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The 2022 Population Estimates  from Carolina Demography show that the population of North Carolina grew by 1.3% between July 1st 2021 and July 1st 2022. Among North Carolina’s 100 counties, 74 experienced population growth. The majority of counties grew from people moving in (migration) rather than from having more births than deaths, which is what demographers call natural increase.

The counties with the highest levels of growth were on the coast including the top three in percentage growth. The fastest estimated population growth was seen in Brunswick County (5.7%) followed by Currituck (4.4%), Pender (4.2%).  Then came Franklin (3.8%) northeast of Raleigh, and Lincoln (3.6%). Johnston County (3.3%) just southeast of Raleigh rounded out the top six.

The state's largest county, Wake, grew at a 2.0% rate.  Mecklenburg, now the second largest, grew at a 1.7% rate.  

Some parts of North Carolina experienced natural increase, meaning more births than deaths were recorded between July 2021 and July 2022. For most counties, however, population growth was due to more people moving in than moving out: only 19 counties had more births than deaths between July 2021 and July 2022. Durham, Cumberland, Onslow, Wake, and Mecklenburg counties all added more than 1,000 more births than deaths.

In the majority of counties, more people moved in rather than out of the counties. In some of the faster growing counties, all estimated population growth was due to migration. Net in-migration contributed to all growth in Brunswick, Pender, and Lincoln.

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