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CITY · 2020 ACS

Lexington

North Carolina · 19,632 residents · 19.2 sq mi
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The short version

Lexington is home to 19,632 people in North Carolina. 14% of adults hold a bachelor's degree, below the 33% national rate. Owners hold 45% of the housing stock. That trails the North Carolina median by roughly 46%. The poverty rate is 25.1%, above the 12.8% national rate. Median home value sits at $104,600.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $66,278
Mid-age
median age 39.2
US median: 38.8
Less educated
14% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 33%
More affordable
home values down 11%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $265,253
Section 01

Population & growth

19,632
−2%since 2000
from 19,953 in 2000
1990 – 2025
39.2
+10%since 2000
from 35.7 in 2000
US average: 38.8
Land area
19.2 sq mi
Population, 19902024
16K17K18K19K20K19902000201020202024Lexington
202420K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2020
Under 56.4%(1,261)
US avg: 5.6%
5 to 96.2%(1,224)
US avg: 6.1%
10 to 146.7%(1,308)
US avg: 6.5%
15 to 196.1%(1,203)
US avg: 6.6%
20 to 246.3%(1,236)
US avg: 6.7%
25 to 3413.3%(2,619)
US avg: 13.5%
35 to 4411.6%(2,281)
US avg: 12.7%
45 to 5413.1%(2,579)
US avg: 12.3%
55 to 6413.3%(2,614)
US avg: 13.1%
65 to 749.9%(1,934)
US avg: 10%
75 to 845.1%(1,006)
US avg: 4.9%
85 and over1.9%(367)
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

$30,366
−23%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $26,226 in 2000
US average: $66,278
1990 – 2024
$17,465
+14%since 2000
from $15,310 in 2000
US average: $35,364
Households earning $100K+
12.2%
−1.1 ptssince 2009
from 13.3% in 2009
US average: 43.9%
25.1%
+3.8 ptssince 2000
from 21.2% in 2000
US average: 12.8%
Workforce by industry, 2020
Retail trade18.5%
US avg: 10%
Information16.1%
US avg: 11.1%
Wholesale trade9.9%
US avg: 6.7%
Other services4.1%
US avg: 6.6%
Public administration2.8%
US avg: 4.7%
Finance & insurance2.7%
US avg: 5.5%
Professional, scientific, technical2.5%
US avg: 4.7%
Transportation & warehousing2.4%
US avg: 2.5%
Arts, entertainment, food1%
US avg: 2%
Education & health services0.3%
US avg: 0.8%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing0.2%
US avg: 1.7%
Construction0.2%
US avg: 1.2%
Manufacturing0%
US avg: 0.5%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

$104,600
−11%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $78,500 in 2000
US average: $265,253
1990 – 2024
$710
+4%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $454 in 2000
US average: $1,124
45.1%
−4.7 ptssince 2000
from 49.8% in 2000
54.9% rent
2.35 people
−1%since 2009
from 2.38 people in 2009
US average: 2.61
3.4
−3%since 2009
from 3.5 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic54.8%(10,936)
Black29.8%(5,941)
Hispanic / Latino10.7%(2,135)
Asian2.5%(502)
Other0%
2020
White, non-Hispanic46.3%(9,094)
Black27.6%(5,419)
Hispanic / Latino17.6%(3,454)
Asian3%(586)
Other5.9%(1,166)

No data for the years selected.

Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Hispanic origin
Mexican11.3%(2,148)
Puerto Rican1.7%(319)
Cuban0.9%(178)
Salvadoran0.5%(89)
Colombian0.3%(51)
Panamanian0.2%(30)
Asian origin
Cambodian1.6%(295)
Vietnamese0.1%(25)
Pacific Islander origin
Ancestry
American7.7%(1,470)
German7.3%(1,390)
Irish4.6%(874)
English4.2%(793)
Scottish2.5%(469)
Italian1.8%(339)
Polish1.2%(225)
Scotch-Irish1.1%(208)
Norwegian0.7%(128)
Dutch0.6%(111)
Egyptian0.5%(90)
+ 15 more ancestry groups with data
French0.3%(52)
West Indian0.2%(37)
Swiss0.2%(30)
Welsh0.1%(28)
Guyanese0.1%(23)
Swedish0.1%(22)
Russian0.1%(15)
Lebanese0.1%(14)
Barbadian0.1%(13)
Portuguese0.1%(12)
British0.1%(11)
Syrian0%(4)
Haitian0%(3)
Section 05

Education

14.1%
+0.2 ptssince 2000
from 14.0% in 2000
US average: 32.9%
High school or higher
78.2%
+14.3 ptssince 2000
from 63.9% in 2000
US average: 88.5%
5.4%
+1.1 ptssince 2000
from 4.2% in 2000
US average: 12.7%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

25.2 min
+97%since 2000
from 12.8 min in 2000
US average: 26.9
75.3%
+0.7 ptssince 2009
from 74.6% in 2009
US average: 75.1%
17.2%
+1.4 ptssince 2009
from 15.8% in 2009
US average: 8.4%
Section 07

Work & employment

10.4%
−5.4 ptssince 2011
from 15.8% in 2011
US average: 5.4%
52.2%
−3.4 ptssince 2011
from 55.6% in 2011
US average: 63.4%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
59.5%
US average: 73.3%
15.8%
−3.7 ptssince 2009
from 19.5% in 2009
US average: 39.3%
Section 08

People & community

49.2%
+1.8 ptssince 2009
from 47.4% in 2009
50.8%
−1.8 ptssince 2009
from 52.6% in 2009
10.6%
−1.1 ptssince 2009
from 11.8% in 2009
US average: 13.5%
20.0%
−2.4 ptssince 2013
from 22.4% in 2013
US average: 8.8%
Computer in household
88.1%
US average: 91.9%
81.8%
US average: 86.2%
Marital status (2024)
Men 15+
Never married37.7%(2,825)
Married42.3%(3,171)
Widowed3.5%(266)
Divorced16.5%(1,235)
Women 15+
Never married39.8%(3,227)
Married38.3%(3,104)
Widowed7.2%(584)
Divorced14.7%(1,187)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09

Health coverage

20.0%
−2.4 ptssince 2013
from 22.4% in 2013
US average: 8.8%
33.3%
US average: 55.4%
Direct-purchase
14.0%
US average: 13.7%
19.9%
US average: 17.6%
26.8%
US average: 20.0%
VA health care
1.9%
US average: 2.3%
Any private
46.2%
US average: 68.1%
Any public
42.4%
US average: 35.2%

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, 2020
Gulf War (2001 or later)7.8%(77)
US avg: 20.6%
Gulf War (1990s)9.7%(96)
US avg: 21.4%
Vietnam era33.5%(332)
US avg: 35.2%
Korean War6.5%(64)
US avg: 7.6%
World War II0%(0)
US avg: 2.9%

Share of the 990 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.

BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
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Frequently asked

How many people live in Lexington, North Carolina?

Lexington, North Carolina has about 19,632 residents according to the 2020 American Community Survey.

What is the median household income in Lexington, North Carolina?

The typical household in Lexington, North Carolina earns about $30,366 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 $104,600, and the typical rent is about $710 a month.

How educated are people in Lexington, North Carolina?

About 14.1% 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 25.1% 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 3,051 residents, a change of about 18 percent over that period.

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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · UPDATED 2024

How we source and harmonize this data →