There are 32 cities in Burke County, North Carolina.
Note: As defined by the US Census Bureau, a city's official boundaries often extend miles beyond the city itself and may even cross county lines. As such, several thousand US cities officially exist in two or more counties (and therefore appear on multiple counties' lists of cities.)
City | Rank | 2024 Population | 2020 Population | Annual Change | Density (/mi²) | Area (mi²) | Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hickory | 1 | 44,678 | 43,624 | 0.59% | 1,401 | 31.9 | City |
| Lenoir | 2 | 18,200 | 18,351 | -0.21% | 874 | 20.8 | City |
| Morganton | 3 | 17,776 | 17,502 | 0.38% | 925 | 19.2 | City |
| St. Stephens | 4 | 9,768 | 9,298 | 0.74% | 1,073 | 9.1 | CDP |
| Conover | 5 | 8,700 | 8,440 | 0.75% | 762 | 11.4 | City |
| Marion | 6 | 7,433 | 7,673 | -0.8% | 1,244 | 6.0 | City |
| Long View | 7 | 5,244 | 5,096 | 0.71% | 1,303 | 4.0 | Town |
| Valdese | 8 | 4,703 | 4,686 | 0.08% | 598 | 7.9 | Town |
| Hudson | 9 | 3,760 | 3,786 | -0.19% | 1,028 | 3.7 | Town |
| Gamewell | 10 | 3,705 | 3,700 | 0.03% | 457 | 8.1 | Town |
| Bethlehem | 11 | 3,600 | 3,959 | -1.21% | 472 | 7.6 | CDP |
| Mountain View | 12 | 3,285 | 3,776 | -0.57% | 705 | 4.7 | CDP |
| Cajah's Mountain | 13 | 2,694 | 2,709 | -0.15% | 795 | 3.4 | Town |
| Icard | 14 | 1,871 | 2,119 | -2.91% | 489 | 3.8 | CDP |
| Drexel | 15 | 1,760 | 1,754 | 0.06% | 1,274 | 1.4 | Town |
| Hildebran | 16 | 1,678 | 1,677 | 0% | 593 | 2.8 | Town |
| Nebo | 17 | 1,660 | 1,318 | 7.65% | 313 | 5.3 | CDP |
| Connelly Springs | 18 | 1,543 | 1,522 | 0.33% | 309 | 5.0 | Town |
| Salem | 19 | 1,537 | 1,479 | -3.03% | 358 | 4.3 | CDP |
| Glen Alpine | 20 | 1,525 | 1,525 | 0% | 710 | 2.1 | Town |
| Northlakes | 21 | 1,352 | 1,304 | -0.95% | 906 | 1.5 | CDP |
| Blowing Rock | 22 | 1,346 | 1,372 | -0.52% | 415 | 3.2 | Town |
| Rutherford College | 23 | 1,217 | 1,217 | 0% | 530 | 2.3 | Town |
| Rhodhiss | 24 | 984 | 987 | -0.1% | 828 | 1.2 | Town |
| Belwood | 25 | 879 | 862 | 0.46% | 71 | 12.3 | Town |
| Newland | 26 | 723 | 715 | 0.28% | 967 | 0.7 | Town |
| Fallston | 27 | 638 | 628 | 0.31% | 295 | 2.2 | Town |
| Lawndale | 28 | 578 | 573 | 0.17% | 716 | 0.8 | Town |
| Polkville | 29 | 525 | 515 | 0.38% | 282 | 1.9 | City |
| Linville | 30 | 510 | 299 | 7.82% | 286 | 1.8 | CDP |
| Brookford | 31 | 434 | 420 | 0.7% | 713 | 0.6 | Town |
| Cedar Rock | 32 | 297 | 300 | -0.34% | 260 | 1.1 | Village |
Note: City markers shown outside the county boundary mean that a part of the city extends into this county, but is primarily located in an adjacent county.
Hickory is the largest city in Burke County.
Cedar Rock is the smallest city in Burke County.
There are 32 cities in Burke County, North Carolina.