North Carolina Map with Cities, Counties, and Roads

Explore North Carolina's Diverse Landscape of Cities, Counties, and Road Networks on the Map

Map of North Carolina- North Carolina map, showing cities, counties, and the road network. This is a detailed map presented in a road-light style, so counties come first. County areas are shaded, county seats are clearly labeled, and the coastline, capes, and sounds are easily distinguishable. Interstates and U.S. routes are drawn as thin orientation threads so the county framework and city labels read cleanly. It’s the best map experience for residents, travelers, and geography students who want to scan all 100 counties without road clutter. 

Virginia borders North Carolina to the north, Tennessee to the west, and Georgia to the southwest. To the south, it shares a border with South Carolina, and to the east, it meets the Atlantic Ocean.

How to read this county-first, road-light map

• Follow the water first. The Atlantic Ocean and barrier islands from Brunswick County to Currituck County outline the Coastal Plain. Inland, the Catawba River, Yadkin–Pee Dee, Neuse, Cape Fear, Tar, Pamlico, and Roanoke basins act as natural guide rails.

• Use county seats as anchors. Dots and bold labels point to administrative centers like Raleigh (Wake), Charlotte (Mecklenburg), Greensboro (Guilford), Winston-Salem (Forsyth), Durham (Durham), Fayetteville (Cumberland), Greenville (Pitt), Wilmington (New Hanover), Asheville (Buncombe), and New Bern (Craven).

• Let roads confirm, not dominate. I-95 down the Coastal Plain, I-40 from Wilmington to the Triad, I-85 through Charlotte-Greensboro-Durham, and I-26/I-77/I-74 in the Piedmont are present but quiet, just enough to verify direction.

Mountains to Piedmont - from the Tennessee line through the Triad and Charlotte region

The Mountain Region - Blue Ridge and Great Smokies counties

Far Southwestern Arc: Cherokee to Graham

• Cherokee County (seat Murphy) sits at the extreme southwest corner against Georgia and Tennessee, labeled with Murphy, Andrews, and Hiwassee Lake.

• Clay County (Hayesville) is small and compact on the Hiwassee headwaters.

• Graham County (Robbinsville) hugs the Great Smoky edge, with Fontana Lake and the Cheoah and Santeetlah names marking deep valleys.

• Macon County (Franklin) spreads across the Little Tennessee River; Highlands and Otto appear on the map as high-elevation settlements.

Jackson, Swain, Haywood, Transylvania - high ridges and park gateways

• Jackson County (Sylva) centers on Sylva and the university town of Cullowhee, with Cashiers near the plateau.

• Swain County (Bryson City) anchors the Tuckasegee–Nantahala confluence and the western entrance to Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

• Haywood County (Waynesville) shows Waynesville and Canton along the Pigeon River.

• Transylvania County (Brevard), called the Land of Waterfalls, places Brevard near Pisgah National Forest; road-light symbology keeps river hollows readable.

Buncombe hub and its neighbors

• Buncombe County (Asheville) is the principal mountain metro with Asheville at the French Broad River. Suburban labels - Weaverville, Black Mountain — ring the seat.

• To the north, Madison County (Marshall) traces the river to Hot Springs.

• Henderson County (Hendersonville), south of Asheville, shows Hendersonville and Flat Rock on the Blue Ridge escarpment.

• Polk County (Columbus) marks the South Carolina line near Tryon.

High Country: Yancey, Mitchell, Avery, Watauga, Ashe, Alleghany

• Yancey County (Burnsville) covers Mount Mitchell country.

• Mitchell County (Bakersville) touches the Appalachian spine with labels like Spruce Pine.

• Avery County (Newland) holds Banner Elk and ski valleys.

• College town Boone and the Blue Ridge Parkway corridor label Watauga County (Boone).

• Ashe County (Jefferson) forms the northern tip, with West Jefferson on the map;

• Alleghany County (Sparta) completes the Blue Ridge crest at the Virginia line.

Foothills and Upper Yadkin-Catawba - transitioning into the Piedmont

From the Cherokee foothills to furniture country

• Rutherford County (Rutherfordton) pairs with the town of Forest City in the textile–furniture belt.

• McDowell County (Marion) shows Old Fort, where the escarpment drops to the Piedmont.

• Burke County (Morganton) highlights Lake James and Valdese.

• Caldwell County (Lenoir) sits beneath the Blue Ridge with Granite Falls and Hudson.

• Alexander County (Taylorsville) bridges toward the Catawba Valley.

• Catawba County (Newton) flags the Hickory metro; Conover and Maiden appear as supporting labels.

Yadkin–Surry–Wilkes and the upper rivers

• Wilkes County (Wilkesboro) lists North Wilkesboro on the Yadkin.

• Surry County (Dobson) and the Mount Airy label mark the upper Piedmont at the Virginia line.

• Yadkin County (Yadkinville) runs south of the river.

• Stokes County (Danbury) reaches to the Dan River bluffs.

• Davie County (Mocksville) and Iredell County (Statesville) connect this foothill arc to the central Piedmont.

The Triad - Winston-Salem, Greensboro, High Point, and surrounding counties

Forsyth and Guilford cores

• Forsyth County (Winston-Salem) sits at the center of the map’s Triad label, with Kernersville and Clemmons nearby.

• Guilford County (Greensboro) marks Greensboro as the seat and shows High Point southwest; the road-light treatment keeps I-40 and I-85 subtle so the county blocks read first.

Triad ring of counties

• Davidson County (Lexington), the barbecue capital, carries Thomasville on the county’s edge.

• Randolph County (Asheboro) stretches south with the Uwharrie hills and Randleman Lake.

• Rockingham County (Wentworth) includes Reidsville and Eden by the Dan River.

• Caswell County (Yanceyville) rides the Virginia line.

• Alamance County (Graham) lists Burlington, Elon, and Mebane along the Haw River.

• Person County (Roxboro) gives a clean step toward the Triangle.

Charlotte-Metrolina - Catawba to Pee Dee crescent

Mecklenburg, anchor, and Lake counties

• Mecklenburg County (Charlotte) dominates the southern Piedmont; the county seat is Charlotte, with labels for Mint Hill, Pineville, Huntersville, Davidson, and Cornelius around Lake Norman.

• Gaston County (Gastonia) lies west of Belmont along the Catawba.

• Lincoln County (Lincolnton) rides the river’s west bank.

• Cleveland County (Shelby) and Rutherford County (Rutherfordton) close the western flank.

Iredell, Rowan, Cabarrus, Union, and Stanly

• Iredell County (Statesville) contains the largest share of Lake Norman shoreline.

• Rowan County (Salisbury) sits on the Yadkin; China Grove marks the south.

• Cabarrus County (Concord) includes Kannapolis on the county line.

• Union County (Monroe) stretches to the South Carolina border.

• Stanly County (Albemarle) shows Badin Lake and the Uwharrie uplands — all legible because highways are light.

Anson, Richmond, Montgomery, and Moore — the Sandhills edge

• Anson County (Wadesboro) and Richmond County (Rockingham) trace the Pee Dee fall line.

• Montgomery County (Troy) touches Lake Tillery and Uwharrie National Forest.

• Moore County (Carthage) features the Southern Pines–Pinehurst golf crescent.

The Triangle and Inner Piedmont - Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill and neighbors

Wake, Durham, and Orange cores.

• Wake County (Raleigh) shows Raleigh as the state capital, with Cary, Apex, Garner, Knightdale, Wake Forest, Morrisville, and Holly Springs around a belt of lakes.

• Durham County (Durham) holds Durham city and the Research Triangle Park vicinity.

• Orange County (Hillsborough) frames Chapel Hill and Carrboro on the university ridge.

Triangle ring counties

• Chatham County (Pittsboro) reaches to Jordan Lake and the Haw River basin.

• Johnston County (Smithfield) stretches down the Neuse River with Clayton, Selma, and Benson.

• Franklin County (Louisburg) lies to the northeast;

• Granville County (Oxford) and Vance County (Henderson) ride the Kerr Lake line in Virginia.

• Warren County (Warrenton) bridges to the Roanoke Valley.

• Lee County (Sanford) marks the fall line into the Sandhills.

Sandhills and Coastal Plain - Fayetteville, I-95 corridor, the Inner Banks, and the Outer Banks

Sandhills heartland - Fort Liberty to longleaf country

Cumberland, Harnett, Hoke, Scotland

• Cumberland County (Fayetteville) is the Sandhills anchor; Fayetteville sits on the Cape Fear River, with Hope Mills and Spring Lake nearby.

• Harnett County (Lillington) links the Triangle to the Sandhills via the Upper Cape Fear.

• Hoke County (Raeford) lies west of Cumberland.

• Scotland County (Laurinburg) rests along the Lumber River headwaters.

Richmond, Robeson, Bladen - Pee Dee, and Lumber basins

• Richmond County (Rockingham) shows Hamlet as a rail hub.

• Robeson County (Lumberton), one of the state’s largest, follows the Lumber River through Pembroke and St. Pauls.

• Bladen County (Elizabethtown) includes the Bladen Lakes and White Lake; the road-light palette keeps these blue lakes crisp.

Lower Cape Fear and the Coast - Wilmington to the state line

Brunswick, New Hanover, and Pender

• Brunswick County (Bolivia) covers the Cape Fear’s west bank and islands like Oak Island and Holden Beach.

• New Hanover County (Wilmington) places Wilmington at the river mouth with Carolina Beach and Wrightsville Beach on the barrier islands.

• Pender County (Burgaw) extends north to Surf City and Topsail Island.

Jacksonville-Camp Lejeune and Crystal Coast

Onslow, Duplin, and Jones

• Onslow County (Jacksonville) marks Camp Lejeune and the New River estuary.

• Duplin County (Kenansville) sits inland with Wallace and Warsaw labeled.

• Jones County (Trenton) is a small, low-lying county on the Trent River.

Carteret, Craven, and Pamlico

• Carteret County (Beaufort) stretches along Bogue Banks and Cape Lookout; Morehead City, Atlantic Beach, and Harkers Island appear across the sounds.

• Craven County (New Bern) shows New Bern at the Neuse–Trent confluence.

• Pamlico County (Bayboro) outlines Pamlico Sound marshes and creeks.

Inner Banks - from Greenville to the Roanoke and Albemarle

Pitt, Greene, Lenoir, and Wayne

• Pitt County (Greenville) highlights Greenville along the Tar–Pamlico basin.

• Greene County (Snow Hill) is compact between Contentnea Creek and the Neuse headwaters.

• Lenoir County (Kinston) maps the Neuse River bend through Kinston.

• Wayne County (Goldsboro) follows the Neuse upstream, with Mount Olive also labeled.

Wilson, Nash, Edgecombe, and Halifax - I-95 corridor

• Wilson County (Wilson) and Nash County (Nashville) cluster around Rocky Mount (shared with Edgecombe).

• Edgecombe County (Tarboro) marks the Tar River valley to Princeville.

• Halifax County (Halifax) lines the Roanoke River with Roanoke Rapids and Scotland Neck.

Northampton, Hertford, Bertie, and Martin - Roanoke to Albemarle

• Northampton County (Jackson) runs the Virginia line above the Roanoke.

• Hertford County (Winton) sits on the Chowan River;

• Bertie County (Windsor) hugs the Cashie and Roanoke mouths.

• Martin County (Williamston) lies to the west along the Roanoke floodplain.

Albemarle Sound and Northern Outer Banks

Chowan, Perquimans, Pasquotank, Camden, Currituck

• Chowan County (Edenton) fronts Albemarle Sound with colonial Edenton at the Chowan River mouth.

• Perquimans County (Hertford) bends around the Perquimans River.

• Pasquotank County (Elizabeth City) faces Currituck Sound.

• Camden County (Camden) is a narrow ribbon between rivers and canals.

• Currituck County (Currituck) stretches along Currituck Sound to the Virginia line and barrier island villages.

Dare, Hyde, Tyrrell, and Washington — sounds, capes, and wildlife refuges.

• Dare County (Manteo) contains the Outer Banks towns and Cape Hatteras; the road-light style keeps the islands distinct.

• Hyde County (Swan Quarter) is mostly marsh and Ocracoke access.

• Tyrrell County (Columbia) sits inland along the Scuppernong River.

• Washington County (Plymouth) occupies the Roanoke delta at Albemarle Sound.

Neuse-Tar transition and the central Coastal Plain

Beaufort and Pamlico region

• Beaufort County (Washington) maps the Pamlico River; Belhaven and Bath appear along the estuary.

• Craven and Pamlico were covered above, marking the head of the sound.

Inland set: Sampson, Hoke recap, Cumberland recap.

• Sampson County (Clinton) is one of the state’s largest agricultural counties.

• Johnston and Wayne connect back to the Triangle and Neuse valley; Cumberland returns as the Cape Fear hinge.

South-central Piedmont to Sandhills - Uwharrie to Lumber

Richmond recap, Scotland recap, Anson, Union

• The Pee Dee River and reservoirs (Blewett Falls, Tillery, Badin) help you read county boundaries for Richmond (Rockingham), Anson (Wadesboro), Stanly (Albemarle), and Montgomery (Troy).

• Union (Monroe) completes the Charlotte-to-Sandhills corridor.

County directory mirrored to labels on our map (quick lookup)

Cherokee - Murphy; Clay - Hayesville; Graham - Robbinsville; Swain - Bryson City; Macon - Franklin; Jackson - Sylva; Haywood - Waynesville; Transylvania - Brevard; Buncombe - Asheville; Madison - Marshall; Henderson - Hendersonville; Polk - Columbus; Rutherford - Rutherfordton; McDowell - Marion; Burke - Morganton; Caldwell - Lenoir; Alexander - Taylorsville; Catawba - Newton; Iredell - Statesville; Yancey - Burnsville; Mitchell - Bakersville; Avery - Newland; Watauga - Boone; Ashe - Jefferson; Alleghany - Sparta; Wilkes - Wilkesboro; Surry - Dobson; Yadkin - Yadkinville; Stokes - Danbury; Davie - Mocksville.

Charlotte–Metrolina and central Piedmont: Mecklenburg - Charlotte; Gaston - Gastonia; Lincoln - Lincolnton; Cleveland - Shelby; Rowan - Salisbury; Cabarrus - Concord; Union - Monroe; Stanly - Albemarle; Anson - Wadesboro; Richmond - Rockingham; Montgomery - Troy; Moore - Carthage; Davidson - Lexington; Randolph - Asheboro.

Triad and Triangle belts: Forsyth - Winston-Salem; Guilford - Greensboro; Alamance - Graham; Rockingham - Wentworth; Caswell - Yanceyville; Person - Roxboro; Orange - Hillsborough; Durham - Durham; Wake - Raleigh; Chatham - Pittsboro; Johnston - Smithfield; Lee - Sanford; Franklin - Louisburg; Granville - Oxford; Vance - Henderson; Warren - Warrenton.

Coastal Plain and Sandhills: Cumberland - Fayetteville; Harnett - Lillington; Hoke - Raeford; Scotland - Laurinburg; Robeson - Lumberton; Bladen - Elizabethtown; Sampson - Clinton; Duplin - Kenansville; Wayne - Goldsboro; Lenoir - Kinston; Greene - Snow Hill; Wilson - Wilson; Nash - Nashville; Edgecombe - Tarboro; Halifax - Halifax; Northampton - Jackson; Hertford - Winton; Bertie - Windsor; Martin - Williamston; Pitt - Greenville; Beaufort - Washington; Craven - New Bern; Pamlico - Bayboro; Jones - Trenton; Onslow - Jacksonville; Carteret - Beaufort; Pender - Burgaw; New Hanover - Wilmington; Brunswick - Bolivia; Columbus - Whiteville; Richmond - Rockingham; Anson - Wadesboro.

Albemarle Sound and Northern Coast: Chowan - Edenton; Perquimans - Hertford; Pasquotank - Elizabeth City; Camden - Camden; Currituck - Currituck; Dare - Manteo; Hyde - Swan Quarter; Tyrrell - Columbia; Washington - Plymouth.

Note: The directory is arranged to mirror how the labels cluster on our map, so you can scan county blocks and confirm seat names quickly in the road-light layout.