Author: Michael Cline, North Carolina State Demographer
According to the State Demographer’s latest municipal population estimates, Raleigh’s population grew by 33,000 people between April 1, 2020 and July 1, 2024, reaching over 500,000 people by 2024. Raleigh added more people than all other municipalities except Charlotte (which added 70,000 people) and Raleigh remains the second largest city in North Carolina. Charlotte’s population reached 945,000 people by July 1, 2024.
Extensive Growth in Triangle Area Since 2020
Between 2020 and 2024, several municipalities in North Carolina experienced significant population growth. Besides Charlotte and Raleigh, five of the top municipalities with population gains of 10,000 or more were located in the Triangle area. These include:
- Durham (+17,000),
- Cary (+13,000),
- Wake Forest (+11,000),
- Apex (+11,000), and
- Fuquay-Varina (+10,000)
Beyond the Triangle, Wilmington (+11,000) and nearby Leland (+10,000), as well as Concord near Charlotte (+10,000), also saw substantial increases.
Over three-quarters of all North Carolina municipalities added population between April 1, 2020, and July 1, 2024. The fastest-growing municipalities were near North Carolina’s largest urban areas and along the coast.
Among municipalities of 5,000 or more, Wendell in Wake County, experienced the fastest growth, increasing by 73% and adding over 7,000 people to reach 17,000 by July 1, 2024.
Six other Triangle area municipalities also grew by over 20% during this period:
- Angier (46%),
- Zebulon (33%),
- Fuquay-Varina (29%),
- Rolesville (24%), and
- Wake Forest (23%)
In rapidly expanding Brunswick County, Leland grew by 41% and St. James by 26%. Additionally, Graham in Alamance County saw a 22% increase in population between April 1, 2020 and July 1, 2024.
Nearly 90% of Municipalities Grew in Prior Year
Between July 1, 2023, and July 1, 2024, municipal populations grew by an average 1.8%. During this period, 87% of all North Carolina municipalities saw population increases.
Among municipalities with populations of 5,000 or more, Wendell experienced the fastest growth at 40%, followed by Angier with a 22% increase. An additional nine municipalities of this size saw population growth of 5% or more during the same year.
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For More Information
These population estimates were published by the North Carolina Office of State Budget and Management in September 2025. The standard and revised population estimates use the municipal boundaries as defined on July 1, 2024, so that municipalities and others can trace population trends over time. To learn more about the differences between these estimates and other population data, visit Counts, Estimates, and Projections, Oh My!