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COUNTY

Lee County

North Carolina · 70,258 residents (2025 est.) · 255.068 sq mi
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The short version

Lee County has lower-than-average household income, with a median household income of $65,387. Population has grown 34% since 2000. 21% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, below the national rate of 36%. Median home value has more than doubled since 2000, reaching $240,200.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Mid-age
median age 39.5
US median: 38.9
Less educated
21% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 47%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
65,816
+34%since 2000
from 49,040 in 2000
1990 – 2025
Population density
258 / sq mi
+14%since 2009
from 227 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
Median age
39.5
+10%since 2000
from 35.9 in 2000
US average: 38.9

PEP 2025 EST:70,258 residents (Census Bureau Vintage 2025, released March 2026)

Population, 1990 – 2024
39K46K54K61K68K1990201020202024Lee County
202466K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2024
Under 56.1%(4,014)
US avg: 5.6%
5 to 96.2%(4,049)
US avg: 6%
10 to 147.3%(4,805)
US avg: 6.4%
15 to 196.3%(4,169)
US avg: 6.6%
20 to 246.1%(4,013)
US avg: 6.5%
25 to 3412.8%(8,415)
US avg: 13.7%
35 to 4412.4%(8,192)
US avg: 13.2%
45 to 5412.4%(8,192)
US avg: 12.2%
55 to 6413.2%(8,684)
US avg: 12.7%
65 to 7410.3%(6,798)
US avg: 10.2%
75 to 845%(3,290)
US avg: 5.1%
85 and over1.8%(1,195)
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$65,387
−8%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $38,900 in 2000
US average: $82,259
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$32,243
+68%since 2000
from $19,147 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
43.2%
+17.7 ptssince 2009
from 25.5% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
Poverty rate
16.5%
+3.6 ptssince 2000
from 12.8% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
Income inequality (Gini)
0.421
+1%since 2010
from 0.419 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Retail trade18.6%
US avg: 9.9%
Information10.7%
US avg: 10.8%
Wholesale trade9.8%
US avg: 6.9%
Finance & insurance6.2%
US avg: 5.9%
Professional, scientific, technical4.7%
US avg: 5.1%
Other services3.5%
US avg: 6.7%
Transportation & warehousing1.9%
US avg: 2.2%
Public administration1.9%
US avg: 4.8%
Education & health services1.6%
US avg: 0.9%
Arts, entertainment, food1.1%
US avg: 1.9%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing0.8%
US avg: 1.6%
Construction0.7%
US avg: 1.2%
Manufacturing0%
US avg: 0.4%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$240,200
+47%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $89,500 in 2000
US average: $376,019
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$1,017
+12%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $497 in 2000
US average: $1,442
Owner-occupied
67.3%
−4.4 ptssince 2000
from 71.7% in 2000
32.7% rent
Vacancy rate
7.4%
−3.0 ptssince 2009
from 10.4% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
Owner cost-burdened
20.3%
−7.4 ptssince 2009
from 27.6% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
Renter cost-burdened
39.4%
+0.7 ptssince 2009
from 38.7% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
Afford Score
3.7
+23%since 2009
from 3.0 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index: median home value divided by median household income. Lower is more affordable.
Gentrification Score
43
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
RELATED:See current rent listings in Lee County on RentDataNow
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic66.2%(32,467)
Black20.4%(9,982)
Hispanic / Latino11.7%(5,715)
Asian0.7%(323)
Other0%
2024
White, non-Hispanic55.8%(36,695)
Black17.2%(11,333)
Hispanic / Latino21.7%(14,286)
Asian0.9%(579)
Other4.4%(2,923)
Diversity Score
76
+12%since 2009
from 68 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Segregation Score
35
−17%since 2020
from 42 in 2020
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means White and non-White residents are more separated across neighborhoods.
Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Hispanic origin
Mexican13%(8,530)
Central American5.4%(3,539)
Salvadoran2.3%(1,514)
Puerto Rican2%(1,297)
Guatemalan1.5%(980)
Honduran1.3%(846)
Panamanian0.2%(162)
Dominican0.2%(152)
Spaniard0.2%(150)
Cuban0.2%(107)
Venezuelan0.1%(78)
+ 6 more hispanic origin groups with data
Ecuadorian0.1%(65)
Colombian0.1%(53)
Nicaraguan0.1%(37)
Peruvian0%(28)
Bolivian0%(21)
Asian origin
Filipino0.3%(178)
Asian Indian0.3%(165)
Korean0.2%(119)
Vietnamese0.1%(91)
Chinese0%(23)
Pacific Islander origin
Samoan0%(13)
Ancestry
English11.2%(7,386)
German7.5%(4,915)
Irish7%(4,601)
American4.5%(2,986)
Italian2.6%(1,694)
Scottish2.6%(1,682)
Scotch-Irish2.1%(1,406)
Dutch1.6%(1,064)
Polish1.4%(901)
French1.3%(875)
Norwegian0.7%(481)
+ 34 more ancestry groups with data
Welsh0.6%(369)
Arab0.4%(294)
Swedish0.4%(271)
British0.4%(258)
Danish0.3%(223)
Czech0.3%(206)
West Indian0.3%(204)
Russian0.3%(170)
Romanian0.2%(137)
Haitian0.2%(120)
Swiss0.1%(95)
Portuguese0.1%(92)
Nigerian0.1%(87)
Lithuanian0.1%(55)
Turkish0.1%(43)
Moroccan0.1%(38)
Jamaican0.1%(37)
Hungarian0.1%(34)
Belgian0%(32)
Latvian0%(26)
Canadian0%(25)
Egyptian0%(24)
Brazilian0%(22)
Austrian0%(19)
Greek0%(19)
Lebanese0%(18)
Finnish0%(14)
Croatian0%(12)
Slovak0%(7)
Slovene0%(6)
Syrian0%(3)
Israeli0%(3)
RANKED:Largest Mexican population · Largest English population · Largest German population · Largest Irish population · Largest Central American population
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
21.3%
+4.1 ptssince 2000
from 17.2% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
84.9%
+8.6 ptssince 2000
from 76.3% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
Graduate degree
7.2%
+1.3 ptssince 2000
from 5.8% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
25.8 min
+48%since 2000
from 17.4 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
Drive alone to work
80.2%
+0.7 ptssince 2009
from 79.5% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
Carpooled to work
9.6%
−5.9 ptssince 2009
from 15.5% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
Public transit
0.1%
−0.2 ptssince 2009
from 0.4% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
Worked from home
6.7%
+4.4 ptssince 2009
from 2.3% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
Walked to work
2.1%
+1.3 ptssince 2009
from 0.8% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
Biked to work
0.0%
−0.1 ptssince 2009
from 0.1% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
No vehicle available
3.9%
−3.0 ptssince 2009
from 6.9% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07

Work & employment

Unemployment rate
3.8%
−6.7 ptssince 2011
from 10.6% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
Labor force participation
60.8%
−4.6 ptssince 2011
from 65.4% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Self-employed
11.0%
−1.0 ptssince 2009
from 12.0% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
Management & professional
32.9%
−27.7 ptssince 2009
from 60.5% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08

People & community

Male
49.4%
+0.4 ptssince 2009
from 49.0% in 2009
Female
50.6%
−0.4 ptssince 2009
from 51.0% in 2009
Foreign born
9.9%
−1.0 ptssince 2009
from 11.0% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
Veterans
7.2%
−40.9 ptssince 2009
from 48.1% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
With a disability
16.4%
+1.8 ptssince 2012
from 14.6% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
Uninsured
12.2%
−68.8 ptssince 2013
from 81.0% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Broadband at home
78.1%
+4.4 ptssince 2017
from 73.7% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
English only at home
79.4%
−2.4 ptssince 2016
from 81.8% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
Spanish at home
18.7%
+1.8 ptssince 2016
from 16.9% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married32.4%(8,361)
Married54.2%(14,001)
Widowed3.8%(971)
Divorced9.7%(2,508)
Women 15+
Never married28.2%(7,654)
Married48.7%(13,194)
Widowed10.3%(2,791)
Divorced12.8%(3,468)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Drill deeper

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Pop 67,225
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Pop 64,267
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Pop 64,665
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Head to head

Compare Lee County to nearby counties

LEE COUNTY VS
Chatham County
Income$94,317+44%
Home value$446,200+86%
Population85,111+21%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
LEE COUNTY VS
Harnett County
Income$71,287+9%
Home value$246,200+2%
Population150,137+114%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
LEE COUNTY VS
Moore County
Income$86,080+32%
Home value$351,400+46%
Population110,619+57%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
LEE COUNTY VS
Hoke County
Income$64,912−1%
Home value$219,300−9%
Population56,939−19%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in Lee County, North Carolina?

Lee County, North Carolina has about 65,816 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.

What is the median household income in Lee County, North Carolina?

The typical household in Lee County, North Carolina earns about $65,387 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Lee County, North Carolina expensive?

In Lee County, North Carolina, the median home is worth about $240,200, and the typical rent is about $1,017 a month.

How educated are people in Lee County, North Carolina?

About 21.3% of adults age 25 and over in Lee County, North Carolina hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Lee County, North Carolina?

About 16.5% of people in Lee County, North Carolina live below the federal poverty line.

Has Lee County, North Carolina grown since 1990?

Yes, Lee County, North Carolina has grown since 1990. The population has added about 24,442 residents, a change of about 59 percent over that period.

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16 census tracts
Census Tract 304.02Census Tract 301.02Census Tract 307.02Census Tract 306.02Census Tract 305.04Census Tract 301.01Census Tract 304.01Census Tract 306.01Census Tract 305.07Census Tract 302Census Tract 307.04Census Tract 305.05Census Tract 303Census Tract 305.02Census Tract 305.06Census Tract 307.03
3 ZIP codes
ZIP 27330ZIP 27332ZIP 28355
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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · UPDATED 2024

How we source and harmonize this data →