Lenoir County, NC

County

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2022 Population

55,071

0.493% 1-year decline

US Senator

Thom Tillis

Republican Party

US Senator

Ted Budd

Republican Party

2022 Median Age

42.7

0.466% 1-year decrease

2022 Poverty Rate

22.4%

3.65% 1-year decrease

2022 Median Household Income

$43,063

4.8% 1-year growth

2022 Median Property Value

$101,600

10.9% 1-year growth

2022 Employed Population

22,701

0.425% 1-year growth

About

In 2022, Lenoir County, NC had a population of 55.1k people with a median age of 42.7 and a median household income of $43,063. Between 2021 and 2022 the population of Lenoir County, NC declined from 55,344 to 55,071, a −0.493% decrease and its median household income grew from $41,092 to $43,063, a 4.8% increase.

The 5 largest ethnic groups in Lenoir County, NC are White (Non-Hispanic) (48.2%), Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) (39.8%), Other (Hispanic) (3.82%), White (Hispanic) (3.35%), and Two+ (Non-Hispanic) (2.74%).

None of the households in Lenoir County, NC reported speaking a non-English language at home as their primary shared language. This does not consider the potential multi-lingual nature of households, but only the primary self-reported language spoken by all members of the household.

97.8% of the residents in Lenoir County, NC are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Lenoir County, NC are Lenoir Community College (986 degrees awarded in 2022).

In 2022, the median property value in Lenoir County, NC was $101,600, and the homeownership rate was 58.8%.

Most people in Lenoir County, NC drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 23.6 minutes. The average car ownership in Lenoir County, NC was 2 cars per household.

Lenoir County, NC borders Craven County, NC, Duplin County, NC, Greene County, NC, Jones County, NC, Pitt County, NC, and Wayne County, NC.

United States North Carolina Kinston, NC

Population & Diversity

Lenoir County, NC is home to a population of 55.1k people, from which 97.8% are citizens. As of 2022, 3.99% of Lenoir County, NC residents were born outside of the country (2.2k people).

In 2022, there were 1.21 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (26.6k people) in Lenoir County, NC than any other race or ethnicity. There were 21.9k Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) and 2.1k Other (Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

97.8%

2022 Citizenship

97.9%

2021 Citizenship

As of 2022, 97.8% of Lenoir County, NC residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.5%. In 2021, the percentage of US citizens in Lenoir County, NC was 97.9%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been decreasing.

The following chart shows US citizenship percentages in Lenoir County, NC compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Lenoir County, NC

White (Non-Hispanic)
26.6k ± 79
Black or African American (Non-Hispanic)
21.9k ± 523
Other (Hispanic)
2.1k ± 465

8.27%

Hispanic Population

4.55k people

8.27% of the people in Lenoir County, NC are hispanic (4.55k people).

The following chart shows the 7 races represented in Lenoir County, NC as a share of the total population.

Global Diversity

The PUMS dataset is not available at the County level, so we are showing data for North Carolina.

Most Common Origin

Mexico
214,508 ± 11,254 people
India
79,868 ± 6,912 people
Honduras
39,759 ± 4,886 people

In 2022, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of North Carolina was Mexico, the natal country of 214,508 North Carolina residents, followed by India with 79,868 and Honduras with 39,759.

Foreign-Born Population

3.99%

2022 Foreign-Born Population

2.2k people

3.96%

2021 Foreign-Born Population

2.19k people

As of 2022, 3.99% of Lenoir County, NC residents (2.2k people) were born outside of the United States, which is lower than the national average of 13.6%. In 2021, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Lenoir County, NC was 3.96%, meaning that the rate has been increasing.

The following chart shows the percentage of foreign-born residents in Lenoir County, NC compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Vietnam
1,473 ± 235
Gulf War (2001-)
809 ± 221
Gulf War (1990s)
708 ± 256

Lenoir County, NC has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 1.82 times greater than any other conflict.

Economy

The economy of Lenoir County, NC employs 22.7k people. The largest industries in Lenoir County, NC are Health Care & Social Assistance (4,786 people), Manufacturing (3,958 people), and Retail Trade (2,205 people), and the highest paying industries are Finance & Insurance ($68,068), Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($51,987), and Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($50,830).

Males in North Carolina have an average income that is 1.31 times higher than the average income of females, which is $57,464. The income inequality in North Carolina (measured using the Gini index) is 0.47, which is lower than than the national average.

Employment

Occupations

22.7k

2022 Value

± 1,268

0.425%

1 Year growth

± 8.01%

From 2021 to 2022, employment in Lenoir County, NC grew at a rate of 0.425%, from 22.6k employees to 22.7k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Lenoir County, NC, are Production Occupations (2,766 people), Sales & Related Occupations (1,969 people), and Office & Administrative Support Occupations (1,773 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Lenoir County, NC.

Unemployment Insurance Claims

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for false.

This chart shows weekly unemployment insurance claims in North Carolina (not-seasonally adjusted) compared with the four states with the most similar impact.

The most recent data point uses Advance State Claims data, which can be revised in subsequent weeks.

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Industries

Employment by Industries

22.7k

2022 Value

± 1,268

0.425%

1 Year growth

± 8.01%

From 2021 to 2022, employment in Lenoir County, NC grew at a rate of 0.425%, from 22.6k employees to 22.7k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Lenoir County, NC, are Health Care & Social Assistance (4,786 people), Manufacturing (3,958 people), and Retail Trade (2,205 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Lenoir County, NC, though some of these residents may live in Lenoir County, NC and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

Median Earnings by Industry

$36,158

Median earning men ± $2,627

$29,861

Median earning women ± $2,134

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2022 are Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($68,277), Public Administration ($50,125), and Transportation & Warehousing, & Utilities ($50,071).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2022 are Wholesale Trade ($45,469), Professional, Scientific, & Management, & Administrative & Waste Management Services ($45,408), and Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($41,083).

Employment by Industry Sector

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for North Carolina.

Y-Axis

3.04%

Year-over-year growth

Employment change between February 2022 and February 2023

As of February 2023, there are 4.86M people employed in North Carolina. This represents a 3.04% increase in employment when compared to February 2022.

Right after the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, during April 2020, a general dip can be seen across industry sectors, resulting in an overall decline in employment by 10.9%.

The following chart shows monthly employment numbers for each industry sector in North Carolina.

Establishments by Size

The industries with the most establishments

102
Retail Trade
99
Other Services (except Public Administration)
70
Construction

The visualization shows the distribution of establishments by industry and by size according to the number of employees.

Depending on the option selected, the visualization shows the number of employees or number of establishments and its share across establishment sizes.

Payroll by Industry Sector

The industries with the highest total annual payroll

$350k
Manufacturing
$183k
Health Care and Social Assistance
$95.2k
Construction

The chart shows the total annual payroll and the average annual payroll by industry.

Civics

In the 2020 presidential election, the popular vote in Lenoir County, NC went to Donald J. Trump with 51.4% of the vote. The runner-up was Joseph R Biden Jr. (47.9%), followed by Jo Jorgensen (0.444%).

Thom Tillis and Ted Budd are the senators currently representing the state of North Carolina. In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

North Carolina is currently represented by 14 members in the U.S. house, and members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms.

Presidential Elections

Presidential Popular Vote Over Time

2020 Election Results

Donald J. Trump (51.4%)
Republican Party
Joseph R Biden Jr. (47.9%)
Democratic Party
Jo Jorgensen (0.444%)
Libertarian Party

The following chart shows the popular vote results in Lenoir County, NC for each registered party from 1976 to 2020.

Senator Elections

US Senators from North Carolina

Senatorial voting results are only available at the state level. Showing data for North Carolina.

Thom Tillis

Senator from North Carolina

Assumed office on January 3, 2015

Ted Budd

Senator from North Carolina

Assumed office on January 3, 2023

Thom Tillis and Ted Budd are the senators currently representing North Carolina.

In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

The following chart shows elected senators in North Carolina over time, excluding special elections, colored by their political party.

US Representative Elections

US Representatives from North Carolina

North Carolina is currently represented by 14 members in the U.S. house.

Members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms, and the following chart shows the how the members for North Carolina have changed over time starting in 2008.

Education

In 2022, universities in Lenoir County, NC awarded 986 degrees. The student population of Lenoir County, NC in 2022 is skewed towards women, with 792 male students and 1,407 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Lenoir County, NC are White (602 and 61.6%), followed by Black or African American (205 and 21%), Hispanic or Latino (123 and 12.6%), and Asian (22 and 2.25%).

The largest universities in Lenoir County, NC by number of degrees awarded are Lenoir Community College (986 and 100%).

The most popular majors in Lenoir County, NC are Liberal Arts & Sciences (177 and 18%), Medical Office Management (89 and 9.03%), and Welding Technology (71 and 7.2%).

Admissions & Enrollments

Enrollments by Gender and Races

In 2022 there were 2,199 students enrolled in Lenoir County, NC, 36% men and 64% women.

By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in White with 1,143 records, of which 60.9% were women and 39.1% men.

Completions

Concentrations

Most Common

Liberal Arts & Sciences
177 degrees awarded
Registered Nursing
30 degrees awarded
Medical Office Management
18 degrees awarded

In 2022, the most common concentation for Associates Degree recipients in Lenoir County, NC was Liberal Arts & Sciences with 177 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of students graduating with a Associates Degree from schools in Lenoir County, NC according to their major.

Universities

Gender

Race

Lenoir Community College

Largest Universities by degrees awarded

986 degrees awarded

In 2022, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was Lenoir Community College with 986 degrees awarded.

Student Diversity

In 2022, 410 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Lenoir County, NC, which is 0.712 times less than the 576 female students who received degrees in the same year.

In 2022 the most common race/ethnicity group awarded degrees at institutions was White students. These 602 degrees mean that there were 2.94 times more degrees awarded to White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Black or African American, with 205 degrees awarded.

Awarded Degrees over Time

The graph shows the evolution of awarded degrees by degrees. Under the paragraphs, the average number of awarded degrees by university in each degree is shown.

Tuition

Average Net Price by Sector

Public, 2-year ($2,432) is the sector with the highest median state tuition in 2022.

Public, 2-year ($136) is the sector with the highest median state fee in 2022.

Public, 2-year ($1,800) is the sector with the highest average net price of books and supplies.

The graph shows the average net price by sector and year.

Working Population

Educational Pyramid

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for North Carolina.

Measure

In 2022, 0.944% of men over 25 years of age had not completed any academic degree (no schooling), while 0.805% of women were in the same situation.

This visualization shows the gender distribution of the population according to the academic level reached.

Educational Attainment

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for North Carolina.

Race

The most common educational levels obtained by the working population in 2022 were High School or Equivalent (2.16M), Some college (1.84M), and Bachelors Degree (1.63M).

This visualization illustrates the percentage distribution of the population according to the highest educational level reached. You can filter the data by race by using the selector above.

Housing & Living

The median property value in Lenoir County, NC was $101,600 in 2022, which is 0.36 times smaller than the national average of $281,900. Between 2021 and 2022 the median property value increased from $91,600 to $101,600, a 10.9% increase. The homeownership rate in Lenoir County, NC is 58.8%, which is approximately the same as the national average of 64.8%.

People in Lenoir County, NC have an average commute time of 23.6 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Lenoir County, NC is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

Median household income in Lenoir County, NC is $43,063. In 2022, the tract with the highest Median Household Income in Lenoir County, NC was Census Tract 114 with a value of $70,899, followed by Census Tract 106 and Census Tract 110.01, with respective values of $57,941 and $57,841.

In 2023, 17.3% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Lenoir County, NC. From 2014 to 2023, the indicator declined 2.2%.

Housing

Property

$101,600

Median Property Value 2022

±$5,593

$13,332

Median Property Taxes

±$887

The following chart display owner-occupied housing units distributed between a series of property tax buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In Lenoir County, NC the largest share of households pay taxes in the < $800 range.

The chart underneath the paragraph shows the property taxes in Lenoir County, NC compared to it's parent and neighbor geographies.

Rent vs Own

58.8%

Homeownership

2022

62.6%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2022

In 2022, 58.8% of the housing units in Lenoir County, NC were occupied by their owner. This percentage grew from the previous year's rate of 57.7%.

This chart shows the percentage of owner in Lenoir County, NC compared it's parent and neighboring geographies.

Equity

Income by Location

Use the dropdown to filter by race/ethnicity.

Race/Ethnicity

Highest Median Household Income (Total)

Census Tract 114
Census Tract 106
Census Tract 110.01

In 2022, the tract with the highest Median Household Income (Total) in Lenoir County, NC was Census Tract 114 with a value of $70,899, followed by Census Tract 106 and Census Tract 110.01, with respective values of $57,941 and $57,841.

The following map shows all of the tracts in Lenoir County, NC colored by their Median Household Income (Total).

Household Income

Please note that the buckets used in this visualization were not evenly distributed by ACS when publishing the data.

$43,063

Median Household Income

± $1,794

22.7k

Number of Households

± 1,240

In 2022, the median household income of the 22.7k households in Lenoir County, NC grew to $43,063 from the previous year's value of $41,092.

The following chart displays the households in Lenoir County, NC distributed between a series of income buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households have an income in the < $10k range.

Wage Distribution

The closest comparable wage GINI for Lenoir County, NC is from North Carolina.

0.47

2022 Wage GINI in North Carolina

0.47

2021 Wage GINI in North Carolina

In 2022, the income inequality in North Carolina was 0.47 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.0732% decline from 2021 to 2022, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat more even. The GINI for North Carolina was lower than than the national average of 0.478. In other words, wages are distributed more evenly in North Carolina in comparison to the national average.

This chart shows the number of workers in North Carolina across various wage buckets compared to the national average.

Transportation

Commuter Transportation

Most Common Commute in 2022

Drove Alone (83.1%)
Carpooled (11.9%)
Worked At Home (2.48%)

In 2022, 83.1% of workers in Lenoir County, NC drove alone to work, followed by those who carpooled to work (11.9%) and those who worked at home (2.48%).

The following chart shows the number of households using each mode of transportation over time, using a logarithmic scale on the y-axis to help better show variations in the smaller means of commuting.

Commute Time

23.6 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Lenoir County, NC have a shorter commute time (23.6 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.7 minutes). Additionally, 2.59% of the workforce in Lenoir County, NC have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

The chart below shows how the median household income in Lenoir County, NC compares to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Car Ownership

2 cars

Average Number

The following chart displays the households in Lenoir County, NC distributed between a series of car ownership buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households in Lenoir County, NC have 2 cars.

Poverty

Severe Housing Problems

In 2023, 17.3% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Lenoir County, NC. From 2014 to 2023, the indicator declined 2.2%.

The graph shows the trend of the percentage of the population living with severe housing problems.

Poverty & Diversity

22.4% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Lenoir County, NC (12.1k out of 53.9k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is higher than the national average of 12.5%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 45 - 54, followed by Females 25 - 34 and then Females 55 - 64.

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Lenoir County, NC is Black, followed by White and Hispanic.

The Census Bureau uses a set of money income thresholds that vary by family size and composition to determine who classifies as impoverished. If a family's total income is less than the family's threshold than that family and every individual in it is considered to be living in poverty.

Children in Poverty

In 2023, 30.1% of the children was living in poverty in Lenoir County, NC. From 2014 to 2023, the indicator declined 6.5%.

The graph shows the trend of the percentage of the children living in poverty.

Social Needs

Data only available at the state level.

Most prevalent states

California
35,798 individuals
New York
5,087 individuals
Florida
4,915 individuals

In 2017, California had the highest estimated number of chronically homeless individuals in the nation, at 35,798. New York has the second highest (5,087), followed by Florida (4,915).

The following map shows the estimated number of chronically homeless individuals by state over multiple years.

Health

89.2% of the population of Lenoir County, NC has health coverage, with 31% on employee plans, 24.1% on Medicaid, 14% on Medicare, 18.2% on non-group plans, and 1.84% on military or VA plans.

Primary care physicians in Lenoir County, NC see 2064 patients per year on average, which represents a 4.09% decrease from the previous year (2152 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 1765 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 659 patients per year.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 46.5% were men and 53.5% were women.

Coverage

Patient to Clinician Ratios

2,064 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Lenoir County, NC

Primary care physicians in Lenoir County, NC see an average of 2,064 patients per year. This represents a 4.09% decrease from the previous year (2,152 patients).

The following chart shows how the number of patients seen by primary care physicians has been changing over time in Lenoir County, NC in comparison to its neighboring geographies.

Health Care Diversity

In 2022, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 23.6% under 18 years, 17.7% between 18 and 34 years, 37.7% between 35 and 64 years, and 21% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 46.5% were men and 53.5% were women.

The following chart shows the number of people with health coverage by gender.

Uninsured People

10.8%

Uninsured

31%

Employer Coverage

24.1%

Medicaid

14%

Medicare

18.2%

Non-Group

1.84%

Military or VA

Between 2021 and 2022, the percent of uninsured citizens in Lenoir County, NC declined by 4.87% from 11.4% to 10.8%.

The following chart shows how the percent of uninsured individuals in Lenoir County, NC changed over time compared with the percent of individuals enrolled in various types of health insurance.

Health Indicators

Health Outcomes

Indicator

In 2023, the number of deaths among residents under age 18 per 100,000 population was 73.6 in Lenoir County, NC.

The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in Lenoir County, NC.

Health Behaviors

Indicator

In 2023, the percentage of the adult population (age 18 and older) that reports a body mass index (BMI) greater than or equal to 30 kg/m2 (age-adjusted) was 40.6% in Lenoir County, NC.

The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in Lenoir County, NC.