Town · North Carolina
Kenly, North Carolina
Kenly, town, mostly in Johnston County (86.7% of its 2020 residents), with a part in Wilson County, North Carolina. Kenly had 1,722 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, up 15.5% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 1,491 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 2,359 (±701). GEOID 3735540.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
1,722
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 1,491 · ACS 2020-2024: 2,359 ±701
Median household income
$57,045
±$22,744 (90% margin)
North Carolina: $72,388
Median home value
$205,200
±$41,556 (90% margin)
North Carolina: $288,900
Median gross rent
$787
±$87 (90% margin)
North Carolina: $1,228
Where is Kenly and what county is it in?
Kenly is a town mostly in Johnston County (86.7% of its 2020 residents), with a part in Wilson County, North Carolina. It covers 1.9 square miles of land, 794 residents per square mile in 2020.
Kenly is in the Raleigh-Cary, NC metropolitan statistical area, which takes in 3 counties (Census Bureau delineation, July 2023).
| County | 2020 residents | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Johnston County | 1,293 | 86.7% |
| Wilson County | 198 | 13.3% |
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Kenly, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 1,722 people lived in Kenly on July 1, 2025, up 15.5% since 2020, faster than North Carolina (+7.2%). The 2020 Census counted 1,491 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 2,359 (±701).
| Measure | Kenly | Johnston County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 2,359 ±701 | 234,263 | no clear change |
| Households | 898 ±163 | 85,591 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 2.63 ±0.52 | 2.72 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 935 ±166 | 91,218 | no clear change |
Kenly's population since 2000
From 1,569 in 2000 to 1,722 in 2025: up 9.8%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Kenly as it was drawn that year: a place that annexed land, or a community that has since incorporated, covered a different area then. The 2005 figure is the Census Bureau's intercensal estimate, revised to fit the 2000 and 2010 counts and drawn on 2010 boundaries; 2015 and 2025 are July 1 estimates made from the census before them.
Source: The 2000, 2010 and 2020 Census counts and the Census Bureau's population estimates (intercensal 2000-2010, Vintage 2020, Vintage 2025) · Census population estimates
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); Census PEP Vintage 2025 (SUB-EST2025, CO-EST2025); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in Kenly?
The median resident of Kenly is 36.2 years old; 26.2% are under 18 and 11.5% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 58.7%, then non-Hispanic Black residents at 26.2%. 8.6% of residents were born outside the United States.
| Measure | Kenly | Johnston County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 36.2 ±8.1 | 38.1 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 26.2% ±12.3 pts | 24.9% | – |
| 65 years and over | 11.5% ±4.9 pts | 13.7% | – |
| Male | 48.2% ±5.4 pts | 49.2% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 14.0% ±9.1 pts | 16.8% | no clear change |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 58.7% ±16.2 pts | 61.4% | +23.0 pts |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 26.2% ±13.1 pts | 16.7% | no clear change |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±1.8 pts | 0.8% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±1.8 pts | 0.2% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±1.8 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 1.1% ±1.3 pts | 3.5% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±1.8 pts | 0.5% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 8.6% ±5.5 pts | 8.3% | – |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 11.6% ±7.3 pts | 15.5% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 4.6% ±2.5 pts | 7.4% | – |
| With a disability | 13.4% ±5.8 pts | 13.0% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 12.5% ±4.2 pts | 10.4% | no clear change |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 82.5% ±6.4 pts | 90.5% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 7.9% ±4.0 pts | 28.9% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 4.5% ±3.0 pts | 8.3% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 93.1% ±4.3 pts | 90.9% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 0.2% ±0.3 pts | 2.3% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profiles DP02, DP05) · Check it at data.census.gov
What do households in Kenly earn?
Half of Kenly's 898 households earn less than $57,045 a year (±$22,744), against $83,384 in Johnston County and $72,388 in North Carolina. In 2015-2019 the median was $26,405 in 2024 dollars, so it rose by $30,640 after inflation. 14.4% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Kenly | Johnston County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $57,045 ±$22,744 | $83,384 | +$30,640 |
| Mean household income | $66,304 ±$9,879 | $103,515 | – |
| Per capita income | $26,615 ±$4,669 | $38,897 | +$8,119 |
| People below the poverty line | 14.4% ±7.6 pts | 10.6% | −26.2 pts |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 16.4% ±20.5 pts | 15.3% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 34.9% ±10.2 pts | 11.4% | – |
| Households with a computer | 89.3% ±4.9 pts | 95.8% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 85.7% ±7.0 pts | 89.4% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What does housing cost in Kenly?
Owners occupy 54.2% of Kenly's occupied homes and renters 45.8%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $205,200 by its owner (±$41,556). The median renter pays $787 a month including utilities, and 32.9% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Kenly | Johnston County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $205,200 ±$41,556 | $305,600 | +$101,945 |
| Median gross rent | $787 ±$87 | $1,146 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 32.9% ±16.5 pts | 37.1% | −34.1 pts |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,451 ±$387 | $1,665 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 54.2% ±12.0 pts | 76.1% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 45.8% ±12.0 pts | 23.9% | – |
| Housing units | 935 ±166 | 91,218 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.0% ±8.4 pts | 0.6% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 0.0% ±9.8 pts | 3.8% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 64.8% ±12.6 pts | 75.8% | – |
| Mobile homes | 15.3% ±7.7 pts | 12.9% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.6% ±0.7 pts | 5.7% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 7.9% ±4.9 pts | 21.6% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 14.3% ±6.2 pts | 4.1% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 13.8% ±8.8 pts | 3.7% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP04) · Check it at data.census.gov
How do people in Kenly work and get to work?
73.3% of Kenly's workers drive alone. The average trip to work takes 27.2 minutes.
| Measure | Kenly | Johnston County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 63.0% ±6.5 pts | 66.2% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 5.3% ±4.0 pts | 3.8% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 73.3% ±13.6 pts | 75.8% | – |
| Carpooled | 14.9% ±7.8 pts | 7.9% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.0% ±4.0 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Walked | 9.4% ±13.4 pts | 0.7% | – |
| Worked from home | 2.4% ±2.3 pts | 14.7% | – |
| Mean travel time to work | 27.2 min ±5.1 | 32.2 min | no clear change |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What census tracts are in Kenly?
1 census tract lies mostly in Kenly, and 2 more reach into it (2020 census blocks).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 401.01Johnston County | 3,061 | $71,600 |
| Tract 16Wilson County | 3,407 | $80,603 |
| Tract 401.02Johnston County | 2,287 | $51,082 |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 block assignment files (tract share = share of the tract's census blocks in Kenly) · Census block assignment files
How does Kenly compare with other places in North Carolina?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Kenly is the 8,237th-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 273rd-most populous of 549 in North Carolina.
Kenly ranks 262nd of 434 places in North Carolina with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population, July 2025 estimate | 273rd | 549 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 38th | 331 |
| Residents per square mile | 262nd | 443 |
| Median household income | 262nd | 434 |
| Per capita income | 345th | 443 |
| Median home value | 283rd | 438 |
| Median gross rent | 324th | 395 |
| Poverty rate | 189th | 341 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 413th | 421 |
| Median age | 350th | 442 |
| Owner-occupied share | 337th | 443 |
| Travel time to work | 120th | 439 |
Kenly's figures with every place in North Carolina (CSV)
Every place in North Carolina, sortable · Compare Kenly with other places
Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) and PEP Vintage 2025 · How ranks are computed
How reliable are the figures for Kenly?
15 of the 57 figures for Kenly on this page carry a coefficient of variation over 40% and are marked with a ring: they come from a small sample, so read them as rough.
The American Community Survey samples about one household in eight over five years, so every figure is an estimate with a 90% margin of error (shown under each value). A ring marks an estimate whose coefficient of variation is over 40%. A change is called only when the gap between the two periods is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins), the Census Bureau's test. How to read a margin of error.
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026): margins of error as published · ACS technical documentation
How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections
Not on this page: crime, weather and schools for Kenly are other agencies' records. Crime: the FBI's Crime Data Explorer · climate: NOAA's U.S. Climate Normals · schools: the National Center for Education Statistics' public schools in Kenly.