What are the largest metro areas in North Carolina?
Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC is the largest metro area in North Carolina, with 2,938,830 residents in 2025 (Census PEP). Raleigh-Cary, NC (1,595,720) and Greensboro-High Point, NC (805,945) come next.
Data as of 2025 · updated
All 10 ranked North Carolina metro areas
| Rank | Metro area | Residents 2025 | Change 2020–25 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | 2,938,830 | +10.1% |
| 2 | Raleigh-Cary, NC | 1,595,720 | +12.6% |
| 3 | Greensboro-High Point, NC | 805,945 | +4.1% |
| 4 | Winston-Salem, NC | 712,206 | +5.3% |
| 5 | Durham-Chapel Hill, NC | 625,485 | +7.5% |
| 6 | Wilmington, NC | 492,772 | +15.9% |
| 7 | Asheville, NC | 422,345 | +3.6% |
| 8 | Fayetteville, NC | 395,412 | +1.6% |
| 9 | Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC | 376,890 | +3.2% |
| 10 | Rocky Mount, NC | 148,486 | +2.8% |
How this is ranked
The Census Bureau's July 1 resident population estimates for 2025, largest first, with the change since 2020. Only metropolitan statistical areas of two or more counties are ranked (OMB Bulletin 23-01): a one-county area's figures are its county's, and micro areas are left out. An area that crosses a state line is ranked in each of its states. Areas without an estimate for the same year as the others are not ranked.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program (Vintage 2025). Figures come from public federal statistics and are informational only, not investment advice. Check the source before relying on a number. Methodology: how ranks and figures are built.
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Questions
What is the largest metro area in North Carolina?
Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC is the largest metro area in North Carolina, with 2,938,830 residents in 2025 (Census PEP). Raleigh-Cary, NC (1,595,720) and Greensboro-High Point, NC (805,945) come next.
How is this ranking calculated?
The Census Bureau's July 1 resident population estimates for 2025, largest first, with the change since 2020. Only metropolitan statistical areas of two or more counties are ranked (OMB Bulletin 23-01): a one-county area's figures are its county's, and micro areas are left out. An area that crosses a state line is ranked in each of its states. Areas without an estimate for the same year as the others are not ranked.