Author: Michael Cline, North Carolina State Demographer
There are many ways to define rural areas – one being the population living outside of incorporated municipalities. Under this definition, North Carolina’s rural (or unincorporated/non-municipal) population accounts for the majority of the population in all but 21 counties.
According to the State Demographer’s July 1, 2024 population estimates, 4.6 million North Carolinians, or 42% of the state’s population, lived in unincorporated areas. This is an increase of 172,000 people since the 2020 Census, growing 4% during this period.
Counties with largest and smallest populations outside municipalities
Wake County had the largest unincorporated population at 194,000, followed by Johnston County with 176,000 and Buncombe County with 157,000. Eight counties had over 100,000 people living within unincorporated areas, while nine counties had less than 10,000 people living in these areas.
The smallest unincorporated populations in 2024 were found in three adjacent eastern North Carolina counties: Tyrrell County (3,000), Hyde County (5,000), and Washington County (7,000). Two counties, Hyde (5,000) and Currituck (33,000) have no municipal populations and Camden County includes only a small portion of Elizabeth City, with 41 of the county’s 11,000 people.
Counties with the smallest portion of residents in unincorporated areas
Most of Mecklenburg County’s population lived in Charlotte or another municipality in 2024. Only 6% (just 73,000 people) of Mecklenburg’s total population lived in unincorporated areas. The next smallest shares were found in Durham County (11% or 38,000 people) and Wake and Forsyth Counties, with 16% shares and 194,000 and 63,000 people, respectively.
Where the unincorporated population is growing fastest
The fastest unincorporated population growth occurred in coastal counties and in suburban counties of Charlotte and Raleigh. The population living in unincorporated areas increased the most in Brunswick County (19%), Currituck County (16,000), Franklin County (15%), and Johnston County (15%).
About these population estimates
The State Demographer publishes county and municipal population estimates each fall. These estimates are used for a variety of planning purposes and to allocate resources to local governments and other entities. In addition, the trends shown in these estimates help inform the yearly produced state and county population projections. Go to Counts, Estimates, and Projections, Oh My! to learn more about the difference between these estimates and other population data.