Restaurant market guides in North Carolina.

NC RESTAURANT MARKET DIRECTORY

Explore Restaurant Revenue Incubator’s operator-focused guides to the 50 largest North Carolina markets. Each guide combines official U.S. Census market context with practical cost, sales, technology and retention priorities.

North Carolina restaurant economy

Statewide restaurant establishment, sales and employment totals are withheld while geographic coverage, industry classifications and reporting periods are reconciled. Published state and city figures conflict and should not be used as a consistent statewide benchmark. Review the original source tables before using these figures in an operating or expansion plan.

Restaurant consulting markets in North Carolina

1. Charlotte restaurant market Population 903,844
2. Raleigh restaurant market Population 481,031
3. Greensboro restaurant market Population 301,198
4. Durham restaurant market Population 291,467
5. Winston-Salem restaurant market Population 252,037
6. Fayetteville restaurant market Population 210,815
7. Cary restaurant market Population 179,306
8. Wilmington restaurant market Population 120,805
9. High Point restaurant market Population 116,245
10. Concord restaurant market Population 108,719
11. Asheville restaurant market Population 94,535
12. Greenville restaurant market Population 92,857
13. Gastonia restaurant market Population 82,884
14. Jacksonville restaurant market Population 71,279
15. Apex restaurant market Population 70,630
16. Huntersville restaurant market Population 63,969
17. Chapel Hill restaurant market Population 61,607
18. Burlington restaurant market Population 59,610
19. Kannapolis restaurant market Population 57,890
20. Rocky Mount restaurant market Population 54,297
21. Wake Forest restaurant market Population 52,844
22. Mooresville restaurant market Population 52,381
23. Wilson restaurant market Population 48,370
24. Holly Springs restaurant market Population 45,248
25. Hickory restaurant market Population 44,258
26. Indian Trail restaurant market Population 42,036
27. Fuquay-Varina restaurant market Population 40,485
28. Monroe restaurant market Population 36,759
29. Salisbury restaurant market Population 35,825
30. Garner restaurant market Population 34,473
31. Goldsboro restaurant market Population 34,383
32. Cornelius restaurant market Population 32,783
33. New Bern restaurant market Population 32,734
34. Sanford restaurant market Population 31,478
35. Morrisville restaurant market Population 31,422
36. Matthews restaurant market Population 30,577
37. Statesville restaurant market Population 29,894
38. Leland restaurant market Population 29,607
39. Clayton restaurant market Population 29,320
40. Kernersville restaurant market Population 27,830
41. Asheboro restaurant market Population 27,580
42. Mint Hill restaurant market Population 27,556
43. Thomasville restaurant market Population 27,321
44. Waxhaw restaurant market Population 22,275
45. Shelby restaurant market Population 22,100
46. Clemmons restaurant market Population 21,871
47. Carrboro restaurant market Population 21,204
48. Knightdale restaurant market Population 20,214
49. Boone restaurant market Population 20,032
50. Lexington restaurant market Population 19,690

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Sources: U.S. Census Bureau 2024 ACS 5-year table B01003, 2026 Gazetteer Files, and 2022 Economic Census EC2272BASIC (NAICS 7225). Image licensing and attribution appear with each image. Last verified September 22, 2026.

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