Lincoln County, NC

County

Add Comparison

2024 Population

92,716

US Senator

Thom Tillis

Republican Party

US Senator

Ted Budd

Republican Party

2024 Median Age

44.4

0.226% 1-year increase

2024 Poverty Rate

11.2%

24.3% 1-year increase

2024 Median Household Income

$80,016

1.94% 1-year growth

2024 Median Property Value

$321,000

14.8% 1-year growth

2024 Employed Population

44,695

1.94% 1-year growth

About

None of the households in Lincoln County, 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% of the residents in Lincoln County, NC are U.S. citizens.

In 2024, the median property value in Lincoln County, NC was $321,000, and the homeownership rate was 78.9%.

Most people in Lincoln County, NC drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 29.3 minutes. The average car ownership in Lincoln County, NC was 2 cars per household.

Lincoln County, NC borders Burke County, NC, Catawba County, NC, Cleveland County, NC, Gaston County, NC, Iredell County, NC, and Mecklenburg County, NC.

United States North Carolina Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC

Population & Diversity

Lincoln County, NC is home to a population of 92.7k people, from which 97% are citizens. As of 2024, 5.47% of Lincoln County, NC residents were born outside of the country (5.08k people).

In 2024, there were 13.9 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (76k people) in Lincoln County, NC than any other race or ethnicity. There were 5.47k Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) and 3.3k Two Races Including Other (Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

97%

2024 Citizenship

97.3%

2023 Citizenship

As of 2024, 97% of Lincoln County, NC residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.2%. In 2023, the percentage of US citizens in Lincoln County, NC was 97.3%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been decreasing.

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

Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Lincoln County, NC

White (Non-Hispanic)
76k ± 655
Black or African American (Non-Hispanic)
5.47k ± 280
Two Races Including Other (Hispanic)
3.3k ± 700

8.13%

Hispanic Population

7.54k people

8.13% of the people in Lincoln County, NC are hispanic (7.54k people).

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

Global Diversity

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

Most Common Origin

Mexico
224,963 ± 11,520 people
India
83,219 ± 7,055 people
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.

Foreign-Born Population

5.47%

2024 Foreign-Born Population

5.08k people

5.07%

2023 Foreign-Born Population

4.58k people

As of 2024, 5.47% of Lincoln County, NC residents (5.08k 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 Lincoln County, NC was 5.07%, meaning that the rate has been increasing.

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

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Vietnam
1,625 ± 268
Gulf War (2001-)
1,179 ± 388
Gulf War (1990s)
496 ± 159

Lincoln County, NC has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 1.38 times greater than any other conflict.

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

Economy

The economy of Lincoln County, NC employs 44.7k people. In 2024, the largest industries in Lincoln County, NC were Manufacturing (7,217 people), Health Care & Social Assistance (5,378 people), and Retail Trade (4,913 people), and the highest paying industries were Finance & Insurance ($108,389), Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services ($96,738), and Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($84,914).

Employment

Occupations

44.7k

2024 Value

± 1,883

1.94%

1 Year growth

± 5.88%

From 2023 to 2024, employment in Lincoln County, NC grew at a rate of 1.94%, from 43.8k employees to 44.7k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Lincoln County, NC, are Management Occupations (6,144 people), Office & Administrative Support Occupations (4,924 people), and Sales & Related Occupations (4,210 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Lincoln County, NC.

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.

Industries

Employment by Industries

44.7k

2024 Value

± 1,883

1.94%

1 Year growth

± 5.88%

From 2023 to 2024, employment in Lincoln County, NC grew at a rate of 1.94%, from 43.8k employees to 44.7k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Lincoln County, NC, are Manufacturing (7,217 people), Health Care & Social Assistance (5,378 people), and Retail Trade (4,913 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Lincoln County, NC, though some of these residents may live in Lincoln County, NC and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

Median Earnings by Industry

$56,758

Median earning men ± $2,908

$39,420

Median earning women ± $2,440

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2024 are Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($145,225), Wholesale Trade ($73,864), and Transportation & Warehousing, & Utilities ($70,479).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2024 are Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($65,600), Public Administration ($62,153), and Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing & Hunting, & Mining ($60,064).

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.

Establishments by Size

The industries with the most establishments

217
Construction
168
Other Services (except Public Administration)
135
Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services

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.

Payroll by Industry Sector

The industries with the highest total annual payroll

$247k
Manufacturing
$180k
Health Care and Social Assistance
$109k
Retail Trade

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

Housing & Living

The median property value in Lincoln County, NC was $321,000 in 2024, which is 0.965 times smaller than the national average of $332,700. Between 2023 and 2024 the median property value increased from $279,500 to $321,000, a 14.8% increase. The homeownership rate in Lincoln County, NC is 78.9%, which is higher than the national average of 65.2%.

People in Lincoln County, NC have an average commute time of 29.3 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Lincoln County, NC is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

In 2025, 11.5% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Lincoln County, NC. From 2014 to 2025, the indicator grew 0.00155%.

Housing

Property

$321,000

Median Property Value 2024

±$13,100

$29,052

Median Property Taxes

±$1,370

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

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

Rent vs Own

78.9%

Homeownership

2024

67.2%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2024

In 2024, 78.9% of the housing units in Lincoln County, NC were occupied by their owner. This percentage grew from the previous year's rate of 78.5%.

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

Equity

Household Income

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

$80,016

Median Household Income

± $4,599

36.8k

Number of Households

± 1,697

In 2024, the median household income of the 36.8k households in Lincoln County, NC grew to $80,016 from the previous year's value of $78,490.

The following chart displays the households in Lincoln County, 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 $75k - $100k range.

Wage Distribution

The closest comparable wage GINI for Lincoln County, 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.

Transportation

Commuter Transportation

Most Common Commute in 2024

Drove Alone (76.2%)
Worked At Home (14.3%)
Carpooled (7.15%)

In 2024, 76.2% of workers in Lincoln County, NC drove alone to work, followed by those who worked at home (14.3%) and those who carpooled to work (7.15%).

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

29.3 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Lincoln County, NC have a longer commute time (29.3 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.4 minutes). Additionally, 2.15% of the workforce in Lincoln County, NC have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

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

Car Ownership

2 cars

Average Number

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

Poverty

Severe Housing Problems

In 2025, 11.5% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Lincoln County, NC. From 2014 to 2025, the indicator grew 0.00155%.

The graph shows the trend of the percentage of the population living with severe housing problems.

Poverty & Diversity

11.2% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Lincoln County, NC (10.3k out of 91.9k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is lower 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 75+.

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

Children in Poverty

In 2025, 13.2% of the children was living in poverty in Lincoln County, NC. From 2014 to 2025, the indicator declined 8.5%.

The graph shows the trend of the percentage of the children 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.

Security

Crimes & Accidents

Indicator

In 2022, the number of reported violent crimes offenses per 100,000 population was 153 in Lincoln County, NC. From 2014 to 2022, the indicator grew 8.61 per 100,000 population.

The graph shows the trend in the number of reported violent crimes offenses per 100,000 population.

Health

91.3% of the population of Lincoln County, NC has health coverage, with 45% on employee plans, 13.9% on Medicaid, 14.5% on Medicare, 16.4% on non-group plans, and 1.45% on military or VA plans.

Primary care physicians in Lincoln County, NC see 2,299 patients per year on average, which represents a 0% change from the previous year (2,299 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 2165 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 1153 patients per year.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 49.9% were men and 50.1% were women.

Coverage

Patient to Clinician Ratios

2,299 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Lincoln County, NC

Primary care physicians in Lincoln County, NC see an average of 2,299 patients per year. This represents a 0% change from the previous year (2,299 patients).

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

Health Care Diversity

In 2024, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 21.8% under 18 years, 17.4% between 18 and 34 years, 41.6% between 35 and 64 years, and 19.2% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 49.9% were men and 50.1% were women.

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

Uninsured People

8.72%

Uninsured

45%

Employer Coverage

13.9%

Medicaid

14.5%

Medicare

16.4%

Non-Group

1.45%

Military or VA

Between 2023 and 2024, the percent of uninsured citizens in Lincoln County, NC declined by 5.7% from 9.24% to 8.72%.

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

Health Indicators

Health Outcomes

Indicator

In 2025, the number of deaths among residents under age 18 per 100,000 population was 46.8 in Lincoln County, NC.

The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in Lincoln County, NC.

Health Behaviors

Indicator

In 2025, the percentage of the adult population (age 18 and older) that reports a body mass index (BMI) greater than or equal to 30 kg/m2 (age-adjusted) was 33.2% in Lincoln County, NC.

The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in Lincoln County, NC.