What Hardiness Zone Is North Carolina?

Q: What hardiness zone is North Carolina?

North Carolina is in USDA hardiness zones 6b–9a on the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map. Zone 8a is the most common, covering 60% of North Carolina's ZIP codes, and zone 7b covers 16%. Enter your ZIP code for your exact zone.

Q: What does zone 8a mean?

Zone 8a means the average annual extreme minimum temperature, the coldest night of a typical winter, is 10°F to 15°F (−12°C to −9°C). Perennials, shrubs and trees rated for zone 8a or colder should survive winter there.

Q: What is the coldest hardiness zone in North Carolina?

Zone 6b is the coldest zone mapped in North Carolina, found around Grandfather Mountain, and zone 9a is the warmest, found around Frisco 2NNE.

Q: Did North Carolina's hardiness zones change in 2023?

The USDA released a new Plant Hardiness Zone Map in November 2023, based on 1991–2020 temperatures instead of 1976–2005. About half of the United States shifted half a zone warmer. Check your ZIP code here, because plant tags and older books may still list your 2012 zone.

Q: When should I plant in zone 8a?

Hardiness zones don't set planting dates; frost dates do. Inside zone 8a in North Carolina, the median last spring frost varies from March 20 to April 12. Look up your local frost dates and plant tender crops such as tomatoes after the 10%-risk last-frost date.

USDA 2023 Plant Hardiness Zone Map · 1,072 ZIP codes · Data updated 2026-10-28

Quick answer

North Carolina spans USDA hardiness zones 6b–9a on the 2023 Plant Hardiness Zone Map. The most common zone is 8a, covering 60% of North Carolina's ZIP codes, followed by zone 7b (16%). Zone 8a means the coldest night of an average winter reaches 10°F to 15°F (−12°C to −9°C). Enter your ZIP code for your exact zone.

North Carolina hardiness zones by share of ZIP codes

Zone 6b<1% · 9 ZIPs

Zone 7a6% · 67 ZIPs

Zone 7b16% · 174 ZIPs

Zone 8a60% · 640 ZIPs

Zone 8b15% · 162 ZIPs

Zone 9a2% · 20 ZIPs

What the zones mean for North Carolina gardeners

Coldest and warmest towns: among towns with NOAA weather stations, Grandfather Mountain (5,280 ft) is in zone 6b, while Frisco 2NNE (0 ft) is in zone 9a. That is a difference of about 25°F in the coldest night of a typical winter.
Same zone, different frost dates: within zone 8a, the median last spring frost ranges from March 20 at Williamston 1 E to April 12 at Vale Agricultural 2 SW, 23 days apart. Your zone tells you which perennials survive winter; your frost dates tell you when to plant.

Typical frost dates in each North Carolina zone

Medians across NOAA weather stations in each zone. Colder zones usually have later spring frosts, but local terrain can shift the dates by weeks.

Zone	Last spring frost	First fall frost	Stations
6b	May 5	October 14	3
7a	April 23	October 21	22
7b	April 15	October 26	38
8a	March 31	November 5	77
8b	March 24	November 13	35
9a	March 4	December 20	5

Hardiness zones for North Carolina cities

Zones at the National Weather Service stations, mostly city airports, with their median frost dates.


Asheville	7b	5°F to 10°F	2,238	Apr 6	Oct 31
Asheville 13 S	7b	5°F to 10°F	2,103	Apr 17	Oct 23
Asheville Regional Airport	7b	5°F to 10°F	2,117	Apr 9	Oct 28
Beaufort Michael J Smith Field	9a	20°F to 25°F	11	Mar 10	Dec 1
Burlington Alamance Airport	8a	10°F to 15°F	617	Apr 1	Nov 2
Cape Hatteras Airport	9a	20°F to 25°F	11	Mar 4	Dec 22
Chapel Hill Williams Airport	8a	10°F to 15°F	512	Mar 29	Nov 5
Charlotte Douglas Airport	8a	10°F to 15°F	728	Mar 30	Nov 3
Cherry Point McAs	8b	15°F to 20°F	29	Mar 19	Nov 22
Durham 11 W	8a	10°F to 15°F	562	Mar 31	Nov 4
Fayetteville Regional Airport	8b	15°F to 20°F	186	Mar 22	Nov 13
Gastonia Municipal Airport	8a	10°F to 15°F	797	Mar 24	Nov 9
Goldsboro 4 SE	8b	15°F to 20°F	109	Mar 15	Nov 18
Hickory Faa Airport	8a	10°F to 15°F	1,143	Mar 31	Nov 4
Laurinburg Maxton Airport	8a	10°F to 15°F	220	Mar 25	Nov 8
Lumberton Municipal Airport	8b	15°F to 20°F	121	Mar 24	Nov 10
Manteo Airport	9a	20°F to 25°F	13	Mar 15	Dec 6
Monroe Airport	8a	10°F to 15°F	679	Mar 31	Nov 5
New Bern Craven County Airport	8b	15°F to 20°F	19	Mar 23	Nov 15
New River McAf	8b	15°F to 20°F	26	Mar 23	Nov 16
Piedmont Triad Intl Airport	8a	10°F to 15°F	890	Mar 30	Nov 5
Raleigh Durham Intl Airport	8a	10°F to 15°F	416	Mar 31	Nov 4
Roanoke Rapids Airport	8a	10°F to 15°F	256	Mar 27	Nov 12
Rocky Mount Wilson Airport	8a	10°F to 15°F	160	Apr 1	Nov 5
Wilmington Intl Airport	8b	15°F to 20°F	33	Mar 19	Nov 20
Winston Salem Rynlds Airport	8a	10°F to 15°F	970	Mar 26	Nov 9

Hardiness zones for 180 towns in North Carolina

Each NOAA weather station is shown with the USDA zone of the nearest ZIP code (within 8 miles). Coldest night is the zone's range for the average annual extreme minimum temperature. Click a column to sort.

Filter by town


Albemarle	8a	10°F to 15°F	610	Mar 29	Nov 4
Andrews	7a	0°F to 5°F	1,749	Apr 17	Oct 23
Apex	8a	10°F to 15°F	450	Mar 27	Nov 8
Arcola	8a	10°F to 15°F	330	Apr 3	Nov 5
Asheboro 2 W	8a	10°F to 15°F	870	Apr 5	Oct 31
Asheville	7b	5°F to 10°F	2,238	Apr 6	Oct 31
Asheville 13 S	7b	5°F to 10°F	2,103	Apr 17	Oct 23
Asheville Regional Airport	7b	5°F to 10°F	2,117	Apr 9	Oct 28
Atlantic Beach Wtp	8b	15°F to 20°F	4	Mar 3	Dec 13
Aurora 6 N	8b	15°F to 20°F	20	Mar 8	Dec 5
Bayboro 3 SW	8b	15°F to 20°F	5	Mar 30	Nov 8
Beaufort Michael J Smith Field	9a	20°F to 25°F	11	Mar 10	Dec 1
Beech Mountain	6b	−5°F to 0°F	5,053	May 6	Oct 14
Belhaven 3 NE	8b	15°F to 20°F	0	Mar 25	Nov 11
Bent Creek	7b	5°F to 10°F	2,110	Apr 26	Oct 18
Black Mountain 2 W	7a	0°F to 5°F	2,290	Apr 19	Oct 23
Blowing Rock 1NW	6b	−5°F to 0°F	3,850	Apr 25	Oct 21
Boone 1 SE	7a	0°F to 5°F	3,100	May 2	Oct 13
Brevard	7b	5°F to 10°F	2,175	Apr 21	Oct 23
Bryson City 4	7a	0°F to 5°F	1,985	Apr 16	Oct 24
Burlington Alamance Airport	8a	10°F to 15°F	617	Apr 1	Nov 2
Burnsville Agricultural	7a	0°F to 5°F	2,825	Apr 24	Oct 19
Candler 1 W	7a	0°F to 5°F	2,240	Apr 19	Oct 22
Cane Creek Rsvr	8a	10°F to 15°F	525	Apr 6	Nov 1
Cape Hatteras Airport	9a	20°F to 25°F	11	Mar 4	Dec 22
Carthage Wtp	8a	10°F to 15°F	440	Apr 1	Nov 5
Cary	8a	10°F to 15°F	390	Mar 31	Nov 10
Cataloochee	7a	0°F to 5°F	2,650	Apr 30	Oct 12
Catawba 5 SW	8a	10°F to 15°F	1,015	Mar 24	Nov 8
Cedar Island	8b	15°F to 20°F	8	Mar 11	Nov 30
Celo 2 S	7a	0°F to 5°F	2,700	Apr 26	Oct 15
Chapel Hill 2 W	8a	10°F to 15°F	500	Mar 31	Nov 3
Chapel Hill Williams Airport	8a	10°F to 15°F	512	Mar 29	Nov 5
Charlotte Douglas Airport	8a	10°F to 15°F	728	Mar 30	Nov 3
Chatham Wtp	8a	10°F to 15°F	308	Apr 1	Nov 7
Cherokee	7a	0°F to 5°F	1,965	Apr 17	Oct 21
Cherry Point McAs	8b	15°F to 20°F	29	Mar 19	Nov 22
Clayton 3E	8a	10°F to 15°F	332	Mar 28	Nov 8
Clayton Wtp	8a	10°F to 15°F	300	Apr 7	Nov 3
Clinton 2 NE	8b	15°F to 20°F	158	Mar 26	Nov 7
Concord	8a	10°F to 15°F	700	Apr 1	Nov 2
Coweeta Experiment Station	7b	5°F to 10°F	2,247	Apr 23	Oct 17
Cullowhee	7b	5°F to 10°F	2,192	Apr 19	Oct 22
Danbury	7b	5°F to 10°F	1,019	Apr 11	Oct 30
Dunn 4 NW	8a	10°F to 15°F	200	Mar 28	Nov 7
Durham	8a	10°F to 15°F	400	Apr 2	Nov 4
Durham 11 W	8a	10°F to 15°F	562	Mar 31	Nov 4
Eden	7b	5°F to 10°F	678	Apr 11	Oct 29
Edenton	8a	10°F to 15°F	10	Mar 24	Nov 14
Elizabeth City	8a	10°F to 15°F	8	Mar 27	Nov 17
Elizabethtown	8b	15°F to 20°F	120	Mar 29	Nov 8
Elkin	7b	5°F to 10°F	910	Apr 15	Oct 26
Enka	7b	5°F to 10°F	2,050	Apr 12	Oct 23
Fairfield	8b	15°F to 20°F	5	Apr 7	Nov 4
Falls Lake	8a	10°F to 15°F	280	Apr 4	Nov 4
Fayetteville (pwc)	8b	15°F to 20°F	96	Mar 30	Nov 10
Fayetteville Regional Airport	8b	15°F to 20°F	186	Mar 22	Nov 13
Flat Springs 1E	7a	0°F to 5°F	3,330	Apr 18	Oct 24
Fletcher 3 W	7b	5°F to 10°F	2,070	Apr 18	Oct 21
Forest City 8 W	8a	10°F to 15°F	849	Apr 11	Oct 27
Franklin	7b	5°F to 10°F	2,125	Apr 17	Oct 23
Frisco 2NNE	9a	20°F to 25°F	0	Mar 1	Dec 20
Garner	8a	10°F to 15°F	330	Apr 1	Nov 1
Gastonia	8a	10°F to 15°F	700	Mar 27	Nov 9
Gastonia Municipal Airport	8a	10°F to 15°F	797	Mar 24	Nov 9
Goldsboro 4 SE	8b	15°F to 20°F	109	Mar 15	Nov 18
Goldsboro Agricultural 1 N	8a	10°F to 15°F	109	Mar 28	Nov 12
Grandfather Mountain	6b	−5°F to 0°F	5,280	May 5	Oct 13
Greensboro Wtp	8a	10°F to 15°F	765	Apr 1	Nov 4
Greenville	8a	10°F to 15°F	32	Mar 27	Nov 8
Hamlet	8a	10°F to 15°F	350	Mar 30	Nov 4
Haw River 1E	8a	10°F to 15°F	636	Apr 4	Nov 3
Hayesville 1 NE	7b	5°F to 10°F	1,792	Apr 21	Oct 21
Henderson 2 NNW	7b	5°F to 10°F	480	Apr 16	Oct 26
Henderson 4 NNE	7b	5°F to 10°F	500	Mar 28	Nov 9
Hendersonville 1 NE	7b	5°F to 10°F	2,160	Apr 14	Oct 25
Hickory Faa Airport	8a	10°F to 15°F	1,143	Mar 31	Nov 4
High Point	8a	10°F to 15°F	900	Mar 30	Nov 5
Highlands	7a	0°F to 5°F	3,850	Apr 30	Oct 15
Hofmann Forest	8b	15°F to 20°F	47	Apr 6	Nov 1
Hot Springs	7a	0°F to 5°F	1,345	Apr 11	Oct 29
Jackson	8a	10°F to 15°F	123	Apr 5	Nov 1
Jackson Springs 5 WNW	8a	10°F to 15°F	730	Mar 25	Nov 14
Jacksonville Eoc	8a	10°F to 15°F	17	Mar 31	Nov 8
Jefferson 2 E	7a	0°F to 5°F	2,759	May 7	Oct 8
Kinston 7 SE	8b	15°F to 20°F	24	Apr 1	Nov 4
Lake Lure 2	8a	10°F to 15°F	1,040	Apr 5	Oct 30
Lake Toxaway 2 SW	7b	5°F to 10°F	3,200	Apr 15	Oct 26
Laurinburg	8a	10°F to 15°F	210	Mar 21	Nov 14
Laurinburg Maxton Airport	8a	10°F to 15°F	220	Mar 25	Nov 8
Lenoir	7b	5°F to 10°F	1,155	Apr 7	Oct 31
Lewiston	8a	10°F to 15°F	50	Mar 29	Nov 7
Lexington	7b	5°F to 10°F	760	Apr 11	Oct 28
Lillington	8a	10°F to 15°F	150	Mar 30	Nov 6
Lincolnton 4 W	8a	10°F to 15°F	887	Apr 9	Oct 28
Longwood	8b	15°F to 20°F	40	Mar 26	Nov 11
Louisburg	8a	10°F to 15°F	260	Apr 11	Oct 29
Lumber River State Park	8b	15°F to 20°F	96	Apr 1	Nov 5
Lumberton	8b	15°F to 20°F	112	Mar 24	Nov 11
Lumberton Municipal Airport	8b	15°F to 20°F	121	Mar 24	Nov 10
Manteo Airport	9a	20°F to 25°F	13	Mar 15	Dec 6
Marion	7b	5°F to 10°F	1,410	Apr 5	Nov 1
Marshall	7a	0°F to 5°F	1,920	Apr 28	Oct 18
Mocksville 5SE	7b	5°F to 10°F	680	Apr 15	Oct 25
Monroe 2 SE	8a	10°F to 15°F	550	Apr 3	Nov 1
Monroe Airport	8a	10°F to 15°F	679	Mar 31	Nov 5
Moores Creek Nb	8b	15°F to 20°F	22	Mar 27	Nov 8
Morehead City 2 WNW	8b	15°F to 20°F	10	Mar 18	Nov 21
Morganton	7b	5°F to 10°F	1,180	Apr 7	Oct 28
Mount Airy 2 W	7b	5°F to 10°F	1,080	Apr 19	Oct 23
Mount Mitchell	7a	0°F to 5°F	6,240	May 16	Oct 4
Mount Olive 6SE	8a	10°F to 15°F	162	Mar 28	Nov 7
Murfreesboro	8a	10°F to 15°F	100	Apr 6	Nov 1
Murphy 4ESE	7b	5°F to 10°F	1,600	Apr 22	Oct 20
N Fk 2	7a	0°F to 5°F	2,480	Apr 5	Oct 31
N Wilkesboro	7b	5°F to 10°F	1,120	Apr 10	Oct 29
New Bern Craven County Airport	8b	15°F to 20°F	19	Mar 23	Nov 15
New Hill	8a	10°F to 15°F	320	Apr 6	Nov 3
New River McAf	8b	15°F to 20°F	26	Mar 23	Nov 16
Newport/morehead City WFO	8b	15°F to 20°F	30	Mar 26	Nov 16
Ocracoke	9a	20°F to 25°F	4	Mar 1	Dec 20
Old Fort Agricultural 3 W	7b	5°F to 10°F	1,425	Apr 21	Oct 23
Oxford Agricultural	7b	5°F to 10°F	500	Mar 30	Nov 6
Perrytown	8b	15°F to 20°F	28	Mar 20	Nov 20
Pfafftown	7b	5°F to 10°F	950	Apr 9	Oct 31
Piedmont Triad Intl Airport	8a	10°F to 15°F	890	Mar 30	Nov 5
Pisgah Forest 3 NE	7b	5°F to 10°F	2,190	Apr 19	Oct 23
Plymouth 5 E	8b	15°F to 20°F	20	Mar 31	Nov 7
Raeford	8a	10°F to 15°F	250	Apr 3	Nov 3
Raleigh 4 SW	8a	10°F to 15°F	420	Mar 28	Nov 9
Raleigh Durham Intl Airport	8a	10°F to 15°F	416	Mar 31	Nov 4
Raleigh State University	8a	10°F to 15°F	400	Mar 28	Nov 8
Randleman	8a	10°F to 15°F	810	Mar 29	Nov 6
Reelsboro	8b	15°F to 20°F	45	Mar 21	Nov 17
Reidsville 2 NW	8a	10°F to 15°F	890	Apr 5	Nov 2
Richlands	8a	10°F to 15°F	20	Apr 5	Nov 4
Roanoke Rapids	8a	10°F to 15°F	210	Mar 31	Nov 9
Roanoke Rapids Airport	8a	10°F to 15°F	256	Mar 27	Nov 12
Robbinsville Agricultural 5 NE	7a	0°F to 5°F	2,330	Apr 13	Oct 26
Rocky Mount 8 ESE	8a	10°F to 15°F	110	Mar 31	Nov 7
Rocky Mount Wilson Airport	8a	10°F to 15°F	160	Apr 1	Nov 5
Roxboro 7 ESE	7b	5°F to 10°F	710	Apr 15	Oct 26
Rural Hall	7b	5°F to 10°F	960	Apr 6	Oct 31
Salisbury	8a	10°F to 15°F	700	Apr 6	Oct 30
Salisbury 9 WNW	7b	5°F to 10°F	725	Apr 9	Oct 28
Sanford 8 NE	8a	10°F to 15°F	262	Apr 10	Oct 30
Shallotte Agricultural	8b	15°F to 20°F	20	Mar 20	Nov 17
Shelby 2 NW	8a	10°F to 15°F	820	Apr 12	Oct 25
Siler City 2 N	8a	10°F to 15°F	610	Mar 31	Nov 4
Smithfield	8a	10°F to 15°F	150	Mar 29	Nov 5
Snow Hill Waste Water Treament	8a	10°F to 15°F	41	Mar 26	Nov 12
Southport 5 N	8b	15°F to 20°F	20	Mar 24	Nov 17
Sparta 3.5 SSW	7a	0°F to 5°F	3,011	Apr 22	Oct 22
Spruce Pine 2 NE	7a	0°F to 5°F	2,850	Apr 26	Oct 20
Statesville 2 NNE	7b	5°F to 10°F	803	Apr 16	Oct 25
Surf City	8b	15°F to 20°F	24	Mar 26	Nov 13
Swannanoa 2 SSE	7a	0°F to 5°F	4,320	Apr 22	Oct 24
Swanquarter Ferry	8b	15°F to 20°F	3	Mar 18	Nov 25
Tarboro 1 S	8a	10°F to 15°F	35	Mar 30	Nov 9
Taylorsville	8a	10°F to 15°F	1,320	Apr 2	Nov 4
Transou	7a	0°F to 5°F	2,834	May 4	Oct 10
Tryon	8a	10°F to 15°F	1,320	Mar 27	Nov 12
Vale Agricultural 2 SW	8a	10°F to 15°F	985	Apr 12	Oct 28
W Kerr Scott Resv	7b	5°F to 10°F	1,070	Apr 7	Nov 1
Wadesboro	8a	10°F to 15°F	480	Mar 24	Nov 9
Wallace 1SE	8a	10°F to 15°F	35	Apr 1	Nov 7
Warsaw 5 E	8a	10°F to 15°F	110	Apr 7	Oct 30
Washington Wwtp 4W	8b	15°F to 20°F	10	Mar 22	Nov 15
Waterville 2	7b	5°F to 10°F	1,430	Apr 6	Nov 1
Waynesville 1 E	7a	0°F to 5°F	2,658	Apr 30	Oct 14
Whiteville 7 NW	8b	15°F to 20°F	90	Mar 29	Nov 6
Willard 4 SW	8a	10°F to 15°F	55	Apr 2	Nov 5
Williamston 1 E	8a	10°F to 15°F	20	Mar 20	Nov 12
Wilmington 7 N	8b	15°F to 20°F	40	Mar 29	Nov 8
Wilmington 7 SE	8b	15°F to 20°F	30	Mar 20	Nov 15
Wilmington Intl Airport	8b	15°F to 20°F	33	Mar 19	Nov 20
Wilson 3 SW	8a	10°F to 15°F	110	Mar 22	Nov 12
Winston Salem Rynlds Airport	8a	10°F to 15°F	970	Mar 26	Nov 9
Yadkinville 6 E	7b	5°F to 10°F	875	Apr 16	Oct 25
Yanceyville 4 SE	7b	5°F to 10°F	635	Mar 31	Nov 4

Frequently asked questions

What hardiness zone is North Carolina?

North Carolina is in USDA hardiness zones 6b–9a on the 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map. Zone 8a is the most common, covering 60% of North Carolina's ZIP codes, and zone 7b covers 16%. Enter your ZIP code for your exact zone.

What does zone 8a mean?

Zone 8a means the average annual extreme minimum temperature, the coldest night of a typical winter, is 10°F to 15°F (−12°C to −9°C). Perennials, shrubs and trees rated for zone 8a or colder should survive winter there.

What is the coldest hardiness zone in North Carolina?

Zone 6b is the coldest zone mapped in North Carolina, found around Grandfather Mountain, and zone 9a is the warmest, found around Frisco 2NNE.

Did North Carolina's hardiness zones change in 2023?

The USDA released a new Plant Hardiness Zone Map in November 2023, based on 1991–2020 temperatures instead of 1976–2005. About half of the United States shifted half a zone warmer. Check your ZIP code here, because plant tags and older books may still list your 2012 zone.

When should I plant in zone 8a?

Hardiness zones don't set planting dates; frost dates do. Inside zone 8a in North Carolina, the median last spring frost varies from March 20 to April 12. Look up your local frost dates and plant tender crops such as tomatoes after the 10%-risk last-frost date.

Zone and frost dates: use both

Your hardiness zone answers one question: will this plant survive the winter here? Choose perennials, shrubs, trees and bulbs rated for your zone or a colder one. For vegetables and annuals, what matters is the length of the frost-free season. See North Carolina frost dates by town, or get a planting calendar for your ZIP code with start-indoors, transplant and sowing dates for 30 crops.

Sources and method

Zones are from the USDA 2023 Plant Hardiness Zone Map ZIP-code files published by the PRISM Climate Group, Oregon State University, based on 1991–2020 minimum temperatures. ZIP codes are assigned to states by USPS prefix. Town zones use the ZIP code nearest each NOAA 1991–2020 Climate Normals station. This is an independent tool, not an official USDA site. Full methodology.