Data / Rankings / Residents who moved from another state in the past year / Counties in North Carolina

Counties in North Carolina by residents who moved from another state in the past year

Onslow County had the highest residents who moved from another state in the past year of 100 counties in 2021, at 10.8%. Hyde County had the lowest, at 0.1%. The median was 1.9% and the figure for North Carolina was 3.1%. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

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Highest10.8Onslow County
Lowest0.1Hyde County
Median1.9100 counties
North Carolina3.1History

Map of counties, 2021

Alamance County: 2.2 %Alexander County: 1.4 %Alleghany County: 1.1 %Anson County: 1.2 %Ashe County: 0.8 %Avery County: 3.2 %Beaufort County: 1.5 %Bertie County: 0.9 %Bladen County: 0.7 %Brunswick County: 3.8 %Buncombe County: 3.8 %Burke County: 1.9 %Cabarrus County: 2 %Caldwell County: 1.4 %Camden County: 1.5 %Carteret County: 2.8 %Caswell County: 1.1 %Catawba County: 1.5 %Chatham County: 1.7 %Cherokee County: 2.9 %Chowan County: 1.8 %Clay County: 1.7 %Cleveland County: 2.4 %Columbus County: 1.4 %Craven County: 4.7 %Cumberland County: 6.9 %Currituck County: 6.5 %Dare County: 3.5 %Davidson County: 1.5 %Davie County: 1.8 %Duplin County: 1.2 %Durham County: 4.4 %Edgecombe County: 0.7 %Forsyth County: 2.8 %Franklin County: 1.8 %Gaston County: 2 %Gates County: 4.8 %Graham County: 0.8 %Granville County: 2 %Greene County: 0.9 %Guilford County: 2.7 %Halifax County: 0.9 %Harnett County: 3.4 %Haywood County: 3.2 %Henderson County: 2.7 %Hertford County: 3.9 %Hoke County: 2.9 %Hyde County: 0.1 %Iredell County: 3.4 %Jackson County: 4.5 %Johnston County: 1.9 %Jones County: 1 %Lee County: 1.4 %Lenoir County: 1.4 %Lincoln County: 1.9 %McDowell County: 1.1 %Macon County: 4.5 %Madison County: 2.1 %Martin County: 0.8 %Mecklenburg County: 4.1 %Mitchell County: 1.2 %Montgomery County: 1.2 %Moore County: 4.8 %Nash County: 1.6 %New Hanover County: 3.7 %Northampton County: 1 %Onslow County: 10.8 %Orange County: 4.2 %Pamlico County: 1.4 %Pasquotank County: 3.8 %Pender County: 2.7 %Perquimans County: 3.9 %Person County: 1.3 %Pitt County: 3.8 %Polk County: 6.5 %Randolph County: 1.2 %Richmond County: 2.3 %Robeson County: 0.9 %Rockingham County: 1.5 %Rowan County: 1.4 %Rutherford County: 3.1 %Sampson County: 0.6 %Scotland County: 1.9 %Stanly County: 1.2 %Stokes County: 0.5 %Surry County: 1.8 %Swain County: 4.5 %Transylvania County: 3.9 %Tyrrell County: 0.9 %Union County: 2.6 %Vance County: 0.6 %Wake County: 3.5 %Warren County: 1.9 %Washington County: 0.8 %Watauga County: 3.3 %Wayne County: 3.1 %Wilkes County: 1 %Wilson County: 0.9 %Yadkin County: 0.7 %Yancey County: 2.2 %
  • Under 0.9
  • 0.9 to 1.4
  • 1.4 to 1.9
  • 1.9 to 2.8
  • 2.8 to 3.8
  • 3.8 and over
%, 2021. Source: Invokely calculation with data from U.S. Census Bureau. Boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau cartographic boundary files.

Top 40 counties, 2021

Onslow County: 10.8 %Onslow County10.8Cumberland County: 6.9 %Cumberland County6.9Currituck County: 6.5 %Currituck County6.5Polk County: 6.5 %Polk County6.5Moore County: 4.8 %Moore County4.8Gates County: 4.8 %Gates County4.8Craven County: 4.7 %Craven County4.7Swain County: 4.5 %Swain County4.5Macon County: 4.5 %Macon County4.5Jackson County: 4.5 %Jackson County4.5Durham County: 4.4 %Durham County4.4Orange County: 4.2 %Orange County4.2Mecklenburg County: 4.1 %Mecklenburg County4.1Transylvania County: 3.9 %Transylvania County3.9Hertford County: 3.9 %Hertford County3.9Perquimans County: 3.9 %Perquimans County3.9Pasquotank County: 3.8 %Pasquotank County3.8Pitt County: 3.8 %Pitt County3.8Brunswick County: 3.8 %Brunswick County3.8Buncombe County: 3.8 %Buncombe County3.8New Hanover County: 3.7 %New Hanover County3.7Dare County: 3.5 %Dare County3.5Wake County: 3.5 %Wake County3.5Harnett County: 3.4 %Harnett County3.4Iredell County: 3.4 %Iredell County3.4Watauga County: 3.3 %Watauga County3.3Haywood County: 3.2 %Haywood County3.2Avery County: 3.2 %Avery County3.2Rutherford County: 3.1 %Rutherford County3.1Wayne County: 3.1 %Wayne County3.1Cherokee County: 2.9 %Cherokee County2.9Hoke County: 2.9 %Hoke County2.9Carteret County: 2.8 %Carteret County2.8Forsyth County: 2.8 %Forsyth County2.8Guilford County: 2.7 %Guilford County2.7Henderson County: 2.7 %Henderson County2.7Pender County: 2.7 %Pender County2.7Union County: 2.6 %Union County2.6Cleveland County: 2.4 %Cleveland County2.4Richmond County: 2.3 %Richmond County2.3Onslow County: 10.8 %Onslow County10.8Cumberland County: 6.9 %Cumberland County6.9Currituck County: 6.5 %Currituck County6.5Polk County: 6.5 %Polk County6.5Moore County: 4.8 %Moore County4.8Gates County: 4.8 %Gates County4.8Craven County: 4.7 %Craven County4.7Swain County: 4.5 %Swain County4.5Macon County: 4.5 %Macon County4.5Jackson County: 4.5 %Jackson County4.5Durham County: 4.4 %Durham County4.4Orange County: 4.2 %Orange County4.2Mecklenburg County: 4.1 %Mecklenburg County4.1Transylvania County: 3.9 %Transylvania County3.9Hertford County: 3.9 %Hertford County3.9Perquimans County: 3.9 %Perquimans County3.9Pasquotank County: 3.8 %Pasquotank County3.8Pitt County: 3.8 %Pitt County3.8Brunswick County: 3.8 %Brunswick County3.8Buncombe County: 3.8 %Buncombe County3.8New Hanover County: 3.7 %New Hanover County3.7Dare County: 3.5 %Dare County3.5Wake County: 3.5 %Wake County3.5Harnett County: 3.4 %Harnett County3.4Iredell County: 3.4 %Iredell County3.4Watauga County: 3.3 %Watauga County3.3Haywood County: 3.2 %Haywood County3.2Avery County: 3.2 %Avery County3.2Rutherford County: 3.1 %Rutherford County3.1Wayne County: 3.1 %Wayne County3.1Cherokee County: 2.9 %Cherokee County2.9Hoke County: 2.9 %Hoke County2.9Carteret County: 2.8 %Carteret County2.8Forsyth County: 2.8 %Forsyth County2.8Guilford County: 2.7 %Guilford County2.7Henderson County: 2.7 %Henderson County2.7Pender County: 2.7 %Pender County2.7Union County: 2.6 %Union County2.6Cleveland County: 2.4 %Cleveland County2.4Richmond County: 2.3 %Richmond County2.3
%. Source: Invokely calculation with data from U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankCounties2021 (%)
1Onslow County10.8
2Cumberland County6.9
3Currituck County6.5
4Polk County6.5
5Moore County4.8
6Gates County4.8
7Craven County4.7
8Swain County4.5
9Macon County4.5
10Jackson County4.5
11Durham County4.4
12Orange County4.2
13Mecklenburg County4.1
14Transylvania County3.9
15Hertford County3.9
16Perquimans County3.9
17Pasquotank County3.8
18Pitt County3.8
19Brunswick County3.8
20Buncombe County3.8
21New Hanover County3.7
22Dare County3.5
22Wake County3.5
24Harnett County3.4
25Iredell County3.4
26Watauga County3.3
27Haywood County3.2
28Avery County3.2
29Rutherford County3.1
30Wayne County3.1
31Cherokee County2.9
32Hoke County2.9
33Carteret County2.8
33Forsyth County2.8
35Guilford County2.7
35Henderson County2.7
37Pender County2.7
38Union County2.6
39Cleveland County2.4
40Richmond County2.3
41Alamance County2.2
41Yancey County2.2
43Madison County2.1
44Cabarrus County2
45Gaston County2
46Granville County2
47Johnston County1.9
47Lincoln County1.9
47Warren County1.9
50Scotland County1.9
51Burke County1.9
52Franklin County1.8
53Surry County1.8
54Chowan County1.8
55Davie County1.8
56Clay County1.7
57Chatham County1.7
58Nash County1.6
59Rockingham County1.5
60Camden County1.5
60Catawba County1.5
60Davidson County1.5
63Beaufort County1.5
64Alexander County1.4
64Lenoir County1.4
66Pamlico County1.4
67Caldwell County1.4
68Lee County1.4
69Rowan County1.4
70Columbus County1.4
71Person County1.3
72Anson County1.2
73Montgomery County1.2
74Randolph County1.2
75Mitchell County1.2
76Duplin County1.2
76Stanly County1.2
78Alleghany County1.1
79Caswell County1.1
80McDowell County1.1
81Jones County1
82Wilkes County1
83Northampton County1
84Bertie County0.9
85Robeson County0.9
86Halifax County0.9
87Tyrrell County0.9
88Wilson County0.9
89Greene County0.9
90Washington County0.8
91Ashe County0.8
92Graham County0.8
93Martin County0.8
94Yadkin County0.7
95Bladen County0.7
95Edgecombe County0.7
97Vance County0.6
98Sampson County0.6
99Stokes County0.5
100Hyde County0.1

Other periods

About this ranking

People aged 1 and over who lived in a different US state one year earlier, as a percentage of all people aged 1 and over living in the area. United States: American Community Survey five-year estimate, where the period shown is the last year of the five-year span.

Counts people who arrived, not net migration: people who left are not subtracted. Moves from abroad are left out. For the nation it is everyone who changed state.

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

U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B07003: people aged 1 and over who moved from a different state in the past year, as a percentage of the population aged 1 and over, calculated with stored inputs. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b07003.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 B07003: people aged 1 and over who moved from a different state in the past year, as a percentage of the population aged 1 and over, calculated with stored inputs (Counties in North Carolina by residents who moved from another state in the past year, 2021) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b07003.dat

MLA 9

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B07003: people aged 1 and over who moved from a different state in the past year, as a percentage of the population aged 1 and over, calculated with stored inputs, Counties in North Carolina by residents who moved from another state in the past year, 2021. U.S. Census Bureau, 29 Jan. 2026, https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b07003.dat. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/moved-from-another-state/north-carolina-counties?period=2021. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

Chicago (author-date)

U.S. Census Bureau. 2026. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B07003: people aged 1 and over who moved from a different state in the past year, as a percentage of the population aged 1 and over, calculated with stored inputs. Counties in North Carolina by residents who moved from another state in the past year, 2021. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b07003.dat. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/moved-from-another-state/north-carolina-counties?period=2021.

Harvard

U.S. Census Bureau (2026) American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B07003: people aged 1 and over who moved from a different state in the past year, as a percentage of the population aged 1 and over, calculated with stored inputs, Counties in North Carolina by residents who moved from another state in the past year, 2021 [Dataset]. Available at: https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b07003.dat, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/moved-from-another-state/north-carolina-counties?period=2021 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{census_counties_in_north_carolina_2021,
  author = {{U.S. Census Bureau}},
  title = {{American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B07003: people aged 1 and over who moved from a different state in the past year, as a percentage of the population aged 1 and over, calculated with stored inputs: Counties in North Carolina by residents who moved from another state in the past year, 2021}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b07003.dat},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/moved-from-another-state/north-carolina-counties?period=2021. Publisher attribution: U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B07003: people aged 1 and over who moved from a different state in the past year, as a percentage of the population aged 1 and over, calculated with stored inputs. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary\_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b07003.dat. Retrieved 2026-10-12.},
}
RIS
TY  - DATA
AU  - U.S. Census Bureau
TI  - American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B07003: people aged 1 and over who moved from a different state in the past year, as a percentage of the population aged 1 and over, calculated with stored inputs: Counties in North Carolina by residents who moved from another state in the past year, 2021
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/01/29
PB  - U.S. Census Bureau
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b07003.dat
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/moved-from-another-state/north-carolina-counties?period=2021
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/moved-from-another-state/north-carolina-counties?period=2021.
N1  - Publisher attribution: U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B07003: people aged 1 and over who moved from a different state in the past year, as a percentage of the population aged 1 and over, calculated with stored inputs. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b07003.dat. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER  -
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Questions

Which county has the highest residents who moved from another state in the past year?

Onslow County, with 10.8% in 2021, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which county has the lowest residents who moved from another state in the past year?

Hyde County, with 0.1% in 2021.

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 B07003: people aged 1 and over who moved from a different state in the past year, as a percentage of the population aged 1 and over, calculated with stored inputs. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Residents who moved from another state in the past year: other rankings

Counties in North Carolina: more rankings