Counties in North Carolina by annual precipitation, 2025

Cherokee County had the highest annual precipitation of 100 counties in 2025, at 57.1 inches. Union County had the lowest, at 33.45 inches. The median was 44.9 inches and the figure for North Carolina was 44.61 inches. Source: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information.

Keep it in a collection in your library.
Highest57.1Cherokee County
Lowest33.45Union County
Median44.9100 counties
North Carolina44.61History

Map of counties, 2025

Alamance County: 49.12 inchesAlexander County: 41.88 inchesAlleghany County: 42.59 inchesAnson County: 38.59 inchesAshe County: 42.78 inchesAvery County: 45.83 inchesBeaufort County: 46.13 inchesBertie County: 44.92 inchesBladen County: 45.24 inchesBrunswick County: 48.38 inchesBuncombe County: 42.27 inchesBurke County: 43.35 inchesCabarrus County: 38.45 inchesCaldwell County: 45.09 inchesCamden County: 44.92 inchesCarteret County: 49.9 inchesCaswell County: 42.43 inchesCatawba County: 41.2 inchesChatham County: 45.92 inchesCherokee County: 57.1 inchesChowan County: 44.07 inchesClay County: 53.95 inchesCleveland County: 39.95 inchesColumbus County: 49.57 inchesCraven County: 48.2 inchesCumberland County: 40.4 inchesCurrituck County: 44.57 inchesDare County: 53.2 inchesDavidson County: 37.53 inchesDavie County: 37.94 inchesDuplin County: 46.5 inchesDurham County: 45.66 inchesEdgecombe County: 42.8 inchesForsyth County: 40.85 inchesFranklin County: 44.96 inchesGaston County: 39.71 inchesGates County: 46.26 inchesGraham County: 53.07 inchesGranville County: 45.55 inchesGreene County: 44.81 inchesGuilford County: 45.66 inchesHalifax County: 44.96 inchesHarnett County: 43.26 inchesHaywood County: 47.22 inchesHenderson County: 46.01 inchesHertford County: 44.94 inchesHoke County: 39.35 inchesHyde County: 49.74 inchesIredell County: 39.23 inchesJackson County: 51.23 inchesJohnston County: 45.7 inchesJones County: 48.28 inchesLee County: 45.03 inchesLenoir County: 46.38 inchesLincoln County: 39.19 inchesMcDowell County: 47.7 inchesMacon County: 49.41 inchesMadison County: 42.02 inchesMartin County: 45.07 inchesMecklenburg County: 37.92 inchesMitchell County: 44.01 inchesMontgomery County: 45.45 inchesMoore County: 46.47 inchesNash County: 41.2 inchesNew Hanover County: 45.52 inchesNorthampton County: 45.46 inchesOnslow County: 48.19 inchesOrange County: 48.51 inchesPamlico County: 48.49 inchesPasquotank County: 44.51 inchesPender County: 46.47 inchesPerquimans County: 44.27 inchesPerson County: 44.3 inchesPitt County: 46.31 inchesPolk County: 43.62 inchesRandolph County: 41.49 inchesRichmond County: 43.38 inchesRobeson County: 40.2 inchesRockingham County: 40.46 inchesRowan County: 36.46 inchesRutherford County: 41.2 inchesSampson County: 44.17 inchesScotland County: 37.87 inchesStanly County: 41.36 inchesStokes County: 41.68 inchesSurry County: 44.08 inchesSwain County: 53.05 inchesTransylvania County: 52.88 inchesTyrrell County: 46.58 inchesUnion County: 33.45 inchesVance County: 46.59 inchesWake County: 44.88 inchesWarren County: 45.84 inchesWashington County: 43.86 inchesWatauga County: 46.83 inchesWayne County: 44.74 inchesWilkes County: 42.78 inchesWilson County: 41.23 inchesYadkin County: 41.45 inchesYancey County: 44.81 inches
  • Under 41
  • 41 to 43
  • 43 to 45
  • 45 to 46
  • 46 to 48
  • 48 and over
inches, 2025. Source: NOAA NCEI, NOAA Climate at a Glance, January to December precipitation, counties. Boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau cartographic boundary files.

Top 40 counties, 2025

Cherokee County: 57.1 inchesCherokee County57.1Clay County: 53.95 inchesClay County53.95Dare County: 53.2 inchesDare County53.2Graham County: 53.07 inchesGraham County53.07Swain County: 53.05 inchesSwain County53.05Transylvania County: 52.88 inchesTransylvania County52.88Jackson County: 51.23 inchesJackson County51.23Carteret County: 49.9 inchesCarteret County49.9Hyde County: 49.74 inchesHyde County49.74Columbus County: 49.57 inchesColumbus County49.57Macon County: 49.41 inchesMacon County49.41Alamance County: 49.12 inchesAlamance County49.12Orange County: 48.51 inchesOrange County48.51Pamlico County: 48.49 inchesPamlico County48.49Brunswick County: 48.38 inchesBrunswick County48.38Jones County: 48.28 inchesJones County48.28Craven County: 48.2 inchesCraven County48.2Onslow County: 48.19 inchesOnslow County48.19McDowell County: 47.7 inchesMcDowell County47.7Haywood County: 47.22 inchesHaywood County47.22Watauga County: 46.83 inchesWatauga County46.83Vance County: 46.59 inchesVance County46.59Tyrrell County: 46.58 inchesTyrrell County46.58Duplin County: 46.5 inchesDuplin County46.5Moore County: 46.47 inchesMoore County46.47Pender County: 46.47 inchesPender County46.47Lenoir County: 46.38 inchesLenoir County46.38Pitt County: 46.31 inchesPitt County46.31Gates County: 46.26 inchesGates County46.26Beaufort County: 46.13 inchesBeaufort County46.13Henderson County: 46.01 inchesHenderson County46.01Chatham County: 45.92 inchesChatham County45.92Warren County: 45.84 inchesWarren County45.84Avery County: 45.83 inchesAvery County45.83Johnston County: 45.7 inchesJohnston County45.7Durham County: 45.66 inchesDurham County45.66Guilford County: 45.66 inchesGuilford County45.66Granville County: 45.55 inchesGranville County45.55New Hanover County: 45.52 inchesNew Hanover County45.52Northampton County: 45.46 inchesNorthampton County45.46Cherokee County: 57.1 inchesCherokee County57.1Clay County: 53.95 inchesClay County53.95Dare County: 53.2 inchesDare County53.2Graham County: 53.07 inchesGraham County53.07Swain County: 53.05 inchesSwain County53.05Transylvania County: 52.88 inchesTransylvania County52.88Jackson County: 51.23 inchesJackson County51.23Carteret County: 49.9 inchesCarteret County49.9Hyde County: 49.74 inchesHyde County49.74Columbus County: 49.57 inchesColumbus County49.57Macon County: 49.41 inchesMacon County49.41Alamance County: 49.12 inchesAlamance County49.12Orange County: 48.51 inchesOrange County48.51Pamlico County: 48.49 inchesPamlico County48.49Brunswick County: 48.38 inchesBrunswick County48.38Jones County: 48.28 inchesJones County48.28Craven County: 48.2 inchesCraven County48.2Onslow County: 48.19 inchesOnslow County48.19McDowell County: 47.7 inchesMcDowell County47.7Haywood County: 47.22 inchesHaywood County47.22Watauga County: 46.83 inchesWatauga County46.83Vance County: 46.59 inchesVance County46.59Tyrrell County: 46.58 inchesTyrrell County46.58Duplin County: 46.5 inchesDuplin County46.5Moore County: 46.47 inchesMoore County46.47Pender County: 46.47 inchesPender County46.47Lenoir County: 46.38 inchesLenoir County46.38Pitt County: 46.31 inchesPitt County46.31Gates County: 46.26 inchesGates County46.26Beaufort County: 46.13 inchesBeaufort County46.13Henderson County: 46.01 inchesHenderson County46.01Chatham County: 45.92 inchesChatham County45.92Warren County: 45.84 inchesWarren County45.84Avery County: 45.83 inchesAvery County45.83Johnston County: 45.7 inchesJohnston County45.7Durham County: 45.66 inchesDurham County45.66Guilford County: 45.66 inchesGuilford County45.66Granville County: 45.55 inchesGranville County45.55New Hanover County: 45.52 inchesNew Hanover County45.52Northampton County: 45.46 inchesNorthampton County45.46
inches. Source: NOAA NCEI, NOAA Climate at a Glance, January to December precipitation, counties. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankCounties2025
inches
Change on 2024
1Cherokee County57.1-0.9%
2Clay County53.95-12.8%
3Dare County53.2+6.1%
4Graham County53.07+0.3%
5Swain County53.05-6.5%
6Transylvania County52.88-33.6%
7Jackson County51.23-19.9%
8Carteret County49.9-8.4%
9Hyde County49.74-0.3%
10Columbus County49.57-1.5%
11Macon County49.41-21%
12Alamance County49.12-12.5%
13Orange County48.51-12.1%
14Pamlico County48.49-8.8%
15Brunswick County48.38-4.8%
16Jones County48.28-10%
17Craven County48.2-9.7%
18Onslow County48.19-10.2%
19McDowell County47.7-29.3%
20Haywood County47.22-20%
21Watauga County46.83-29.6%
22Vance County46.59-14.1%
23Tyrrell County46.58-3.6%
24Duplin County46.5-11%
25Moore County46.47-0.6%
25Pender County46.47-8.3%
27Lenoir County46.38-13%
28Pitt County46.31-7.6%
29Gates County46.26-3.9%
30Beaufort County46.13-9.9%
31Henderson County46.01-34.3%
32Chatham County45.92-14.1%
33Warren County45.84-8.1%
34Avery County45.83-28.8%
35Johnston County45.7-8.7%
36Durham County45.66-14.6%
36Guilford County45.66-14.2%
38Granville County45.55-15.5%
39New Hanover County45.52-10.1%
40Northampton County45.46+2.1%
41Montgomery County45.45-15.8%
42Bladen County45.24-9.7%
43Caldwell County45.09-27%
44Martin County45.07-5.1%
45Lee County45.03-11.2%
46Franklin County44.96-15.9%
46Halifax County44.96+0.5%
48Hertford County44.94-3.2%
49Bertie County44.92-3.9%
49Camden County44.92-4.9%
51Wake County44.88-12%
52Greene County44.81-12.9%
52Yancey County44.81-28.1%
54Wayne County44.74-12.8%
55Currituck County44.57-4%
56Pasquotank County44.51-6.2%
57Person County44.3-15.9%
58Perquimans County44.27-5.9%
59Sampson County44.17-11.5%
60Surry County44.08-21.1%
61Chowan County44.07-5.2%
62Mitchell County44.01-26.9%
63Washington County43.86-7.3%
64Polk County43.62-34.3%
65Richmond County43.38-19.3%
66Burke County43.35-26.6%
67Harnett County43.26-15.4%
68Edgecombe County42.8-7.4%
69Ashe County42.78-34.9%
69Wilkes County42.78-28.8%
71Alleghany County42.59-31.6%
72Caswell County42.43-16.4%
73Buncombe County42.27-28.1%
74Madison County42.02-19.6%
75Alexander County41.88-25.5%
76Stokes County41.68-20.5%
77Randolph County41.49-22.5%
78Yadkin County41.45-14.1%
79Stanly County41.36-27.7%
80Wilson County41.23-17.1%
81Catawba County41.2-26.4%
81Nash County41.2-14.8%
81Rutherford County41.2-30.7%
84Forsyth County40.85-13.8%
85Rockingham County40.46-19.1%
86Cumberland County40.4-14.9%
87Robeson County40.2-17.7%
88Cleveland County39.95-27.7%
89Gaston County39.71-29.5%
90Hoke County39.35-17.7%
91Iredell County39.23-23.4%
92Lincoln County39.19-30.8%
93Anson County38.59-30.3%
94Cabarrus County38.45-26.7%
95Davie County37.94-14.2%
96Mecklenburg County37.92-30.2%
97Scotland County37.87-24.8%
98Davidson County37.53-22.2%
99Rowan County36.46-27.5%
100Union County33.45-35.8%

Other periods

About this ranking

Total precipitation from January to December, in inches: rain plus the water content of snow and other frozen precipitation. NOAA computes it from its climate divisional dataset (nClimDiv): station readings interpolated onto a 5 km grid and averaged over the area.

Values are area averages, not the reading at one weather station. NOAA revises the last two years every month.

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

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Climate at a Glance. NOAA Climate at a Glance, January to December precipitation, counties. From the NOAA Monthly U.S. Climate Divisional Database (nClimDiv), doi:10.7289/V5M32STR. https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/monitoring/climate-at-a-glance/county/mapping. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

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

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information. (2026). NOAA Climate at a Glance, January to December precipitation, counties (Counties in North Carolina by annual precipitation, 2025) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/monitoring/climate-at-a-glance/county/mapping

MLA 9

NOAA Climate at a Glance, January to December precipitation, counties, Counties in North Carolina by annual precipitation, 2025. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, 6 Oct. 2026, https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/monitoring/climate-at-a-glance/county/mapping. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/annual-precipitation/north-carolina-counties. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

Chicago (author-date)

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information. 2026. NOAA Climate at a Glance, January to December precipitation, counties. Counties in North Carolina by annual precipitation, 2025. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/monitoring/climate-at-a-glance/county/mapping. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/annual-precipitation/north-carolina-counties.

Harvard

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (2026) NOAA Climate at a Glance, January to December precipitation, counties, Counties in North Carolina by annual precipitation, 2025 [Dataset]. Available at: https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/monitoring/climate-at-a-glance/county/mapping, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/annual-precipitation/north-carolina-counties (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{noaa_counties_in_north_carolina_2025,
  author = {{NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information}},
  title = {{NOAA Climate at a Glance, January to December precipitation, counties: Counties in North Carolina by annual precipitation, 2025}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/monitoring/climate-at-a-glance/county/mapping},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/annual-precipitation/north-carolina-counties. Publisher attribution: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Climate at a Glance. NOAA Climate at a Glance, January to December precipitation, counties. From the NOAA Monthly U.S. Climate Divisional Database (nClimDiv), doi:10.7289/V5M32STR. https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/monitoring/climate-at-a-glance/county/mapping. Retrieved 2026-10-12.},
}
RIS
TY  - DATA
AU  - NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information
TI  - NOAA Climate at a Glance, January to December precipitation, counties: Counties in North Carolina by annual precipitation, 2025
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/10/06
PB  - NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/monitoring/climate-at-a-glance/county/mapping
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/annual-precipitation/north-carolina-counties
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/annual-precipitation/north-carolina-counties.
N1  - Publisher attribution: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Climate at a Glance. NOAA Climate at a Glance, January to December precipitation, counties. From the NOAA Monthly U.S. Climate Divisional Database (nClimDiv), doi:10.7289/V5M32STR. https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/monitoring/climate-at-a-glance/county/mapping. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER  - 
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Rank Counties in North Carolina by annual precipitation using official data, and cite the source.
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Questions

Which county has the highest annual precipitation?

Cherokee County, with 57.1 inches in 2025, according to NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information.

Which county has the lowest annual precipitation?

Union County, with 33.45 inches in 2025.

Where does this ranking come from?

Every value comes from one source and one period, so the places are comparable: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, NOAA Climate at a Glance, January to December precipitation, counties. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Annual precipitation: other rankings

Counties in North Carolina: more rankings