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North Carolina County Map with Cities and Towns [NC, US]

    North Carolina County Map with Cities and Towns [NC, US]

    North Carolina Counties and County Seats

    Counties are the main local building blocks in North Carolina (NC). Each county has a county seat, and most county level services are organized around that hub. If you are comparing places to live, planning a road trip, researching property, or just learning how local boundaries work, a clean county view makes everything easier.

    North Carolina County Map with Cities

    County Basics

    A county is a statewide unit that helps deliver everyday services across cities, towns, and unincorporated areas.

    • Stable boundaries help with maps, addresses, and service zones.
    • Courts and records usually follow county lines.
    • Countywide departments often cover the full county area.

    Why the County Seat Matters

    The county seat is the administrative center. It is often the simplest starting point when you need an office, a form, or an in person visit.

    • Courthouse and clerk offices are commonly located here.
    • Register of Deeds is typically based in the seat.
    • Permits and inspections are often handled nearby.

    County Pattern Snapshot

    • Total counties: 100
    • Oldest formation year shown: 1668 ( Chowan County, Currituck County, Pasquotank County, Perquimans County )
    • Newest formation year shown: 1911 ( Avery County, Hoke County )
    • Largest land area in this list: Dare County ( 1,562 sq mi )
    • Smallest land area in this list: Clay County ( 221 sq mi )

    Complete North Carolina County List (alphabetical, with county seat, land area, and formation year)

    CountyCounty SeatArea Sq MiFormed
    Alamance CountyGraham4351849
    Alexander CountyTaylorsville2631847
    Alleghany CountySparta2361859
    Anson CountyWadesboro5371750
    Ashe CountyJefferson4271799
    Avery CountyNewland2471911
    Beaufort CountyWashington9591712
    Bertie CountyWindsor7411722
    Bladen CountyElizabethtown8871734
    Brunswick CountyBolivia8601764
    Buncombe CountyAsheville6601791
    Burke CountyMorganton5151777
    Cabarrus CountyConcord3651792
    Caldwell CountyLenoir4741841
    Camden CountyCamden3061777
    Carteret CountyBeaufort1,3411722
    Caswell CountyYanceyville4281777
    Catawba CountyNewton4141842
    Chatham CountyPittsboro7091771
    Cherokee CountyMurphy4971839
    Chowan CountyEdenton2331668
    Clay CountyHayesville2211861
    Cleveland CountyShelby4691841
    Columbus CountyWhiteville9541808
    Craven CountyNew Bern7741705
    Cumberland CountyFayetteville6581754
    Currituck CountyCurrituck5261668
    Dare CountyManteo1,5621870
    Davidson CountyLexington5671822
    Davie CountyMocksville2671836
    Duplin CountyKenansville8191750
    Durham CountyDurham2981881
    Edgecombe CountyTarboro5071741
    Forsyth CountyWinston-Salem4131849
    Franklin CountyLouisburg4951779
    Gaston CountyGastonia3641846
    Gates CountyGatesville3461779
    Graham CountyRobbinsville3021872
    Granville CountyOxford5371746
    Greene CountySnow Hill2661799
    Guilford CountyGreensboro6581771
    Halifax CountyHalifax7311758
    Harnett CountyLillington6011855
    Haywood CountyWaynesville5551808
    Henderson CountyHendersonville3751838
    Hertford CountyWinton3601759
    Hoke CountyRaeford3921911
    Hyde CountySwan Quarter1,4241712
    Iredell CountyStatesville5971788
    Jackson CountySylva4941851
    Johnston CountySmithfield7961746
    Jones CountyTrenton4731778
    Lee CountySanford2591907
    Lenoir CountyKinston4021791
    Lincoln CountyLincolnton3071779
    Macon CountyFranklin5191828
    Madison CountyMarshall4521851
    Martin CountyWilliamston4611774
    McDowell CountyMarion4461842
    Mecklenburg CountyCharlotte5461762
    Mitchell CountyBakersville2221861
    Montgomery CountyTroy5021779
    Moore CountyCarthage7061784
    Nash CountyNashville5431777
    New Hanover CountyWilmington3281729
    Northampton CountyJackson5511741
    Onslow CountyJacksonville9091734
    Orange CountyHillsborough4011752
    Pamlico CountyBayboro5661872
    Pasquotank CountyElizabeth City2891668
    Pender CountyBurgaw9331875
    Perquimans CountyHertford3291668
    Person CountyRoxboro4041791
    Pitt CountyGreenville6551760
    Polk CountyColumbus2391855
    Randolph CountyAsheboro7901779
    Richmond CountyRockingham4801779
    Robeson CountyLumberton9511787
    Rockingham CountyWentworth5721785
    Rowan CountySalisbury5241753
    Rutherford CountyRutherfordton5661779
    Sampson CountyClinton9471784
    Scotland CountyLaurinburg3211899
    Stanly CountyAlbemarle4041841
    Stokes CountyDanbury4561789
    Surry CountyDobson5381771
    Swain CountyBryson City5411871
    Transylvania CountyBrevard3811861
    Tyrrell CountyColumbia6001729
    Union CountyMonroe6401842
    Vance CountyHenderson2701881
    Wake CountyRaleigh8571771
    Warren CountyWarrenton4441779
    Washington CountyPlymouth4241799
    Watauga CountyBoone3131849
    Wayne CountyGoldsboro5571779
    Wilkes CountyWilkesboro7601777
    Wilson CountyWilson3741855
    Yadkin CountyYadkinville3371850
    Yancey CountyBurnsville3131833

    Tip: Area is shown in square miles. County seats are the usual locations for core county services.

    How Counties Fit With Cities and Towns

    In North Carolina, counties sit above municipalities. A city or town has its own limits, but it still lives inside one or more counties. Many daily questions are easier when you separate the two ideas:

    • County helps you find courts, deeds, and countywide services.
    • Municipality helps you find city services like local utilities, zoning, or police for that city.
    • Unincorporated Area means you are outside any city limits, but still inside a county.

    County Seat Versus Largest City

    A county seat is not always the biggest city in that county. The seat is the administrative center. The largest city is simply where more people live or where more businesses cluster. Both labels can be useful, just for different tasks.

    What County Level Offices Commonly Handle

    County services vary a bit from place to place, yet the categories are familiar across the state. When you search for a county office, these are the topics that usually come up first:

    • Records and documents such as deeds, plats, and vital records accses points.
    • Property and tax pages for parcels, bills, and assessment basics.
    • Permits and inspections for building, environmental health, and related approvals.
    • Public services like parks, libraries, and community programs.

    If You Live in NC

    • Search tax parcel plus the county name for maps and bill lookups.
    • Use Register of Deeds for deed books and recorded documents.
    • Check inspections for permitting timelines and requirements.

    If You Visit NC

    • Counties help you group day trips by geography, especially across the Mountains, Piedmont, and Coastal Plain.
    • A county seat can be a handy stop for visitor services and historic downtowns.
    • Local parks and recreation pages are often organized by county.

    Practical County Research Checklist

    When you compare counties, focus on a few consistent fields. It keeps the research clean and avoids noise.

    • Start with the county seat and note where in person services are centered.
    • Check land area to understand travel time inside the county.
    • Look for a GIS map when you need parcel or boundary detail.
    • Match city and county names so you land on the right office.

    Key Data Fields Used in County Profiles

    Field What It Helps You Do
    County Seat Find the main county offices and service counters.
    Land Area Estimate driving time across the county and map scale.
    Formation Year Understand historical grouping and naming layers without digging too deep.
    GIS and Parcel Tools Zoom to boundaries, tax parcels, and nearby features.
    Service Directory Jump straight to departments like inspections, parks, or public health.

    Search Phrases That Usually Work

    • Register of Deeds plus county name
    • GIS plus county name
    • Tax Parcel plus county name
    • Permits and Inspections plus county name
    • Clerk of Superior Court plus county name

    Fast Glossary for Administrative Levels

    • State: North Carolina, the top level for statewide rules and programs.
    • County: the main local area used for records, services, and many maps.
    • County Seat: the administrative hub for county offices.
    • City or Town: a municipality with its own local services inside a county.
    • Unincorporated Area: a place in a county that is outside any city limits.
    • GIS: interactive mapping tools used to explore boundaries and parcels.