Counties in North Carolina by annual precipitation

Carteret County had the highest annual precipitation of 100 counties in 2023, at 61.89 inches. Davie County had the lowest, at 40.89 inches. The median was 47.4 inches and the figure for North Carolina was 48.83 inches. Source: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information.

Keep it in a collection in your library.
Highest61.89Carteret County
Lowest40.89Davie County
Median47.4100 counties
North Carolina48.83History

Map of counties, 2023

Alamance County: 47.7 inchesAlexander County: 45.19 inchesAlleghany County: 50.42 inchesAnson County: 47.65 inchesAshe County: 48.7 inchesAvery County: 52.66 inchesBeaufort County: 49.9 inchesBertie County: 44.54 inchesBladen County: 49.48 inchesBrunswick County: 56.19 inchesBuncombe County: 44.53 inchesBurke County: 49.86 inchesCabarrus County: 46.87 inchesCaldwell County: 51.79 inchesCamden County: 44.08 inchesCarteret County: 61.89 inchesCaswell County: 42.96 inchesCatawba County: 45.18 inchesChatham County: 50.05 inchesCherokee County: 57.09 inchesChowan County: 47.65 inchesClay County: 56.61 inchesCleveland County: 46.5 inchesColumbus County: 52.19 inchesCraven County: 52.5 inchesCumberland County: 44.71 inchesCurrituck County: 44.12 inchesDare County: 50.83 inchesDavidson County: 43.07 inchesDavie County: 40.89 inchesDuplin County: 53.14 inchesDurham County: 48.09 inchesEdgecombe County: 42.84 inchesForsyth County: 43.95 inchesFranklin County: 46.59 inchesGaston County: 46.54 inchesGates County: 44.27 inchesGraham County: 55.78 inchesGranville County: 46.95 inchesGreene County: 45.85 inchesGuilford County: 46.12 inchesHalifax County: 44.89 inchesHarnett County: 46.57 inchesHaywood County: 51.68 inchesHenderson County: 47.31 inchesHertford County: 44.18 inchesHoke County: 47.23 inchesHyde County: 55.73 inchesIredell County: 42.96 inchesJackson County: 54.64 inchesJohnston County: 47.47 inchesJones County: 50.72 inchesLee County: 49.03 inchesLenoir County: 47.12 inchesLincoln County: 46.25 inchesMcDowell County: 54.88 inchesMacon County: 54.07 inchesMadison County: 47.3 inchesMartin County: 45.03 inchesMecklenburg County: 45.87 inchesMitchell County: 50.69 inchesMontgomery County: 47.33 inchesMoore County: 45.67 inchesNash County: 44.8 inchesNew Hanover County: 59.01 inchesNorthampton County: 45.87 inchesOnslow County: 53.22 inchesOrange County: 48.29 inchesPamlico County: 56.04 inchesPasquotank County: 44.46 inchesPender County: 57.94 inchesPerquimans County: 46.24 inchesPerson County: 43.64 inchesPitt County: 45.64 inchesPolk County: 49.78 inchesRandolph County: 46.83 inchesRichmond County: 46.84 inchesRobeson County: 47.87 inchesRockingham County: 41.57 inchesRowan County: 43.08 inchesRutherford County: 46.27 inchesSampson County: 50.94 inchesScotland County: 47.28 inchesStanly County: 50.33 inchesStokes County: 46.34 inchesSurry County: 52.54 inchesSwain County: 57.46 inchesTransylvania County: 56.25 inchesTyrrell County: 49.75 inchesUnion County: 45.4 inchesVance County: 47.68 inchesWake County: 48.33 inchesWarren County: 46.58 inchesWashington County: 50.36 inchesWatauga County: 51.95 inchesWayne County: 48.43 inchesWilkes County: 52.51 inchesWilson County: 45.94 inchesYadkin County: 46.02 inchesYancey County: 51.87 inches
  • Under 45
  • 45 to 46
  • 46 to 47
  • 47 to 50
  • 50 to 53
  • 53 and over
inches, 2023. Source: NOAA NCEI, NOAA Climate at a Glance, January to December precipitation, counties. Boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau cartographic boundary files.

Top 40 counties, 2023

Carteret County: 61.89 inchesCarteret County61.89New Hanover County: 59.01 inchesNew Hanover County59.01Pender County: 57.94 inchesPender County57.94Swain County: 57.46 inchesSwain County57.46Cherokee County: 57.09 inchesCherokee County57.09Clay County: 56.61 inchesClay County56.61Transylvania County: 56.25 inchesTransylvania County56.25Brunswick County: 56.19 inchesBrunswick County56.19Pamlico County: 56.04 inchesPamlico County56.04Graham County: 55.78 inchesGraham County55.78Hyde County: 55.73 inchesHyde County55.73McDowell County: 54.88 inchesMcDowell County54.88Jackson County: 54.64 inchesJackson County54.64Macon County: 54.07 inchesMacon County54.07Onslow County: 53.22 inchesOnslow County53.22Duplin County: 53.14 inchesDuplin County53.14Avery County: 52.66 inchesAvery County52.66Surry County: 52.54 inchesSurry County52.54Wilkes County: 52.51 inchesWilkes County52.51Craven County: 52.5 inchesCraven County52.5Columbus County: 52.19 inchesColumbus County52.19Watauga County: 51.95 inchesWatauga County51.95Yancey County: 51.87 inchesYancey County51.87Caldwell County: 51.79 inchesCaldwell County51.79Haywood County: 51.68 inchesHaywood County51.68Sampson County: 50.94 inchesSampson County50.94Dare County: 50.83 inchesDare County50.83Jones County: 50.72 inchesJones County50.72Mitchell County: 50.69 inchesMitchell County50.69Alleghany County: 50.42 inchesAlleghany County50.42Washington County: 50.36 inchesWashington County50.36Stanly County: 50.33 inchesStanly County50.33Chatham County: 50.05 inchesChatham County50.05Beaufort County: 49.9 inchesBeaufort County49.9Burke County: 49.86 inchesBurke County49.86Polk County: 49.78 inchesPolk County49.78Tyrrell County: 49.75 inchesTyrrell County49.75Bladen County: 49.48 inchesBladen County49.48Lee County: 49.03 inchesLee County49.03Ashe County: 48.7 inchesAshe County48.7Carteret County: 61.89 inchesCarteret County61.89New Hanover County: 59.01 inchesNew Hanover County59.01Pender County: 57.94 inchesPender County57.94Swain County: 57.46 inchesSwain County57.46Cherokee County: 57.09 inchesCherokee County57.09Clay County: 56.61 inchesClay County56.61Transylvania County: 56.25 inchesTransylvania County56.25Brunswick County: 56.19 inchesBrunswick County56.19Pamlico County: 56.04 inchesPamlico County56.04Graham County: 55.78 inchesGraham County55.78Hyde County: 55.73 inchesHyde County55.73McDowell County: 54.88 inchesMcDowell County54.88Jackson County: 54.64 inchesJackson County54.64Macon County: 54.07 inchesMacon County54.07Onslow County: 53.22 inchesOnslow County53.22Duplin County: 53.14 inchesDuplin County53.14Avery County: 52.66 inchesAvery County52.66Surry County: 52.54 inchesSurry County52.54Wilkes County: 52.51 inchesWilkes County52.51Craven County: 52.5 inchesCraven County52.5Columbus County: 52.19 inchesColumbus County52.19Watauga County: 51.95 inchesWatauga County51.95Yancey County: 51.87 inchesYancey County51.87Caldwell County: 51.79 inchesCaldwell County51.79Haywood County: 51.68 inchesHaywood County51.68Sampson County: 50.94 inchesSampson County50.94Dare County: 50.83 inchesDare County50.83Jones County: 50.72 inchesJones County50.72Mitchell County: 50.69 inchesMitchell County50.69Alleghany County: 50.42 inchesAlleghany County50.42Washington County: 50.36 inchesWashington County50.36Stanly County: 50.33 inchesStanly County50.33Chatham County: 50.05 inchesChatham County50.05Beaufort County: 49.9 inchesBeaufort County49.9Burke County: 49.86 inchesBurke County49.86Polk County: 49.78 inchesPolk County49.78Tyrrell County: 49.75 inchesTyrrell County49.75Bladen County: 49.48 inchesBladen County49.48Lee County: 49.03 inchesLee County49.03Ashe County: 48.7 inchesAshe County48.7
inches. Source: NOAA NCEI, NOAA Climate at a Glance, January to December precipitation, counties. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankCounties2023
inches
Change on 2022
1Carteret County61.89+27%
2New Hanover County59.01+41.3%
3Pender County57.94+37.6%
4Swain County57.46-5.6%
5Cherokee County57.09+2.3%
6Clay County56.61-4.5%
7Transylvania County56.25-18.2%
8Brunswick County56.19+21.7%
9Pamlico County56.04+15.7%
10Graham County55.78-2.9%
11Hyde County55.73+14.7%
12McDowell County54.88-4.6%
13Jackson County54.64-12.7%
14Macon County54.07-13.3%
15Onslow County53.22+20.3%
16Duplin County53.14+42.9%
17Avery County52.66-3.5%
18Surry County52.54-4.2%
19Wilkes County52.51-4.6%
20Craven County52.5+13.7%
21Columbus County52.19+17.9%
22Watauga County51.95-6.8%
23Yancey County51.87-0.7%
24Caldwell County51.79-5%
25Haywood County51.68-3.1%
26Sampson County50.94+39.5%
27Dare County50.83+8%
28Jones County50.72+15.7%
29Mitchell County50.69+0.1%
30Alleghany County50.42-10.6%
31Washington County50.36+3.3%
32Stanly County50.33+7.4%
33Chatham County50.05+6.4%
34Beaufort County49.9+6.1%
35Burke County49.86-6.3%
36Polk County49.78-10.9%
37Tyrrell County49.75+0.8%
38Bladen County49.48+32.8%
39Lee County49.03+8.8%
40Ashe County48.7-10.8%
41Wayne County48.43+26.2%
42Wake County48.33+2.6%
43Orange County48.29-0.5%
44Durham County48.09+0.8%
45Robeson County47.87+31.2%
46Alamance County47.7+1.9%
47Vance County47.68-1.2%
48Anson County47.65+5%
48Chowan County47.65-2.3%
50Johnston County47.47+9.9%
51Montgomery County47.33+0.8%
52Henderson County47.31-14.2%
53Madison County47.3+7.1%
54Scotland County47.28+15.5%
55Hoke County47.23+20.5%
56Lenoir County47.12+24.2%
57Granville County46.95+1.2%
58Cabarrus County46.87+5.5%
59Richmond County46.84-0.8%
60Randolph County46.83+1.7%
61Franklin County46.59-2.7%
62Warren County46.58-0.4%
63Harnett County46.57+6.8%
64Gaston County46.54+1.9%
65Cleveland County46.5+5.4%
66Stokes County46.34-14.2%
67Rutherford County46.27-4.9%
68Lincoln County46.25-2%
69Perquimans County46.24-6.2%
70Guilford County46.12-5.7%
71Yadkin County46.02-11.6%
72Wilson County45.94+12.4%
73Mecklenburg County45.87+6.8%
73Northampton County45.87+7.1%
75Greene County45.85+17.4%
76Moore County45.67+5.3%
77Pitt County45.64+11.8%
78Union County45.4+12.9%
79Alexander County45.19-8.5%
80Catawba County45.18-8.4%
81Martin County45.03+5.2%
82Halifax County44.89+5.4%
83Nash County44.8+5.6%
84Cumberland County44.71+18.7%
85Bertie County44.54+0.5%
86Buncombe County44.53-7.7%
87Pasquotank County44.46-9.4%
88Gates County44.27-6.2%
89Hertford County44.18-2.2%
90Currituck County44.12-6.8%
91Camden County44.08-8.8%
92Forsyth County43.95-9.6%
93Person County43.64-7.6%
94Rowan County43.08+2.7%
95Davidson County43.07-2.2%
96Caswell County42.96-5.4%
96Iredell County42.96-8.9%
98Edgecombe County42.84+11.5%
99Rockingham County41.57-12.9%
100Davie County40.89-10.1%

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, 2023) [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, 2023. 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?period=2023. 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, 2023. 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?period=2023.

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, 2023 [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?period=2023 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{noaa_counties_in_north_carolina_2023,
  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, 2023}},
  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?period=2023. 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, 2023
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?period=2023
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/annual-precipitation/north-carolina-counties?period=2023.
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?

Carteret County, with 61.89 inches in 2023, according to NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information.

Which county has the lowest annual precipitation?

Davie County, with 40.89 inches in 2023.

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