| Rank | City | 1990 Population | Growth Rate (Annual) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Charlotte | 426,984 | 3.1% |
| 2 | Raleigh | 220,425 | – |
| 3 | Greensboro | 191,591 | – |
| 4 | Winston-Salem | 167,254 | – |
| 5 | Durham | 148,450 | – |
| 6 | Fayetteville | 112,644 | – |
| 7 | Jacksonville | 78,080 | – |
| 8 | High Point | 69,763 | – |
| 9 | Asheville | 66,184 | – |
| 10 | Gastonia | 59,757 | – |
| 11 | Wilmington | 56,067 | – |
| 12 | Rocky Mount | 54,339 | – |
| 13 | Greenville | 49,366 | – |
| 14 | Cary | 45,497 | – |
| 15 | Goldsboro | 44,966 | – |
| 16 | Burlington | 40,822 | – |
| 17 | Wilson | 39,056 | – |
| 18 | Chapel Hill | 38,346 | – |
| 19 | Concord | 37,661 | – |
| 20 | Kannapolis | 32,404 | – |
| 21 | Hickory | 29,474 | – |
| 22 | Kinston | 25,883 | – |
| 23 | Salisbury | 24,398 | – |
| 24 | Statesville | 21,224 | – |
| 25 | New Bern | 20,899 | – |
| 26 | Havelock | 20,463 | – |
| 27 | Shelby | 19,783 | – |
| 28 | Lumberton | 19,781 | – |
| 29 | Lexington | 19,319 | – |
| 30 | Monroe | 19,102 | – |
| 31 | Sanford | 18,874 | – |
| 32 | Asheboro | 18,137 | – |
| 33 | Lenoir | 16,691 | – |
| 34 | Henderson | 16,591 | – |
| 35 | Thomasville | 16,531 | – |
| 36 | Roanoke Rapids | 16,389 | – |
| 37 | Elizabeth City | 16,112 | – |
| 38 | Laurinburg | 16,063 | – |
| 39 | Morganton | 15,875 | – |
| 40 | Eden | 15,860 | – |
| 41 | Albemarle | 15,178 | – |
| 42 | Garner | 14,885 | – |
| 43 | Matthews | 14,502 | – |
| 44 | Reidsville | 14,438 | – |
| 45 | Mint Hill | 13,595 | – |
| 46 | Boone | 13,056 | – |
| 47 | Kernersville | 12,015 | – |
| 48 | Carrboro | 11,748 | – |
| 49 | Mooresville | 11,221 | – |
| 50 | Newton | 11,199 | – |
| 51 | Tarboro | 11,107 | – |
| 52 | Smithfield | 10,759 | – |
| 53 | Graham | 10,367 | – |
| 54 | Rockingham | 9,971 | – |
| 55 | Washington | 9,958 | – |
| 56 | Southern Pines | 9,683 | – |
| 57 | Lincolnton | 9,336 | – |
| 58 | Dunn | 9,214 | – |
| 59 | Clemmons | 9,213 | – |
| 60 | Hendersonville | 9,060 | – |
| 61 | Belmont | 9,041 | – |
| 62 | Waynesville | 9,010 | – |
| 63 | Kings Mountain | 8,817 | – |
| 64 | Clinton | 8,771 | – |
| 65 | Oxford | 8,396 | – |
| 66 | Spring Lake | 8,369 | – |
| 67 | Hope Mills | 8,164 | – |
| 68 | Mount Holly | 7,970 | – |
| 69 | Forest City | 7,736 | – |
| 70 | Mount Airy | 7,717 | – |
| 71 | Morehead City | 7,597 | – |
| 72 | Roxboro | 7,584 | – |
| 73 | Archdale | 7,345 | – |
| 74 | Black Mountain | 7,273 | – |
| 75 | Hamlet | 7,173 | – |
| 76 | Lewisville | 6,636 | – |
| 77 | Huntersville | 6,570 | – |
| 78 | Trinity | 6,442 | – |
| 79 | Brevard | 6,220 | – |
| 80 | Wake Forest | 5,987 | – |
| 81 | Williamston | 5,933 | – |
| 82 | Pinehurst | 5,728 | – |
| 83 | Cherryville | 5,574 | – |
| 84 | Conover | 5,564 | – |
| 85 | Apex | 5,476 | – |
| 86 | Whiteville | 5,455 | – |
| 87 | Edenton | 5,339 | – |
| 88 | Selma | 5,263 | – |
| 89 | Siler City | 5,091 | – |
| 90 | Cornelius | 5,083 | – |
| 91 | Bessemer City | 4,927 | – |
| 92 | Ayden | 4,890 | – |
| 93 | Mebane | 4,872 | – |
| 94 | Marion | 4,852 | – |
| 95 | Elon College | 4,846 | – |
| 96 | Mount Olive | 4,760 | – |
| 97 | Hillsborough | 4,742 | – |
| 98 | Clayton | 4,712 | – |
| 99 | Ahoskie | 4,600 | – |
| 100 | Sawmills | 4,548 | – |
In 1990, the largest city in North Carolina was Charlotte, with a population of 426,984. The second largest city is Raleigh, with a population of 220,425.
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