| | 1996-98 | Rate/100,000 | |
| Name | Deaths | Population | Crude | Age Adjusted | |
| PITTSYLVANIA (DANVILLE), VA-CASWELL, NC -HSA# 132 | 26 | 392,010 | 6.6 | 6.0 |
| HERTFORD, NC-CHOWAN, NC -HSA# 243 | 13 | 200,274 | 6.5 | 5.7 | UNSTABLE |
| PITT, NC-BEAUFORT, NC -HSA# 195 | 34 | 653,899 | 5.2 | 5.4 |
| PASQUOTANK, NC-CAMDEN, NC -HSA# 264 | 9 | 241,947 | 3.7 | 3.6 | UNSTABLE |
| DURHAM (DURHAM), NC-VANCE, NC -HSA# 170 | 31 | 1,005,386 | 3.1 | 3.3 |
| EDGECOMBE, NC-HALIFAX, NC -HSA# 214 | 22 | 668,434 | 3.3 | 3.3 |
| AVERY, NC-MITCHELL, NC -HSA# 240 | 6 | 140,498 | 4.3 | 3.1 | UNSTABLE |
| ALAMANCE (BURLINGTON), NC -HSA# 267 | 14 | 354,101 | 3.8 | 2.9 | UNSTABLE |
| ROBESON, NC-COLUMBUS, NC -HSA# 207 | 20 | 698,441 | 2.9 | 2.9 | UNSTABLE |
| CRAVEN, NC-CARTERET, NC -HSA# 242 | 25 | 933,640 | 2.7 | 2.9 |
| CABARRUS (CONCORD), NC-ROWAN, NC -HSA# 235 | 28 | 886,080 | 3.1 | 2.9 |
| MOORE, NC-RICHMOND, NC -HSA# 205 | 16 | 507,798 | 3.2 | 2.9 | UNSTABLE |
| CUMBERLAND (FAYETTEVILLE), NC-SAMPSON, NC -HSA# 262 | 20 | 1,008,291 | 2.0 | 2.8 | UNSTABLE |
| NORFOLK/PORTSMOUTH CITY, VA-VIRGINIA BEACH CITY, VA -HSA# 6 | 73 | 3,277,253 | 2.2 | 2.7 |
| CATAWBA (HICKORY), NC-BURKE, NC -HSA# 229 | 21 | 862,020 | 2.4 | 2.4 |
| SPARTANBURG (SPARTANBURG), SC-UNION, SC -HSA# 191 | 26 | 1,022,244 | 2.5 | 2.4 |
| NEW HANOVER (WILMINGTON), NC-BRUNSWICK, NC -HSA# 168 | 19 | 751,566 | 2.5 | 2.4 | UNSTABLE |
| IREDELL (STATESVILLE), NC-ALEXANDER, NC -HSA# 192 | 9 | 420,968 | 2.1 | 2.1 | UNSTABLE |
| CHEROKEE, NC-CLAY, NC -HSA# 258 | 3 | 91,831 | 3.3 | 2.0 | UNSTABLE |
| GUILFORD (GREENSBORO), NC-ROCKINGHAM, NC -HSA# 186 | 43 | 2,192,635 | 2.0 | 2.0 |
| GASTON (GASTONIA), NC-CLEVELAND, NC -HSA# 218 | 23 | 1,177,196 | 2.0 | 1.9 |
| ORANGE (CHAPEL HILL), NC-HARNETT, NC -HSA# 203 | 14 | 845,804 | 1.7 | 1.9 | UNSTABLE |
| WAKE (RALEIGH), NC-WILSON, NC -HSA# 198 | 34 | 2,296,896 | 1.5 | 1.8 |
| BUNCOMBE (ASHEVILLE), NC-HENDERSON, NC -HSA# 225 | 26 | 1,109,274 | 2.3 | 1.8 |
| FORSYTH (WINSTON-SALEM), NC-SURRY, NC -HSA# 149 | 25 | 1,381,153 | 1.8 | 1.8 |
| MECKLENBURG (CHARLOTTE), NC-UNION, NC -HSA# 167 | 36 | 2,232,739 | 1.5 | 1.7 |
| WILKES, NC -HSA# 256 | 2 | 186,913 | 1.1 | 1.2 | UNSTABLE |
| MACON, NC-JACKSON, NC -HSA# 209 | 4 | 231,328 | 1.7 | 1.2 | UNSTABLE |
| LENOIR, NC-WAYNE, NC -HSA# 238 | 8 | 694,842 | 1.2 | 1.2 | UNSTABLE |
| WATAUGA, NC-ASHE, NC -HSA# 194 | 3 | 243,329 | 1.2 | 1.1 | UNSTABLE |
| MC DOWELL, NC -HSA# 261 | 1 | 118,025 | 0.8 | 0.7 | UNSTABLE |
| GRAYSON, VA-ALLEGHANY, NC -HSA# 73 | 1 | 181,876 | 0.5 | 0.6 | UNSTABLE |
