North Carolina Plant Hardiness Zones
North Carolina’s towns run from zone 6b to zone 9a: the average coldest winter night is 23.3°F at Avon and -2.1°F at Banner Elk.
Hardiness zones in North Carolina
In USDA’s colors, neighboring states washed out. Zones follow elevation, coasts and cities down to half a mile. Drawn by WeatherOverTime from the USDA-ARS and Oregon State University PRISM Climate Group 2023 GIS data; this is not the official USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map.

- 6a
- 6b
- 7a
- 7b
- 8a
- 8b
- 9a
Towns by zone
Each town’s 1991-2020 average annual extreme minimum at its center, read from the map’s 800 m grid. Warmest zone first.
9a Zone 9a, 20 to 25°F 12 towns
- Avon23.3°F
- Buxton22.8°F
- Gloucester20.7°F
- Harkers Island21.2°F
- Hatteras23.2°F
- Kill Devil Hills21.6°F
- Kitty Hawk21°F
- Manteo20.8°F
- Nags Head21.9°F
- Ocracoke22.7°F
- Southern Shores20.9°F
- Wanchese20.8°F
8b Zone 8b, 15 to 20°F 117 towns
- Alliance17.1°F
- Arapahoe17.1°F
- Atlantic19.4°F
- Atlantic Beach19.7°F
- Aurora16.8°F
- Ayden15.1°F
- Barker Ten Mile15.8°F
- Bayboro17.2°F
- Bayshore17.2°F
- Beaufort19.7°F
- Belhaven16°F
- Belville16.2°F
- Bladenboro16.1°F
- Bogue17.8°F
- Boiling Spring Lakes16.4°F
- Bolivia16°F
- Bolton15.9°F
- Brices Creek16.5°F
- Broad Creek17.6°F
- Brunswick17.4°F
- Calabash17.7°F
- Cape Carteret17.9°F
- Carolina Beach18.6°F
- Carolina Shores17.5°F
- Castle Hayne15.4°F
- Cedar Point17.9°F
- Chadbourn16.7°F
- Chocowinity15.8°F
- Clarkton16.2°F
- Clinton15.2°F
- Columbia16°F
- Currituck16.3°F
- Elizabethtown15.9°F
- Elroy15°F
- Emerald Isle18.6°F
- Fair Bluff16.7°F
- Fairfield Harbour16.7°F
- Fairmont16.5°F
- Fayetteville15.1°F
- Garland15.2°F
- Grantsboro17°F
- Grifton15.6°F
- Hampstead16.7°F
- Havelock17.1°F
- Hightsville16.5°F
- Holden Beach17.4°F
- Holly Ridge15.8°F
- Hope Mills15.4°F
- Jacksonville15.3°F
- James City16.7°F
- Keener15.1°F
- Kelly15.3°F
- Kings Grant16.9°F
- Kinston15°F
- Kirkland17.1°F
- Kure Beach18.4°F
- Lake Waccamaw16.1°F
- Leland16.1°F
- Long Beach18.3°F
- Lumberton15.9°F
- Manns Harbor18.8°F
- Masonboro18°F
- Maysville15.4°F
- Morehead City18.8°F
- Murraysville16.4°F
- Myrtle Grove18.2°F
- Navassa15.9°F
- Neuse Forest16.8°F
- New Bern16.6°F
- Newport16°F
- North Topsail Beach18°F
- Northchase16.2°F
- Northwest15.3°F
- Oak Island18°F
- Ocean Isle Beach17.2°F
- Ogden17.1°F
- Oriental17.6°F
- Peletier17°F
- Pembroke15.1°F
- Pine Knoll Shores18.6°F
- Piney Green15.5°F
- Riegelwood15.6°F
- River Bend16.2°F
- River Road15.8°F
- Roper15.2°F
- Roseboro15.2°F
- Rowland16.1°F
- Saint James18.1°F
- Saint Pauls15.4°F
- Sea Breeze18.4°F
- Seagate17.7°F
- Shallotte16.7°F
- Silver Lake17.5°F
- Skippers Corner15.6°F
- Sneads Ferry17.7°F
- Southport18.2°F
- Stedman15.1°F
- Sunset Beach17.8°F
- Surf City17.5°F
- Swanquarter18.3°F
- Swansboro17.8°F
- Tabor City16.6°F
- Trent Woods16.4°F
- Trenton15.5°F
- Vanceboro15.8°F
- Vander15°F
- Varnamtown17.4°F
- Wade15.2°F
- Wadesboro15°F
- Walnut Creek15°F
- Washington15.9°F
- White Lake15.2°F
- Whiteville16.9°F
- Wilmington16.5°F
- Wrightsboro16.4°F
- Wrightsville Beach18.4°F
- Yaupon Beach18.4°F
8a Zone 8a, 10 to 15°F 331 towns
- Aberdeen12.7°F
- Ahoskie12°F
- Alamance11.1°F
- Albemarle12.2°F
- Alexander Mills10.5°F
- Angier13.5°F
- Ansonville12.7°F
- Apex14.4°F
- Archdale10.9°F
- Archer Lodge13.1°F
- Asheboro12°F
- Aulander12°F
- Badin11.7°F
- Bailey12.5°F
- Battleboro12°F
- Belmont13.5°F
- Belwood10.3°F
- Benson13.8°F
- Bessemer City12°F
- Bethel13.6°F
- Bethlehem10.7°F
- Beulaville13.9°F
- Biscoe11.6°F
- Black Creek14.2°F
- Boger City11.3°F
- Boiling Springs10.7°F
- Briar Chapel12.7°F
- Broadway12.8°F
- Brogden14.6°F
- Buies Creek14.7°F
- Bunnlevel14.2°F
- Burgaw14.6°F
- Burlington11.3°F
- Burnsville13.3°F
- Butner10.1°F
- Calypso14.6°F
- Camden14°F
- Candor12.8°F
- Caroleen10°F
- Carrboro11.8°F
- Carthage11.7°F
- Cary14.5°F
- Catawba10.7°F
- Chapel Hill12°F
- Charlotte13.4°F
- Cherryville10.9°F
- Claremont11.1°F
- Clayton12.8°F
- Cliffside10.1°F
- Coats14.3°F
- Columbus12.4°F
- Concord12.1°F
- Connelly Springs10.5°F
- Conover11.2°F
- Conway11°F
- Cordova13.2°F
- Cornelius11.2°F
- Cramerton13.1°F
- Creedmoor10.6°F
- Dallas12.7°F
- Davidson11.4°F
- Denton10.6°F
- Denver11.5°F
- Dobbins Heights12.5°F
- Dortches11.9°F
- Dunn14.3°F
- Durham11.9°F
- East Rockingham13.4°F
- East Spencer10.2°F
- Eastover14.9°F
- Edenton14.8°F
- Efland10.8°F
- Elizabeth City13.6°F
- Ellenboro10.8°F
- Ellerbe12.8°F
- Elm City13.6°F
- Elon11.1°F
- Enfield12.2°F
- Erwin13.9°F
- Fairview13.1°F
- Faison14.5°F
- Fallston10.4°F
- Farmville10.3°F
- Farmville14.3°F
- Fearrington12.2°F
- Fearrington Village12.5°F
- Five Points12.8°F
- Forest City11.2°F
- Forest Oaks11.6°F
- Fort Bragg14.2°F
- Four Oaks13.5°F
- Foxfire12.6°F
- Franklinton10.8°F
- Franklinville10.3°F
- Fremont14.1°F
- Fuquay-Varina13.2°F
- Garner13.5°F
- Garysburg10.7°F
- Gaston11.1°F
- Gastonia12.7°F
- Gatesville11.3°F
- Gibson13.9°F
- Gibsonville11°F
- Glen Raven11.2°F
- Goldsboro14.7°F
- Gorman11.6°F
- Graham11°F
- Granite Falls11°F
- Green Level11.1°F
- Green Level12.6°F
- Greenevers13.9°F
- Greensboro11.5°F
- Greenville14.2°F
- Grover11°F
- Half Moon14.5°F
- Halifax11.7°F
- Hamlet12.7°F
- Harrisburg12.7°F
- Haw River11°F
- Hemby Bridge13.8°F
- Hertford14°F
- Hickory11.7°F
- Hiddenite10.9°F
- High Point10.6°F
- High Shoals12.1°F
- Hildebran11.5°F
- Hillsborough11.1°F
- Hoffman12.5°F
- Hollister11.2°F
- Holly Springs13.8°F
- Huntersville11.8°F
- Icard11.1°F
- Indian Trail14°F
- Iron Station11.6°F
- Jaars13.4°F
- Jackson10.5°F
- Jamestown10.3°F
- Kannapolis10.3°F
- Kenansville13.8°F
- Kenly13.7°F
- Kernersville11.8°F
- Kings Mountain11°F
- Kingstown10°F
- Knightdale13.1°F
- La Grange14.7°F
- Lake Lure10.5°F
- Lake Norman of Catawba11°F
- Lake Park14°F
- Laurel Hill14°F
- Laurinburg14.5°F
- Lawndale10.2°F
- Lenoir10°F
- Lewiston Woodville12.6°F
- Lexington10.6°F
- Liberty11.1°F
- Light Oak10.7°F
- Lilesville13.7°F
- Lillington13.7°F
- Lincolnton11.4°F
- Locust13°F
- Longview11.7°F
- Lowell13.1°F
- Lowesville11.8°F
- Lucama14.1°F
- Magnolia13.8°F
- Maiden11.3°F
- Mamers12.8°F
- Mar-Mac14.6°F
- Marshville13.6°F
- Marvin13.7°F
- Matthews13.8°F
- Maury14.9°F
- Maxton14.6°F
- McAdenville13.6°F
- McLeansville11.2°F
- Mebane10.8°F
- Middlesex12.5°F
- Midland12.9°F
- Midway10.7°F
- Millingport11.2°F
- Mineral Springs13.9°F
- Mint Hill13.7°F
- Misenheimer10.7°F
- Moncure10.6°F
- Monroe13.5°F
- Mooresville10.3°F
- Morrisville12.4°F
- Mount Gilead12.4°F
- Mount Holly13.3°F
- Mount Olive14.6°F
- Mount Pleasant11.3°F
- Mountain View11.7°F
- Moyock13.4°F
- Murfreesboro10.5°F
- Nashville12.5°F
- New London10.8°F
- Newton11.3°F
- Newton Grove14.6°F
- Northlakes11.4°F
- Norwood12.6°F
- Oak Ridge11.8°F
- Oakboro13°F
- Ossipee10.2°F
- Oxford11°F
- Patterson Springs11°F
- Pikeville14.3°F
- Pine Level13.7°F
- Pinebluff12.2°F
- Pinehurst11.8°F
- Pinetops13.7°F
- Pineville13.2°F
- Pink Hill14.2°F
- Pittsboro11.6°F
- Plain View14.5°F
- Pleasant Garden11.4°F
- Pleasant Hill11.4°F
- Plymouth14.7°F
- Polkton13.2°F
- Polkville10.9°F
- Pope Air Force Base (historical)14°F
- Princeton14.2°F
- Princeville13.4°F
- Prospect14.8°F
- Pumpkin Center11.4°F
- Pumpkin Center14.7°F
- Raeford12.5°F
- Raleigh12.7°F
- Ramseur10.2°F
- Randleman11.2°F
- Ranlo13.2°F
- Red Cross12.3°F
- Red Oak11.8°F
- Red Springs14.9°F
- Reidsville11.2°F
- Rhodhiss11.4°F
- Rich Square11.8°F
- Richfield11°F
- Richlands13.9°F
- Roanoke Rapids11.6°F
- Robbins11.3°F
- Robersonville13.9°F
- Rockfish14.8°F
- Rockingham13.2°F
- Rocky Mount13°F
- Rocky Point14.8°F
- Rolesville13.7°F
- Rose Hill14°F
- Rougemont10°F
- Rutherford College10.1°F
- Saint Stephens11.4°F
- Salisbury10.3°F
- Sanford10.9°F
- Sawmills10.2°F
- Saxapahaw11.2°F
- Scotland Neck12.3°F
- Scotts Mill13°F
- Seaboard10.4°F
- Sedalia11.1°F
- Selma13.7°F
- Seven Lakes12.3°F
- Sharpsburg13.4°F
- Shelby10.3°F
- Sherrills Ford10.5°F
- Siler City10.8°F
- Silver City12.4°F
- Smithfield13.6°F
- Snow Hill14.6°F
- South Gastonia12.8°F
- South Rosemary11.7°F
- South Weldon11.5°F
- Southern Pines12.2°F
- Southmont10.4°F
- Spencer10.2°F
- Spindale10.6°F
- Spiveys Corner14.6°F
- Spring Hope11.6°F
- Spring Lake14.2°F
- Stallings14.2°F
- Stanfield13.1°F
- Stanley12.4°F
- Stantonsburg14.6°F
- Star11.2°F
- Stokesdale10.8°F
- Stony Point10.5°F
- Summerfield11.5°F
- Swepsonville11°F
- Tarboro13.5°F
- Taylorsville11.5°F
- Taylortown11.9°F
- Thomasville10.9°F
- Trinity10.6°F
- Troutman10.1°F
- Troy11.2°F
- Tryon13.6°F
- Tryon11.3°F
- Unionville13.5°F
- Vass12.2°F
- Wagram13.7°F
- Wake Forest13°F
- Walkertown12.3°F
- Walkertown13.9°F
- Wallace14.3°F
- Wallburg10.7°F
- Warrenton10°F
- Warsaw14.2°F
- Waxhaw13.8°F
- Weddington14°F
- Welcome10.5°F
- Weldon11.4°F
- Wendell12.9°F
- Wesley Chapel13.9°F
- West Raleigh13.8°F
- Westport11.4°F
- Whispering Pines11.8°F
- Whitakers12°F
- White Plains11.1°F
- Whitsett11.1°F
- Williamston14.6°F
- Wilson14.5°F
- Wilsons Mills13.4°F
- Windsor13.2°F
- Windsor14.6°F
- Winfall13.5°F
- Wingate13.4°F
- Winston-Salem11.2°F
- Winterville14.7°F
- Winton11.2°F
- Woodland11.6°F
- Woodlawn10.8°F
- Youngsville12.3°F
- Zebulon12.7°F
7b Zone 7b, 5 to 10°F 109 towns
- Advance9.3°F
- Andrews6.2°F
- Arlington6.9°F
- Asheville6.6°F
- Avery Creek5.6°F
- Balfour6.8°F
- Barker Heights8°F
- Bent Creek5.7°F
- Bermuda Run8.6°F
- Biltmore Forest6.7°F
- Black Mountain5.7°F
- Boonville6.9°F
- Brevard5.7°F
- Bryson City5.2°F
- Cajahs Mountain9.1°F
- China Grove9.4°F
- Clemmons9.4°F
- Cleveland9.4°F
- Cooleemee8.3°F
- Cricket7.6°F
- Cullowhee6°F
- Dana8.9°F
- Danbury7°F
- Dobson6.2°F
- Drexel9.3°F
- East Bend7.8°F
- East Flat Rock8.7°F
- Eden8.2°F
- Edneyville8°F
- Elkin6.1°F
- Enochville9.7°F
- Etowah6°F
- Fairplains8.1°F
- Fairview5.9°F
- Faith9°F
- Flat Rock8.6°F
- Flat Rock8.6°F
- Fletcher6.6°F
- Franklin5.4°F
- Franklin9.2°F
- Fruitland7.9°F
- Gamewell9.3°F
- Germanton8.7°F
- Glen Alpine9.3°F
- Granite Quarry9.6°F
- Harmony9°F
- Hayesville5.7°F
- Hays8.2°F
- Henderson9°F
- Hendersonville7.4°F
- Hillsdale9°F
- Hoopers Creek6.7°F
- Horse Shoe6.7°F
- Hot Springs6.9°F
- Hudson9.9°F
- Jonesville6°F
- King8.7°F
- Landis9.1°F
- Laurel Park5.9°F
- Lewisville9.5°F
- Littleton9.8°F
- Louisburg9.9°F
- Madison7.4°F
- Marion8.5°F
- Mayodan7.1°F
- Millers Creek8.5°F
- Mills River6.3°F
- Mocksville8.7°F
- Moravian Falls8.3°F
- Morganton9.4°F
- Mount Airy8°F
- Mountain Home6.7°F
- Mulberry8°F
- Murphy6.7°F
- Norlina9.4°F
- North Wilkesboro8.3°F
- Old Fort8.6°F
- Pilot Mountain7.8°F
- Pinnacle7.6°F
- Pleasant Hill6.8°F
- Robbinsville5.2°F
- Rockwell9.8°F
- Rosman5.6°F
- Roxboro9.2°F
- Royal Pines7°F
- Rural Hall9.4°F
- Rutherfordton9.7°F
- Salem9.4°F
- Saluda8.8°F
- South Henderson9.3°F
- Statesville9.3°F
- Stoneville7.7°F
- Swannanoa5.3°F
- Sylva5.6°F
- Thurmond5.6°F
- Toast7.8°F
- Tobaccoville9.2°F
- Tyro9.6°F
- Valdese9.8°F
- Valley Hill6.6°F
- Walnut Cove7.5°F
- Weaverville6.3°F
- Wentworth9.1°F
- West Marion8°F
- White Plains7.8°F
- Wilkesboro8.2°F
- Woodfin6.2°F
- Yadkinville6.8°F
- Yanceyville8.7°F
7a Zone 7a, 0 to 5°F 21 towns
- Bakersville3.8°F
- Boone2.8°F
- Burnsville3.7°F
- Canton2.8°F
- Cherokee4.5°F
- Clyde2.9°F
- Cove Creek2.6°F
- Foscoe1.6°F
- Hazelwood2°F
- Highlands1.4°F
- Jefferson2.5°F
- Lake Junaluska2.3°F
- Maggie Valley1.9°F
- Mars Hill4.4°F
- Marshall4.2°F
- Montreat2.1°F
- Sparta3.6°F
- Spruce Pine3.2°F
- Waynesville2.5°F
- West Canton2.7°F
- West Jefferson2.8°F
6b Zone 6b, -5 to 0°F 3 towns
Counties
At the county’s center; a county with hills or a coast spans several zones.
The zones
A plant hardiness zone is set by the average of each winter’s single coldest temperature, 1991 to 2020: zones are 10°F apart and each half zone, a and b, 5°F. It says how cold a winter night usually gets, not the coldest it has ever been, and nothing about summer heat, rain or soil. Plant labels give the coldest zone a perennial survives in.
| Zone | Average coldest night | In Celsius |
|---|---|---|
| 6b | -5 to 0°F | -20.6 to -17.8°C |
| 7a | 0 to 5°F | -17.8 to -15.0°C |
| 7b | 5 to 10°F | -15.0 to -12.2°C |
| 8a | 10 to 15°F | -12.2 to -9.4°C |
| 8b | 15 to 20°F | -9.4 to -6.7°C |
| 9a | 20 to 25°F | -6.7 to -3.9°C |
Sources
Hardiness zones: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map, 2023, Agricultural Research Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, from the GIS data of the PRISM Climate Group, Oregon State University, which may be freely reproduced and redistributed. Drawn by WeatherOverTime from the USDA-ARS and Oregon State University PRISM Climate Group 2023 GIS data; this is not the official USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map.