Counties with the most born-and-bred residents in North Carolina

Many people choose not to leave the state they were raised in for reasons ranging from wanting to be close to family, to not having the resources to leave, to sticking with a lower cost of living.

In order to determine where people stay put in your home state, Stacker compiled a list of counties with the most born-and-bred residents in North Carolina using data from the Census Bureau. Counties are ranked by the highest percentage of residents who were born in the state according to the latest data, which is 2024 five-year estimates. The percentage of residents who were born in another state, a U.S. territory, and another country is also included.

Read on to find out where the most loyal North Carolina residents live.

50. Rowan County
- Population: 149,875
- Born in North Carolina: 95,374 (63.6% of population)
- Born in a different state: 43,880 (29.3% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 1,243 (0.8% of population)
- Born in another country: 9,378 (6.3% of population)

49. Mitchell County
- Population: 14,992
- Born in North Carolina: 9,555 (63.7% of population)
- Born in a different state: 4,973 (33.2% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 108 (0.7% of population)
- Born in another country: 356 (2.4% of population)

48. Wayne County
- Population: 118,652
- Born in North Carolina: 75,929 (64.0% of population)
- Born in a different state: 31,540 (26.6% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 1,776 (1.5% of population)
- Born in another country: 9,407 (7.9% of population)

47. Gaston County
- Population: 234,881
- Born in North Carolina: 150,527 (64.1% of population)
- Born in a different state: 66,355 (28.3% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 3,048 (1.3% of population)
- Born in another country: 14,951 (6.4% of population)

46. Catawba County
- Population: 163,573
- Born in North Carolina: 105,467 (64.5% of population)
- Born in a different state: 45,230 (27.7% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 1,535 (0.9% of population)
- Born in another country: 11,341 (6.9% of population)

45. Warren County
- Population: 18,795
- Born in North Carolina: 12,145 (64.6% of population)
- Born in a different state: 5,962 (31.7% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 103 (0.5% of population)
- Born in another country: 585 (3.1% of population)

44. Yancey County
- Population: 18,797
- Born in North Carolina: 12,151 (64.6% of population)
- Born in a different state: 5,960 (31.7% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 85 (0.5% of population)
- Born in another country: 601 (3.2% of population)

43. Pitt County
- Population: 177,193
- Born in North Carolina: 117,839 (66.5% of population)
- Born in a different state: 47,122 (26.6% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 1,982 (1.1% of population)
- Born in another country: 10,250 (5.8% of population)

42. Rutherford County
- Population: 64,930
- Born in North Carolina: 43,538 (67.1% of population)
- Born in a different state: 18,976 (29.2% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 373 (0.6% of population)
- Born in another country: 2,043 (3.1% of population)

41. Ashe County
- Population: 26,950
- Born in North Carolina: 18,281 (67.8% of population)
- Born in a different state: 7,833 (29.1% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 74 (0.3% of population)
- Born in another country: 762 (2.8% of population)

40. Randolph County
- Population: 146,348
- Born in North Carolina: 100,381 (68.6% of population)
- Born in a different state: 34,652 (23.7% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 1,595 (1.1% of population)
- Born in another country: 9,720 (6.6% of population)

39. Swain County
- Population: 14,013
- Born in North Carolina: 9,617 (68.6% of population)
- Born in a different state: 3,769 (26.9% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 236 (1.7% of population)
- Born in another country: 391 (2.8% of population)

38. Davidson County
- Population: 172,954
- Born in North Carolina: 120,689 (69.8% of population)
- Born in a different state: 41,587 (24.0% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 1,002 (0.6% of population)
- Born in another country: 9,676 (5.6% of population)

37. Hyde County
- Population: 4,592
- Born in North Carolina: 3,209 (69.9% of population)
- Born in a different state: 1,194 (26.0% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 9 (0.2% of population)
- Born in another country: 180 (3.9% of population)

36. Hertford County
- Population: 19,908
- Born in North Carolina: 13,961 (70.1% of population)
- Born in a different state: 5,053 (25.4% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 92 (0.5% of population)
- Born in another country: 802 (4.0% of population)

35. Burke County
- Population: 87,795
- Born in North Carolina: 61,697 (70.3% of population)
- Born in a different state: 20,482 (23.3% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 944 (1.1% of population)
- Born in another country: 4,672 (5.3% of population)

34. Surry County
- Population: 71,425
- Born in North Carolina: 50,252 (70.4% of population)
- Born in a different state: 15,826 (22.2% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 989 (1.4% of population)
- Born in another country: 4,358 (6.1% of population)

33. Duplin County
- Population: 49,335
- Born in North Carolina: 34,852 (70.6% of population)
- Born in a different state: 7,675 (15.6% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 769 (1.6% of population)
- Born in another country: 6,039 (12.2% of population)

32. Scotland County
- Population: 33,590
- Born in North Carolina: 23,818 (70.9% of population)
- Born in a different state: 8,254 (24.6% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 348 (1.0% of population)
- Born in another country: 1,170 (3.5% of population)

31. Person County
- Population: 39,542
- Born in North Carolina: 28,112 (71.1% of population)
- Born in a different state: 10,001 (25.3% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 191 (0.5% of population)
- Born in another country: 1,238 (3.1% of population)

30. Stokes County
- Population: 45,139
- Born in North Carolina: 32,115 (71.1% of population)
- Born in a different state: 11,922 (26.4% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 437 (1.0% of population)
- Born in another country: 665 (1.5% of population)

29. Rockingham County
- Population: 92,131
- Born in North Carolina: 65,655 (71.3% of population)
- Born in a different state: 23,037 (25.0% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 395 (0.4% of population)
- Born in another country: 3,044 (3.3% of population)

28. Beaufort County
- Population: 44,499
- Born in North Carolina: 31,825 (71.5% of population)
- Born in a different state: 10,609 (23.8% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 450 (1.0% of population)
- Born in another country: 1,615 (3.6% of population)

27. Jones County
- Population: 9,302
- Born in North Carolina: 6,668 (71.7% of population)
- Born in a different state: 2,324 (25.0% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 32 (0.3% of population)
- Born in another country: 278 (3.0% of population)

26. McDowell County
- Population: 44,817
- Born in North Carolina: 32,310 (72.1% of population)
- Born in a different state: 10,646 (23.8% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 435 (1.0% of population)
- Born in another country: 1,426 (3.2% of population)

25. Alexander County
- Population: 36,412
- Born in North Carolina: 26,297 (72.2% of population)
- Born in a different state: 8,588 (23.6% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 431 (1.2% of population)
- Born in another country: 1,096 (3.0% of population)

24. Yadkin County
- Population: 37,574
- Born in North Carolina: 27,353 (72.8% of population)
- Born in a different state: 7,685 (20.5% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 272 (0.7% of population)
- Born in another country: 2,264 (6.0% of population)

23. Wilson County
- Population: 79,290
- Born in North Carolina: 57,922 (73.1% of population)
- Born in a different state: 16,054 (20.2% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 482 (0.6% of population)
- Born in another country: 4,832 (6.1% of population)

22. Stanly County
- Population: 64,651
- Born in North Carolina: 47,408 (73.3% of population)
- Born in a different state: 14,021 (21.7% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 389 (0.6% of population)
- Born in another country: 2,833 (4.4% of population)

21. Nash County
- Population: 96,216
- Born in North Carolina: 70,685 (73.5% of population)
- Born in a different state: 21,014 (21.8% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 682 (0.7% of population)
- Born in another country: 3,835 (4.0% of population)

20. Vance County
- Population: 42,322
- Born in North Carolina: 31,152 (73.6% of population)
- Born in a different state: 8,551 (20.2% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 188 (0.4% of population)
- Born in another country: 2,431 (5.7% of population)

19. Cleveland County
- Population: 100,991
- Born in North Carolina: 74,352 (73.6% of population)
- Born in a different state: 22,802 (22.6% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 673 (0.7% of population)
- Born in another country: 3,164 (3.1% of population)

18. Montgomery County
- Population: 26,007
- Born in North Carolina: 19,189 (73.8% of population)
- Born in a different state: 4,566 (17.6% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 189 (0.7% of population)
- Born in another country: 2,063 (7.9% of population)

17. Northampton County
- Population: 16,931
- Born in North Carolina: 12,557 (74.2% of population)
- Born in a different state: 4,018 (23.7% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 135 (0.8% of population)
- Born in another country: 221 (1.3% of population)

16. Richmond County
- Population: 42,344
- Born in North Carolina: 31,442 (74.3% of population)
- Born in a different state: 8,918 (21.1% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 264 (0.6% of population)
- Born in another country: 1,720 (4.1% of population)

15. Columbus County
- Population: 50,140
- Born in North Carolina: 37,422 (74.6% of population)
- Born in a different state: 10,859 (21.7% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 193 (0.4% of population)
- Born in another country: 1,666 (3.3% of population)

14. Greene County
- Population: 20,486
- Born in North Carolina: 15,478 (75.6% of population)
- Born in a different state: 3,364 (16.4% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 293 (1.4% of population)
- Born in another country: 1,351 (6.6% of population)

13. Caldwell County
- Population: 80,536
- Born in North Carolina: 61,024 (75.8% of population)
- Born in a different state: 16,598 (20.6% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 471 (0.6% of population)
- Born in another country: 2,443 (3.0% of population)

12. Bladen County
- Population: 29,566
- Born in North Carolina: 22,437 (75.9% of population)
- Born in a different state: 5,771 (19.5% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 235 (0.8% of population)
- Born in another country: 1,123 (3.8% of population)

11. Graham County
- Population: 8,072
- Born in North Carolina: 6,140 (76.1% of population)
- Born in a different state: 1,765 (21.9% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 14 (0.2% of population)
- Born in another country: 153 (1.9% of population)

10. Lenoir County
- Population: 54,919
- Born in North Carolina: 41,851 (76.2% of population)
- Born in a different state: 10,227 (18.6% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 441 (0.8% of population)
- Born in another country: 2,400 (4.4% of population)

9. Sampson County
- Population: 59,470
- Born in North Carolina: 45,484 (76.5% of population)
- Born in a different state: 7,478 (12.6% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 176 (0.3% of population)
- Born in another country: 6,332 (10.6% of population)

8. Halifax County
- Population: 47,675
- Born in North Carolina: 36,914 (77.4% of population)
- Born in a different state: 9,211 (19.3% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 250 (0.5% of population)
- Born in another country: 1,300 (2.7% of population)

7. Wilkes County
- Population: 65,935
- Born in North Carolina: 51,760 (78.5% of population)
- Born in a different state: 11,443 (17.4% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 269 (0.4% of population)
- Born in another country: 2,463 (3.7% of population)

6. Robeson County
- Population: 116,902
- Born in North Carolina: 92,503 (79.1% of population)
- Born in a different state: 16,958 (14.5% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 995 (0.9% of population)
- Born in another country: 6,446 (5.5% of population)

5. Edgecombe County
- Population: 48,736
- Born in North Carolina: 38,929 (79.9% of population)
- Born in a different state: 7,963 (16.3% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 231 (0.5% of population)
- Born in another country: 1,613 (3.3% of population)

4. Washington County
- Population: 10,812
- Born in North Carolina: 8,702 (80.5% of population)
- Born in a different state: 1,978 (18.3% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 10 (0.1% of population)
- Born in another country: 122 (1.1% of population)

3. Martin County
- Population: 21,644
- Born in North Carolina: 17,472 (80.7% of population)
- Born in a different state: 3,582 (16.5% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 225 (1.0% of population)
- Born in another country: 365 (1.7% of population)

2. Bertie County
- Population: 17,170
- Born in North Carolina: 13,885 (80.9% of population)
- Born in a different state: 2,781 (16.2% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 165 (1.0% of population)
- Born in another country: 339 (2.0% of population)

1. Anson County
- Population: 22,289
- Born in North Carolina: 18,100 (81.2% of population)
- Born in a different state: 3,379 (15.2% of population)
- Born in U.S. territories: 78 (0.3% of population)
- Born in another country: 732 (3.3% of population)