Is being in an area of North Carolina that’s growing quickly a good thing or a bad thing?
Depends on who you ask.
Some want bigger, more exciting cities like Charlotte and Raleigh, while others want peace and quiet like in Long View and Carolina Shores, thank you very much.
But today, we’re going to put opinions aside and look at the cold, hard facts — since 2010, which cities in North Carolina have grown the fastest.
After getting knee-deep in the Census’s American Community Survey using Saturday Night Science, we emerged with this set of cities in the Tar Heel State that have people climbing over each other to get in.
Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Summary | Table
The 10 Fastest Growing Cities In North Carolina For 2026
What’s the fastest growing city in North Carolina for 2026? Based on the most recent ACS data, Rolesville ranks as the fastest-growing city in North Carolina. If you happen to be a resident of Rolesville, you’re probably not surprised to find it on our list.
If you’re surprised — and you’re wondering why these places are a big deal — keep reading. We’ll tell you what makes each of these 10 places in North Carolina grow like weeds.
For more North Carolina state reading:
- Best Places To Live In The United States
- Fastest Growing States In The United States
- Best Places To Live In North Carolina
- Cheapest Places To Live In North Carolina
- Most Dangerous Cities In North Carolina
The 10 Fastest Growing Cities In North Carolina For 2026
1. Rolesville
/10
Population: 10,766
Population 2010: 3,289
Percent Growth 227.3%
Absolute Growth: 7,477
More on Rolesville: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
2. Waxhaw
/10
Population: 22,275
Population 2010: 8,754
Percent Growth 154.5%
Absolute Growth: 13,521
More on Waxhaw: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
3. St. James
/10
Population: 7,072
Population 2010: 2,790
Percent Growth 153.5%
Absolute Growth: 4,282
More on St. James: Data | Cost Of Living | Movers
4. Fuquay-Varina
/10
Population: 40,485
Population 2010: 16,152
Percent Growth 150.7%
Absolute Growth: 24,333
More on Fuquay-Varina: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
5. Leland
/10
Population: 29,607
Population 2010: 11,925
Percent Growth 148.3%
Absolute Growth: 17,682
More on Leland: Data | Cost Of Living | Movers
6. Wendell
/10
Population: 13,064
Population 2010: 5,563
Percent Growth 134.8%
Absolute Growth: 7,501
More on Wendell: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
7. Holly Springs
/10
Population: 45,248
Population 2010: 21,968
Percent Growth 106.0%
Absolute Growth: 23,280
More on Holly Springs: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
8. Apex
/10
Population: 70,630
Population 2010: 34,427
Percent Growth 105.2%
Absolute Growth: 36,203
More on Apex: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
9. Zebulon
/10
Population: 8,711
Population 2010: 4,368
Percent Growth 99.4%
Absolute Growth: 4,343
More on Zebulon: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
10. Clayton
/10
Population: 29,320
Population 2010: 14,714
Percent Growth 99.3%
Absolute Growth: 14,606
More on Clayton: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
Methodology: How We Measured The Fastest Growing Cities In the Tar Heel State for 2026
To figure out which cities are growing the most, we used Saturday Night Science to look at the growth rates for cities since the beginning of the decade, according to the American Community Survey put out by the census every year. Specifically:
- Current Population
- Population in 2010
- Growth rate from 2010 to Current (The latest available data which came out in Dec 2024)
We ranked all 142 North Carolina cities with a population over 5,000 people from highest growth rate to lowest.
The city with the highest growth rate during this time was crowned the fastest-growing city in the Tar Heel State.
And for those of you who are a little rusty with their statistics, you can calculate the growth rate by the following formula:
[Current Population – Population 2010] / [Population 2010]
The data has been updated for 2026. This report is our eleventh time ranking the fastest growing cities in North Carolina.
Here’s a graph of the cities in North Carolina with the most significant percent increase in population:
Summary: These Places Grew Up So Fast In North Carolina, You Know?
So there you have it, the fastest growing cities in North Carolina are led by Rolesville which has been growing at a blistering pace this decade relative to other cities and towns around the state.
The fastest-growing cities in North Carolina are Rolesville, Waxhaw, St. James, Fuquay-Varina, Leland, Wendell, Holly Springs, Apex, Zebulon, and Clayton.
It’ll be interesting to see if these places can keep growing at the same rate over the next couple of years. We’ll be here to let you know!
These places have been growing (or shrinking) the slowest (fastest):
- Havelock
- Lumberton
- Kinston
For more North Carolina reading, check out:
- Best Places To Raise A Family In North Carolina
- Safest Cities in North Carolina
- Worst Places To Live In North Carolina
Fastest Growing Places In North Carolina For 2026
| Rank | City | Population | Population 2010 | Growth | Absolute Growth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rolesville | 10,766 | 3,289 | 227.3% | 7,477 |
| 2 | Waxhaw | 22,275 | 8,754 | 154.5% | 13,521 |
| 3 | St. James | 7,072 | 2,790 | 153.5% | 4,282 |
| 4 | Fuquay-Varina | 40,485 | 16,152 | 150.7% | 24,333 |
| 5 | Leland | 29,607 | 11,925 | 148.3% | 17,682 |
| 6 | Wendell | 13,064 | 5,563 | 134.8% | 7,501 |
| 7 | Holly Springs | 45,248 | 21,968 | 106.0% | 23,280 |
| 8 | Apex | 70,630 | 34,427 | 105.2% | 36,203 |
| 9 | Zebulon | 8,711 | 4,368 | 99.4% | 4,343 |
| 10 | Clayton | 29,320 | 14,714 | 99.3% | 14,606 |