Lenoir, NC

Census Place

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2023 Population

18,282

0.104% 1-year decline

US Senator

Thom Tillis

Republican Party

US Senator

Ted Budd

Republican Party

2023 Median Age

43.5

0.694% 1-year increase

2023 Poverty Rate

12.9%

19.4% 1-year decrease

2023 Median Household Income

$48,889

9.12% 1-year growth

2023 Median Property Value

$165,200

13.8% 1-year growth

2023 Employed Population

7,723

2.69% 1-year growth

About

In 2023, Lenoir, NC had a population of 18.3k people with a median age of 43.5 and a median household income of $48,889. Between 2022 and 2023 the population of Lenoir, NC declined from 18,301 to 18,282, a −0.104% decrease and its median household income grew from $44,802 to $48,889, a 9.12% increase.

The 5 largest ethnic groups in Lenoir, NC are White (Non-Hispanic) (70.2%), Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) (12.5%), Other (Hispanic) (9.34%), Two+ (Non-Hispanic) (2.61%), and Two+ (Hispanic) (2.53%).

None of the households in Lenoir, 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.

94.4% of the residents in Lenoir, NC are U.S. citizens.

In 2023, the median property value in Lenoir, NC was $165,200, and the homeownership rate was 61.1%.

Most people in Lenoir, NC drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 23.6 minutes. The average car ownership in Lenoir, NC was 2 cars per household.

United States North Carolina Caldwell County, NC Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC Caldwell & Alexander Counties PUMA, NC

Population & Diversity

Lenoir, NC is home to a population of 18.3k people, from which 94.4% are citizens. As of 2023, 7.51% of Lenoir, NC residents were born outside of the country (1.37k people).

In 2023, there were 5.63 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (12.8k people) in Lenoir, NC than any other race or ethnicity. There were 2.28k Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) and 1.71k Other (Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

94.4%

2023 Citizenship

96%

2022 Citizenship

As of 2023, 94.4% of Lenoir, NC residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.4%. In 2022, the percentage of US citizens in Lenoir, NC was 96%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been decreasing.

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

Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Lenoir, NC

White (Non-Hispanic)
12.8k ± 667
Black or African American (Non-Hispanic)
2.28k ± 321
Other (Hispanic)
1.71k ± 754

13.6%

Hispanic Population

2.48k people

13.6% of the people in Lenoir, NC are hispanic (2.48k people).

The following chart shows the 7 races represented in Lenoir, NC as a share of the total population.

Global Diversity

The PUMS dataset is not available at the Place level, so we are showing data for North Carolina.

Most Common Origin

Mexico
214,508 ± 11,254 people
India
79,868 ± 6,912 people
Honduras
39,759 ± 4,886 people

In 2022, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of North Carolina was Mexico, the natal country of 214,508 North Carolina residents, followed by India with 79,868 and Honduras with 39,759.

Foreign-Born Population

7.51%

2023 Foreign-Born Population

1.37k people

5.4%

2022 Foreign-Born Population

988 people

As of 2023, 7.51% of Lenoir, NC residents (1.37k people) were born outside of the United States, which is lower than the national average of 13.8%. In 2022, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Lenoir, NC was 5.4%, meaning that the rate has been increasing.

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

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Vietnam
330 ± 143
Gulf War (2001-)
206 ± 125
Gulf War (1990s)
113 ± 75

Lenoir, NC has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 1.6 times greater than any other conflict.

Economy

The economy of Lenoir, NC employs 7.72k people. The largest industries in Lenoir, NC are Health Care & Social Assistance (1,284 people), Manufacturing (1,078 people), and Retail Trade (1,014 people), and the highest paying industries are Finance & Insurance ($92,608), Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services ($83,103), and Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($61,365).

Males in North Carolina have an average income that is 1.31 times higher than the average income of females, which is $57,464. The income inequality in North Carolina (measured using the Gini index) is 0.47, which is lower than than the national average.

Employment

Occupations

7.72k

2023 Value

± 788

2.69%

1 Year growth

± 13.8%

From 2022 to 2023, employment in Lenoir, NC grew at a rate of 2.69%, from 7.52k employees to 7.72k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Lenoir, NC, are Office & Administrative Support Occupations (870 people), Sales & Related Occupations (756 people), and Management Occupations (719 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Lenoir, NC.

Unemployment Insurance Claims

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

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

7.72k

2023 Value

± 788

2.69%

1 Year growth

± 13.8%

From 2022 to 2023, employment in Lenoir, NC grew at a rate of 2.69%, from 7.52k employees to 7.72k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Lenoir, NC, are Health Care & Social Assistance (1,284 people), Manufacturing (1,078 people), and Retail Trade (1,014 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Lenoir, NC, though some of these residents may live in Lenoir, NC and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

Median Earnings by Industry

$42,375

Median earning men ± $6,674

$33,671

Median earning women ± $4,045

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2023 are Other Services Except Public Administration ($92,673), Information ($65,563), and Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($60,542).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2023 are Transportation & Warehousing, & Utilities ($80,132), Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($72,898), and Public Administration ($46,574).

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.

Education

Completions

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.

Working Population

Educational Pyramid

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

Measure

In 2022, 0.944% of men over 25 years of age had not completed any academic degree (no schooling), while 0.805% of women were in the same situation.

This visualization shows the gender distribution of the population according to the academic level reached.

Educational Attainment

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

Race

The most common educational levels obtained by the working population in 2022 were High School or Equivalent (2.16M), Some college (1.84M), and Bachelors Degree (1.63M).

This visualization illustrates the percentage distribution of the population according to the highest educational level reached. You can filter the data by race by using the selector above.

Housing & Living

The median property value in Lenoir, NC was $165,200 in 2023, which is 0.544 times smaller than the national average of $303,400. Between 2022 and 2023 the median property value increased from $145,200 to $165,200, a 13.8% increase. The homeownership rate in Lenoir, NC is 61.1%, which is approximately the same as the national average of 65%.

People in Lenoir, NC have an average commute time of 23.6 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Lenoir, NC is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

Median household income in Lenoir, NC is $48,889. In 2023, the place with the highest median household income in Lenoir, NC was Census Tract 305 with a value of $76,275, followed by Census Tract 311 and Census Tract 302, with respective values of $60,739 and $49,692.

Housing

Property

$165,200

Median Property Value 2023

±$16,491

$4,743

Median Property Taxes

±$580

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 Lenoir, NC the largest share of households pay taxes in the $800 - $1,499 range.

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

Rent vs Own

61.1%

Homeownership

2023

69.2%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2023

In 2023, 61.1% of the housing units in Lenoir, NC were occupied by their owner. This percentage declined from the previous year's rate of 64.1%.

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

Equity

Income by Location

Use the dropdown to filter by race/ethnicity.

Race/Ethnicity

Highest Median Household Income (Total)

Census Tract 305
Census Tract 311
Census Tract 302

In 2023, the place with the highest Median Household Income (Total) in Lenoir, NC was Census Tract 305 with a value of $76,275, followed by Census Tract 311 and Census Tract 302, with respective values of $60,739 and $49,692.

The following map shows all of the places in Lenoir, NC colored by their Median Household Income (Total).

Household Income

Please note that the buckets used in this visualization were not evenly distributed by ACS when publishing the data.

$48,889

Median Household Income

± $5,561

7.76k

Number of Households

± 794

In 2023, the median household income of the 7.76k households in Lenoir, NC grew to $48,889 from the previous year's value of $44,802.

The following chart displays the households in Lenoir, 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.

Wage Distribution

The closest comparable wage GINI for Lenoir, NC is from North Carolina.

0.47

2022 Wage GINI in North Carolina

0.47

2021 Wage GINI in North Carolina

In 2022, the income inequality in North Carolina was 0.47 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.0732% decline from 2021 to 2022, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat more even. The GINI for North Carolina was lower than than the national average of 0.478. 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.

Transportation

Commuter Transportation

Most Common Commute in 2023

Drove Alone (79.7%)
Carpooled (11.2%)
Worked At Home (6.74%)

In 2023, 79.7% of workers in Lenoir, NC drove alone to work, followed by those who carpooled to work (11.2%) and those who worked at home (6.74%).

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.

Commute Time

23.6 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Lenoir, NC have a shorter commute time (23.6 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.6 minutes). Additionally, 3.41% of the workforce in Lenoir, NC have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

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

Car Ownership

2 cars

Average Number

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

Poverty

Poverty & Diversity

12.9% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Lenoir, NC (2.3k out of 17.8k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is higher than the national average of 12.4%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 65 - 74, followed by Females 35 - 44 and then Females 55 - 64.

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

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.

Social Needs

Data only available at the state level.

Most prevalent states

California
35,798 individuals
New York
5,087 individuals
Florida
4,915 individuals

In 2017, California had the highest estimated number of chronically homeless individuals in the nation, at 35,798. New York has the second highest (5,087), followed by Florida (4,915).

The following map shows the estimated number of chronically homeless individuals by state over multiple years.

Health

86.1% of the population of Lenoir, NC has health coverage, with 36.3% on employee plans, 22.4% on Medicaid, 15.9% on Medicare, 10.2% on non-group plans, and 1.34% on military or VA plans.

Primary care physicians in Caldwell County, NC see 2219 patients per year on average, which represents a 0.09% decrease from the previous year (2221 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 3095 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 1102 patients per year.

Coverage

Patient to Clinician Ratios

Data is only available at the country level. Showing data for Caldwell County, NC.

2,219 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Caldwell County, NC

Primary care physicians in Caldwell County, NC see an average of 2,219 patients per year. This represents a 0.09% decrease from the previous year (2,221 patients).

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

Health Care Diversity

In 2023, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 23.7% under 18 years, 17.5% between 18 and 34 years, 38.4% between 35 and 64 years, and 20.5% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 44.7% were men and 55.3% were women.

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

Uninsured People

13.9%

Uninsured

36.3%

Employer Coverage

22.4%

Medicaid

15.9%

Medicare

10.2%

Non-Group

1.34%

Military or VA

Between 2022 and 2023, the percent of uninsured citizens in Lenoir, NC declined by 2.43% from 14.2% to 13.9%.

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

Keep Exploring

North Carolina

State

Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC