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In many, many, many threads and posts here in the forums, the population of Charlotte proper is often held up as the primary indicator of how much larger the city is in comparison to all other cities in the Carolinas. I've even seen it used numerous times to claim that Charlotte was larger than Atlanta. I don't disagree that Charlotte is larger than the other cities in the state but the delta between it and the other cities/metros in NC isn't as great as is usually touted.
But, thanks for laying out and using the very argument that the people in the Triangle use when talking about its true size. You have actually made our point that invisible lines used to compare true size are effectively meaningless.
I personally don't care about city population. Raleigh (for example) has more people than Pittsburgh and Cincinnati, but to call Raleigh "bigger" than those cities is beyond laughable.
I tend to look at what's going on in a city's central business district and surrounding neighborhoods. By this measure alone, the likes of Charlotte, Asheville, Charleston, and Greenville, SC puts Raleigh to shame. This doesn't make Raleigh a bad place at all. I'd actually take Raleigh over Nassau, The Bahamas any day, especially after my recent trip to Nassau.
I personally don't care about city population. Raleigh (for example) has more people than Pittsburgh and Cincinnati, but to call Raleigh "bigger" than those cities is beyond laughable.
I tend to look at what's going on in a city's central business district and surrounding neighborhoods. By this measure alone, the likes of Charlotte, Asheville, Charleston, and Greenville, SC puts Raleigh to shame. This doesn't make Raleigh a bad place at all. I'd actually take Raleigh over Nassau, The Bahamas any day, especially after my recent trip to Nassau.
Welp...you're trying. I'll give you that. Your troll game still needs more polish.
I personally don't care about city population. Raleigh (for example) has more people than Pittsburgh and Cincinnati, but to call Raleigh "bigger" than those cities is beyond laughable.
I tend to look at what's going on in a city's central business district and surrounding neighborhoods. By this measure alone, the likes of Charlotte, Asheville, Charleston, and Greenville, SC puts Raleigh to shame. This doesn't make Raleigh a bad place at all. I'd actually take Raleigh over Nassau, The Bahamas any day, especially after my recent trip to Nassau.
For 2015, there are a few ranking changes. Cities in red font lost population between 2014 and 2015.
1 Charlotte 827,097
2 Raleigh 451,066
3 Greensboro 285,342
4 Durham 257,636
5 Winston-Salem 241,218
6 Fayetteville 201,963
7 Cary 159,769
8 Wilmington 115,933
9 High Point 110,268
10 Greenville 90,597
11 Asheville 88,512
12 Concord 87,696
13 Gastonia 74,543
14 Jacksonville 67,357
15 Chapel Hill 59,568
16 Rocky Mount 55,806
17 Huntersville 52,704 up 1
18 Burlington 52,472 down 1
19 Wilson 49,643
20 Kannapolis 46,144
21 Apex 45,585
22 Hickory 40,374
23 Wake Forest 38,199
24 Indian Trail 37,073
25 Mooresville 36,009 re-enters by displacing Goldsboro
Goldsboro drops out. One to watch in the coming years: Holly Springs. It's currently 29th and has grown over 27% this decade. I wouldn't be surprised to see it enter the top 25 by the next Census.
Charlotte and Triangle burbs will continue to jump over "legacy" NC cities and towns over time.
Since we haven't done one in a while here is as of 2018 per World Population
1. Charlotte 873,363
2. Raleigh 476,746
3. Greensboro 290,519
4. Durham 274,006
5. Winston-Salem 245,549
6. Fayetteville 207,089 (magically gained 5000 people from last time)
7. Cary 167,660
8. Wilmington 121,463
9. High Point 112,935
10. Concord 94,387 (up 2 from last time) (growing fast)
11. Greenville 92,621 (down 1 from last time) (still growing)
12. Asheville 90,765 (down 1 from last time) (still growing)
13. Gastonia 77,610
14. Jacksonville 66,914
15. Chapel Hill 59,574 (barley grew)
16. Huntersville 59,269 ( up 1 from last time) (growing)
17. Rocky Mount 55,316 (down 2 from last time) (losing population)
18.Burlington 53,475
19. Apex 51,103 (up 2 since last time) (growing fairly fast)
20. Kannapolis 50,361
21. Wilson 49,444 (down 3 since last time) (roughly the same population)
22. Wake Forest 44,126 (up 1 since last time) (growing)
23. Hickory 40,885 ( down 1 since last time) (roughly the same population)
24. Indian Trail 40,704
25. Mooresville 37,753
Other things to note:
Holly Springs is 26 only behind by a little more than 500 people so it's gonna make the Top 25 by next year easily.
Greenville is now out of the Top 10 despite growth
North Carolina is 9th in population
Once again major cities suburbs are growing at a high rate
Since we haven't done one in a while here is as of 2018 per World Population
1. Charlotte 873,363
2. Raleigh 476,746
3. Greensboro 290,519
4. Durham 274,006
5. Winston-Salem 245,549
6. Fayetteville 207,089 (magically gained 5000 people from last time)
7. Cary 167,660
8. Wilmington 121,463
9. High Point 112,935
10. Concord 94,387 (up 2 from last time) (growing fast)
11. Greenville 92,621 (down 1 from last time) (still growing)
12. Asheville 90,765 (down 1 from last time) (still growing)
13. Gastonia 77,610
14. Jacksonville 66,914
15. Chapel Hill 59,574 (barley grew)
16. Huntersville 59,269 ( up 1 from last time) (growing)
17. Rocky Mount 55,316 (down 2 from last time) (losing population)
18.Burlington 53,475
19. Apex 51,103 (up 2 since last time) (growing fairly fast)
20. Kannapolis 50,361
21. Wilson 49,444 (down 3 since last time) (roughly the same population)
22. Wake Forest 44,126 (up 1 since last time) (growing)
23. Hickory 40,885 ( down 1 since last time) (roughly the same population)
24. Indian Trail 40,704
25. Mooresville 37,753
Other things to note:
Holly Springs is 26 only behind by a little more than 500 people so it's gonna make the Top 25 by next year easily.
Greenville is now out of the Top 10 despite growth
North Carolina is 9th in population
Once again major cities suburbs are growing at a high rate
City suburbs are out pacing established cities like Wilmington and Asheville.
I remember when Winston-Salem and Durham were kinda playing back and forth. Durham has surged past Winston-Salem and is breathing down Greensboro's neck.
Since we haven't done one in a while here is as of 2018 per World Population
1. Charlotte 873,363
2. Raleigh 476,746
3. Greensboro 290,519
4. Durham 274,006
5. Winston-Salem 245,549
6. Fayetteville 207,089 (magically gained 5000 people from last time)
7. Cary 167,660
8. Wilmington 121,463
9. High Point 112,935
10. Concord 94,387 (up 2 from last time) (growing fast)
11. Greenville 92,621 (down 1 from last time) (still growing)
12. Asheville 90,765 (down 1 from last time) (still growing)
13. Gastonia 77,610
14. Jacksonville 66,914
15. Chapel Hill 59,574 (barley grew)
16. Huntersville 59,269 ( up 1 from last time) (growing)
17. Rocky Mount 55,316 (down 2 from last time) (losing population)
18.Burlington 53,475
19. Apex 51,103 (up 2 since last time) (growing fairly fast)
20. Kannapolis 50,361
21. Wilson 49,444 (down 3 since last time) (roughly the same population)
22. Wake Forest 44,126 (up 1 since last time) (growing)
23. Hickory 40,885 ( down 1 since last time) (roughly the same population)
24. Indian Trail 40,704
25. Mooresville 37,753
Other things to note:
Holly Springs is 26 only behind by a little more than 500 people so it's gonna make the Top 25 by next year easily.
Greenville is now out of the Top 10 despite growth
North Carolina is 9th in population
Once again major cities suburbs are growing at a high rate
Very soon we wont have to go on projections, but on the actual census numbers. Will be interesting to see which communities had projections too high or too low. For example, Winterville's 2010 census was about 40% higher than the projections, so they shouldn't be considered exact.
As well, those cities with multiple large apartment complexes under construction in their downtown will see rapid jumps in population...much quicker than the suburban single family neighborhood construction.
City suburbs are out pacing established cities like Wilmington and Asheville.
I remember when Winston-Salem and Durham were kinda playing back and forth. Durham has surged past Winston-Salem and is breathing down Greensboro's neck.
Are you referring to Cary and Concord? Cary is a city on its own and has been for awhile now. Concord yes, but Concord isn't in Wilmington's category. There are a lot of reasons for Concord's growth, mainly available interstate access and available buildable land. Keep in mind Wilmington has its own suburbs (and unincorporated NHC). As does Asheville in unincorporated Buncombe Co.
The Town of Apex estimates their population at 55,539 as of 11/30/2018, which is 4400 more than what's shown on this list. That would already place them above Burlington and Rocky Mount at #17. Their estimates might not come to fruition based on many different factors, but the growth numbers are staggering. In 1990 the Town of Apex had a population of 4,968. Less than 30 years later it's already more than 11 times that figure.
Basically it looks like the Charlotte and Triangle cities/suburubs are accounting for the majority of the rapid growth in NC by far.
Greensboro might see itself displaced by Durham as the #3 NC city in 2020.
In the Charlotte area it’s interesting how once tiny suburbs like Indian Trail and Mooresville have overtaken their traditionally larger county seats of Monroe and Statesville in population.
Concord is growing rapidly and leaving Gastonia and Rock Hill in the dust as far as being the 2nd largest city in the Charlotte Metro.
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