange pin: Wendell, ranked first.
All 147 places of 5,000+ ranked
| # | Place | 2024 | Since 2020 | County |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wendell | 16,845 | +68.6% | Wake County |
| 2 | Zebulon | 10,505 | +49.2% | Wake County |
| 3 | Angier | 8,284 | +45.3% | Harnett County +1 |
| 4 | Leland | 34,451 | +36.9% | Brunswick County |
| 5 | Holly Ridge | 5,766 | +35.9% | Onslow County |
| 6 | Fuquay-Varina | 46,317 | +34.0% | Wake County |
| 7 | Garner | 39,345 | +25.3% | Wake County |
| 8 | Shallotte | 5,161 | +24.0% | Brunswick County |
| 9 | Locust | 5,992 | +23.6% | Stanly County +1 |
| 10 | Rolesville | 11,854 | +22.0% | Wake County |
| 11 | Carolina Shores | 5,463 | +19.6% | Brunswick County |
| 12 | Clayton | 31,732 | +18.9% | Johnston County |
| 13 | Holly Springs | 48,674 | +17.1% | Wake County |
| 14 | Apex | 75,977 | +16.5% | Wake County +1 |
| 15 | Monroe | 40,054 | +15.5% | Union County |
| 16 | Archer Lodge | 5,522 | +14.3% | Johnston County |
| 17 | Wake Forest | 56,764 | +14.2% | Wake County +1 |
| 18 | Boiling Spring Lakes | 6,738 | +14.1% | Brunswick County |
| 19 | Selma | 7,228 | +13.6% | Johnston County |
| 20 | Mebane | 20,654 | +13.2% | Alamance County +1 |
| 21 | Smithfield | 12,806 | +12.6% | Johnston County |
| 22 | Graham | 19,311 | +12.5% | Alamance County |
| 23 | Chapel Hill | 64,028 | +12.3% | Orange County +1 |
| 24 | Knightdale | 21,829 | +12.2% | Wake County |
| 25 | St. James | 7,315 | +11.7% | Brunswick County |
| 26 | Waxhaw | 23,178 | +11.5% | Union County |
| 27 | Oak Island | 9,322 | +11.1% | Brunswick County |
| 28 | Aberdeen | 9,573 | +11.0% | Moore County |
| 29 | Lincolnton | 12,353 | +10.9% | Lincoln County |
| 30 | Statesville | 31,693 | +10.8% | Iredell County |
| 31 | Davidson | 16,276 | +9.6% | Mecklenburg County +1 |
| 32 | Kannapolis | 60,521 | +9.3% | Cabarrus County +1 |
| 33 | New Bern | 34,218 | +9.2% | Craven County |
| 34 | Sanford | 32,971 | +9.1% | Lee County |
| 35 | Cornelius | 34,366 | +9.0% | Mecklenburg County |
| 36 | Huntersville | 67,087 | +8.9% | Mecklenburg County |
| 37 | Marvin | 6,985 | +8.9% | Union County |
| 38 | Indian Trail | 43,867 | +8.8% | Union County |
| 39 | Wesley Chapel | 9,495 | +8.8% | Union County |
| 40 | Pineville | 11,567 | +8.7% | Mecklenburg County |
| 41 | Unionville | 7,258 | +8.7% | Union County |
| 42 | Stallings | 17,617 | +8.7% | Union County +1 |
| 43 | Mint Hill | 28,825 | +8.6% | Mecklenburg County |
| 44 | Weddington | 14,391 | +8.6% | Union County +1 |
| 45 | Matthews | 32,048 | +8.6% | Mecklenburg County |
| 46 | Morrisville | 32,628 | +8.5% | Wake County +1 |
| 47 | Whispering Pines | 5,416 | +8.3% | Moore County |
| 48 | Southern Pines | 16,987 | +8.3% | Moore County |
| 49 | Kernersville | 28,760 | +8.2% | Forsyth County +1 |
| 50 | Wilmington | 125,284 | +8.1% | New Hanover County |
| 51 | Charlotte | 943,476 | +7.8% | Mecklenburg County |
| 52 | King | 7,764 | +7.6% | Stokes County +1 |
| 53 | Harrisburg | 20,335 | +7.5% | Cabarrus County |
| 54 | Midland | 5,027 | +7.4% | Cabarrus County |
| 55 | Raleigh | 499,825 | +7.3% | Wake County +1 |
| 56 | Durham | 301,870 | +7.2% | Durham County +2 |
| 57 | Concord | 112,395 | +7.1% | Cabarrus County |
| 58 | Burlington | 61,365 | +6.6% | Alamance County +1 |
| 59 | Gibsonville | 9,744 | +6.6% | Guilford County +1 |
| 60 | Midway | 5,053 | +6.3% | Davidson County |
| 61 | Gastonia | 85,535 | +6.2% | Gaston County |
| 62 | Lewisville | 14,203 | +5.9% | Forsyth County |
| 63 | Clemmons | 22,471 | +5.8% | Forsyth County |
| 64 | Belmont | 16,044 | +5.8% | Gaston County |
| 65 | Albemarle | 17,344 | +5.8% | Stanly County |
| 66 | Walkertown | 6,027 | +5.6% | Forsyth County |
| 67 | Mount Holly | 18,723 | +5.4% | Gaston County |
| 68 | Dallas | 6,270 | +5.4% | Gaston County |
| 69 | Kings Mountain | 11,797 | +5.4% | Cleveland County +1 |
| 70 | Mocksville | 6,224 | +5.2% | Davie County |
| 71 | Cramerton | 5,604 | +5.2% | Gaston County |
| 72 | Bessemer City | 5,730 | +5.1% | Gaston County |
| 73 | Cherryville | 6,385 | +4.8% | Gaston County |
| 74 | Carolina Beach | 6,864 | +4.7% | New Hanover County |
| 75 | Pinehurst | 18,502 | +4.6% | Moore County |
| 76 | Greenville | 95,138 | +4.6% | Pitt County |
| 77 | Mooresville | 52,884 | +4.6% | Iredell County |
| 78 | Waynesville | 10,709 | +4.5% | Haywood County |
| 79 | Cary | 182,659 | +4.5% | Wake County +2 |
| 80 | Siler City | 8,087 | +4.2% | Chatham County |
| 81 | Morehead City | 9,963 | +4.0% | Carteret County |
| 82 | Greensboro | 307,381 | +3.9% | Guilford County |
| 83 | Mills River | 7,426 | +3.9% | Henderson County |
| 84 | Long View | 5,289 | +3.8% | Catawba County +1 |
| 85 | Conover | 8,760 | +3.8% | Catawba County |
| 86 | Shelby | 22,778 | +3.8% | Cleveland County |
| 87 | Dunn | 8,754 | +3.7% | Harnett County |
| 88 | Winterville | 10,899 | +3.7% | Pitt County |
| 89 | Salisbury | 36,579 | +3.5% | Rowan County |
| 90 | Nashville | 5,850 | +3.5% | Nash County |
| 91 | Fletcher | 8,251 | +3.5% | Henderson County |
| 92 | Summerfield | 11,333 | +3.4% | Guilford County |
| 93 | Oak Ridge | 7,900 | +3.4% | Guilford County |
| 94 | High Point | 118,601 | +3.3% | Guilford County +3 |
| 95 | Stokesdale | 6,111 | +3.3% | Guilford County |
| 96 | Elon | 11,282 | +3.2% | Alamance County |
| 97 | Hickory | 45,081 | +3.2% | Catawba County +2 |
| 98 | Newton | 13,571 | +3.2% | Catawba County |
| 99 | Pleasant Garden | 5,151 | +3.1% | Guilford County |
| 100 | Hendersonville | 15,656 | +2.9% | Henderson County |
| 101 | Boone | 20,080 | +2.8% | Watauga County |
| 102 | Creedmoor | 5,049 | +2.7% | Granville County |
| 103 | Winston-Salem | 255,769 | +2.6% | Forsyth County |
| 104 | Tarboro | 10,954 | +2.5% | Edgecombe County |
| 105 | Asheboro | 27,928 | +2.5% | Randolph County |
| 106 | Ayden | 5,190 | +2.5% | Pitt County |
| 107 | Woodfin | 8,158 | +2.3% | Buncombe County |
| 108 | Oxford | 8,972 | +2.2% | Granville County |
| 109 | Trinity | 7,190 | +2.2% | Randolph County |
| 110 | Butner | 8,134 | +2.1% | Granville County |
| 111 | Elizabeth City | 19,028 | +2.1% | Pasquotank County +1 |
| 112 | Archdale | 12,147 | +2.0% | Randolph County +1 |
| 113 | Lexington | 19,904 | +2.0% | Davidson County |
| 114 | Brevard | 7,973 | +2.0% | Transylvania County |
| 115 | Morganton | 17,825 | +1.8% | Burke County |
| 116 | Roxboro | 8,289 | +1.8% | Person County |
| 117 | Thomasville | 27,605 | +1.8% | Davidson County +1 |
| 118 | Hope Mills | 18,102 | +1.6% | Cumberland County |
| 119 | Black Mountain | 8,572 | +1.6% | Buncombe County |
| 120 | Hillsborough | 9,773 | +1.2% | Orange County |
| 121 | Kill Devil Hills | 7,742 | +1.1% | Dare County |
| 122 | Asheville | 94,992 | +0.7% | Buncombe County |
| 123 | Sawmills | 5,059 | +0.7% | Caldwell County |
| 124 | Forest City | 7,397 | +0.4% | Rutherford County |
| 125 | Goldsboro | 34,629 | +0.4% | Wayne County |
| 126 | Reidsville | 14,646 | +0.4% | Rockingham County |
| 127 | Rocky Mount | 54,541 | +0.3% | Nash County +1 |
| 128 | Wilson | 48,579 | +0.2% | Wilson County |
| 129 | Laurinburg | 15,130 | +0.2% | Scotland County |
| 130 | Lumberton | 18,882 | +0.0% | Robeson County |
| 131 | Eden | 15,399 | -0.1% | Rockingham County |
| 132 | Lenoir | 18,280 | -0.4% | Caldwell County |
| 133 | Clinton | 8,317 | -0.6% | Sampson County |
| 134 | Fayetteville | 209,496 | -0.7% | Cumberland County |
| 135 | Mount Airy | 10,583 | -0.8% | Surry County |
| 136 | Carrboro | 21,079 | -0.9% | Orange County |
| 137 | Spring Lake | 11,530 | -1.0% | Cumberland County |
| 138 | Kinston | 19,519 | -1.2% | Lenoir County |
| 139 | Washington | 9,738 | -1.5% | Beaufort County |
| 140 | Henderson | 14,807 | -1.7% | Vance County |
| 141 | Hamlet | 5,888 | -2.2% | Richmond County |
| 142 | Marion | 7,534 | -2.2% | McDowell County |
| 143 | Havelock | 17,407 | -2.8% | Craven County |
| 144 | Williamston | 5,066 | -3.0% | Martin County |
| 145 | Jacksonville | 70,840 | -3.3% | Onslow County |
| 146 | Roanoke Rapids | 14,573 | -4.1% | Halifax County |
| 147 | Rockingham | 8,802 | -4.4% | Richmond County |
Questions people ask
What is the fastest-growing city in North Carolina?
Wendell, up 68.6% from July 2020 to July 2024 among places of 5,000+, to 16,845 residents.
Which North Carolina city added the most people?
Charlotte, which gained 68,528 residents from July 2020 to July 2024.
How many North Carolina cities are shrinking?
18 of 147 places of 5,000+ had the same or fewer residents in July 2024 than in July 2020.
Why use places of 5,000 or more?
Small towns can swing by double-digit percentages from a few new homes, and Census estimates for them carry more uncertainty. The 5,000 floor keeps the ranking to places where a percentage means something.
Sources and data as of
Data as of: Census Vintage 2024 population estimates, 2024 Gazetteer land area and internal points, SAIPE 2023 median household income.
How every number is computed: methodology. Spotted a wrong figure? Report an error.