Census place 3737760

Lenoir

A Census profile of the people, homes, and daily patterns that shape this place.

Official Census name: Lenoir city

Relocation snapshot

What stands out in Lenoir.

According to the 2025 estimate, Lenoir has a population of 18,372 and 882 residents per square mile. Of the six relocation measures evaluated, the three largest relative differences from the median among 93 covered North Carolina places are: median gross rent is $664, below the comparison median of $1,246; population density is 882/sq mi, below the comparison median of 1,644/sq mi; and median home value is $179,400, below the comparison median of $309,100. These unweighted medians compare covered Census places and are not statewide estimates.

median gross rent
$664
Below the comparison median of $1,246
population density
882/sq mi
Below the comparison median of 1,644/sq mi
median home value
$179,400
Below the comparison median of $309,100

National context

Follow the metrics.

Compare Lenoir's values with other covered Census places. Rankings are descriptive, not recommendations.

At a glance

A city in numbers.

Population
18,372
2025 estimate
Annual change
+0.2%
Population estimate
Density
882/sq mi
20.8 sq mi land area
Median age
45.7 years
ACS 5-year estimate

Living here

The everyday equation.

Households, homes, education, and the time it takes to get around.

Median household income
$49,910
Median home value
$179,400
Median gross rent
$664
Bachelor’s degree or higher
21.2%
Typical commute
24.8 min
Drive-alone commute
77.2%
Public transit commute
0%
Walked to work
0.3%

Housing

Who rents, and what it takes.

Renter share and rent burden help describe the housing choices visible in this place.

Renter-occupied homes
35.8%
Renters paying 30%+ of income
35.8%

Work

How the workday lands.

Employment status and working-from-home share add context to income and commuting patterns.

Employed residents 16+
50.2%
Unemployed residents 16+
2.4%
Working from home
11.1%

Community

The everyday infrastructure.

Access, mobility, housing growth, and household composition add another layer to a place's day-to-day picture.

Households with broadband
82%
Homes built 2020+
0.3%
Households without a vehicle
4.9%
Households with children
22%
Residents with a disability
23.6%
Residents without insurance
12.5%

Environmental context

A record of declared events.

FEMA declarations for Caldwell County provide historical context, not a forecast or a property-level risk assessment.

Environmental declarations since 2000
13
Hurricane declarations
7
Severe Storm declarations
2
Tropical Storm declarations
2

Climate normals

The long view of weather.

Thirty-year averages, not a forecast. Temperature and precipitation describe the typical conditions recorded from 1991 through 2020.

Representative station: HICKORY FAA AP (13 mi from place center)
Average high
69.1°F
Average low
48.9°F
Annual rainfall
47.1"
Annual snowfall
0"

Month by month

A year in Lenoir.

Typical high and low °F
20°F40°F60°F80°F100°F
JFMAMJJASOND
Typical precipitation inches

Data vintage

Population is from the 2025 Population Estimates Program. Household, housing, education, and commute data are from the 2020-2024 American Community Survey 5-year release. Disaster declarations are from FEMA's OpenFEMA dataset and are refreshed with this edition.

Similar places

More places to consider.

Selected by the closest mix of population, density, median home value, and average annual high.

Sikeston, MO

Population, housing, work, and travel data for this Census place.

Population
15,983
Median home
$168,800

Morganton, NC

Population, housing, work, and travel data for this Census place.

Population
17,849
Median home
$221,700

Lexington, NC

Population, housing, work, and travel data for this Census place.

Population
20,238
Median home
$179,900

Keep exploring

Compare Lenoir with Sikeston