Data / Rankings / Housing units / Cities in North Carolina

Cities in North Carolina by housing units

Charlotte, NC had the highest housing units of 93 cities in 2023, at 390,835. Zebulon, NC had the lowest, at 3,195. The median was 9,670 and the figure for North Carolina was 4.82 million. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

Keep it in a collection in your library.
Highest390,835Charlotte, NC
Lowest3,195Zebulon, NC
Median9,67093 cities
North Carolina4,815,195History

Top 40 cities, 2023

Charlotte, NC: 390,835 countCharlotte, NC390,835Raleigh, NC: 218,200 countRaleigh, NC218,200Greensboro, NC: 133,565 countGreensboro, NC133,565Durham, NC: 132,864 countDurham, NC132,864Winston-Salem, NC: 113,441 countWinston-Salem, NC113,441Fayetteville, NC: 91,309 countFayetteville, NC91,309Cary, NC: 72,634 countCary, NC72,634Wilmington, NC: 61,188 countWilmington, NC61,188Asheville, NC: 49,130 countAsheville, NC49,130High Point, NC: 48,990 countHigh Point, NC48,990Greenville, NC: 44,334 countGreenville, NC44,334Concord, NC: 42,493 countConcord, NC42,493Gastonia, NC: 34,721 countGastonia, NC34,721Burlington, NC: 27,169 countBurlington, NC27,169Rocky Mount, NC: 27,052 countRocky Mount, NC27,052Jacksonville, NC: 25,768 countJacksonville, NC25,768Apex, NC: 25,148 countApex, NC25,148Huntersville, NC: 24,643 countHuntersville, NC24,643Kannapolis, NC: 23,969 countKannapolis, NC23,969Chapel Hill, NC: 23,205 countChapel Hill, NC23,205Wilson, NC: 22,358 countWilson, NC22,358Mooresville, NC: 21,569 countMooresville, NC21,569Hickory, NC: 19,328 countHickory, NC19,328Wake Forest, NC: 18,824 countWake Forest, NC18,824Goldsboro, NC: 16,974 countGoldsboro, NC16,974New Bern, NC: 16,314 countNew Bern, NC16,314Salisbury, NC: 15,523 countSalisbury, NC15,523Holly Springs, NC: 15,171 countHolly Springs, NC15,171Cornelius, NC: 14,777 countCornelius, NC14,777Indian Trail, NC: 14,262 countIndian Trail, NC14,262Fuquay-Varina, NC: 14,124 countFuquay-Varina, NC14,124Garner, NC: 13,961 countGarner, NC13,961Monroe, NC: 12,994 countMonroe, NC12,994Statesville, NC: 12,916 countStatesville, NC12,916Morrisville, NC: 12,735 countMorrisville, NC12,735Kernersville, NC: 12,647 countKernersville, NC12,647Sanford, NC: 12,364 countSanford, NC12,364Asheboro, NC: 12,269 countAsheboro, NC12,269Thomasville, NC: 11,997 countThomasville, NC11,997Leland, NC: 11,995 countLeland, NC11,995Charlotte, NC: 390,835 countCharlotte, NC390,835Raleigh, NC: 218,200 countRaleigh, NC218,200Greensboro, NC: 133,565 countGreensboro, NC133,565Durham, NC: 132,864 countDurham, NC132,864Winston-Salem, NC: 113,441 countWinston-Salem, NC113,441Fayetteville, NC: 91,309 countFayetteville, NC91,309Cary, NC: 72,634 countCary, NC72,634Wilmington, NC: 61,188 countWilmington, NC61,188Asheville, NC: 49,130 countAsheville, NC49,130High Point, NC: 48,990 countHigh Point, NC48,990Greenville, NC: 44,334 countGreenville, NC44,334Concord, NC: 42,493 countConcord, NC42,493Gastonia, NC: 34,721 countGastonia, NC34,721Burlington, NC: 27,169 countBurlington, NC27,169Rocky Mount, NC: 27,052 countRocky Mount, NC27,052Jacksonville, NC: 25,768 countJacksonville, NC25,768Apex, NC: 25,148 countApex, NC25,148Huntersville, NC: 24,643 countHuntersville, NC24,643Kannapolis, NC: 23,969 countKannapolis, NC23,969Chapel Hill, NC: 23,205 countChapel Hill, NC23,205Wilson, NC: 22,358 countWilson, NC22,358Mooresville, NC: 21,569 countMooresville, NC21,569Hickory, NC: 19,328 countHickory, NC19,328Wake Forest, NC: 18,824 countWake Forest, NC18,824Goldsboro, NC: 16,974 countGoldsboro, NC16,974New Bern, NC: 16,314 countNew Bern, NC16,314Salisbury, NC: 15,523 countSalisbury, NC15,523Holly Springs, NC: 15,171 countHolly Springs, NC15,171Cornelius, NC: 14,777 countCornelius, NC14,777Indian Trail, NC: 14,262 countIndian Trail, NC14,262Fuquay-Varina, NC: 14,124 countFuquay-Varina, NC14,124Garner, NC: 13,961 countGarner, NC13,961Monroe, NC: 12,994 countMonroe, NC12,994Statesville, NC: 12,916 countStatesville, NC12,916Morrisville, NC: 12,735 countMorrisville, NC12,735Kernersville, NC: 12,647 countKernersville, NC12,647Sanford, NC: 12,364 countSanford, NC12,364Asheboro, NC: 12,269 countAsheboro, NC12,269Thomasville, NC: 11,997 countThomasville, NC11,997Leland, NC: 11,995 countLeland, NC11,995
count. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B25001: total housing units, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more). Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankCities2023
count		Change on 2022
1Charlotte, NC390,835+1.9%
2Raleigh, NC218,200+3.2%
3Greensboro, NC133,565+0.4%
4Durham, NC132,864+2.9%
5Winston-Salem, NC113,441+1.1%
6Fayetteville, NC91,309+0.3%
7Cary, NC72,634+2.6%
8Wilmington, NC61,188+3%
9Asheville, NC49,130+1.7%
10High Point, NC48,990+2.4%
11Greenville, NC44,334+2.2%
12Concord, NC42,493+1.2%
13Gastonia, NC34,721+0.7%
14Burlington, NC27,169+3.6%
15Rocky Mount, NC27,052+2%
16Jacksonville, NC25,768+3.2%
17Apex, NC25,148+3.4%
18Huntersville, NC24,643+2.9%
19Kannapolis, NC23,969+8.6%
20Chapel Hill, NC23,205+3.6%
21Wilson, NC22,358+0.4%
22Mooresville, NC21,569+4.7%
23Hickory, NC19,328-1.4%
24Wake Forest, NC18,824+6%
25Goldsboro, NC16,974-0.4%
26New Bern, NC16,314+0.3%
27Salisbury, NC15,523+2.8%
28Holly Springs, NC15,171+5.6%
29Cornelius, NC14,777+2.9%
30Indian Trail, NC14,262+3.4%
31Fuquay-Varina, NC14,124+8.4%
32Garner, NC13,961+4.4%
33Monroe, NC12,994+3%
34Statesville, NC12,916+2.4%
35Morrisville, NC12,735+3.5%
36Kernersville, NC12,6470%
37Sanford, NC12,364+2.5%
38Asheboro, NC12,269+1%
39Thomasville, NC11,997+2.7%
40Leland, NC11,995+7.7%
41Matthews, NC11,945+1.8%
42Clayton, NC10,927+7.2%
43Mint Hill, NC10,888+2.8%
44Shelby, NC10,804-1.8%
45Kinston, NC10,653-0.5%
46Carrboro, NC10,159+2.1%
47Pinehurst, NC9,670+0.2%
48Clemmons, NC9,616+2%
49Lexington, NC8,973-0.9%
50Southern Pines, NC8,711+6.3%
51Elizabeth City, NC8,680+4.4%
52Lenoir, NC8,602-0.7%
53Hendersonville, NC8,531+2.9%
54Graham, NC8,516+2.7%
55Lumberton, NC8,385-1%
56Mebane, NC8,185+4.3%
57Albemarle, NC8,095+2.5%
58Knightdale, NC7,889+2.3%
59Mount Holly, NC7,546+2.9%
60Morganton, NC7,328+1.3%
61Eden, NC7,210-0.7%
62Henderson, NC7,148+2.9%
63Reidsville, NC6,937-3.9%
64Hope Mills, NC6,872+1.9%
65Waxhaw, NC6,846+4.6%
66Roanoke Rapids, NC6,843-2.7%
67Boone, NC6,691-0.3%
68Belmont, NC6,505+2.7%
69Laurinburg, NC6,289+1.4%
70Morehead City, NC6,254-1%
71Stallings, NC6,200+3.7%
72Harrisburg, NC6,111+5.7%
73Davidson, NC6,043-0.4%
74Waynesville, NC5,866+2.8%
75Havelock, NC5,840-0.3%
76Newton, NC5,491-1.2%
77Smithfield, NC5,447+2.9%
78Mount Airy, NC5,433-2.7%
79Lincolnton, NC5,407+4.7%
80Tarboro, NC5,379+1.4%
81Lewisville, NC5,349+2.7%
82Spring Lake, NC5,161-2.5%
83Archdale, NC5,077+3.7%
84Pineville, NC5,062+6%
85Kings Mountain, NC4,727+2.8%
86Winterville, NC4,630+3%
87Weddington, NC4,408+1.2%
88Wendell, NC4,406+11.2%
89Aberdeen, NC4,207+8.3%
90Summerfield, NC4,090-0.5%
91Elon, NC3,374-2.1%
92Rolesville, NC3,315+5.2%
93Zebulon, NC3,195+13.9%

Other periods

About this ranking

All housing units, occupied and vacant: houses, apartments, mobile homes and rooms intended as separate living quarters. United States: American Community Survey five-year estimate, where the period shown is the last year of the five-year span.

A survey estimate averaged over five years, not a count on one date.

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 B25001: total housing units, 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-b25001.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 B25001: total housing units, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more) (Cities in North Carolina by housing units, 2023) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-b25001.dat

MLA 9

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B25001: total housing units, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more), Cities in North Carolina by housing units, 2023. U.S. Census Bureau, 29 Jan. 2026, https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-b25001.dat. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/housing-units/north-carolina-cities?period=2023. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

Chicago (author-date)

U.S. Census Bureau. 2026. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B25001: total housing units, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more). Cities in North Carolina by housing units, 2023. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-b25001.dat. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/housing-units/north-carolina-cities?period=2023.

Harvard

U.S. Census Bureau (2026) American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B25001: total housing units, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more), Cities in North Carolina by housing units, 2023 [Dataset]. Available at: https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-b25001.dat, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/housing-units/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 B25001: total housing units, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more): Cities in North Carolina by housing units, 2023}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2023/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2023-b25001.dat},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/housing-units/north-carolina-cities?period=2023. Publisher attribution: U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B25001: total housing units, 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-b25001.dat. Retrieved 2026-10-12.},
}
RIS
TY  - DATA
AU  - U.S. Census Bureau
TI  - American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B25001: total housing units, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more): Cities in North Carolina by housing units, 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-b25001.dat
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/housing-units/north-carolina-cities?period=2023
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/housing-units/north-carolina-cities?period=2023.
N1  - Publisher attribution: U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B25001: total housing units, 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-b25001.dat. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER  -
Embed this chart

Paste this code into a web page or a blog post. The chart shows the latest figures as they are published, with the source and a link back to this page.

Sites that read oEmbed links, such as WordPress, can show the chart when you paste the link to this page.

Use this data in your AI agent

Invokely serves this figure to AI assistants through MCP and to code through a REST API, with the source and citation attached. Ask your assistant:

Rank Cities in North Carolina by housing units using official data, and cite the source.
rank_places {"indicator":"housing_units","level":"municipality","within":"North Carolina","limit":10}
GET https://invokely.ai/api/v1/rank?indicator=housing_units&level=municipality&within=North%20Carolina&limit=10

Connect Claude, ChatGPT or Cursor in one step. The trial answers 25 calls a day without an account.

Questions

Which city has the highest housing units?

Charlotte, NC, with 390,835 in 2023, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which city has the lowest housing units?

Zebulon, NC, with 3,195 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 B25001: total housing units, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more). Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Housing units: other rankings

Cities in North Carolina: more rankings