15 cities
| City | Rank | 2025 Pop. ↓ | 2020 Pop. | Change | Density | Area (mi²) | Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shelby | 1 | 22,044 | 21,958 | 0.08% | 986 | 22.35 | City |
| Kings Mountain | 2 | 12,250 | 11,182 | 1.78% | 873 | 14.04 | City |
| Boiling Springs | 3 | 4,641 | 4,630 | 0.04% | 1,036 | 4.48 | Town |
| Grover | 4 | 819 | 804 | 0.37% | 857 | 0.96 | Town |
| Light Oak | 5 | 674 | 873 | -0.15% | 469 | 1.44 | CDP |
| Kingstown | 6 | 670 | 660 | 0.3% | 381 | 1.76 | Town |
| Fallston | 7 | 641 | 628 | 0.47% | 296 | 2.17 | Town |
| Patterson Springs | 8 | 588 | 577 | 0.34% | 573 | 1.03 | Town |
| Lawndale | 9 | 579 | 573 | 0.17% | 717 | 0.81 | Town |
| Polkville | 10 | 528 | 515 | 0.57% | 283 | 1.86 | City |
| Lattimore | 11 | 433 | 407 | 1.17% | 422 | 1.02 | Town |
| Waco | 12 | 317 | 312 | 0.32% | 378 | 0.84 | Town |
| Casar | 13 | 307 | 302 | 0.33% | 175 | 1.75 | Town |
| Mooresboro | 14 | 303 | 295 | 0.66% | 171 | 1.77 | Town |
| Earl | 15 | 208 | 202 | 0.48% | 242 | 0.86 | Town |
Shelby is the largest city in Cleveland County, with a population of 22,044.
Earl is the smallest city in Cleveland County.
There are 15 cities in Cleveland County, North Carolina.