Data / Rankings / Adult cigarette smoking rate, local model estimate / Counties in North Carolina

Counties in North Carolina by adult cigarette smoking rate, local model estimate

Robeson County had the highest adult cigarette smoking rate, local model estimate of 100 counties in 2021, at 25.6%. Wake County had the lowest, at 10.6%. The median was 17.5%. Source: the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

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Highest25.6Robeson County
Lowest10.6Wake County
Median17.5100 counties

Map of counties, 2021

Alamance County: 16.4 %Alexander County: 17.8 %Alleghany County: 20.3 %Anson County: 21.3 %Ashe County: 17.4 %Avery County: 17.5 %Beaufort County: 17.5 %Bertie County: 21.6 %Bladen County: 19.6 %Brunswick County: 13.4 %Buncombe County: 14 %Burke County: 19.2 %Cabarrus County: 14.5 %Caldwell County: 18.8 %Camden County: 16 %Carteret County: 14.8 %Caswell County: 18.7 %Catawba County: 16.8 %Chatham County: 13 %Cherokee County: 17.4 %Chowan County: 18.7 %Clay County: 15.8 %Cleveland County: 19 %Columbus County: 21.4 %Craven County: 16.2 %Cumberland County: 16.3 %Currituck County: 14.9 %Dare County: 12.6 %Davidson County: 18.1 %Davie County: 15.5 %Duplin County: 19.4 %Durham County: 13.1 %Edgecombe County: 20.2 %Forsyth County: 15.7 %Franklin County: 17 %Gaston County: 17.2 %Gates County: 18.8 %Graham County: 18.2 %Granville County: 17.8 %Greene County: 21.5 %Guilford County: 14 %Halifax County: 22.7 %Harnett County: 17.2 %Haywood County: 16.1 %Henderson County: 13.8 %Hertford County: 20.4 %Hoke County: 19 %Hyde County: 20.9 %Iredell County: 14.4 %Jackson County: 16.4 %Johnston County: 16.7 %Jones County: 20.2 %Lee County: 16.8 %Lenoir County: 21.6 %Lincoln County: 16.1 %McDowell County: 18.4 %Macon County: 16.4 %Madison County: 16.4 %Martin County: 19.9 %Mecklenburg County: 12.8 %Mitchell County: 16.6 %Montgomery County: 18.3 %Moore County: 13.1 %Nash County: 17.3 %New Hanover County: 13.4 %Northampton County: 20.2 %Onslow County: 15.7 %Orange County: 10.6 %Pamlico County: 16.1 %Pasquotank County: 15.9 %Pender County: 16.2 %Perquimans County: 16.6 %Person County: 18 %Pitt County: 15.3 %Polk County: 13.2 %Randolph County: 18.8 %Richmond County: 20.9 %Robeson County: 25.6 %Rockingham County: 19.2 %Rowan County: 18.7 %Rutherford County: 18.9 %Sampson County: 19.6 %Scotland County: 23.4 %Stanly County: 17.7 %Stokes County: 18.9 %Surry County: 19 %Swain County: 21.8 %Transylvania County: 13.8 %Tyrrell County: 20.3 %Union County: 13.6 %Vance County: 19.8 %Wake County: 10.6 %Warren County: 20.4 %Washington County: 20.2 %Watauga County: 13.6 %Wayne County: 17.6 %Wilkes County: 19.1 %Wilson County: 19.9 %Yadkin County: 19 %Yancey County: 17.4 %
  • Under 14
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  • 20 and over
%, 2021. Source: CDC, PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, County Data (swc5-untb, fu4u-a9bh, h3ej-a9ec and later releases), adult cigarette smoking rate, crude prevalence. Boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau cartographic boundary files.

Top 40 counties, 2021

Robeson County: 25.6 %Robeson County25.6Scotland County: 23.4 %Scotland County23.4Halifax County: 22.7 %Halifax County22.7Swain County: 21.8 %Swain County21.8Bertie County: 21.6 %Bertie County21.6Lenoir County: 21.6 %Lenoir County21.6Greene County: 21.5 %Greene County21.5Columbus County: 21.4 %Columbus County21.4Anson County: 21.3 %Anson County21.3Hyde County: 20.9 %Hyde County20.9Richmond County: 20.9 %Richmond County20.9Hertford County: 20.4 %Hertford County20.4Warren County: 20.4 %Warren County20.4Alleghany County: 20.3 %Alleghany County20.3Tyrrell County: 20.3 %Tyrrell County20.3Edgecombe County: 20.2 %Edgecombe County20.2Jones County: 20.2 %Jones County20.2Northampton County: 20.2 %Northampton County20.2Washington County: 20.2 %Washington County20.2Martin County: 19.9 %Martin County19.9Wilson County: 19.9 %Wilson County19.9Vance County: 19.8 %Vance County19.8Bladen County: 19.6 %Bladen County19.6Sampson County: 19.6 %Sampson County19.6Duplin County: 19.4 %Duplin County19.4Burke County: 19.2 %Burke County19.2Rockingham County: 19.2 %Rockingham County19.2Wilkes County: 19.1 %Wilkes County19.1Cleveland County: 19 %Cleveland County19Hoke County: 19 %Hoke County19Surry County: 19 %Surry County19Yadkin County: 19 %Yadkin County19Rutherford County: 18.9 %Rutherford County18.9Stokes County: 18.9 %Stokes County18.9Caldwell County: 18.8 %Caldwell County18.8Gates County: 18.8 %Gates County18.8Randolph County: 18.8 %Randolph County18.8Caswell County: 18.7 %Caswell County18.7Chowan County: 18.7 %Chowan County18.7Rowan County: 18.7 %Rowan County18.7Robeson County: 25.6 %Robeson County25.6Scotland County: 23.4 %Scotland County23.4Halifax County: 22.7 %Halifax County22.7Swain County: 21.8 %Swain County21.8Bertie County: 21.6 %Bertie County21.6Lenoir County: 21.6 %Lenoir County21.6Greene County: 21.5 %Greene County21.5Columbus County: 21.4 %Columbus County21.4Anson County: 21.3 %Anson County21.3Hyde County: 20.9 %Hyde County20.9Richmond County: 20.9 %Richmond County20.9Hertford County: 20.4 %Hertford County20.4Warren County: 20.4 %Warren County20.4Alleghany County: 20.3 %Alleghany County20.3Tyrrell County: 20.3 %Tyrrell County20.3Edgecombe County: 20.2 %Edgecombe County20.2Jones County: 20.2 %Jones County20.2Northampton County: 20.2 %Northampton County20.2Washington County: 20.2 %Washington County20.2Martin County: 19.9 %Martin County19.9Wilson County: 19.9 %Wilson County19.9Vance County: 19.8 %Vance County19.8Bladen County: 19.6 %Bladen County19.6Sampson County: 19.6 %Sampson County19.6Duplin County: 19.4 %Duplin County19.4Burke County: 19.2 %Burke County19.2Rockingham County: 19.2 %Rockingham County19.2Wilkes County: 19.1 %Wilkes County19.1Cleveland County: 19 %Cleveland County19Hoke County: 19 %Hoke County19Surry County: 19 %Surry County19Yadkin County: 19 %Yadkin County19Rutherford County: 18.9 %Rutherford County18.9Stokes County: 18.9 %Stokes County18.9Caldwell County: 18.8 %Caldwell County18.8Gates County: 18.8 %Gates County18.8Randolph County: 18.8 %Randolph County18.8Caswell County: 18.7 %Caswell County18.7Chowan County: 18.7 %Chowan County18.7Rowan County: 18.7 %Rowan County18.7
%. Source: CDC, PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, County Data (swc5-untb, fu4u-a9bh, h3ej-a9ec and later releases), adult cigarette smoking rate, crude prevalence. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankCounties2021 (%)
1Robeson County25.6
2Scotland County23.4
3Halifax County22.7
4Swain County21.8
5Bertie County21.6
5Lenoir County21.6
7Greene County21.5
8Columbus County21.4
9Anson County21.3
10Hyde County20.9
10Richmond County20.9
12Hertford County20.4
12Warren County20.4
14Alleghany County20.3
14Tyrrell County20.3
16Edgecombe County20.2
16Jones County20.2
16Northampton County20.2
16Washington County20.2
20Martin County19.9
20Wilson County19.9
22Vance County19.8
23Bladen County19.6
23Sampson County19.6
25Duplin County19.4
26Burke County19.2
26Rockingham County19.2
28Wilkes County19.1
29Cleveland County19
29Hoke County19
29Surry County19
29Yadkin County19
33Rutherford County18.9
33Stokes County18.9
35Caldwell County18.8
35Gates County18.8
35Randolph County18.8
38Caswell County18.7
38Chowan County18.7
38Rowan County18.7
41McDowell County18.4
42Montgomery County18.3
43Graham County18.2
44Davidson County18.1
45Person County18
46Alexander County17.8
46Granville County17.8
48Stanly County17.7
49Wayne County17.6
50Avery County17.5
50Beaufort County17.5
52Ashe County17.4
52Cherokee County17.4
52Yancey County17.4
55Nash County17.3
56Gaston County17.2
56Harnett County17.2
58Franklin County17
59Catawba County16.8
59Lee County16.8
61Johnston County16.7
62Mitchell County16.6
62Perquimans County16.6
64Alamance County16.4
64Jackson County16.4
64Macon County16.4
64Madison County16.4
68Cumberland County16.3
69Craven County16.2
69Pender County16.2
71Haywood County16.1
71Lincoln County16.1
71Pamlico County16.1
74Camden County16
75Pasquotank County15.9
76Clay County15.8
77Forsyth County15.7
77Onslow County15.7
79Davie County15.5
80Pitt County15.3
81Currituck County14.9
82Carteret County14.8
83Cabarrus County14.5
84Iredell County14.4
85Buncombe County14
85Guilford County14
87Henderson County13.8
87Transylvania County13.8
89Union County13.6
89Watauga County13.6
91Brunswick County13.4
91New Hanover County13.4
93Polk County13.2
94Durham County13.1
94Moore County13.1
96Chatham County13
97Mecklenburg County12.8
98Dare County12.6
99Orange County10.6
99Wake County10.6

Other periods

About this ranking

Percentage of adults who have smoked at least 100 cigarettes in their lifetime and now smoke every day or on some days. Model-based estimate for adults aged 18 and over from CDC PLACES. Crude prevalence, not age-adjusted.

US counties and cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more). CDC PLACES combines Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) answers with local population data through multilevel regression and poststratification, so a county or city value is a model estimate, not a survey count. The year is the BRFSS survey year, not the release year. CDC says the method does not support tracking change in a place over time, and each annual release can change the model, so values for different years are not strictly comparable. A state is missing in a year when its BRFSS data did not meet standards (Kentucky and Pennsylvania in 2023, Florida in 2021). Connecticut counties appear as its nine planning regions from 2022; its eight former counties are not served. City values for 2021 come from the 2023 release, built on 2010 Census place boundaries; later years use 2020 boundaries. State and national values come from direct BRFSS estimates under adult_smoking_rate.

Every value in the ranking comes from the same publisher and the same period, so the counties are compared on one definition. Equal values share a rank.

How to cite

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, County Data (swc5-untb, fu4u-a9bh, h3ej-a9ec and later releases), adult cigarette smoking rate, crude prevalence. https://www.cdc.gov/places/. Retrieved 2026-10-12. These data are available free from CDC. Use does not imply endorsement by CDC, ATSDR, HHS or the United States Government.

Citation styles

The publisher is the author. Invokely is named only as the place the figures were read, where a style asks for it.

APA 7

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2025). PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, County Data (swc5-untb, fu4u-a9bh, h3ej-a9ec and later releases), adult cigarette smoking rate, crude prevalence (Counties in North Carolina by adult cigarette smoking rate, local model estimate, 2021) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://www.cdc.gov/places/

MLA 9

PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, County Data (swc5-untb, fu4u-a9bh, h3ej-a9ec and later releases), adult cigarette smoking rate, crude prevalence, Counties in North Carolina by adult cigarette smoking rate, local model estimate, 2021. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 4 Dec. 2025, https://www.cdc.gov/places/. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/adult-smoking-rate-county-estimate/north-carolina-counties?period=2021. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

Chicago (author-date)

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 2025. PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, County Data (swc5-untb, fu4u-a9bh, h3ej-a9ec and later releases), adult cigarette smoking rate, crude prevalence. Counties in North Carolina by adult cigarette smoking rate, local model estimate, 2021. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://www.cdc.gov/places/. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/adult-smoking-rate-county-estimate/north-carolina-counties?period=2021.

Harvard

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2025) PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, County Data (swc5-untb, fu4u-a9bh, h3ej-a9ec and later releases), adult cigarette smoking rate, crude prevalence, Counties in North Carolina by adult cigarette smoking rate, local model estimate, 2021 [Dataset]. Available at: https://www.cdc.gov/places/, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/adult-smoking-rate-county-estimate/north-carolina-counties?period=2021 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{centers_counties_in_north_carolina_2021,
  author = {{Centers for Disease Control and Prevention}},
  title = {{PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, County Data (swc5-untb, fu4u-a9bh, h3ej-a9ec and later releases), adult cigarette smoking rate, crude prevalence: Counties in North Carolina by adult cigarette smoking rate, local model estimate, 2021}},
  year = {2025},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://www.cdc.gov/places/},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/adult-smoking-rate-county-estimate/north-carolina-counties?period=2021. Publisher attribution: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, County Data (swc5-untb, fu4u-a9bh, h3ej-a9ec and later releases), adult cigarette smoking rate, crude prevalence. https://www.cdc.gov/places/. Retrieved 2026-10-12. These data are available free from CDC. Use does not imply endorsement by CDC, ATSDR, HHS or the United States Government.},
}
RIS
TY  - DATA
AU  - Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
TI  - PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, County Data (swc5-untb, fu4u-a9bh, h3ej-a9ec and later releases), adult cigarette smoking rate, crude prevalence: Counties in North Carolina by adult cigarette smoking rate, local model estimate, 2021
PY  - 2025
DA  - 2025/12/04
PB  - Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://www.cdc.gov/places/
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/adult-smoking-rate-county-estimate/north-carolina-counties?period=2021
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/adult-smoking-rate-county-estimate/north-carolina-counties?period=2021.
N1  - Publisher attribution: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, County Data (swc5-untb, fu4u-a9bh, h3ej-a9ec and later releases), adult cigarette smoking rate, crude prevalence. https://www.cdc.gov/places/. Retrieved 2026-10-12. These data are available free from CDC. Use does not imply endorsement by CDC, ATSDR, HHS or the United States Government.
ER  -
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Rank Counties in North Carolina by adult cigarette smoking rate, local model estimate using official data, and cite the source.
rank_places {"indicator":"adult_smoking_rate_modelled","level":"province","within":"North Carolina","limit":10}
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Questions

Which county has the highest adult cigarette smoking rate, local model estimate?

Robeson County, with 25.6% in 2021, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Which county has the lowest adult cigarette smoking rate, local model estimate?

Wake County, with 10.6% in 2021.

Where does this ranking come from?

Every value comes from one source and one period, so the places are comparable: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, PLACES: Local Data for Better Health, County Data (swc5-untb, fu4u-a9bh, h3ej-a9ec and later releases), adult cigarette smoking rate, crude prevalence. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Adult cigarette smoking rate, local model estimate: other rankings

Counties in North Carolina: more rankings