With 54,919 people, Lenoir County is a county in North Carolina. 16% of adults hold a bachelor's degree, below the 36% national rate. Home values have risen by half since 2000, reaching $120,500. That trails the North Carolina median by roughly 38%. The poverty rate is 22.0%, above the 12.5% national rate. Median household income is $45,143, under the $82,259 national median.
At a glance
Lower income
median household income $45,143, below the US median
US median: $82,259
Older
median age 41.9
US median: 38.9
Less educated
16% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Stable housing
home values roughly flat, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Unique to this place
What stands out about Lenoir County
What changed most since 1990
Adults with a bachelor's degree11.5% → 16.3%(+4.9 pts)US over the same years: +15.3 pts
White share59.6% → 47.3%(−12.3 pts)US over the same years: −17.8 pts
Median household income (2024 dollars)$50,898 → $45,143(−11%)US over the same years: +14%
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)18.3%(648)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)23.5%(832)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era43.3%(1,534)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War5%(176)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II0.1%(4)
US avg: 1%
Share of the 3,539 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
Over time
Lenoir County, decade by decade
Lenoir County population, inflation-adjusted income and home value, education, and diversity by year
Year
Population
Median household income
Median home value
Bachelor's degree+
Diversity score
1990
57,274
$50,898
$125,524
11.5%
61.3
2000
59,648
$56,819
$125,694
13.3%
66.2
2010
59,495
$48,372
$132,205
14.5%
71.3
2020
55,122
$48,388
$113,932
15.5%
74.9
2024
54,919
$45,143
$120,500
16.3%
76.6
Census years come from the decennial census and the latest year from the American Community Survey, so part of any change between those two rows can reflect the different surveys. Dollar figures are adjusted for inflation to 2024 dollars; a figure ending in "+" was at the Census Bureau's reporting cap that year. The diversity score runs from 0 to 100; see how it's calculated.
How many people live in Lenoir County, North Carolina?
Lenoir County, North Carolina has about 54,919 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Lenoir County, North Carolina?
The typical household in Lenoir County, North Carolina earns about $45,143 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Lenoir County, North Carolina expensive?
In Lenoir County, North Carolina, the median home is worth about $120,500, and the typical rent is about $861 a month.
How educated are people in Lenoir County, North Carolina?
About 16.3% of adults age 25 and over in Lenoir County, North Carolina hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Lenoir County, North Carolina?
About 22.0% of people in Lenoir County, North Carolina live below the federal poverty line.
Has Lenoir County, North Carolina grown since 1990?
Yes, Lenoir County, North Carolina has shrunk since 1990. The population has lost about 2,355 residents, a change of about -4 percent over that period.
