14 cities
| City | Rank | 2025 Pop. ↓ | 2020 Pop. | Change | Density | Area (mi²) | Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Morganton | 1 | 17,845 | 17,502 | 0.39% | 928 | 19.23 | City |
| Valdese | 2 | 4,707 | 4,686 | 0.08% | 599 | 7.86 | Town |
| Gamewell | 3 | 3,706 | 3,700 | 0.03% | 457 | 8.11 | Town |
| Mountain View | 4 | 3,266 | 3,776 | -0.58% | 701 | 4.66 | CDP |
| Icard | 5 | 1,814 | 2,119 | -3.05% | 474 | 3.83 | CDP |
| Drexel | 6 | 1,762 | 1,754 | 0.11% | 1,275 | 1.38 | Town |
| Hildebran | 7 | 1,678 | 1,677 | 0% | 593 | 2.83 | Town |
| Connelly Springs | 8 | 1,548 | 1,522 | 0.32% | 310 | 4.99 | Town |
| Glen Alpine | 9 | 1,525 | 1,525 | 0% | 710 | 2.15 | Town |
| Salem | 10 | 1,488 | 1,479 | -3.19% | 347 | 4.29 | CDP |
| Rutherford College | 11 | 1,217 | 1,217 | 0% | 530 | 2.30 | Town |
| Belwood | 12 | 883 | 862 | 0.46% | 72 | 12.30 | Town |
| Brookford | 13 | 438 | 420 | 0.92% | 719 | 0.61 | Town |
| Cedar Rock | 14 | 296 | 300 | -0.34% | 259 | 1.14 | Village |
Morganton is the largest city in Burke County, with a population of 17,845.
Cedar Rock is the smallest city in Burke County.
There are 14 cities in Burke County, North Carolina.