Lenoir, North Carolina Population 2026

Updated April 2026 · US Census ACS 2023 5-Year Estimates

The population of Lenoir, North Carolina is 18,282 as of the 2023 American Community Survey, making it the 56th-largest city in North Carolina. The median household income is $48,889, the median home value is $165,200, and the median age is 43.5.

The population has grown 0.4% since 2010 (18,216 → 18,280).

18,282

Population

878

People / sq mi

$48,889

Median Income

$165,200

Median Home Value

Lenoir covers 20.8 sq mi of land at 878 people per square mile.

About Lenoir, NC

Lenoir is a city in North Carolina with a population of 18,282. It ranks #56 among cities in North Carolina by population. The median age is 43.5, older than the national median. The population is 45.7% male and 54.3% female.

The median household income in Lenoir is $48,889, below the US median of $74,580. 8.4% of residents live below the federal poverty level. Home values sit at a median of $165,200, with monthly rent averaging $671. The homeownership rate of 61.1% is lower than the national rate of 64.8%.

Educational attainment in Lenoir reflects 20.6% of adults 25 and older holding a bachelor's degree or higher, below the national average of 34.3%. Roughly 6.7% of workers primarily work from home, below the national work-from-home rate of 14.2%. The average commute is 23.6 minutes each way.

Lenoir city Population History (2010-2024)

The city of Lenoir city had a population of 18,216 in 2010 and 18,280 in 2024, a 0.4% growth over 14 years. The peak was 18,350 in 2020. Average annual growth rate: 0.03%.

18,280

Population (2024)

18,216

Population (2010)

18,350

Peak (2020)

0.03%

Avg Annual Growth

Year	Population	Change	Annual %	Source
2010	18,216	-	-	estimate
2011	18,071	-145	-0.80%	estimate
2012	17,965	-106	-0.59%	estimate
2013	17,953	-12	-0.07%	estimate
2014	17,860	-93	-0.52%	estimate
2015	17,801	-59	-0.33%	estimate
2016	17,892	+91	+0.51%	estimate
2017	17,908	+16	+0.09%	estimate
2018	17,903	-5	-0.03%	estimate
2019	17,913	+10	+0.06%	estimate
2020	18,350	+437	+2.44%	estimate
2021	18,301	-49	-0.27%	estimate
2022	18,207	-94	-0.51%	estimate
2023	18,267	+60	+0.33%	estimate
2024	18,280	+13	+0.07%	estimate

Race & Ethnicity

White	71.8%
Black or African American	12.6%
Asian	0.0%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)	0.6%
Two or More Races	0.0%

Economy & Income

$48,889

Median Household Income

$27,839

Per Capita Income

8.4%

Poverty Rate

2.9%

Unemployment Rate

Housing

$165,200

Median Home Value

$671

Median Rent

61.1%

Owner-Occupied

Education

84.5%

High School+

20.6%

Bachelor's+

Commute

0.0%

Drive Alone

79.7%

Public Transit

6.7%

Work From Home

23.6 min

Avg Commute

Community Profile

23.8%

Foreign Born

86.9%

Non-English at Home

6.3%

Veterans

21.6%

With Disability

86.1%

Health Insurance

86.2%

Internet Access

Employment by Industry

Professional, Scientific & Management	26.1%
Manufacturing	14.0%
Education, Health Care & Social Services	8.5%
Finance, Insurance & Real Estate	7.1%
Construction	6.9%
Arts, Entertainment & Food Services	6.6%
Retail Trade	4.7%
Information	3.9%
Public Administration	2.3%
Transportation & Warehousing	1.5%

Largest cities in North Carolina

Charlotte (886,283)Raleigh (470,763)Greensboro (298,564)Durham (288,465)Winston-Salem (250,887)Fayetteville (209,692)Cary (176,686)Wilmington (118,578)High Point (115,263)Concord (106,518)View all North Carolina cities →

Largest counties in North Carolina

Wake County (1,151,009)Mecklenburg County (1,130,906)Guilford County (542,987)Forsyth County (386,740)Cumberland County (336,749)

Part of North Carolina

North Carolina demographic profile All North Carolina data →

Metro areas in North Carolina

Charlotte (2,712,818)Virginia Beach (1,782,590)Raleigh (1,449,594)Greensboro (779,894)Winston (683,637)Durham (594,291)Wilmington (440,578)Asheville (410,817)All US metros →

City rankings

US Cities by Population Cities With Highest Median Income Expensive US Cities by Home Value Youngest US Cities by Median Age Racially Diverse US Cities Cities With Highest Rent Educated US Cities Cities With Highest Work From Home Rates Cheapest US Cities by Median Home Value Cities With Lowest Rent All rankings →

Frequently Asked Questions

Lenoir, North Carolina has a population of 18,282 according to the US Census Bureau's 2023 American Community Survey 5-year estimates, making it the 56th-largest city in North Carolina.

The median household income in Lenoir, North Carolina is $48,889, with 8.4% of residents living below the federal poverty level.

The median home value in Lenoir, North Carolina is $165,200, with median monthly rent at $671 and a homeownership rate of 61.1%.

The median age in Lenoir, North Carolina is 43.5 years. The population is 45.7% male and 54.3% female.

The population has grown 0.4% since 2010 (18,216 → 18,280).