Irish Population in North Carolina by City : 2025 Ranking & Insights

The Irish population in North Carolina totals 865,156, according to recent U.S. Census estimates. Leading cities include Charlotte (58,952), followed by Raleigh (39,938) and Durham (19,363), each hosting visible segments of the community. While these urban centers anchor much of the population, the statewide total points to a broader presence in unincorporated areas and smaller towns beyond major city boundaries. The analysis below explores how Irish residents are distributed across North Carolina''s urban and rural landscape.

Top 5 cities with the largest Irish population in North Carolina

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  • 1
    Charlotte
    Irish population in Charlotte is 58,952
    6.65% of Charlotte population is Irish
  • 2
    Raleigh
    Irish population in Raleigh is 39,938
    8.48% of Raleigh population is Irish
  • 3
    Durham
    Irish population in Durham is 19,363
    6.71% of Durham population is Irish
  • 4
    Winston-Salem
    Irish population in Winston-Salem is 15,835
    6.31% of Winston-Salem population is Irish
  • 5
    Greensboro
    Irish population in Greensboro is 15,757
    5.28% of Greensboro population is Irish

Overview of Irish population in North Carolina

  • Population Count and Percentage: American Community Survey documents North Carolina with 865,156 Irish residents (8.2% of 10.6 million total state population), ranking the state at the 79th percentile nationally among U.S. jurisdictions for Irish demographic representation.
  • Comparison to State and National Averages: U.S. Census surveys show North Carolina's Irish demographic representation of 8.2% remains below the national average of 9.4%, positioning the state below typical U.S. demographic distribution patterns.
  • Share of Total National Population: Official American Community Survey records show North Carolina hosts 865,156 Irish residents, representing 2.8% of the nation's total Irish population of 31.2 million, establishing the state as a significant demographic concentration center within national boundaries.
  • Population Density per Square Mile: U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey data indicates North Carolina's density of 17.8 Irish Americans per square mile exceeds the national average of 8.8 per square mile by exactly double, establishing the state as a significant concentration center for Irish demographic communities.
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419 Cities in North Carolina Ranked by Irish Population

View Methodology
American Community Survey data [1] show Irish population in North Carolina present in Charlotte, Raleigh, and Durham, along with several other incorporated cities reporting non-zero populations. The table below provides broader statistics, including total population figures, density measures, and demographic distributions based on current ACS data for all incorporated cities included in this analysis*.
cities in North Carolina ranked by Irish population count
Rank by Irish Population
City
Irish Population
% of Total City Population
% of Total North Carolina Irish Population
5 Year Rank Trend
1 Charlotte 58,952 6.65% 6.81%
2 Raleigh 39,938 8.48% 4.62%
3 Durham 19,363 6.71% 2.24%
4 Winston-Salem 15,835 6.31% 1.83%
5 Greensboro 15,757 5.28% 1.82%
6 Cary 14,539 8.23% 1.68%
7 Fayetteville 14,093 6.72% 1.63%
8 12,806 10.80% 1.48%
9 10,176 10.78% 1.18%
10 9,227 12.55% 1.07%
11 7,664 12.27% 0.89%
12 7,023 10.36% 0.81%
13 6,828 6.41% 0.79%
14 6,556 12.74% 0.76%
15 6,325 5.49% 0.73%
16 5,860 6.62% 0.68%
17 5,720 11.17% 0.66%
18 5,710 13.15% 0.66%
19 5,700 6.98% 0.66%
20 5,553 9.27% 0.64%
21 4,626 14.45% 0.53%
22 4,265 10.37% 0.49%
23 4,108 10.88% 0.47%
24 3,882 6.87% 0.45%
25 3,760 14.29% 0.43%
26 3,298 12.24% 0.38%
27 3,175 9.76% 0.37%
28 3,172 7.25% 0.37%
29 2,993 5.11% 0.35%
30 2,966 9.40% 0.34%
31 2,913 14.91% 0.34%
32 2,801 9.35% 0.32%
33 2,631 7.36% 0.30%
34 2,621 12.38% 0.30%
35 2,550 11.82% 0.29%
36 2,309 8.47% 0.27%
37 2,305 12.81% 0.27%
38 2,265 6.36% 0.26%
39 2,253 8.21% 0.26%
40 2,241 10.39% 0.26%
41 2,236 14.77% 0.26%
42 2,202 7.85% 0.25%
43 2,118 15.51% 0.24%
44 2,015 6.91% 0.23%
45 1,994 18.50% 0.23%
46 1,935 4.05% 0.22%
47 1,929 12.65% 0.22%
48 1,893 12.75% 0.22%
48 1,893 14.06% 0.22%
49 1,867 6.13% 0.22%
50 1,855 6.78% 0.21%
51 1,815 5.43% 0.21%
52 1,778 9.92% 0.21%
53 1,620 2.99% 0.19%
54 1,604 13.85% 0.19%
55 1,602 9.73% 0.19%
56 1,535 22.24% 0.18%
57 1,511 8.00% 0.17%
58 1,454 8.81% 0.17%
59 1,444 8.23% 0.17%
60 1,361 6.97% 0.16%
61 1,321 7.41% 0.15%
62 1,284 8.00% 0.15%
63 1,278 14.38% 0.15%
64 1,272 15.86% 0.15%
65 1,267 10.57% 0.15%
66 1,246 9.42% 0.14%
67 1,233 11.18% 0.14%
68 1,227 5.61% 0.14%
69 1,225 10.68% 0.14%
70 1,218 24.19% 0.14%
71 1,215 6.65% 0.14%
72 1,192 17.88% 0.14%
73 1,190 11.43% 0.14%
74 1,182 6.16% 0.14%
75 1,173 5.96% 0.14%
76 1,148 23.70% 0.13%
77 1,132 22.28% 0.13%
78 1,113 9.83% 0.13%
79 1,098 6.64% 0.13%
80 1,085 7.46% 0.13%
81 1,079 11.17% 0.12%
82 1,075 12.05% 0.12%
83 1,074 7.00% 0.12%
84 1,069 3.47% 0.12%
85 1,058 5.65% 0.12%
86 1,041 6.93% 0.12%
87 1,040 8.96% 0.12%
88 1,026 16.53% 0.12%
89 1,004 13.92% 0.12%
90 978 12.66% 0.11%
91 903 9.31% 0.10%
92 881 17.53% 0.10%
93 858 9.24% 0.10%
94 805 6.82% 0.09%
95 804 4.58% 0.09%
96 786 7.40% 0.09%
97 776 10.98% 0.09%
98 763 17.64% 0.09%
99 731 7.17% 0.08%
100 723 9.09% 0.08%
101 719 16.24% 0.08%
102 711 8.40% 0.08%
103 704 7.85% 0.08%
104 699 9.13% 0.08%
105 696 13.95% 0.08%
106 693 8.14% 0.08%
107 683 3.49% 0.08%
108 681 5.92% 0.08%
109 680 6.40% 0.08%
110 678 16.37% 0.08%
111 673 11.71% 0.08%
112 670 21.16% 0.08%
113 669 4.48% 0.08%
114 667 16.32% 0.08%
115 647 6.63% 0.07%
116 638 13.82% 0.07%
117 611 7.84% 0.07%
118 601 18.99% 0.07%
118 601 15.76% 0.07%
119 593 8.07% 0.07%
120 587 7.73% 0.07%
121 586 14.97% 0.07%
122 585 12.91% 0.07%
123 567 8.31% 0.07%
124 566 12.68% 0.07%
125 565 22.05% 0.07%
125 565 10.22% 0.07%
126 556 10.34% 0.06%
127 555 2.89% 0.06%
128 549 8.39% 0.06%
129 544 26.40% 0.06%
130 533 6.28% 0.06%
130 533 10.83% 0.06%
131 523 8.50% 0.06%
132 521 22.16% 0.06%
133 500 21.35% 0.06%
134 493 8.51% 0.06%
135 484 5.32% 0.06%
136 478 15.33% 0.06%
137 473 11.37% 0.05%
138 472 10.23% 0.05%
139 471 7.93% 0.05%
140 459 14.15% 0.05%
141 454 7.55% 0.05%
142 453 12.94% 0.05%
143 438 18.95% 0.05%
144 437 15.39% 0.05%
145 430 10.19% 0.05%
146 424 3.96% 0.05%
147 422 5.73% 0.05%
148 421 11.31% 0.05%
149 417 8.41% 0.05%
150 412 8.29% 0.05%
151 407 16.98% 0.05%
151 407 11.04% 0.05%
152 398 9.38% 0.05%
153 397 13.71% 0.05%
154 393 14.35% 0.05%
155 384 6.40% 0.04%
156 383 10.44% 0.04%
157 374 11.51% 0.04%
158 369 13.69% 0.04%
159 362 13.51% 0.04%
160 358 15.41% 0.04%
160 358 7.63% 0.04%
161 344 4.30% 0.04%
162 327 13.73% 0.04%
163 322 3.62% 0.04%
164 320 7.95% 0.04%
165 318 6.89% 0.04%
166 315 8.34% 0.04%
167 311 8.48% 0.04%
168 306 11.78% 0.04%
169 305 6.81% 0.04%
170 302 6.53% 0.03%
171 295 12.34% 0.03%
172 287 1.90% 0.03%
173 283 5.86% 0.03%
174 280 7.51% 0.03%
175 274 6.20% 0.03%
176 271 10.15% 0.03%
177 268 10.38% 0.03%
178 264 7.83% 0.03%
179 263 4.77% 0.03%
180 262 10.08% 0.03%
180 262 3.29% 0.03%
181 258 10.52% 0.03%
182 255 6.35% 0.03%
183 252 8.44% 0.03%
184 249 9.65% 0.03%
184 249 4.83% 0.03%
185 245 3.01% 0.03%
186 243 5.27% 0.03%
187 240 4.23% 0.03%
188 239 8.92% 0.03%
189 237 6.40% 0.03%
190 236 5.25% 0.03%
191 235 12.62% 0.03%
191 235 11.78% 0.03%
192 230 5.92% 0.03%
193 229 6.81% 0.03%
193 229 4.89% 0.03%
193 229 6.69% 0.03%
194 226 11.27% 0.03%
194 226 6.37% 0.03%
194 226 4.87% 0.03%
195 224 9.38% 0.03%
196 220 8.18% 0.03%
197 216 20.63% 0.03%
198 215 5.82% 0.02%
199 214 4.77% 0.02%
200 212 29.04% 0.02%
201 210 15.14% 0.02%
201 210 12.26% 0.02%
202 202 8.26% 0.02%
203 199 11.50% 0.02%
203 199 3.01% 0.02%
203 199 7.56% 0.02%
203 199 12.70% 0.02%
204 197 9.19% 0.02%
204 197 14.85% 0.02%
205 196 11.50% 0.02%
205 196 6.16% 0.02%
206 192 2.30% 0.02%
207 189 3.75% 0.02%
207 189 12.70% 0.02%
208 180 4.85% 0.02%
209 178 11.24% 0.02%
209 178 7.46% 0.02%
209 178 4.86% 0.02%
210 177 6.65% 0.02%
210 177 6.36% 0.02%
210 177 11.47% 0.02%
211 176 3.87% 0.02%
212 174 3.66% 0.02%
213 171 14.10% 0.02%
214 167 8.23% 0.02%
215 163 14.31% 0.02%
215 163 9.46% 0.02%
216 162 3.43% 0.02%
216 162 6.11% 0.02%
217 161 9.61% 0.02%
218 160 8.10% 0.02%
219 159 19.97% 0.02%
220 157 5.58% 0.02%
221 156 4.13% 0.02%
222 155 8.31% 0.02%
223 152 9.99% 0.02%
224 151 7.03% 0.02%
225 149 9.24% 0.02%
226 148 8.88% 0.02%
226 148 4.77% 0.02%
227 147 12.61% 0.02%
227 147 6.69% 0.02%
228 146 10.22% 0.02%
229 143 4.57% 0.02%
230 142 2.37% 0.02%
231 138 21.46% 0.02%
232 137 5.59% 0.02%
233 136 6.63% 0.02%
233 136 3.98% 0.02%
234 135 10.58% 0.02%
235 132 10.30% 0.02%
236 130 10.23% 0.02%
236 130 2.85% 0.02%
236 130 1.64% 0.02%
237 129 8.48% 0.01%
238 126 7.40% 0.01%
238 126 6.08% 0.01%
239 123 13.25% 0.01%
239 123 4.46% 0.01%
240 122 6.58% 0.01%
241 120 16.02% 0.01%
242 119 14.88% 0.01%
243 118 12.69% 0.01%
243 118 14.90% 0.01%
244 117 5.63% 0.01%
245 116 5.36% 0.01%
245 116 7.72% 0.01%
245 116 11.79% 0.01%
246 112 2.33% 0.01%
246 112 7.33% 0.01%
246 112 6.02% 0.01%
247 111 2.64% 0.01%
248 110 7.16% 0.01%
249 109 19.29% 0.01%
250 107 7.44% 0.01%
250 107 9.48% 0.01%
251 106 9.72% 0.01%
251 106 15.16% 0.01%
252 102 4.29% 0.01%
253 100 9.42% 0.01%
254 99 6.60% 0.01%
254 99 5.06% 0.01%
255 98 10.44% 0.01%
256 97 14.65% 0.01%
257 96 18.15% 0.01%
257 96 2.90% 0.01%
258 95 9.89% 0.01%
259 94 16.64% 0.01%
259 94 3.64% 0.01%
260 93 6.95% 0.01%
261 92 2.12% 0.01%
262 91 13.11% 0.01%
263 90 10.73% 0.01%
264 89 4.35% 0.01%
264 89 5.85% 0.01%
265 87 4.70% 0.01%
266 86 10.35% 0.01%
266 86 2.61% 0.01%
266 86 6.34% 0.01%
266 86 5.53% 0.01%
267 83 12.87% 0.01%
268 82 6.23% 0.01%
269 79 3.79% 0.01%
269 79 4.69% 0.01%
270 78 9.62% 0.01%
270 78 7.33% 0.01%
271 77 2.48% 0.01%
271 77 5.82% 0.01%
272 74 5.21% 0.01%
272 74 7.03% 0.01%
272 74 8.75% 0.01%
273 73 7.45% 0.01%
273 73 9.37% 0.01%
274 71 1.70% 0.01%
275 69 10.21% 0.01%
276 68 5.01% 0.01%
276 68 4.76% 0.01%
276 68 6.23% 0.01%
277 66 8.46% 0.01%
278 65 10.94% 0.01%
279 64 7.55% 0.01%
279 64 5.46% 0.01%
279 64 10.63% 0.01%
279 64 6.52% 0.01%
280 60 5.97% 0.01%
280 60 9.23% 0.01%
281 59 7.97% 0.01%
281 59 4.47% 0.01%
281 59 6.22% 0.01%
282 58 2.66% 0.01%
283 57 1.66% 0.01%
284 55 9.29% 0.01%
285 52 5.78% 0.01%
285 52 1.72% 0.01%
285 52 10.53% 0.01%
285 52 6.38% 0.01%
286 50 2.15% 0.01%
286 50 3.58% 0.01%
287 48 4.89% 0.01%
287 48 6.27% 0.01%
288 47 1.13% 0.01%
288 47 3.66% 0.01%
288 47 4.06% 0.01%
288 47 5.47% 0.01%
289 46 4.38% 0.01%
290 45 1.71% 0.01%
291 44 5.42% 0.01%
292 41 5.49% 0.00%
292 41 5.63% 0.00%
293 40 1.69% 0.00%
293 40 1.90% 0.00%
294 39 2.98% 0.00%
295 38 4.01% 0.00%
295 38 0.77% 0.00%
296 35 5.54% 0.00%
296 35 5.81% 0.00%
296 35 3.89% 0.00%
297 32 2.89% 0.00%
297 32 2.40% 0.00%
298 30 4.43% 0.00%
299 29 5.75% 0.00%
299 29 1.00% 0.00%
300 28 4.15% 0.00%
300 28 4.01% 0.00%
300 28 2.53% 0.00%
301 27 2.48% 0.00%
301 27 1.00% 0.00%
302 26 2.43% 0.00%
302 26 4.53% 0.00%
303 25 0.79% 0.00%
303 25 4.61% 0.00%
303 25 1.53% 0.00%
304 24 5.38% 0.00%
305 20 2.72% 0.00%
305 20 3.42% 0.00%
306 19 0.84% 0.00%
306 19 2.20% 0.00%
306 19 4.01% 0.00%
307 17 2.27% 0.00%
307 17 2.81% 0.00%
308 16 2.19% 0.00%
309 15 2.92% 0.00%
310 14 1.53% 0.00%
311 12 1.45% 0.00%
311 12 0.37% 0.00%
311 12 1.23% 0.00%
312 11 0.82% 0.00%
312 11 0.94% 0.00%
312 11 1.59% 0.00%
313 10 0.35% 0.00%
313 10 0.32% 0.00%
314 9 1.92% 0.00%
314 9 0.38% 0.00%
315 3 0.42% 0.00%
315 3 0.30% 0.00%
315 3 0.11% 0.00%
315 3 0.53% 0.00%
316 2 0.30% 0.00%
317 0 - -
317 0 - -
317 0 - -
317 0 - -
317 0 - -
317 0 - -
317 0 - -
317 0 - -
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Methodology

This ranking list is based on data from the American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates, conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau. The ACS is one of the most reliable sources for understanding population trends across different locations, and it provides estimates for various racial and ethnic groups at city, county, state and all geography levels down to the Census block group.
This list ranks city in North Carolina by their Irish population, using the most recent ACS data available.

How the Census defines Irish population

The U.S. Census Bureau allows people to self-identify their ancestry, meaning individuals can write upto ancestries when responding to the survey. In this ranking, we include everyone who identifies as having Irish ancestry, whether alone or in combination with another ancestry.
Here are a few important things to know about how ancestry is reported:
  • Some people identify as Irish alone, while others identify as Irish along with another race (such as Irish and German).
  • We’ve used the “Irish alone or in any combination” category unless noted otherwise, which gives a broader picture of the Irish population in each area.

How We Ranked the Data

This ranking is based on the total number of people who identified as Irish alone or in combination in city. To provide additional context, we’ve also included two key percentages:
  1. % of Total City Population – This shows what percentage of the total state population identifies as Irish .
  2. % of Total North Carolina Irish Population – This tells us how much of the entire U.S. Irish population lives in that state.
To keep things simple, all population numbers have been rounded to the nearest whole number, and percentages are rounded to one decimal place. Because of rounding, some percentages may not add up to exactly 100%.

Things to Keep in Mind

Like all survey-based data, ACS estimates come with some limitations. Here are a few things to be aware of:
  • In places with very small Irish populations, the numbers may not be reported at all due to privacy protections or sampling variability in the survey.
  • Since the ACS is based on a sample, the numbers are estimates, not exact counts. That means they may slightly differ from other sources like the decennial U.S. Census.
  • City that don’t have any reported Irish population are not included in the ranking but are listed separately below for reference.
This ranking is meant to provide a clear, data-driven look at where Irish populations are most concentrated while keeping the numbers easy to understand.

Sources

  1. 2019-2023 5-Year Estimates.
  2. 2023.