North Carolina County Maps
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North Carolina has 100 counties, a population of more than 10 million people, about 853 zip codes and 121 public school districts. Those counties vary widely in population, school enrollment, zip code coverage and local boundary structure. Wake County has the largest population in the state, while Tyrrell County has the smallest. Browse the map, population, zip codes, school districts, county subdivisions and county list sections below to explore further. Or, simply start typing in the box below to go directly to that county.
Interactive North Carolina County Map
This North Carolina county map preview highlights population-by-county context, ZIP code coverage, school districts, and local boundary structure. Full statewide and county-level data packages are available when you need complete downloadable datasets. Click or tap any county to view its maps, trends and data.
Start with a free preview, or go straight to the full North Carolina dataset .
North Carolina Population By County
North Carolina's population was over 10 million in 2020, up 906,323 (9.51%) residents from 2010. Wake County had the largest population in the state with more than 1 million people. Mecklenburg and Guilford Counties also stand out as major population centers. Tyrrell County was the least populated area in North Carolina with only 3,245 residents. The table below compares North Carolina county populations and recent population trends.
The Most Populated Counties In North Carolina
| County | Population | Trend (2010-2020) |
|---|---|---|
| Wake County | 1,129,410 | ▴ 25.35% |
| Mecklenburg County | 1,115,482 | ▴ 21.30% |
| Guilford County | 541,299 | ▴ 10.83% |
| Forsyth County | 382,590 | ▴ 9.10% |
| Cumberland County | 334,728 | ▴ 4.79% |
| Download all county population data | ||
County populations reflect the latest state serving context (2020).
North Carolina County Map With ZIP Codes
North Carolina has about 853 zip codes statewide. Mecklenburg County contains the most zip codes, with 34. County-level zip code maps give a faster and clearer way to understand local coverage as zip boundaries can span county and municipal lines. The maps below highlight a few North Carolina counties.
North Carolina School Districts By County
North Carolina has 121 public school districts with 1,401,201 students enrolled as of 2024. Davidson County has the highest district count in the state. Wake County has the largest total school enrollment. Wake County posted the largest recent enrollment gain. The table below compares county level school district totals and recent enrollment trends across the state.
Largest School Districts in North Carolina
| County | Districts | Enrollment | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|
| Davidson County | 3 | 23,038 | ▴ 0.23% |
| Catawba County | 3 | 22,392 | ▴ 0.08% |
| Surry County | 3 | 10,371 | ▴ 0.05% |
| Halifax County | 3 | 5,558 | ▾ 1.35% |
| Cumberland County | 2 | 49,002 | ▾ 0.63% |
| Download all school district data | |||
School district enrollment and trend values reflect the most recent state-level context (2024).
North Carolina County Map With County Subdivisions
North Carolina has about 1,041 county subdivisions statewide. These boundaries add another layer of local detail and help show how subdivision lines fit inside county boundaries. The previews below highlight a few counties with available subdivision map coverage.
Get the Full North Carolina Data Package
The sections above provide a preview of North Carolina county maps and county-level data. The full package includes complete statewide coverage with ready-to-use files for mapping, planning, and analysis.
Everything is organized to save hours of data collection, cleanup, and integration work.
- County map exports and boundary coverage for every county in North Carolina
- Statewide GIS layers for ZIP codes, subdivisions, school districts, roads, water, and political boundaries
- Population, demographics, school, housing, and trend context aligned across counties
- Database files, map-ready exports, and documentation designed for faster research workflows
Includes GIS layers, maps, demographics, analytics, database files and planning tools.