United States › North Carolina › Lexington CITY
Lexington North Carolina · 20,238 residents (2025 est.) · 19.2 sq mi
Time machine
COMPARE TO 1990 Census 2000 Census 2009 ACS 2010 ACS 2011 ACS 2012 ACS 2013 ACS 2014 ACS 2015 ACS 2016 ACS 2017 ACS 2018 ACS 2019 ACS 2020 ACS 2021 ACS 2022 ACS 2023 ACS
The short version
Lexington is home to 19,690 people in North Carolina. 13% of adults hold a bachelor's degree, below the 36% national rate. Owners hold 42% of the housing stock. The poverty rate is 27.8%, above the 12.5% national rate. Households here earn about 40% less than in North Carolina as a whole. Home values have more than doubled since 2000, reaching $179,900.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Younger
median age 36.7
US median: 38.9
Less educated
13% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 26%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01
Population & growth from 19,953 in 2000
20,238 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
1,024 / sq mi
−2%since 2009
from 1,047 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
from 35.7 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
16K 17K 18K 19K 20K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Lexington Age distribution, 2024
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy $43,128
−10%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $26,226 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $15,310 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 13.3% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 21.2% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.479 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Public administration 3.8%
Professional, scientific, technical 3.4%
Arts, entertainment, food 1%
Education & health services 0.6%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 0.5%
Transportation & warehousing 0.4%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
$179,900
+26%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $78,500 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$893
+8%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $454 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 49.8% in 2000
58.4% rent
from 13.4% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
from 2.38 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 34.8% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 48.9% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
from 3.5 in 2009
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04
Race & ethnicity 2000
White, non-Hispanic 54.8%(10,936)
Hispanic / Latino 10.7%(2,135)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 42.7%(8,417)
Hispanic / Latino 24.1%(4,741)
from 80 in 2009
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry Ancestry
+ 18 more ancestry groups with data from 14.0% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 63.9% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 4.2% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 12.8 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 74.6% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 19.8% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 1.4% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 2.2% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 1.3% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 15.8% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 15.8% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 55.6% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 59.5% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 12.2% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 19.5% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 11.8% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 9.8% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 19.1% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 22.4% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 60.1% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 88.1% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 81.8% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 79.9% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 14.8% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married 37.7%(2,825)
Women 15+
Never married 39.8%(3,227)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 22.4% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 33.3% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 14.0% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 19.9% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 26.8% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 1.9% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 46.2% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 42.4% in 2020
US average: 36.7%
Shares are "alone or in combination": a person with both Medicare and Medicaid counts in each, so categories overlap and do not sum to 100%.
Section 09 · Service history
Veterans Veterans by period of service, 2024
Gulf War (2001 or later) 16.3%(157)
Gulf War (1990s) 17.4%(167)
Share of the 961 veterans here. A veteran who served across eras counts in each, so shares can total more than 100%. Peacetime-only service is included in the total but not shown as an era.
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Drill deeper
Places similar to Lexington Head to head
Compare Lexington to nearby cities LEXINGTON VS
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LEXINGTON VS
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Income $64,757 +50%
Home value $198,000 +10%
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Frequently asked
How many people live in Lexington, North Carolina? Lexington, North Carolina has about 19,690 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Lexington, North Carolina? The typical household in Lexington, North Carolina earns about $43,128 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Lexington, North Carolina expensive? In Lexington, North Carolina, the median home is worth about $179,900, and the typical rent is about $893 a month.
How educated are people in Lexington, North Carolina? About 12.9% of adults age 25 and over in Lexington, North Carolina hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Lexington, North Carolina? About 27.8% of people in Lexington, North Carolina live below the federal poverty line.
Has Lexington, North Carolina grown since 1990? Yes, Lexington, North Carolina has grown since 1990. The population has added about 3,109 residents, a change of about 19 percent over that period.
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