Kinston, NC

Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA)

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2024 Population
54,919
US Senator
Thom Tillis
Republican Party
US Senator
Ted Budd
Republican Party
2024 Median Age
41.9
0.711% 1-year decrease
2024 Poverty Rate
22%
2.26% 1-year decrease
2024 Median Household Income
$45,143
0.777% 1-year growth
2024 Median Property Value
$120,500
8.17% 1-year growth
2024 Employed Population
22,494
0.649% 1-year decline

About

None of the households in Kinston, NC reported speaking a non-English language at home as their primary shared language. This does not consider the potential multi-lingual nature of households, but only the primary self-reported language spoken by all members of the household.

97.1% of the residents in Kinston, NC are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Kinston, NC are Lenoir Community College (620 degrees awarded in 2023).

In 2024, the median property value in Kinston, NC was $120,500, and the homeownership rate was 59.2%.

Most people in Kinston, NC drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 24.3 minutes. The average car ownership in Kinston, NC was 2 cars per household.

Kinston, NC borders Goldsboro, NC, Greenville, NC, and New Bern, NC.

United StatesNorth Carolina

Population & Diversity

Kinston, NC is home to a population of 54.9k people, from which 97.1% are citizens. As of 2024, 4.37% of Kinston, NC residents were born outside of the country (2.4k people).

In 2024, there were 1.21 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (26k people) in Kinston, NC than any other race or ethnicity. There were 21.5k Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) and 2.48k Other (Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

97.1%
2024 Citizenship
97.2%
2023 Citizenship

As of 2024, 97.1% of Kinston, NC residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.2%. In 2023, the percentage of US citizens in Kinston, NC was 97.2%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been decreasing.

The following chart shows US citizenship percentages in Kinston, NC compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

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Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Kinston, NC
  1. White (Non-Hispanic)
    26k ± 236
  2. Black or African American (Non-Hispanic)
    21.5k ± 473
  3. Other (Hispanic)
    2.48k ± 426
8.82%
Hispanic Population
4.84k people

In 2024, there were 1.21 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (26k people) in Kinston, NC than any other race or ethnicity. There were 21.5k Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) and 2.48k Other (Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

8.82% of the people in Kinston, NC are hispanic (4.84k people).

The following chart shows the 8 races represented in Kinston, NC as a share of the total population.

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Global Diversity

The PUMS dataset is not available at the MSA level, so we are showing data for North Carolina.
Most Common Origin
  1. Mexico
    224,963 ± 11,520 people
  2. India
    83,219 ± 7,055 people
  3. Honduras
    48,247 ± 5,380 people

In 2023, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of North Carolina was Mexico, the natal country of 224,963 North Carolina residents, followed by India with 83,219 and Honduras with 48,247.

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Foreign-Born Population

4.37%
2024 Foreign-Born Population
2.4k people
4.24%
2023 Foreign-Born Population
2.33k people

As of 2024, 4.37% of Kinston, NC residents (2.4k people) were born outside of the United States, which is approximately the same as the national average of 14%. In 2023, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Kinston, NC was 4.24%, meaning that the rate has been increasing.

The following chart shows the percentage of foreign-born residents in Kinston, NC compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

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Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period
  1. Vietnam
    1,405 ± 229
  2. Gulf War (1990s)
    664 ± 208
  3. Gulf War (2001-)
    648 ± 232

Kinston, NC has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 2.12 times greater than any other conflict.

The chart shows the distribution of veterans by conflict in Kinston, NC.

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Economy

The economy of Kinston, NC employs 22.5k people. In 2024, the largest industries in Kinston, NC were Health Care & Social Assistance (4,717 people), Manufacturing (3,782 people), and Retail Trade (2,117 people), and the highest paying industries were Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($55,813), Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($55,098), and Transportation & Warehousing ($52,358).

Employment

Occupations

22.5k
2024 Value
± 1,300
−0.649%
1 Year decline
± 8.17%

From 2023 to 2024, employment in Kinston, NC declined at a rate of −0.649%, from 22.6k employees to 22.5k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Kinston, NC, are Production Occupations (2,420 people), Management Occupations (2,243 people), and Office & Administrative Support Occupations (1,926 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Kinston, NC.

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Unemployment Insurance Claims

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for North Carolina.

This chart shows weekly unemployment insurance claims in North Carolina (not-seasonally adjusted) compared with the four states with the most similar impact.

The most recent data point uses Advance State Claims data, which can be revised in subsequent weeks.

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Industries

Employment by Industries

22.5k
2024 Value
± 1,300
−0.649%
1 Year decline
± 8.17%

From 2023 to 2024, employment in Kinston, NC declined at a rate of −0.649%, from 22.6k employees to 22.5k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Kinston, NC, are Health Care & Social Assistance (4,717 people), Manufacturing (3,782 people), and Retail Trade (2,117 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Kinston, NC, though some of these residents may live in Kinston, NC and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

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Median Earnings by Industry

$42,352
Median earning men ± $3,546
$32,892
Median earning women ± $1,685

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2024 are Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($65,000), Transportation & Warehousing, & Utilities ($61,923), and Information ($59,167).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2024 are Wholesale Trade ($51,477), Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($48,454), and Transportation & Warehousing, & Utilities ($43,750).

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Employment by Industry Sector

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for North Carolina.
Y-Axis
3.04%
Year-over-year growth
Employment change between February 2022 and February 2023

As of February 2023, there are 4.86M people employed in North Carolina. This represents a 3.04% increase in employment when compared to February 2022.

Right after the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, during April 2020, a general dip can be seen across industry sectors, resulting in an overall decline in employment by 10.9%.

The following chart shows monthly employment numbers for each industry sector in North Carolina.

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Establishments by Size

The industries with the most establishments
  1. 102
    Retail Trade
  2. 99
    Other Services (except Public Administration)
  3. 70
    Construction

The visualization shows the distribution of establishments by industry and by size according to the number of employees.

The visualization shows the number of establishments and its share across establishment sizes.

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Payroll by Industry Sector

The industries with the highest total annual payroll
  1. $350k
    Manufacturing
  2. $183k
    Health Care and Social Assistance
  3. $95.2k
    Construction

The chart shows the total annual payroll and the average annual payroll by industry.

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Education

In 2023, universities in Kinston, NC awarded 620 degrees. The student population of Kinston, NC in 2023 is skewed towards women, with 840 male students and 1,547 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Kinston, NC are White (362 and 58.4%), Black or African American (147 and 23.7%), Hispanic or Latino (82 and 13.2%), and Two or More Races (15 and 2.42%).

The largest universities in Kinston, NC by number of degrees awarded are Lenoir Community College (620 and 100%).

The most popular majors in Kinston, NC are Liberal Arts & Sciences (179 and 28.9%), Medical Office Management (44 and 7.1%), and Welding Technology (36 and 5.81%).

Admissions & Enrollments

Enrollments by Gender and Races

In 2023 there were 2,387 students enrolled in Kinston, NC, 35.2% men and 64.8% women.

By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in White with 1,165 records, of which 61.5% were women and 38.5% men.

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Completions

Concentrations

Most Common
  1. Liberal Arts & Sciences
    179 degrees awarded
  2. Registered Nursing
    25 degrees awarded
  3. Medical Office Management
    14 degrees awarded

In 2023, the most common concentation for Associates Degree recipients in Kinston, NC was Liberal Arts & Sciences with 179 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of students graduating with a Associates Degree from schools in Kinston, NC according to their major.

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Universities

Gender
Race
Lenoir Community College
Largest Universities by degrees awarded
620 degrees awarded

In 2023, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was Lenoir Community College with 620 degrees awarded.

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Student Diversity

In 2023, 236 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Kinston, NC, which is 0.615 times less than the 384 female students who received degrees in the same year.

In 2023, the most common race/ethnicity group awarded degrees at institutions was White students. These 362 degrees mean that there were 2.46 times more degrees awarded to White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Black or African American, with 147 degrees awarded.

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Awarded Degrees over Time

The graph shows the evolution of awarded degrees by degrees. Under the paragraphs, the average number of awarded degrees by university in each degree is shown.

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Tuition

Average Net Price by Sector

Public, 2-year ($2,432) is the sector with the highest median state tuition in 2023.

Public, 2-year ($136) is the sector with the highest median state fee in 2023.

Public, 2-year ($2,250) is the sector with the highest average net price of books and supplies.

The graph shows the average net price by sector and year.

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Housing & Living

The median property value in Kinston, NC was $120,500 in 2024, which is 0.362 times smaller than the national average of $332,700. Between 2023 and 2024 the median property value increased from $111,400 to $120,500, a 8.17% increase. The homeownership rate in Kinston, NC is 59.2%, which is lower than the national average of 65.2%.

People in Kinston, NC have an average commute time of 24.3 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Kinston, NC is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

Housing

Property

$120,500
Median Property Value 2024
±$7,092
$13,826
Median Property Taxes
±$930

The following chart display owner-occupied housing units distributed between a series of property tax buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In Kinston, NC the largest share of households pay taxes in the < $800 range.

The chart underneath the paragraph shows the property taxes in Kinston, NC compared to it's parent and neighbor geographies.

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Rent vs Own

59.2%
Homeownership
2024
62.3%
Homeowners with Mortgage
2024

In 2024, 59.2% of the housing units in Kinston, NC were occupied by their owner. This percentage declined from the previous year's rate of 59.3%.

This chart shows the percentage of owner in Kinston, NC compared it's parent and neighboring geographies.

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Equity

Household Income

Please note that the buckets used in this visualization were not evenly distributed by ACS when publishing the data.
$45,143
Median Household Income
± $2,547
23.4k
Number of Households
± 1,227

In 2024, the median household income of the 23.4k households in Kinston, NC grew to $45,143 from the previous year's value of $44,795.

The following chart displays the households in Kinston, NC distributed between a series of income buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households have an income in the < $10k range.

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Wage Distribution

The closest comparable wage GINI for Kinston, NC is from North Carolina.
0.467
2023 Wage GINI in North Carolina
0.47
2022 Wage GINI in North Carolina

In 2023, the income inequality in North Carolina was 0.467 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.639% decline from 2022 to 2023, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat more even. The GINI for North Carolina was lower than than the national average of 0.476. In other words, wages are distributed more evenly in North Carolina in comparison to the national average.

This chart shows the number of workers in North Carolina across various wage buckets compared to the national average.

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Transportation

Commuter Transportation

Most Common Commute in 2024
  1. Drove Alone (82.4%)
  2. Carpooled (12.2%)
  3. Worked At Home (3.4%)

In 2024, 82.4% of workers in Kinston, NC drove alone to work, followed by those who carpooled to work (12.2%) and those who worked at home (3.4%).

The following chart shows the number of households using each mode of transportation over time, using a logarithmic scale on the y-axis to help better show variations in the smaller means of commuting.

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Commute Time

24.3 minutes
Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Kinston, NC have a shorter commute time (24.3 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.4 minutes). Additionally, 1.79% of the workforce in Kinston, NC have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

The chart below shows how the median household income in Kinston, NC compares to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

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Car Ownership

2 cars
Average Number

The following chart displays the households in Kinston, NC distributed between a series of car ownership buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households in Kinston, NC have 2 cars.

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Poverty

Poverty & Diversity

22% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Kinston, NC (11.9k out of 54k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is higher than the national average of 12.5%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Males 55 - 64, followed by Females 55 - 64 and then Females 25 - 34.

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Kinston, NC is Black, followed by White and Hispanic.

The Census Bureau uses a set of money income thresholds that vary by family size and composition to determine who classifies as impoverished. If a family's total income is less than the family's threshold than that family and every individual in it is considered to be living in poverty.

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Health

89.9% of the population of Kinston, NC has health coverage, with 30.7% on employee plans, 24% on Medicaid, 14.5% on Medicare, 18.7% on non-group plans, and 2.02% on military or VA plans.

Primary care physicians in North Carolina see 1,413 patients per year on average, which represents a 0% change from the previous year (1,413 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 1634 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 299 patients per year.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 47.6% were men and 52.4% were women.

Coverage

Patient to Clinician Ratios

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for North Carolina.
1,413 to 1
Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in North Carolina

Primary care physicians in North Carolina see an average of 1,413 patients per year. This represents a 0% change from the previous year (1,413 patients).

The following chart shows how the number of patients seen by primary care physicians has been changing over time in North Carolina in comparison to its neighboring geographies.

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Health Care Diversity

In 2024, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 23.7% under 18 years, 18% between 18 and 34 years, 37.1% between 35 and 64 years, and 21.2% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 47.6% were men and 52.4% were women.

The following chart shows the number of people with health coverage by gender.

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Uninsured People

10.1%
Uninsured
30.7%
Employer Coverage
24%
Medicaid
14.5%
Medicare
18.7%
Non-Group
2.02%
Military or VA

Between 2023 and 2024, the percent of uninsured citizens in Kinston, NC declined by 0.926% from 10.2% to 10.1%.

The following chart shows how the percent of uninsured individuals in Kinston, NC changed over time compared with the percent of individuals enrolled in various types of health insurance.

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