Counties in North Carolina by land in farms

Robeson County had the highest land in farms of 100 counties in 1997, at 290,886 acres. Dare County had the lowest, at 4,975 acres. The median was 84,534 acres and the figure for North Carolina was 9,444,867 acres. Source: the U.S. Department of Agriculture, National Agricultural Statistics Service.

Keep it in a collection in your library.
Highest290,886Robeson County
Lowest4,975Dare County
Median84,534100 counties
North Carolina9,444,867History

Map of counties, 1997

Alamance County: 113,548 acresAlexander County: 62,714 acresAlleghany County: 87,125 acresAnson County: 90,367 acresAshe County: 114,399 acresAvery County: 31,214 acresBeaufort County: 155,192 acresBertie County: 154,634 acresBladen County: 130,093 acresBrunswick County: 38,742 acresBuncombe County: 95,068 acresBurke County: 32,421 acresCabarrus County: 66,531 acresCaldwell County: 39,660 acresCamden County: 52,822 acresCarteret County: 60,525 acresCaswell County: 141,351 acresCatawba County: 76,914 acresChatham County: 119,464 acresCherokee County: 27,488 acresChowan County: 52,736 acresClay County: 18,466 acresCleveland County: 114,965 acresColumbus County: 172,422 acresCraven County: 85,688 acresCumberland County: 106,236 acresCurrituck County: 39,982 acresDare County: 4,975 acresDavidson County: 106,997 acresDavie County: 73,564 acresDuplin County: 241,070 acresDurham County: 23,647 acresEdgecombe County: 172,314 acresForsyth County: 57,515 acresFranklin County: 140,369 acresGaston County: 37,124 acresGates County: 63,041 acresGraham County: 8,243 acresGranville County: 164,775 acresGreene County: 103,640 acresGuilford County: 120,980 acresHalifax County: 186,803 acresHarnett County: 117,879 acresHaywood County: 69,749 acresHenderson County: 48,562 acresHertford County: 76,519 acresHoke County: 69,435 acresHyde County: 95,938 acresIredell County: 161,416 acresJackson County: 20,707 acresJohnston County: 216,748 acresJones County: 72,846 acresLee County: 48,248 acresLenoir County: 152,570 acresLincoln County: 69,164 acresMcDowell County: 24,085 acresMacon County: 24,501 acresMadison County: 84,050 acresMartin County: 116,274 acresMecklenburg County: 32,377 acresMitchell County: 26,879 acresMontgomery County: 47,046 acresMoore County: 106,570 acresNash County: 177,479 acresNew Hanover County: 5,363 acresNorthampton County: 165,698 acresOnslow County: 64,616 acresOrange County: 72,673 acresPamlico County: 50,832 acresPasquotank County: 87,701 acresPender County: 69,881 acresPerquimans County: 78,032 acresPerson County: 122,956 acresPitt County: 192,908 acresPolk County: 35,061 acresRandolph County: 158,073 acresRichmond County: 54,177 acresRobeson County: 290,886 acresRockingham County: 137,109 acresRowan County: 111,786 acresRutherford County: 66,098 acresSampson County: 271,219 acresScotland County: 53,455 acresStanly County: 97,067 acresStokes County: 115,245 acresSurry County: 139,381 acresSwain County: 8,399 acresTransylvania County: 15,710 acresTyrrell County: 55,561 acresUnion County: 186,829 acresVance County: 69,589 acresWake County: 116,975 acresWarren County: 85,017 acresWashington County: 107,741 acresWatauga County: 64,756 acresWayne County: 232,257 acresWilkes County: 135,848 acresWilson County: 129,551 acresYadkin County: 107,414 acresYancey County: 44,137 acres
  • Under 38K
  • 38K to 63K
  • 63K to 85K
  • 85K to 110K
  • 110K to 150K
  • 150K and over
acres, 1997. Source: USDA NASS, Census of Agriculture: land in farms, acres, nation, states and counties (1997 to 2022) via Data Commons. Boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau cartographic boundary files.

Top 40 counties, 1997

Robeson County: 290,886 acresRobeson County290,886Sampson County: 271,219 acresSampson County271,219Duplin County: 241,070 acresDuplin County241,070Wayne County: 232,257 acresWayne County232,257Johnston County: 216,748 acresJohnston County216,748Pitt County: 192,908 acresPitt County192,908Union County: 186,829 acresUnion County186,829Halifax County: 186,803 acresHalifax County186,803Nash County: 177,479 acresNash County177,479Columbus County: 172,422 acresColumbus County172,422Edgecombe County: 172,314 acresEdgecombe County172,314Northampton County: 165,698 acresNorthampton County165,698Granville County: 164,775 acresGranville County164,775Iredell County: 161,416 acresIredell County161,416Randolph County: 158,073 acresRandolph County158,073Beaufort County: 155,192 acresBeaufort County155,192Bertie County: 154,634 acresBertie County154,634Lenoir County: 152,570 acresLenoir County152,570Caswell County: 141,351 acresCaswell County141,351Franklin County: 140,369 acresFranklin County140,369Surry County: 139,381 acresSurry County139,381Rockingham County: 137,109 acresRockingham County137,109Wilkes County: 135,848 acresWilkes County135,848Bladen County: 130,093 acresBladen County130,093Wilson County: 129,551 acresWilson County129,551Person County: 122,956 acresPerson County122,956Guilford County: 120,980 acresGuilford County120,980Chatham County: 119,464 acresChatham County119,464Harnett County: 117,879 acresHarnett County117,879Wake County: 116,975 acresWake County116,975Martin County: 116,274 acresMartin County116,274Stokes County: 115,245 acresStokes County115,245Cleveland County: 114,965 acresCleveland County114,965Ashe County: 114,399 acresAshe County114,399Alamance County: 113,548 acresAlamance County113,548Rowan County: 111,786 acresRowan County111,786Washington County: 107,741 acresWashington County107,741Yadkin County: 107,414 acresYadkin County107,414Davidson County: 106,997 acresDavidson County106,997Moore County: 106,570 acresMoore County106,570Robeson County: 290,886 acresRobeson County290,886Sampson County: 271,219 acresSampson County271,219Duplin County: 241,070 acresDuplin County241,070Wayne County: 232,257 acresWayne County232,257Johnston County: 216,748 acresJohnston County216,748Pitt County: 192,908 acresPitt County192,908Union County: 186,829 acresUnion County186,829Halifax County: 186,803 acresHalifax County186,803Nash County: 177,479 acresNash County177,479Columbus County: 172,422 acresColumbus County172,422Edgecombe County: 172,314 acresEdgecombe County172,314Northampton County: 165,698 acresNorthampton County165,698Granville County: 164,775 acresGranville County164,775Iredell County: 161,416 acresIredell County161,416Randolph County: 158,073 acresRandolph County158,073Beaufort County: 155,192 acresBeaufort County155,192Bertie County: 154,634 acresBertie County154,634Lenoir County: 152,570 acresLenoir County152,570Caswell County: 141,351 acresCaswell County141,351Franklin County: 140,369 acresFranklin County140,369Surry County: 139,381 acresSurry County139,381Rockingham County: 137,109 acresRockingham County137,109Wilkes County: 135,848 acresWilkes County135,848Bladen County: 130,093 acresBladen County130,093Wilson County: 129,551 acresWilson County129,551Person County: 122,956 acresPerson County122,956Guilford County: 120,980 acresGuilford County120,980Chatham County: 119,464 acresChatham County119,464Harnett County: 117,879 acresHarnett County117,879Wake County: 116,975 acresWake County116,975Martin County: 116,274 acresMartin County116,274Stokes County: 115,245 acresStokes County115,245Cleveland County: 114,965 acresCleveland County114,965Ashe County: 114,399 acresAshe County114,399Alamance County: 113,548 acresAlamance County113,548Rowan County: 111,786 acresRowan County111,786Washington County: 107,741 acresWashington County107,741Yadkin County: 107,414 acresYadkin County107,414Davidson County: 106,997 acresDavidson County106,997Moore County: 106,570 acresMoore County106,570
acres. Source: USDA NASS, Census of Agriculture: land in farms, acres, nation, states and counties (1997 to 2022) via Data Commons. Retrieved 2026-10-11.

Full ranking

RankCounties1997
acres
1Robeson County290,886
2Sampson County271,219
3Duplin County241,070
4Wayne County232,257
5Johnston County216,748
6Pitt County192,908
7Union County186,829
8Halifax County186,803
9Nash County177,479
10Columbus County172,422
11Edgecombe County172,314
12Northampton County165,698
13Granville County164,775
14Iredell County161,416
15Randolph County158,073
16Beaufort County155,192
17Bertie County154,634
18Lenoir County152,570
19Caswell County141,351
20Franklin County140,369
21Surry County139,381
22Rockingham County137,109
23Wilkes County135,848
24Bladen County130,093
25Wilson County129,551
26Person County122,956
27Guilford County120,980
28Chatham County119,464
29Harnett County117,879
30Wake County116,975
31Martin County116,274
32Stokes County115,245
33Cleveland County114,965
34Ashe County114,399
35Alamance County113,548
36Rowan County111,786
37Washington County107,741
38Yadkin County107,414
39Davidson County106,997
40Moore County106,570
41Cumberland County106,236
42Greene County103,640
43Stanly County97,067
44Hyde County95,938
45Buncombe County95,068
46Anson County90,367
47Pasquotank County87,701
48Alleghany County87,125
49Craven County85,688
50Warren County85,017
51Madison County84,050
52Perquimans County78,032
53Catawba County76,914
54Hertford County76,519
55Davie County73,564
56Jones County72,846
57Orange County72,673
58Pender County69,881
59Haywood County69,749
60Vance County69,589
61Hoke County69,435
62Lincoln County69,164
63Cabarrus County66,531
64Rutherford County66,098
65Watauga County64,756
66Onslow County64,616
67Gates County63,041
68Alexander County62,714
69Carteret County60,525
70Forsyth County57,515
71Tyrrell County55,561
72Richmond County54,177
73Scotland County53,455
74Camden County52,822
75Chowan County52,736
76Pamlico County50,832
77Henderson County48,562
78Lee County48,248
79Montgomery County47,046
80Yancey County44,137
81Currituck County39,982
82Caldwell County39,660
83Brunswick County38,742
84Gaston County37,124
85Polk County35,061
86Burke County32,421
87Mecklenburg County32,377
88Avery County31,214
89Cherokee County27,488
90Mitchell County26,879
91Macon County24,501
92McDowell County24,085
93Durham County23,647
94Jackson County20,707
95Clay County18,466
96Transylvania County15,710
97Swain County8,399
98Graham County8,243
99New Hanover County5,363
100Dare County4,975

Other periods

About this ranking

Land operated by farms in the census year, in acres, including cropland, pasture, woodland and land under farm buildings, as counted by the USDA Census of Agriculture every five years.

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

Source: USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service, Census of Agriculture. Census of Agriculture: land in farms, acres, nation, states and counties (1997 to 2022). Retrieved through Data Commons (datacommons.org). https://www.nass.usda.gov/AgCensus/. Retrieved 2026-10-11.

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. Department of Agriculture, National Agricultural Statistics Service. (2026). Census of Agriculture: land in farms, acres, nation, states and counties (1997 to 2022) (Counties in North Carolina by land in farms, 1997) [Data set]. Data Commons. Retrieved October 11, 2026, from https://www.nass.usda.gov/AgCensus/

MLA 9

Census of Agriculture: land in farms, acres, nation, states and counties (1997 to 2022), Counties in North Carolina by land in farms, 1997. U.S. Department of Agriculture, National Agricultural Statistics Service, 11 Oct. 2026, https://www.nass.usda.gov/AgCensus/. Data Commons, https://datacommons.org. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/land-in-farms/north-carolina-counties?period=1997. Accessed 11 Oct. 2026.

Chicago (author-date)

U.S. Department of Agriculture, National Agricultural Statistics Service. 2026. Census of Agriculture: land in farms, acres, nation, states and counties (1997 to 2022). Counties in North Carolina by land in farms, 1997. Dataset. Distributed by Data Commons. Accessed October 11, 2026. https://www.nass.usda.gov/AgCensus/. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/land-in-farms/north-carolina-counties?period=1997.

Harvard

U.S. Department of Agriculture, National Agricultural Statistics Service (2026) Census of Agriculture: land in farms, acres, nation, states and counties (1997 to 2022), Counties in North Carolina by land in farms, 1997 [Dataset]. Via Data Commons. Available at: https://www.nass.usda.gov/AgCensus/, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/land-in-farms/north-carolina-counties?period=1997 (Accessed: 11 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{department_counties_in_north_carolina_1997,
  author = {{U.S. Department of Agriculture, National Agricultural Statistics Service}},
  title = {{Census of Agriculture: land in farms, acres, nation, states and counties (1997 to 2022): Counties in North Carolina by land in farms, 1997}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  publisher = {Data Commons},
  url = {https://www.nass.usda.gov/AgCensus/},
  urldate = {2026-10-11},
  note = {Retrieved through Data Commons (https://datacommons.org). Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/land-in-farms/north-carolina-counties?period=1997. Publisher attribution: Source: USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service, Census of Agriculture. Census of Agriculture: land in farms, acres, nation, states and counties (1997 to 2022). Retrieved through Data Commons (datacommons.org). https://www.nass.usda.gov/AgCensus/. Retrieved 2026-10-11.},
}
RIS
TY  - DATA
AU  - U.S. Department of Agriculture, National Agricultural Statistics Service
TI  - Census of Agriculture: land in farms, acres, nation, states and counties (1997 to 2022): Counties in North Carolina by land in farms, 1997
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/10/11
PB  - Data Commons
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://www.nass.usda.gov/AgCensus/
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/land-in-farms/north-carolina-counties?period=1997
Y2  - 2026/10/11
N1  - Retrieved through Data Commons (https://datacommons.org).
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/land-in-farms/north-carolina-counties?period=1997.
N1  - Publisher attribution: Source: USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service, Census of Agriculture. Census of Agriculture: land in farms, acres, nation, states and counties (1997 to 2022). Retrieved through Data Commons (datacommons.org). https://www.nass.usda.gov/AgCensus/. Retrieved 2026-10-11.
ER  - 
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Questions

Which county has the highest land in farms?

Robeson County, with 290,886 acres in 1997, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, National Agricultural Statistics Service.

Which county has the lowest land in farms?

Dare County, with 4,975 acres in 1997.

Where does this ranking come from?

Every value comes from one source and one period, so the places are comparable: U.S. Department of Agriculture, National Agricultural Statistics Service, Census of Agriculture: land in farms, acres, nation, states and counties (1997 to 2022). Retrieved 2026-10-11.

Land in farms: other rankings

Counties in North Carolina: more rankings