Counties in North Carolina by land in farms

Sampson County had the highest land in farms of 100 counties in 2017, at 301,248 acres. New Hanover County had the lowest, at 879 acres. The median was 71,384 acres and the figure for North Carolina was 8,430,522 acres. Source: the U.S. Department of Agriculture, National Agricultural Statistics Service.

Keep it in a collection in your library.
Highest301,248Sampson County
Median71,384100 counties
North Carolina8,430,522History

Map of counties, 2017

Alamance County: 80,042 acresAlexander County: 54,146 acresAlleghany County: 70,593 acresAnson County: 85,330 acresAshe County: 109,790 acresAvery County: 28,679 acresBeaufort County: 139,475 acresBertie County: 148,113 acresBladen County: 180,340 acresBrunswick County: 44,693 acresBuncombe County: 72,284 acresBurke County: 38,641 acresCabarrus County: 63,667 acresCaldwell County: 37,991 acresCamden County: 59,239 acresCarteret County: 62,764 acresCaswell County: 104,882 acresCatawba County: 63,530 acresChatham County: 105,995 acresCherokee County: 26,236 acresChowan County: 53,528 acresClay County: 12,525 acresCleveland County: 113,341 acresColumbus County: 141,080 acresCraven County: 81,360 acresCumberland County: 65,995 acresCurrituck County: 44,834 acresDare County: 5,342 acresDavidson County: 92,359 acresDavie County: 76,933 acresDuplin County: 243,098 acresDurham County: 18,603 acresEdgecombe County: 148,917 acresForsyth County: 34,801 acresFranklin County: 107,967 acresGaston County: 37,695 acresGates County: 57,985 acresGraham County: 10,998 acresGranville County: 124,813 acresGreene County: 83,322 acresGuilford County: 76,352 acresHalifax County: 209,073 acresHarnett County: 106,262 acresHaywood County: 52,244 acresHenderson County: 41,099 acresHertford County: 80,902 acresHoke County: 53,647 acresHyde County: 124,874 acresIredell County: 133,346 acresJackson County: 15,729 acresJohnston County: 183,281 acresJones County: 65,649 acresLee County: 35,170 acresLenoir County: 113,708 acresLincoln County: 54,080 acresMcDowell County: 22,997 acresMacon County: 19,775 acresMadison County: 56,761 acresMartin County: 140,980 acresMecklenburg County: 11,674 acresMitchell County: 14,802 acresMontgomery County: 33,521 acresMoore County: 89,375 acresNash County: 129,478 acresNew Hanover County: 879 acresNorthampton County: 170,170 acresOnslow County: 52,473 acresOrange County: 69,908 acresPamlico County: 43,262 acresPasquotank County: 72,174 acresPender County: 64,484 acresPerquimans County: 80,322 acresPerson County: 82,194 acresPitt County: 186,412 acresPolk County: 29,102 acresRandolph County: 147,781 acresRichmond County: 59,173 acresRobeson County: 263,740 acresRockingham County: 124,613 acresRowan County: 118,914 acresRutherford County: 59,921 acresSampson County: 301,248 acresScotland County: 54,853 acresStanly County: 95,867 acresStokes County: 92,904 acresSurry County: 152,452 acresSwain County: 10,131 acresTransylvania County: 14,684 acresTyrrell County: 52,946 acresUnion County: 186,626 acresVance County: 66,157 acresWake County: 77,008 acresWarren County: 60,778 acresWashington County: 79,680 acresWatauga County: 49,614 acresWayne County: 165,345 acresWilkes County: 106,710 acresWilson County: 122,946 acresYadkin County: 87,522 acresYancey County: 30,824 acres
  • Under 34K
  • 34K to 54K
  • 54K to 71K
  • 71K to 93K
  • 93K to 140K
  • 140K and over
acres, 2017. 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, 2017

Sampson County: 301,248 acresSampson County301,248Robeson County: 263,740 acresRobeson County263,740Duplin County: 243,098 acresDuplin County243,098Halifax County: 209,073 acresHalifax County209,073Union County: 186,626 acresUnion County186,626Pitt County: 186,412 acresPitt County186,412Johnston County: 183,281 acresJohnston County183,281Bladen County: 180,340 acresBladen County180,340Northampton County: 170,170 acresNorthampton County170,170Wayne County: 165,345 acresWayne County165,345Surry County: 152,452 acresSurry County152,452Edgecombe County: 148,917 acresEdgecombe County148,917Bertie County: 148,113 acresBertie County148,113Randolph County: 147,781 acresRandolph County147,781Columbus County: 141,080 acresColumbus County141,080Martin County: 140,980 acresMartin County140,980Beaufort County: 139,475 acresBeaufort County139,475Iredell County: 133,346 acresIredell County133,346Nash County: 129,478 acresNash County129,478Hyde County: 124,874 acresHyde County124,874Granville County: 124,813 acresGranville County124,813Rockingham County: 124,613 acresRockingham County124,613Wilson County: 122,946 acresWilson County122,946Rowan County: 118,914 acresRowan County118,914Lenoir County: 113,708 acresLenoir County113,708Cleveland County: 113,341 acresCleveland County113,341Ashe County: 109,790 acresAshe County109,790Franklin County: 107,967 acresFranklin County107,967Wilkes County: 106,710 acresWilkes County106,710Harnett County: 106,262 acresHarnett County106,262Chatham County: 105,995 acresChatham County105,995Caswell County: 104,882 acresCaswell County104,882Stanly County: 95,867 acresStanly County95,867Stokes County: 92,904 acresStokes County92,904Davidson County: 92,359 acresDavidson County92,359Moore County: 89,375 acresMoore County89,375Yadkin County: 87,522 acresYadkin County87,522Anson County: 85,330 acresAnson County85,330Greene County: 83,322 acresGreene County83,322Person County: 82,194 acresPerson County82,194Sampson County: 301,248 acresSampson County301,248Robeson County: 263,740 acresRobeson County263,740Duplin County: 243,098 acresDuplin County243,098Halifax County: 209,073 acresHalifax County209,073Union County: 186,626 acresUnion County186,626Pitt County: 186,412 acresPitt County186,412Johnston County: 183,281 acresJohnston County183,281Bladen County: 180,340 acresBladen County180,340Northampton County: 170,170 acresNorthampton County170,170Wayne County: 165,345 acresWayne County165,345Surry County: 152,452 acresSurry County152,452Edgecombe County: 148,917 acresEdgecombe County148,917Bertie County: 148,113 acresBertie County148,113Randolph County: 147,781 acresRandolph County147,781Columbus County: 141,080 acresColumbus County141,080Martin County: 140,980 acresMartin County140,980Beaufort County: 139,475 acresBeaufort County139,475Iredell County: 133,346 acresIredell County133,346Nash County: 129,478 acresNash County129,478Hyde County: 124,874 acresHyde County124,874Granville County: 124,813 acresGranville County124,813Rockingham County: 124,613 acresRockingham County124,613Wilson County: 122,946 acresWilson County122,946Rowan County: 118,914 acresRowan County118,914Lenoir County: 113,708 acresLenoir County113,708Cleveland County: 113,341 acresCleveland County113,341Ashe County: 109,790 acresAshe County109,790Franklin County: 107,967 acresFranklin County107,967Wilkes County: 106,710 acresWilkes County106,710Harnett County: 106,262 acresHarnett County106,262Chatham County: 105,995 acresChatham County105,995Caswell County: 104,882 acresCaswell County104,882Stanly County: 95,867 acresStanly County95,867Stokes County: 92,904 acresStokes County92,904Davidson County: 92,359 acresDavidson County92,359Moore County: 89,375 acresMoore County89,375Yadkin County: 87,522 acresYadkin County87,522Anson County: 85,330 acresAnson County85,330Greene County: 83,322 acresGreene County83,322Person County: 82,194 acresPerson County82,194
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

RankCounties2017
acres
1Sampson County301,248
2Robeson County263,740
3Duplin County243,098
4Halifax County209,073
5Union County186,626
6Pitt County186,412
7Johnston County183,281
8Bladen County180,340
9Northampton County170,170
10Wayne County165,345
11Surry County152,452
12Edgecombe County148,917
13Bertie County148,113
14Randolph County147,781
15Columbus County141,080
16Martin County140,980
17Beaufort County139,475
18Iredell County133,346
19Nash County129,478
20Hyde County124,874
21Granville County124,813
22Rockingham County124,613
23Wilson County122,946
24Rowan County118,914
25Lenoir County113,708
26Cleveland County113,341
27Ashe County109,790
28Franklin County107,967
29Wilkes County106,710
30Harnett County106,262
31Chatham County105,995
32Caswell County104,882
33Stanly County95,867
34Stokes County92,904
35Davidson County92,359
36Moore County89,375
37Yadkin County87,522
38Anson County85,330
39Greene County83,322
40Person County82,194
41Craven County81,360
42Hertford County80,902
43Perquimans County80,322
44Alamance County80,042
45Washington County79,680
46Wake County77,008
47Davie County76,933
48Guilford County76,352
49Buncombe County72,284
50Pasquotank County72,174
51Alleghany County70,593
52Orange County69,908
53Vance County66,157
54Cumberland County65,995
55Jones County65,649
56Pender County64,484
57Cabarrus County63,667
58Catawba County63,530
59Carteret County62,764
60Warren County60,778
61Rutherford County59,921
62Camden County59,239
63Richmond County59,173
64Gates County57,985
65Madison County56,761
66Scotland County54,853
67Alexander County54,146
68Lincoln County54,080
69Hoke County53,647
70Chowan County53,528
71Tyrrell County52,946
72Onslow County52,473
73Haywood County52,244
74Watauga County49,614
75Currituck County44,834
76Brunswick County44,693
77Pamlico County43,262
78Henderson County41,099
79Burke County38,641
80Caldwell County37,991
81Gaston County37,695
82Lee County35,170
83Forsyth County34,801
84Montgomery County33,521
85Yancey County30,824
86Polk County29,102
87Avery County28,679
88Cherokee County26,236
89McDowell County22,997
90Macon County19,775
91Durham County18,603
92Jackson County15,729
93Mitchell County14,802
94Transylvania County14,684
95Clay County12,525
96Mecklenburg County11,674
97Graham County10,998
98Swain County10,131
99Dare County5,342
100New Hanover County879

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, 2017) [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, 2017. 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=2017. 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, 2017. 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=2017.

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, 2017 [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=2017 (Accessed: 11 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{department_counties_in_north_carolina_2017,
  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, 2017}},
  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=2017. 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, 2017
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=2017
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=2017.
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?

Sampson County, with 301,248 acres in 2017, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, National Agricultural Statistics Service.

Which county has the lowest land in farms?

New Hanover County, with 879 acres in 2017.

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