Data / Rankings / Households / Cities in North Carolina

Cities in North Carolina by households

Charlotte, NC had the highest households of 93 cities in 2023, at 361,100. Elon, NC had the lowest, at 2,854. The median was 8,827 and the figure for North Carolina was 4.19 million. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

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Highest361,100Charlotte, NC
Lowest2,854Elon, NC
Median8,82793 cities
North Carolina4,186,924History

Top 40 cities, 2023

Charlotte, NC: 361,100 countCharlotte, NC361,100Raleigh, NC: 196,924 countRaleigh, NC196,924Durham, NC: 123,318 countDurham, NC123,318Greensboro, NC: 121,189 countGreensboro, NC121,189Winston-Salem, NC: 100,278 countWinston-Salem, NC100,278Fayetteville, NC: 81,499 countFayetteville, NC81,499Cary, NC: 67,964 countCary, NC67,964Wilmington, NC: 55,145 countWilmington, NC55,145High Point, NC: 45,043 countHigh Point, NC45,043Greenville, NC: 39,424 countGreenville, NC39,424Asheville, NC: 38,049 countAsheville, NC38,049Concord, NC: 37,047 countConcord, NC37,047Gastonia, NC: 31,707 countGastonia, NC31,707Burlington, NC: 24,713 countBurlington, NC24,713Apex, NC: 23,873 countApex, NC23,873Huntersville, NC: 23,704 countHuntersville, NC23,704Rocky Mount, NC: 23,159 countRocky Mount, NC23,159Jacksonville, NC: 22,808 countJacksonville, NC22,808Kannapolis, NC: 20,908 countKannapolis, NC20,908Chapel Hill, NC: 20,712 countChapel Hill, NC20,712Mooresville, NC: 20,100 countMooresville, NC20,100Wilson, NC: 19,967 countWilson, NC19,967Wake Forest, NC: 17,863 countWake Forest, NC17,863Hickory, NC: 17,309 countHickory, NC17,309Goldsboro, NC: 14,698 countGoldsboro, NC14,698Holly Springs, NC: 14,415 countHolly Springs, NC14,415New Bern, NC: 14,345 countNew Bern, NC14,345Cornelius, NC: 13,618 countCornelius, NC13,618Salisbury, NC: 13,604 countSalisbury, NC13,604Indian Trail, NC: 13,496 countIndian Trail, NC13,496Fuquay-Varina, NC: 13,477 countFuquay-Varina, NC13,477Garner, NC: 12,937 countGarner, NC12,937Monroe, NC: 12,081 countMonroe, NC12,081Kernersville, NC: 12,074 countKernersville, NC12,074Statesville, NC: 11,685 countStatesville, NC11,685Asheboro, NC: 11,538 countAsheboro, NC11,538Morrisville, NC: 11,492 countMorrisville, NC11,492Matthews, NC: 11,260 countMatthews, NC11,260Leland, NC: 11,258 countLeland, NC11,258Sanford, NC: 11,237 countSanford, NC11,237Charlotte, NC: 361,100 countCharlotte, NC361,100Raleigh, NC: 196,924 countRaleigh, NC196,924Durham, NC: 123,318 countDurham, NC123,318Greensboro, NC: 121,189 countGreensboro, NC121,189Winston-Salem, NC: 100,278 countWinston-Salem, NC100,278Fayetteville, NC: 81,499 countFayetteville, NC81,499Cary, NC: 67,964 countCary, NC67,964Wilmington, NC: 55,145 countWilmington, NC55,145High Point, NC: 45,043 countHigh Point, NC45,043Greenville, NC: 39,424 countGreenville, NC39,424Asheville, NC: 38,049 countAsheville, NC38,049Concord, NC: 37,047 countConcord, NC37,047Gastonia, NC: 31,707 countGastonia, NC31,707Burlington, NC: 24,713 countBurlington, NC24,713Apex, NC: 23,873 countApex, NC23,873Huntersville, NC: 23,704 countHuntersville, NC23,704Rocky Mount, NC: 23,159 countRocky Mount, NC23,159Jacksonville, NC: 22,808 countJacksonville, NC22,808Kannapolis, NC: 20,908 countKannapolis, NC20,908Chapel Hill, NC: 20,712 countChapel Hill, NC20,712Mooresville, NC: 20,100 countMooresville, NC20,100Wilson, NC: 19,967 countWilson, NC19,967Wake Forest, NC: 17,863 countWake Forest, NC17,863Hickory, NC: 17,309 countHickory, NC17,309Goldsboro, NC: 14,698 countGoldsboro, NC14,698Holly Springs, NC: 14,415 countHolly Springs, NC14,415New Bern, NC: 14,345 countNew Bern, NC14,345Cornelius, NC: 13,618 countCornelius, NC13,618Salisbury, NC: 13,604 countSalisbury, NC13,604Indian Trail, NC: 13,496 countIndian Trail, NC13,496Fuquay-Varina, NC: 13,477 countFuquay-Varina, NC13,477Garner, NC: 12,937 countGarner, NC12,937Monroe, NC: 12,081 countMonroe, NC12,081Kernersville, NC: 12,074 countKernersville, NC12,074Statesville, NC: 11,685 countStatesville, NC11,685Asheboro, NC: 11,538 countAsheboro, NC11,538Morrisville, NC: 11,492 countMorrisville, NC11,492Matthews, NC: 11,260 countMatthews, NC11,260Leland, NC: 11,258 countLeland, NC11,258Sanford, NC: 11,237 countSanford, NC11,237
count. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B25003: occupied housing units (households), US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more). Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankCities2023
count		Change on 2022
1Charlotte, NC361,100+1.9%
2Raleigh, NC196,924+3.7%
3Durham, NC123,318+2.4%
4Greensboro, NC121,189+0.9%
5Winston-Salem, NC100,278+1.5%
6Fayetteville, NC81,499+0.8%
7Cary, NC67,964+2.8%
8Wilmington, NC55,145+3.3%
9High Point, NC45,043+2.3%
10Greenville, NC39,424+4%
11Asheville, NC38,049-0.5%
12Concord, NC37,047+2.3%
13Gastonia, NC31,707+1.8%
14Burlington, NC24,713+3.5%
15Apex, NC23,873+4%
16Huntersville, NC23,704+3.2%
17Rocky Mount, NC23,159+2.2%
18Jacksonville, NC22,808+3.3%
19Kannapolis, NC20,908+9.9%
20Chapel Hill, NC20,712+3.7%
21Mooresville, NC20,100+3.8%
22Wilson, NC19,967+1.6%
23Wake Forest, NC17,863+6.3%
24Hickory, NC17,309-2%
25Goldsboro, NC14,698-1.4%
26Holly Springs, NC14,415+6%
27New Bern, NC14,345+1.1%
28Cornelius, NC13,618+2%
29Salisbury, NC13,604+2.6%
30Indian Trail, NC13,496+3.2%
31Fuquay-Varina, NC13,477+8.3%
32Garner, NC12,937+4.7%
33Monroe, NC12,081+3.3%
34Kernersville, NC12,074+1%
35Statesville, NC11,685+2.5%
36Asheboro, NC11,538+4.1%
37Morrisville, NC11,492+3.1%
38Matthews, NC11,260+1.8%
39Leland, NC11,258+8%
40Sanford, NC11,237+3.4%
41Thomasville, NC11,049+2.4%
42Clayton, NC10,341+8%
43Mint Hill, NC10,194+1.9%
44Carrboro, NC9,415+2.5%
45Shelby, NC9,178-0.5%
46Clemmons, NC8,978+2.6%
47Kinston, NC8,827+1.3%
48Pinehurst, NC8,330+1.4%
49Hendersonville, NC7,829+2.3%
50Lenoir, NC7,760+1.9%
51Graham, NC7,751+3.4%
52Mebane, NC7,584+3.9%
53Knightdale, NC7,530+1.3%
53Lexington, NC7,530-2.9%
55Elizabeth City, NC7,367+3.7%
55Southern Pines, NC7,367+4.1%
57Mount Holly, NC7,274+3.4%
58Lumberton, NC6,927-0.3%
59Albemarle, NC6,722+2.9%
60Morganton, NC6,682+3.3%
61Waxhaw, NC6,576+4.2%
62Hope Mills, NC6,465+3.7%
63Reidsville, NC6,322-0.8%
64Belmont, NC6,289+4%
65Eden, NC6,219-0.8%
66Roanoke Rapids, NC6,133-2.9%
67Henderson, NC6,103+4.6%
68Stallings, NC6,039+3%
69Boone, NC5,874+0.6%
70Harrisburg, NC5,804+5.4%
71Laurinburg, NC5,414+3.4%
72Davidson, NC5,327-3.3%
73Lewisville, NC5,142+4.3%
74Newton, NC5,139-1.8%
75Havelock, NC5,121-0.6%
76Lincolnton, NC5,047+6.1%
77Morehead City, NC5,017+1.1%
78Mount Airy, NC4,925+0.5%
79Waynesville, NC4,873+1.5%
80Archdale, NC4,851+5%
81Tarboro, NC4,771-0.1%
82Smithfield, NC4,765+5.3%
83Pineville, NC4,600+4.1%
84Kings Mountain, NC4,408+5.4%
85Winterville, NC4,388+1.8%
86Spring Lake, NC4,321-3.1%
87Weddington, NC4,282+1%
88Wendell, NC4,164+10.7%
89Aberdeen, NC3,934+10.9%
90Summerfield, NC3,861-1.3%
91Rolesville, NC3,192+4.8%
92Zebulon, NC3,039+15.4%
93Elon, NC2,854-3.2%

Other periods

About this ranking

Number of households, which equals the number of occupied housing units. United States: American Community Survey five-year estimate, where the period shown is the last year of the five-year span.

People living in group quarters, such as college dormitories, nursing homes and prisons, are not in households.

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

How to cite

U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B25003: occupied housing units (households), US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more). https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-b25003.dat. 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

U.S. Census Bureau. (2026). American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B25003: occupied housing units (households), US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more) (Cities in North Carolina by households, 2023) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-b25003.dat

MLA 9

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B25003: occupied housing units (households), US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more), Cities in North Carolina by households, 2023. U.S. Census Bureau, 29 Jan. 2026, https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-b25003.dat. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/households/north-carolina-cities?period=2023. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

Chicago (author-date)

U.S. Census Bureau. 2026. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B25003: occupied housing units (households), US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more). Cities in North Carolina by households, 2023. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-b25003.dat. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/households/north-carolina-cities?period=2023.

Harvard

U.S. Census Bureau (2026) American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B25003: occupied housing units (households), US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more), Cities in North Carolina by households, 2023 [Dataset]. Available at: https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-b25003.dat, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/households/north-carolina-cities?period=2023 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{census_cities_in_north_carolina_2023,
  author = {{U.S. Census Bureau}},
  title = {{American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B25003: occupied housing units (households), US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more): Cities in North Carolina by households, 2023}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-b25003.dat},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/households/north-carolina-cities?period=2023. Publisher attribution: U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B25003: occupied housing units (households), US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more). https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary\_file/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-b25003.dat. Retrieved 2026-10-12.},
}
RIS
TY  - DATA
AU  - U.S. Census Bureau
TI  - American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B25003: occupied housing units (households), US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more): Cities in North Carolina by households, 2023
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/01/29
PB  - U.S. Census Bureau
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-b25003.dat
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/households/north-carolina-cities?period=2023
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/households/north-carolina-cities?period=2023.
N1  - Publisher attribution: U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B25003: occupied housing units (households), US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more). https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-b25003.dat. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER  -
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Questions

Which city has the highest households?

Charlotte, NC, with 361,100 in 2023, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which city has the lowest households?

Elon, NC, with 2,854 in 2023.

Where does this ranking come from?

Every value comes from one source and one period, so the places are comparable: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B25003: occupied housing units (households), US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more). Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Households: other rankings

Cities in North Carolina: more rankings