Community Profiles Now Include More Places to Explore

We've enhanced the "Places" section of our Community Profiles to make it easier for you to discover popular nearby places.

North Carolina Gazetteer

North Carolina - Basic Information

Became a State: November 21, 1789 - 12nd State
Population: 9,535,483 (2010 Census) - Ranks 10th
Land Area: 48,617.9 square miles - Ranks 29th
Population Density: 196.1 persons per square mile - Ranks 15th
Housing Units: 4,327,528 (2010 Census)
Housing Unit Density: 89.0 housing units per square mile
July 1, 2023 Estimates: North Carolina Data and Demographics
State Capital: Raleigh
State Website: Official State of North Carolina Website
North Carolina State Flag
North Carolina state flag

Quick & Easy Ways to...

  1. Get Current Demographic Data for Cities, Towns, and ZIP Codes
  2. View Boundary Maps, for Cities, Towns, and ZIP Codes
  3. Locate Physical, Cultural, and Historical Features

Use HTL Address Research for a North Carolina Address and get...

Boundary Maps, Demographic Data, School Zones Review maps and data for the neighborhood, city, county, ZIP Code, and school zone. July 1, 2023, data includes home values, household income, percentage of homes owned, rented or vacant, etc.


North Carolina Neighborhood Explorer

NOTE: The BEST tool for researching a neighborhood is the HTL Address Research Tool (above). However, if you do not have an address, the North Carolina Neighborhood Explorer is the SECOND-BEST-TOOL to research a neighborhood (it provides a subset of the information that the Address Research Tool provides), but you can get a report by simply marking a spot on a map.

The North Carolina Neighborhood Explorer helps you to research any North Carolina neighborhood (census block group) and get home values, average household income, owner/renter/ occupancy rates, projected growth rates, boundary maps, comparisons to other communities, and much more.

Simply mark a spot on a state map and you'll have your results within 3-seconds!

North Carolina Neighborhood Explorer


North Carolina History

North Carolina State Flower
North Carolina State Flower - Flowering Dogwood

The area of North Carolina was part of the original territory of the United States. Both North Carolina and South Carolina were included in the charter that established Carolina in 1663. The two areas separated in 1712—a separation that was finalized when the Carolina Colony was dissolved in 1729—with generally the same shared boundary as the present states. However, they did not settle on a final boundary until 1813. North Carolina ratified the U.S. Constitution on November 21, 1789; it was the 12th of the original 13 states to join the Union. North Carolina ceded its territory westward to the Mississippi River, comprising present-day Tennessee, to the United States in 1790, to assume generally the same boundary as the present state.

Census data for North Carolina are available beginning with the 1790 census. For an explanation of the revision to the 1810 population of North Carolina, see Richard L. Forstall, Population ofStates and Counties of the United States: 1790-1990, Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office, 1996, page 118.

North Carolina Geographical Areas

See: Geographic Terms & Concepts

Counties & County Equivalents

Interactive Map of North Carolina Counties | Static Overview Map of North Carolina Counties

There are 100 counties in North Carolina. Each county is governed by a board of county commissioners.


County Subdivisions

There are 1,041 county subdivisions in North Carolina which are known as minor civil divisions (MCDs).  There are 1,035 townships which are nonfunctioning nongovernmental entities.  Asheville city is independent of any MCD and serves as a county subdivision.  Cleveland County dissolved all townships and is now a single nonfunctioning nongovernmental county subdivision named Cleveland.  There are also four unorganized territories in North Carolina.

Places (Incorporated Cities, Towns & Census Designated Places (CDPs))

North Carolina State Bird
North Carolina State Bird - Cardinal

North Carolina has 739 places; 553 incorporated places and 186 census designated places (CDPs).  The incorporated places consist of 76 cities, 456 towns, and 21 villages.  Dellview town is an inactive town.  Incorporated places are dependent within county subdivision except for Asheville city in Buncombe County.  Charlotte, Wilmington, and Winston-Salem cities are coextensive with a single township.  Greensboro city is coextensive with two townships.  Boone city contains one township plus parts of three additional townships, Concord city contains one township plus parts of seven additional townships, and Fayetteville city contains one township plus parts of six additional townships.

Alphabetical List of Cities, Towns, CDPs and Other Populated Places
A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q, R | S | T | U, V | W, X, Y, Z

North Carolina Civil Features

North Carolina Civil Features: Political Subdivisions, Native Areas, Land Grants, etc. - sorted by Census Class Codes.

Metropolitan and Micropolitan Statistical Areas

There are 15 Metropolitan and 22 Micropolitan Statistical Areas in North Carolina. NC Metopolitan & Micropolitan Areas

North Carolina ZIP Code Tabulation Areas

There are 808 ZIP Code tabulation areas (ZCTAs) in North Carolina. View North Carolina ZIP Codes and ZIP Code Maps.

School Districts

North Carolina has 118 unified school districts.  The Department of Defense runs two of the unified school districts and the Bureau of Indian Affairs runs one of the unified school districts in North Carolina. View North Carolina Public and Private Schools.

Congressional Districts

North Carolina has 13 congressional districts. An interactive map shows the contact information for each Representative as well as the boundaries for each North Carolina district. View Map of North Carolina Congressional Districts.

State Legislative Districts

There are 50 state senate districts and 120 state house districts in North Carolina.

American Indian Areas

North Carolina has one federally recognized American Indian reservation and seven state designated tribal statistical areas (SDTSAs).

North Carolina Physical, Cultural and Historic Features

  1. North Carolina Physical Features such as lakes, islands, streams, valleys, summits, etc.
  2. North Carolina Cultural Features such as schools, churches, hospitals, parks, dams, reservoirs, etc.
  3. North Carolina Historical Features and North Carolina Historic Landmarks

North Carolina Maps

  • To find a ZIP Code: input the address in the top-left search box of any ZIP Code Map.
  • To find the County: input the address in the top-left search box of the interactive NC map.
  • To find the School Attendance Zone: input the address in the top-left search box of any NC school map

Quick & Easy Ways to...

  1. Get Current Demographic Data for Cities, Towns, and ZIP Codes
  2. View Boundary Maps, for Cities, Towns, and ZIP Codes
  3. Locate Physical, Cultural, and Historical Features

North Carolina Census Data Comparison Tool

Compare North Carolina July 1, 2023 Data
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