| | 1995-97 | Rate/100,000 |
| Name | Deaths | Population | Crude | Age Adjusted |
| PITTSYLVANIA (DANVILLE), VA - CASWELL, NC | 23 | 404,954 | 5.7 | 4.8 |
| PITT, NC - BEAUFORT, NC | 32 | 665,907 | 4.8 | 4.6 |
| PASQUOTANK, NC - CAMDEN, NC | 9 | 242,269 | 3.7 | 3.8 |
| NORFOLK/PORTSMOUTH CITY, VA - VIRGINIA BEACH CITY, VA | 77 | 3,402,978 | 2.3 | 2.9 |
| CUMBERLAND (FAYETTEVILLE), NC - SAMPSON, NC | 22 | 1,063,514 | 2.1 | 2.9 |
| CATAWBA (HICKORY), NC - BURKE, NC | 27 | 886,747 | 3.0 | 2.9 |
| HERTFORD, NC - CHOWAN, NC | 9 | 208,889 | 4.3 | 2.8 |
| CRAVEN, NC - CARTERET, NC | 27 | 977,291 | 2.8 | 2.8 |
| ROBESON, NC - COLUMBUS, NC | 21 | 725,580 | 2.9 | 2.4 |
| DURHAM (DURHAM), NC - VANCE, NC | 31 | 1,035,834 | 3.0 | 2.3 |
| ALAMANCE (BURLINGTON), NC | 10 | 363,720 | 2.7 | 2.3 |
| AVERY, NC - MITCHELL, NC | 4 | 143,996 | 2.8 | 2.3 |
| NEW HANOVER (WILMINGTON), NC - BRUNSWICK, NC | 18 | 757,647 | 2.4 | 2.3 |
| MOORE, NC - RICHMOND, NC | 17 | 523,837 | 3.2 | 2.2 |
| SPARTANBURG (SPARTANBURG), SC - UNION, SC | 28 | 1,053,410 | 2.7 | 2.2 |
| MACON, NC - JACKSON, NC | 7 | 235,391 | 3.0 | 2.2 |
| EDGECOMBE, NC - HALIFAX, NC | 17 | 693,234 | 2.5 | 2.1 |
| ORANGE (CHAPEL HILL), NC - HARNETT, NC | 18 | 863,714 | 2.1 | 2.0 |
| GASTON (GASTONIA), NC - CLEVELAND, NC | 25 | 1,215,153 | 2.1 | 2.0 |
| GUILFORD (GREENSBORO), NC - ROCKINGHAM, NC | 48 | 2,254,080 | 2.1 | 1.9 |
| FORSYTH (WINSTON - SALEM), NC - SURRY, NC | 25 | 1,424,755 | 1.8 | 1.6 |
| CABARRUS (CONCORD), NC - ROWAN, NC | 20 | 901,894 | 2.2 | 1.6 |
| MC DOWELL, NC | 2 | 118,247 | 1.7 | 1.6 |
| CHEROKEE, NC - CLAY, NC | 3 | 93,048 | 3.2 | 1.5 |
| WAKE (RALEIGH), NC - WILSON, NC | 28 | 2,329,658 | 1.2 | 1.4 |
| MECKLENBURG (CHARLOTTE), NC - UNION, NC | 34 | 2,272,435 | 1.5 | 1.4 |
| BUNCOMBE (ASHEVILLE), NC - HENDERSON, NC | 23 | 1,132,220 | 2.0 | 1.3 |
| LENOIR, NC - WAYNE, NC | 13 | 724,691 | 1.8 | 1.2 |
| IREDELL (STATESVILLE), NC - ALEXANDER, NC | 7 | 425,817 | 1.6 | 1.1 |
| GRAYSON, VA - ALLEGHANY, NC | 2 | 187,809 | 1.1 | 0.5 |
| WATAUGA, NC - ASHE, NC | 2 | 248,232 | 0.8 | 0.4 |
| WILKES, NC | 0 | 192,900 | 0.0 | 0.0 |