How many people live in Lenoir County, NC?
Updated Apr. 6, 2026Refreshed annually
In 2024, there were about 55,300 people living in Lenoir County, NC. That makes Lenoir County the 49th-most populous county in North Carolina. It is home to 0.49% of people living in the state.
55.3K
population of Lenoir County, NC (2024)
0.49%
County share of the North Carolina population (2024)
About 55,300 people lived in Lenoir County, NC in 2024.
Population estimates, 2000–2024
What are Lenoir County, NC’s age demographics?
About 12,100 Lenoir County residents are aged 65 and older in 2024. That represents 21.9% of its population. For comparison, the age group represents 18% of North Carolina’s population and 18% in the US overall.
Another 12,600 Lenoir County residents, or 22.7% of the population, were children under 18. For comparison, the age group represents 21.6% of North Carolina’s population and 21.6% in the US overall.
A lower share of Lenoir County, NC's population is aged 25–44 than the US as a whole.
Population estimates by age group, (2024)
What are Lenoir County, NC’s racial and ethnic demographics?
Non-Hispanic Black or African American residents make up 40.1% of the Lenoir County, NC population, higher than the national share of 12.6%.
In contrast, Lenoir County’s Hispanic population accounts for 9.7%, below the 20% nationwide, and the non-Hispanic white population makes up 47.4% of the county, compared with 57.5% nationally.
Racial and ethnic make up differ based on location. These figures reflect how people identified their race alone (not in combination with other races), and separate out Hispanic or Latino ethnicity, following Census reporting standards.
Lenoir County, NC has a higher share of a non-Hispanic Black or African American population than North Carolina as a whole.
Population estimates by race and ethnicity, (2024)
The largest city or town in Lenoir County, NC is Kinston with about 19,500 residents in 2024.
Cities and towns in Lenoir County, NC ranked by population
Population (2024), includes only portions within county
| City or town | Population | |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | Kinston | 19,519 |
| 2. | La Grange | 2,922 |
| 3. | Pink Hill | 456 |
| 4. | Grifton (pt.) | 152 |
| 5. | Balance of Lenoir County | 32,283 |
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Methodology
USAFacts standardizes data, in areas such as time and demographics, to make it easier to understand and compare.
The analysis was generated with the help of AI and reviewed by USAFacts for accuracy.
Page sources
USAFacts endeavors to share the most up-to-date information available. We sourced the data on this page directly from government agencies; however, the intervals at which agencies publish updated data vary.
