Lenoir County, North Carolina
Located in North Carolina, Lenoir County has a population of 54,919 residents and a median age of 41.9 years, making it the #948 most populous county out of 3,222 nationwide. In terms of economic indicators, the county has a poverty rate of 22.0%. The median home value is $120,500, and the median household income is $45,143, which is 40% below the national median.
Demographics
Lenoir County has a population of 54,919, making it the #948 most populous county in the US. The median age is 41.9 years, which is 7.7% above the national median.
Population Trend
Rankings →Year-over-Year Population Growth
Age & Sex Distribution
Race & Ethnicity
Nativity
Geographic Mobility (Past Year)
Economy
The median household income in Lenoir County is $45,143, ranking #2,957 out of 3,222 counties — 39.9% below the national median. The poverty rate is 22.0% and unemployment stands at 9.0%.
Median Household Income Trend
Rankings →Income Distribution
Industry of Employment
Occupation
Housing
The median home value in Lenoir County is $120,500 (-57.3% vs national). Renters pay a median of $861/mo and the homeownership rate is 59.2%.
Median Home Value Trend
Rankings →Household Type
Education
In Lenoir County, 16.3% of adults age 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher, which is 51.5% below the national average, ranking #2,607 out of 3,222 counties.
Bachelor's Degree or Higher Trend
Rankings →Health & Wellbeing
Life expectancy in Lenoir County is 70.9 years. 23.3% of adults report poor or fair health and 12.9% lack health insurance. Data from County Health Rankings (2025).
Life Expectancy Trend
Substance Use
19.2% of adults in Lenoir County smoke , 40.4% are obese , and 16.3% report excessive drinking. The drug overdose death rate is 35.1 per 100,000.
Adult Smoking Trend
Safety
The homicide rate in Lenoir County is 15.3 per 100,000 and the suicide rate is 11.0 per 100,000. Motor vehicle deaths occur at a rate of 22.0 per 100,000.
Homicide Rate Trend
Families & Children
32.0% of children in Lenoir County live in poverty and the infant mortality rate is 12.1 per 1,000 live births. The teen birth rate is 31.7 per 1,000 females age 15–19.
Infant Mortality Trend
Civic & Transportation
Voter turnout in Lenoir County is 67.3%. The mean commute time is 26.9 min, which is 2.4% below the national average.
Voter Turnout Trend
Mean Commute Time Trend
Rankings →Elections
In the 2024 presidential election, Lenoir County voted Republican with a margin of 6.8%. The vote was 46.2% Dem / 53% Rep. Compared to 2020, the margin shifted 3.3 toward Republicans .
Vote Share Over Time
About Lenoir County, North Carolina
Lenoir County, North Carolina has a total population of 54,919, making it the 948th most populous county in the United States. The median age in Lenoir County is 41.9 years, which is 7.7% above the national median of 38.9 years.
The median household income in Lenoir County is $45,143, which ranks #2,957 of 3,222 counties nationwide. This is 39.9% below the national median of $75,149. The poverty rate is 22.0%, higher than the national rate of 12.6%. The unemployment rate stands at 9.0%.
The median home value in Lenoir County is $120,500, 57.3% below the national median. Renters in Lenoir County pay a median gross rent of $861 per month. The homeownership rate is 59.2%, compared to the national rate of 64.4%.
In Lenoir County, 16.3% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 51.5% below the national average of 33.7%. Health insurance coverage stands at 89.9% of the population. The average commute time for workers is 26.9 min.
Lenoir County is a diverse community. The largest racial or ethnic group is White (non-Hispanic) at 47.3% of the population, followed by Black (non-Hispanic) (39.2%) and Hispanic or Latino (8.8%).
All data for Lenoir County, North Carolina comes from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates. These figures are estimates based on survey sampling and are subject to margin of error. For the most detailed and up-to-date data, visit the Census Bureau's official data portal.