Population 54,919 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Lenoir County
Household size in Lenoir County
| Period | Lenoir County | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.42 | 2.53 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.48 | 2.58 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.40 | 2.56 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.37 | 2.52 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.04 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
Lenoir County is a place of small households, averaging 2.37 people against 2.65 for the U.S., which points to many singles, couples and roommates and relatively few children. Since 2006–10, household size has edged down from 2.42, mirroring the country. The biggest households, usually families with children, are concentrated in the south.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Lenoir County
| Period | Lenoir County | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 41.6 | 37.9 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 41.9 | 38.9 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 43.4 | 40.2 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 41.5 | 40.3 | 40.1 |
| Change | −0.1 | +2.3 | +2.3 |
At 41.5, the median age in Lenoir County is close to the national median of 40.1, so its age mix looks much like the country's. The median age has barely moved since 2006–10, while the national median rose.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Lenoir County
| Period | Lenoir County | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 14.9% | 12.3% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 16.0% | 12.5% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 13.1% | 11.6% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 18.3% | 11.4% | 11.6% |
| Change | +3.4 pts | −1.0 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are common in Lenoir County: 18.3% of all households, against 11.6% nationally. The single-parent share is up 3.4 points from 2006–10, even as the national share fell. Only six of North Carolina's 100 counties have a higher share of single-parent households.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Lenoir County
Renters in Lenoir County
| Period | Lenoir County | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 37.7% | 31.9% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 39.8% | 34.2% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 40.7% | 34.8% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 40.8% | 33.4% | 34.8% |
| Change | +3.1 pts | +1.4 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renting is a bit more common in Lenoir County than nationally: 40.8% of households rent their homes, against 34.8% for the U.S. More than half of owners (55.3%) have paid off their mortgages, well above the national share of 39.8%. Since 2006–10, the renter share has risen 3.1 points, as it has nationally. Only four of North Carolina's 100 counties have a higher share of renters.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Lenoir County
| Period | Lenoir County | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 11.9% | 12.8% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 13.6% | 12.8% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 15.3% | 12.5% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 12.5% | 11.4% | 9.6% |
| Change | +0.6 pts | −1.5 pts | −1.8 pts |
More homes sit empty in Lenoir County than nationally: 12.5%, against 9.6%. The count includes vacation homes and homes between owners or tenants, not just abandoned ones. Since 2006–10, vacancy has edged up 0.6 points, even as the national rate fell.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Lenoir County
| Period | Lenoir County | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1977 | 1983 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1976 | 1985 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1978 | 1986 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1980 | 1990 | 1980 |
| Change | +3 | +7 | +6 |
Homes in Lenoir County are the same age as the nation's housing: the median home was built in 1980. Homes here are older than in North Carolina overall, where the median home dates to 1990. The newest homes are mostly in the northwest, the oldest in the east.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Lenoir County
| Period | Lenoir County | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $631 | $789 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $678 | $868 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $759 | $981 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $850 | $1,317 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$219 | +$528 | +$606 |
Rent in Lenoir County runs $850 a month at the median, utilities included, well below the U.S. median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $219 a month since 2006–10, up 35%, a slower climb than the nation's. The typical renter here spends 31.4% of household income on rent, just over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. Rents run highest in the north and lowest in the southeast.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Lenoir County
Bachelor's degrees in Lenoir County
| Period | Lenoir County | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 15.0% | 27.8% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 14.3% | 29.0% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 15.2% | 32.0% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 17.2% | 36.2% | 35.6% |
| Change | +2.1 pts | +8.4 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are relatively uncommon in Lenoir County: 17.2% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor's or higher, well below the national share of 35.6%. The share with a degree has risen 2.1 points since 2006–10, a smaller shift than nationally. College graduates are most concentrated in the center and least in the east.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Lenoir County
| Period | Lenoir County | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 76.8% | 84.5% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 81.2% | 86.0% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 79.8% | 88.1% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 83.1% | 90.2% | 89.3% |
| Change | +6.2 pts | +5.7 pts | +4.3 pts |
About one in six adults in Lenoir County never finished high school, well above the national share: only 83.1% have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3% nationally. Since 2006–10, the share with a diploma has risen 6.2 points, as it has nationally. Only seven of North Carolina's 100 counties have a lower share of high school graduates.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Lenoir County
| Period | Lenoir County | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.1% | 8.8% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 13.1% | 10.6% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 11.1% | 5.7% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 9.1% | 4.8% | 5.4% |
| Change | −0.1 pts | −4.0 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Lenoir County runs well above the national rate: 9.1% of the labor force was out of work and looking, against 5.4%. Only three of North Carolina's 100 counties have higher unemployment. Because the Census pools five years of responses (2020–24), these rates smooth over short swings and lag the current job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Lenoir County compared with nearby counties
| County | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lenoir County | 2.37 | 41.5 | 18.3% | 40.8% | 12.5% | 1980 | $850 | 17.2% | 83.1% | 9.1% |
| Wayne County | 2.48 | 38.7 | 15.4% | 38.5% | 11.3% | 1985 | $1,066 | 22.3% | 86.1% | 6.0% |
| Pamlico County | 2.16 | 51.9 | 8.7% | 17.1% | 23.8% | 1987 | $884 | 24.4% | 89.7% | 5.5% |
| Harnett County | 2.79 | 37.0 | 10.9% | 29.0% | 9.3% | 1996 | $1,190 | 25.2% | 88.9% | 5.1% |
| Moore County | 2.42 | 44.7 | 7.6% | 23.6% | 12.5% | 1993 | $1,352 | 41.5% | 93.8% | 4.8% |
| Montgomery County | 2.41 | 44.4 | 12.4% | 25.0% | 24.2% | 1983 | $789 | 19.3% | 85.0% | 3.3% |
| Stanly County | 2.53 | 41.3 | 11.4% | 25.5% | 11.0% | 1976 | $898 | 19.4% | 88.0% | 4.4% |
| Cabarrus County | 2.85 | 38.2 | 11.3% | 28.8% | 10.6% | 1993 | $1,628 | 38.9% | 92.0% | 4.6% |
| Mecklenburg County | 2.53 | 36.5 | 11.5% | 44.9% | 8.1% | 1995 | $1,767 | 49.0% | 90.4% | 4.2% |
| Gaston County | 2.52 | 40.2 | 13.9% | 33.2% | 8.7% | 1984 | $1,249 | 26.9% | 88.5% | 4.9% |
| Cleveland County | 2.62 | 41.4 | 13.9% | 29.1% | 12.7% | 1980 | $966 | 21.7% | 88.2% | 5.1% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: Henry County, IN · Hall County, NE · Hamblen County, TN · Hancock County, ME · Hancock County, MS · Hardin County, TX · Harrisonburg City, VA · Hawkins County, TN · Haywood County, NC · Henry County, IL
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Lenoir County. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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