State Market Insights
By Category
All Pharmacies
2,256
Retail
1,680
Specialty
111
Hospital
147
LTC
247
MailOrder
19
Wholesale
10
Remote
42
Market Scale
Population
10,470,214
Density (all) /10k
2.16
Density (retail) /10k
1.61
Pharmacy Desert Counties
17
Avg. VigilScale™
55/100
Avg. Enrollment Age
14 yrs
Chain Mix
Solo (1)
546
Small Group (2–9)
304
Mid Chain (10–49)
37
Large Chain (50+)
231
Mega Chain
1,139
Special Designations
Independent
545
Sterile Compounding
47
Tele-Pharmacy
43
Government Owned
98
Non-Profit
169
Top Chains
WALGREENS
22%
CVS
14%
WALMART
9%
North Carolina Pharmacy Landscape
🔒 Browse New Pharmacy Openings in North Carolina
Search recently enrolled pharmacies and filter by category
NC Board of Pharmacy
State Regulator
Visit official state pharmacy board website
NC CSRS
Official Program Information
Prescription Drug Monitoring Program requirements and information
NC CSRS
Clinical Login
Look up patient prescription history before dispensing controlled substances
NC CSRS
Data Submission Portal
Submit prescription dispensing data to state monitoring database
Quick Facts
Key regulatory requirements and practice standards
Pharmacist-Technician Ratio
State regulations require a pharmacist-to-technician ratio of 1:2 (Up to 1:4 with board approval) to maintain safe pharmacy operations.
Continuing Education
Pharmacists must complete 15 hrs annually (5 live) of continuing education to maintain active licensure.
Technician Requirements
Pharmacy technicians in this state must meet the following requirement: Registration mandatory.
Intern Supervision
Pharmacy intern supervision follows this standard: Discretionary.
Remote Pharmacy
Remote pharmacy work and telepharmacy services are governed by these rules: Permitted.
Vaccine Authority
Pharmacist authority to administer vaccines: Protocol-based.
Regulatory Warnings
Compliance requirements and monitoring obligations
Pharmacist in Charge Notification
When a Pharmacist in Charge (PIC) changes, the pharmacy must notify the state board within the following timeframe: 30 days.
Prescription Monitoring Reporting
Prescription Monitoring Program (PMP) reporting requirements: Daily.
PMP Query Requirements
Before dispensing controlled substances, pharmacists must check the Prescription Monitoring Program: Mandatory for all controls.
Board Inspection Focus
State pharmacy board inspections frequently focus on: NC Board is known for very active 'Rule-Making' and clear FAQ guidance..
Top Cities by Pharmacy Count
Largest pharmacy markets in North Carolina
CHARLOTTE
205 pharmacies
RALEIGH
121 pharmacies
GREENSBORO
78 pharmacies
DURHAM
76 pharmacies
WINSTON SALEM
63 pharmacies
WILMINGTON
56 pharmacies
FAYETTEVILLE
49 pharmacies
CARY
49 pharmacies
ASHEVILLE
48 pharmacies
HIGH POINT
35 pharmacies
HICKORY
31 pharmacies
GREENVILLE
31 pharmacies
GASTONIA
30 pharmacies
CONCORD
30 pharmacies
CHAPEL HILL
28 pharmacies
GOLDSBORO
23 pharmacies
BURLINGTON
23 pharmacies
Browse by County
All counties sorted by pharmacy count
Wake County
1,132,103 pop · 211 retail · 1.86 density
Mecklenburg County
1,115,403 pop · 196 retail · 1.76 density
Guilford County
539,557 pop · 81 retail · 1.50 density
Forsyth County
383,739 pop · 70 retail · 1.82 density
Buncombe County
269,449 pop · 52 retail · 1.93 density
Durham County
325,101 pop · 53 retail · 1.63 density
Cumberland County
335,207 pop · 43 retail · 1.28 density
New Hanover County
228,134 pop · 40 retail · 1.75 density
Gaston County
228,972 pop · 43 retail · 1.88 density
Cabarrus County
226,396 pop · 36 retail · 1.59 density
Union County
240,109 pop · 39 retail · 1.62 density
Catawba County
161,011 pop · 33 retail · 2.05 density
Pitt County
171,196 pop · 28 retail · 1.64 density
Iredell County
187,839 pop · 28 retail · 1.49 density
Orange County
145,919 pop · 27 retail · 1.85 density
Brunswick County
139,721 pop · 25 retail · 1.79 density
Wayne County
117,480 pop · 23 retail · 1.96 density
Alamance County
171,779 pop · 21 retail · 1.22 density
Onslow County
203,686 pop · 22 retail · 1.08 density
Robeson County
117,573 pop · 20 retail · 1.70 density
Henderson County
116,469 pop · 26 retail · 2.23 density
Davidson County
169,498 pop · 21 retail · 1.24 density
Harnett CountyPharmacy Desert
134,718 pop · 13 retail · 0.96 density
Johnston CountyPharmacy Desert
219,042 pop · 19 retail · 0.87 density
Moore County
100,759 pop · 15 retail · 1.49 density
Cleveland County
99,527 pop · 20 retail · 2.01 density
Craven County
101,098 pop · 15 retail · 1.48 density
Rowan County
147,067 pop · 16 retail · 1.09 density
Nash County
95,015 pop · 19 retail · 2.00 density
Rockingham County
91,209 pop · 16 retail · 1.75 density
Randolph County
144,403 pop · 17 retail · 1.18 density
Burke County
87,799 pop · 13 retail · 1.48 density
Caldwell County
80,716 pop · 15 retail · 1.86 density
Lee County
63,560 pop · 15 retail · 2.36 density
Surry County
71,429 pop · 13 retail · 1.82 density
Wilson County
78,667 pop · 14 retail · 1.78 density
Carteret County
68,353 pop · 13 retail · 1.90 density
Lincoln County
87,933 pop · 12 retail · 1.36 density
Pender County
61,592 pop · 11 retail · 1.79 density
Columbus County
50,827 pop · 7 retail · 1.38 density
Dare County
37,160 pop · 11 retail · 2.96 density
Granville County
61,161 pop · 10 retail · 1.64 density
Haywood County
62,152 pop · 11 retail · 1.77 density
Lenoir County
55,071 pop · 7 retail · 1.27 density
Stanly County
62,723 pop · 11 retail · 1.75 density
Watauga County
54,540 pop · 11 retail · 2.02 density
Duplin County
49,312 pop · 9 retail · 1.83 density
Rutherford County
64,680 pop · 8 retail · 1.24 density
Beaufort County
44,711 pop · 8 retail · 1.79 density
Edgecombe County
49,067 pop · 5 retail · 1.02 density
Stokes County
44,696 pop · 7 retail · 1.57 density
Vance County
42,492 pop · 6 retail · 1.41 density
Halifax County
48,772 pop · 6 retail · 1.23 density
Mitchell County
14,989 pop · 6 retail · 4.00 density
Richmond County
43,149 pop · 6 retail · 1.39 density
Cherokee County
28,868 pop · 6 retail · 2.08 density
Davie County
43,030 pop · 6 retail · 1.39 density
Franklin County
69,680 pop · 8 retail · 1.15 density
Hertford County
21,633 pop · 7 retail · 3.24 density
McDowell County
44,629 pop · 6 retail · 1.34 density
Sampson County
59,317 pop · 7 retail · 1.18 density
Chatham CountyPharmacy Desert
76,754 pop · 5 retail · 0.65 density
Macon County
37,088 pop · 5 retail · 1.35 density
Martin County
21,992 pop · 5 retail · 2.27 density
Pasquotank County
40,454 pop · 5 retail · 1.24 density
Transylvania County
33,131 pop · 7 retail · 2.11 density
Ashe County
26,759 pop · 6 retail · 2.24 density
Bladen County
29,807 pop · 5 retail · 1.68 density
Hoke CountyPharmacy Desert
52,612 pop · 3 retail · 0.57 density
Madison County
21,414 pop · 4 retail · 1.87 density
Person County
39,131 pop · 6 retail · 1.53 density
Scotland CountyPharmacy Desert
34,222 pop · 3 retail · 0.88 density
Wilkes CountyPharmacy Desert
66,125 pop · 6 retail · 0.91 density
Yadkin County
37,280 pop · 5 retail · 1.34 density
Anson County
22,200 pop · 4 retail · 1.80 density
Avery County
17,679 pop · 5 retail · 2.83 density
Jackson CountyPharmacy Desert
42,388 pop · 4 retail · 0.94 density
Montgomery CountyPharmacy Desert
25,839 pop · 2 retail · 0.77 density
Alexander CountyPharmacy Desert
36,505 pop · 2 retail · 0.55 density
Bertie CountyPharmacy Desert
17,818 pop · 1 retail · 0.56 density
Chowan County
13,835 pop · 2 retail · 1.45 density
Clay County
11,186 pop · 3 retail · 2.68 density
Pamlico County
12,317 pop · 3 retail · 2.44 density
Swain County
14,130 pop · 3 retail · 2.12 density
Warren County
18,803 pop · 4 retail · 2.13 density
Caswell CountyPharmacy Desert
22,747 pop · 1 retail · 0.44 density
Currituck CountyPharmacy Desert
28,616 pop · 2 retail · 0.70 density
Gates CountyPharmacy Desert
10,509 pop · 1 retail · 0.95 density
Graham County
8,047 pop · 2 retail · 2.49 density
Greene County
20,407 pop · 3 retail · 1.47 density
Northampton County
17,528 pop · 2 retail · 1.14 density
Washington County
11,051 pop · 2 retail · 1.81 density
Yancey County
18,538 pop · 2 retail · 1.08 density
Alleghany County
10,989 pop · 2 retail · 1.82 density
Hyde County
4,636 pop · 1 retail · 2.16 density
Perquimans CountyPharmacy Desert
13,053 pop · 0 retail · 0.00 density
Polk CountyPharmacy Desert
19,538 pop · 1 retail · 0.51 density
Camden CountyPharmacy Desert
10,547 pop · 0 retail · 0.00 density
Jones County
9,263 pop · 1 retail · 1.08 density
Tyrrell CountyPharmacy Desert
3,389 pop · 0 retail · 0.00 density
* Pharmacy Desert: fewer than 1 retail pharmacy per 10,000 residents, based on 2026 NPI and ROPA billing data.