Counties in North Carolina by population under 18

Hoke County had the highest population under 18 of 100 counties in 2022, at 28%. Watauga County had the lowest, at 12.4%. The median was 20.5% and the figure for North Carolina was 21.7%. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

Keep it in a collection in your library.
Highest28Hoke County
Lowest12.4Watauga County
Median20.5100 counties
North Carolina21.7History

Map of counties, 2022

Alamance County: 21.8 %Alexander County: 19.8 %Alleghany County: 17.4 %Anson County: 20.2 %Ashe County: 16.8 %Avery County: 15.6 %Beaufort County: 19.5 %Bertie County: 17.1 %Bladen County: 21.2 %Brunswick County: 14.4 %Buncombe County: 17.7 %Burke County: 19.6 %Cabarrus County: 25.2 %Caldwell County: 19.9 %Camden County: 24 %Carteret County: 16.9 %Caswell County: 18 %Catawba County: 21 %Chatham County: 19.2 %Cherokee County: 15.7 %Chowan County: 19.2 %Clay County: 15.3 %Cleveland County: 22 %Columbus County: 21.1 %Craven County: 20.6 %Cumberland County: 24.5 %Currituck County: 22.3 %Dare County: 17.3 %Davidson County: 21.5 %Davie County: 20.6 %Duplin County: 25.3 %Durham County: 19.5 %Edgecombe County: 22.3 %Forsyth County: 22.1 %Franklin County: 22.4 %Gaston County: 22 %Gates County: 19.9 %Graham County: 19.9 %Granville County: 20.9 %Greene County: 19.3 %Guilford County: 21.6 %Halifax County: 20.5 %Harnett County: 26.2 %Haywood County: 17.3 %Henderson County: 18.2 %Hertford County: 19.3 %Hoke County: 28 %Hyde County: 16.2 %Iredell County: 22.4 %Jackson County: 16.3 %Johnston County: 25.1 %Jones County: 18.7 %Lee County: 23.2 %Lenoir County: 22.5 %Lincoln County: 20.9 %McDowell County: 19.2 %Macon County: 17.7 %Madison County: 16.9 %Martin County: 20.1 %Mecklenburg County: 22.6 %Mitchell County: 18 %Montgomery County: 21 %Moore County: 21.8 %Nash County: 21.5 %New Hanover County: 17.7 %Northampton County: 18 %Onslow County: 24.3 %Orange County: 18.9 %Pamlico County: 13.8 %Pasquotank County: 20.8 %Pender County: 22.9 %Perquimans County: 18.4 %Person County: 20.8 %Pitt County: 21.7 %Polk County: 16.1 %Randolph County: 22 %Richmond County: 23.3 %Robeson County: 25.8 %Rockingham County: 20.2 %Rowan County: 21.5 %Rutherford County: 20.3 %Sampson County: 24.7 %Scotland County: 23.1 %Stanly County: 21.5 %Stokes County: 19 %Surry County: 21 %Swain County: 22.5 %Transylvania County: 16.5 %Tyrrell County: 19.4 %Union County: 26.1 %Vance County: 23.6 %Wake County: 23.2 %Warren County: 17.8 %Washington County: 19.5 %Watauga County: 12.4 %Wayne County: 23.5 %Wilkes County: 19.9 %Wilson County: 22.4 %Yadkin County: 20.5 %Yancey County: 17.5 %
  • Under 17
  • 17 to 19
  • 19 to 21
  • 21 to 22
  • 22 to 23
  • 23 and over
%, 2022. Source: Invokely calculation with data from U.S. Census Bureau. Boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau cartographic boundary files.

Top 40 counties, 2022

Hoke County: 28 %Hoke County28Harnett County: 26.2 %Harnett County26.2Union County: 26.1 %Union County26.1Robeson County: 25.8 %Robeson County25.8Duplin County: 25.3 %Duplin County25.3Cabarrus County: 25.2 %Cabarrus County25.2Johnston County: 25.1 %Johnston County25.1Sampson County: 24.7 %Sampson County24.7Cumberland County: 24.5 %Cumberland County24.5Onslow County: 24.3 %Onslow County24.3Camden County: 24 %Camden County24Vance County: 23.6 %Vance County23.6Wayne County: 23.5 %Wayne County23.5Richmond County: 23.3 %Richmond County23.3Wake County: 23.2 %Wake County23.2Lee County: 23.2 %Lee County23.2Scotland County: 23.1 %Scotland County23.1Pender County: 22.9 %Pender County22.9Mecklenburg County: 22.6 %Mecklenburg County22.6Lenoir County: 22.5 %Lenoir County22.5Swain County: 22.5 %Swain County22.5Iredell County: 22.4 %Iredell County22.4Franklin County: 22.4 %Franklin County22.4Wilson County: 22.4 %Wilson County22.4Edgecombe County: 22.3 %Edgecombe County22.3Currituck County: 22.3 %Currituck County22.3Forsyth County: 22.1 %Forsyth County22.1Gaston County: 22 %Gaston County22Randolph County: 22 %Randolph County22Cleveland County: 22 %Cleveland County22Moore County: 21.8 %Moore County21.8Alamance County: 21.8 %Alamance County21.8Pitt County: 21.7 %Pitt County21.7Guilford County: 21.6 %Guilford County21.6Nash County: 21.5 %Nash County21.5Davidson County: 21.5 %Davidson County21.5Stanly County: 21.5 %Stanly County21.5Rowan County: 21.5 %Rowan County21.5Bladen County: 21.2 %Bladen County21.2Columbus County: 21.1 %Columbus County21.1Hoke County: 28 %Hoke County28Harnett County: 26.2 %Harnett County26.2Union County: 26.1 %Union County26.1Robeson County: 25.8 %Robeson County25.8Duplin County: 25.3 %Duplin County25.3Cabarrus County: 25.2 %Cabarrus County25.2Johnston County: 25.1 %Johnston County25.1Sampson County: 24.7 %Sampson County24.7Cumberland County: 24.5 %Cumberland County24.5Onslow County: 24.3 %Onslow County24.3Camden County: 24 %Camden County24Vance County: 23.6 %Vance County23.6Wayne County: 23.5 %Wayne County23.5Richmond County: 23.3 %Richmond County23.3Wake County: 23.2 %Wake County23.2Lee County: 23.2 %Lee County23.2Scotland County: 23.1 %Scotland County23.1Pender County: 22.9 %Pender County22.9Mecklenburg County: 22.6 %Mecklenburg County22.6Lenoir County: 22.5 %Lenoir County22.5Swain County: 22.5 %Swain County22.5Iredell County: 22.4 %Iredell County22.4Franklin County: 22.4 %Franklin County22.4Wilson County: 22.4 %Wilson County22.4Edgecombe County: 22.3 %Edgecombe County22.3Currituck County: 22.3 %Currituck County22.3Forsyth County: 22.1 %Forsyth County22.1Gaston County: 22 %Gaston County22Randolph County: 22 %Randolph County22Cleveland County: 22 %Cleveland County22Moore County: 21.8 %Moore County21.8Alamance County: 21.8 %Alamance County21.8Pitt County: 21.7 %Pitt County21.7Guilford County: 21.6 %Guilford County21.6Nash County: 21.5 %Nash County21.5Davidson County: 21.5 %Davidson County21.5Stanly County: 21.5 %Stanly County21.5Rowan County: 21.5 %Rowan County21.5Bladen County: 21.2 %Bladen County21.2Columbus County: 21.1 %Columbus County21.1
%. Source: Invokely calculation with data from U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankCounties2022 (%)Change on 2021
1Hoke County28-0.3 pts
2Harnett County26.2-0.1 pts
3Union County26.1-0.4 pts
4Robeson County25.8+0.5 pts
5Duplin County25.3+0.1 pts
6Cabarrus County25.2-0.3 pts
7Johnston County25.1-0.3 pts
8Sampson County24.7+0.1 pts
9Cumberland County24.5+0.1 pts
10Onslow County24.3+0.2 pts
11Camden County24-0.2 pts
12Vance County23.6+0.2 pts
13Wayne County23.5+0.1 pts
14Richmond County23.3+0.1 pts
15Wake County23.2-0.2 pts
16Lee County23.2-0.2 pts
17Scotland County23.1+0.1 pts
18Pender County22.9+0.1 pts
19Mecklenburg County22.6-0.2 pts
20Lenoir County22.5+0.2 pts
21Swain County22.5-0.1 pts
22Iredell County22.4-0.2 pts
23Franklin County22.4-0.1 pts
24Wilson County22.4-0.1 pts
25Edgecombe County22.30 pts
26Currituck County22.3+0.1 pts
27Forsyth County22.1-0.2 pts
28Gaston County22-0 pts
29Randolph County22-0.1 pts
30Cleveland County22+0.1 pts
31Moore County21.8-0 pts
32Alamance County21.8-0.1 pts
33Pitt County21.7-0.1 pts
34Guilford County21.6-0.2 pts
35Nash County21.50 pts
36Davidson County21.5-0.1 pts
37Stanly County21.5+0.2 pts
38Rowan County21.5-0.1 pts
39Bladen County21.2-0.1 pts
40Columbus County21.1+0.1 pts
41Catawba County21-0.2 pts
42Surry County21-0 pts
43Montgomery County21-0.2 pts
44Granville County20.9-0.3 pts
45Lincoln County20.9-0.1 pts
46Pasquotank County20.8-0.4 pts
47Person County20.80 pts
48Davie County20.6-0.1 pts
49Craven County20.6-0.2 pts
50Halifax County20.5+0.3 pts
51Yadkin County20.5-0.2 pts
52Rutherford County20.3-0.1 pts
53Anson County20.20 pts
54Rockingham County20.2+0.1 pts
55Martin County20.1-0.3 pts
56Gates County19.9-0.1 pts
57Graham County19.9-0.5 pts
58Wilkes County19.9-0.3 pts
59Caldwell County19.9-0.2 pts
60Alexander County19.8-0.1 pts
61Burke County19.6-0 pts
62Beaufort County19.5-0.1 pts
63Durham County19.5-0.3 pts
64Washington County19.5-0.2 pts
65Tyrrell County19.4-0.5 pts
66Greene County19.3-0.1 pts
67Hertford County19.3-0.2 pts
68McDowell County19.2-0.3 pts
69Chowan County19.2+0.1 pts
70Chatham County19.2-0.3 pts
71Stokes County19+0.3 pts
72Orange County18.9-0.2 pts
73Jones County18.7+0.1 pts
74Perquimans County18.4-0 pts
75Henderson County18.2-0.3 pts
76Mitchell County18+0.1 pts
77Caswell County18-0.1 pts
78Northampton County18-0.2 pts
79Warren County17.8-0.3 pts
80Macon County17.7-0.1 pts
81Buncombe County17.7-0.2 pts
82New Hanover County17.7-0.4 pts
83Yancey County17.5-0.3 pts
84Alleghany County17.4-0.3 pts
85Dare County17.3-0.4 pts
86Haywood County17.3-0.2 pts
87Bertie County17.1+0.1 pts
88Carteret County16.9-0.2 pts
89Madison County16.9-0.4 pts
90Ashe County16.8-0.2 pts
91Transylvania County16.5-0.3 pts
92Jackson County16.3-0.6 pts
93Hyde County16.2-0.6 pts
94Polk County16.1-0.1 pts
95Cherokee County15.7-0.3 pts
96Avery County15.6-0.3 pts
97Clay County15.3-0.4 pts
98Brunswick County14.4-0.2 pts
99Pamlico County13.8-0.3 pts
100Watauga County12.4-0.4 pts

Other periods

About this ranking

Residents aged 0 to 17 as a percentage of total population on 1 July. United States: Census Bureau county population estimates by age; states and the nation are sums of their counties.

Uses the US age of majority. Not comparable with population_0_14_share, which stops at 14.

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. Population Estimates Program, county population by age and sex: residents aged 0 to 17 as a percentage of the total on 1 July, 2010 to 2019 from the 2010 to 2020 intercensal file and 2020 onwards from the latest vintage; states and the nation summed from counties. https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/popest/data/data-sets.html. 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). Population Estimates Program, county population by age and sex: residents aged 0 to 17 as a percentage of the total on 1 July, 2010 to 2019 from the 2010 to 2020 intercensal file and 2020 onwards from the latest vintage; states and the nation summed from counties (Counties in North Carolina by population under 18, 2022) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/popest/data/data-sets.html

MLA 9

Population Estimates Program, county population by age and sex: residents aged 0 to 17 as a percentage of the total on 1 July, 2010 to 2019 from the 2010 to 2020 intercensal file and 2020 onwards from the latest vintage; states and the nation summed from counties, Counties in North Carolina by population under 18, 2022. U.S. Census Bureau, 25 June 2026, https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/popest/data/data-sets.html. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/population-under-18/north-carolina-counties?period=2022. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

Chicago (author-date)

U.S. Census Bureau. 2026. Population Estimates Program, county population by age and sex: residents aged 0 to 17 as a percentage of the total on 1 July, 2010 to 2019 from the 2010 to 2020 intercensal file and 2020 onwards from the latest vintage; states and the nation summed from counties. Counties in North Carolina by population under 18, 2022. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/popest/data/data-sets.html. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/population-under-18/north-carolina-counties?period=2022.

Harvard

U.S. Census Bureau (2026) Population Estimates Program, county population by age and sex: residents aged 0 to 17 as a percentage of the total on 1 July, 2010 to 2019 from the 2010 to 2020 intercensal file and 2020 onwards from the latest vintage; states and the nation summed from counties, Counties in North Carolina by population under 18, 2022 [Dataset]. Available at: https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/popest/data/data-sets.html, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/population-under-18/north-carolina-counties?period=2022 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{census_counties_in_north_carolina_2022,
  author = {{U.S. Census Bureau}},
  title = {{Population Estimates Program, county population by age and sex: residents aged 0 to 17 as a percentage of the total on 1 July, 2010 to 2019 from the 2010 to 2020 intercensal file and 2020 onwards from the latest vintage; states and the nation summed from counties: Counties in North Carolina by population under 18, 2022}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/popest/data/data-sets.html},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/population-under-18/north-carolina-counties?period=2022. Publisher attribution: U.S. Census Bureau. Population Estimates Program, county population by age and sex: residents aged 0 to 17 as a percentage of the total on 1 July, 2010 to 2019 from the 2010 to 2020 intercensal file and 2020 onwards from the latest vintage; states and the nation summed from counties. https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/popest/data/data-sets.html. Retrieved 2026-10-12.},
}
RIS
TY  - DATA
AU  - U.S. Census Bureau
TI  - Population Estimates Program, county population by age and sex: residents aged 0 to 17 as a percentage of the total on 1 July, 2010 to 2019 from the 2010 to 2020 intercensal file and 2020 onwards from the latest vintage; states and the nation summed from counties: Counties in North Carolina by population under 18, 2022
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/06/25
PB  - U.S. Census Bureau
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/popest/data/data-sets.html
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/population-under-18/north-carolina-counties?period=2022
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/population-under-18/north-carolina-counties?period=2022.
N1  - Publisher attribution: U.S. Census Bureau. Population Estimates Program, county population by age and sex: residents aged 0 to 17 as a percentage of the total on 1 July, 2010 to 2019 from the 2010 to 2020 intercensal file and 2020 onwards from the latest vintage; states and the nation summed from counties. https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/popest/data/data-sets.html. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER  - 
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Questions

Which county has the highest population under 18?

Hoke County, with 28% in 2022, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which county has the lowest population under 18?

Watauga County, with 12.4% in 2022.

Where does this ranking come from?

Every value comes from one source and one period, so the places are comparable: U.S. Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, county population by age and sex: residents aged 0 to 17 as a percentage of the total on 1 July, 2010 to 2019 from the 2010 to 2020 intercensal file and 2020 onwards from the latest vintage; states and the nation summed from counties. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Population under 18: other rankings

Counties in North Carolina: more rankings