City · North Carolina
Lexington, North Carolina
Lexington, city, in Davidson County, North Carolina. Lexington had 20,238 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, up 3.1% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 19,632 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 19,690 (±98). GEOID 3738060.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
20,238
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 19,632 · ACS 2020-2024: 19,690 ±98
Median household income
$43,128
±$2,614 (90% margin)
North Carolina: $72,388
Median home value
$179,900
±$13,117 (90% margin)
North Carolina: $288,900
Median gross rent
$893
±$66 (90% margin)
North Carolina: $1,228
Where is Lexington and what county is it in?
Lexington is a city in Davidson County, North Carolina. It covers 19.2 square miles of land, 1,021 residents per square mile in 2020.
Lexington is in the Winston-Salem, NC metropolitan statistical area, which takes in 5 counties (Census Bureau delineation, July 2023).
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Lexington, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 20,238 people lived in Lexington on July 1, 2025, up 3.1% since 2020, slower than North Carolina (+7.2%). The 2020 Census counted 19,632 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 19,690 (±98).
| Measure | Lexington | Davidson County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 19,690 ±98 | 172,954 | +829 |
| Households | 7,529 ±507 | 69,846 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 2.51 ±0.17 | 2.45 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 8,905 ±476 | 76,396 | no clear change |
Lexington's population since 2000
From 19,953 in 2000 to 20,238 in 2025: up 1.4%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Lexington 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 Lexington?
The median resident of Lexington is 36.7 years old; 25.0% are under 18 and 15.4% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 42.7%, then Hispanic or Latino residents (of any race) at 24.1%. 13.0% of residents were born outside the United States.
| Measure | Lexington | Davidson County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 36.7 ±2.2 | 42.2 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 25.0% ±3.0 pts | 21.7% | – |
| 65 years and over | 15.4% ±1.8 pts | 19.0% | – |
| Male | 46.3% ±2.6 pts | 49.2% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 24.1% ±4.8 pts | 8.9% | +9.0 pts |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 42.7% ±4.7 pts | 76.0% | no clear change |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 23.2% ±2.7 pts | 9.1% | −7.1 pts |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 3.7% ±1.4 pts | 1.5% | no clear change |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.1% ±0.1 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.2 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 4.6% ±1.2 pts | 3.8% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 1.6% ±0.8 pts | 0.4% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 13.0% ±3.1 pts | 5.6% | no clear change |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 24.1% ±4.4 pts | 9.1% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 6.5% ±1.5 pts | 7.2% | – |
| With a disability | 16.3% ±3.0 pts | 15.4% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 14.6% ±3.0 pts | 9.4% | no clear change |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 79.7% ±3.4 pts | 88.5% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 12.9% ±2.4 pts | 21.7% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 3.9% ±1.0 pts | 6.7% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 90.8% ±2.8 pts | 92.2% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 1.7% ±0.9 pts | 1.8% | – |
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 Lexington earn?
Half of Lexington's 7,529 households earn less than $43,128 a year (±$2,614), against $64,172 in Davidson County and $72,388 in North Carolina. In 2015-2019 the median was $36,845 in 2024 dollars, so it rose by $6,283 after inflation. 27.8% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Lexington | Davidson County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $43,128 ±$2,614 | $64,172 | +$6,283 |
| Mean household income | $57,691 ±$4,337 | $84,156 | – |
| Per capita income | $22,661 ±$1,975 | $34,544 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 27.8% ±4.4 pts | 12.8% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 46.8% ±9.4 pts | 19.0% | no clear change |
| Households receiving SNAP | 27.7% ±4.4 pts | 13.1% | – |
| Households with a computer | 93.7% ±2.5 pts | 94.4% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 83.9% ±4.2 pts | 88.4% | – |
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 Lexington?
Owners occupy 41.6% of Lexington's occupied homes and renters 58.4%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $179,900 by its owner (±$13,117). The median renter pays $893 a month including utilities, and 41.2% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Lexington | Davidson County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $179,900 ±$13,117 | $219,100 | +$51,662 |
| Median gross rent | $893 ±$66 | $901 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 41.2% ±6.9 pts | 34.2% | no clear change |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,256 ±$94 | $1,355 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 41.6% ±4.3 pts | 74.4% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 58.4% ±4.3 pts | 25.6% | – |
| Housing units | 8,905 ±476 | 76,396 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 5.1% ±3.1 pts | 1.0% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 6.9% ±3.0 pts | 3.7% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 70.6% ±3.5 pts | 74.5% | – |
| Mobile homes | 2.7% ±1.6 pts | 13.2% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 1.5% ±1.6 pts | 1.9% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 3.1% ±1.7 pts | 7.6% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 14.0% ±3.4 pts | 6.0% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 5.6% ±2.4 pts | 3.9% | – |
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 many new homes is Lexington building?
Builders took permits for 417 new housing units in Lexington in 2025 (142 in single-family houses), 20.6 per 1,000 residents against 7.7 across North Carolina.
Counts of units in permits a local office issued; not every permitted unit is built. A year marked with months was reported for part of the year.
Source: Building Permits Survey, annual place files 2019-2025, U.S. Census Bureau · Census Building Permits Survey
How do people in Lexington work and get to work?
70.4% of Lexington's workers drive alone and 7.3% work from home. The average trip to work takes 25.5 minutes. The unemployment rate in 2020-2024 averaged 6.0%.
| Measure | Lexington | Davidson County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 54.9% ±2.8 pts | 59.9% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 6.0% ±2.5 pts | 4.1% | −5.0 pts |
| Drove alone to work | 70.4% ±5.7 pts | 79.1% | – |
| Carpooled | 18.0% ±4.6 pts | 9.4% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.0% ±0.6 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Walked | 4.2% ±1.9 pts | 0.9% | – |
| Worked from home | 7.3% ±2.5 pts | 9.7% | +5.6 pts |
| Mean travel time to work | 25.5 min ±2.5 | 24.3 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 Lexington?
8 census tracts lie mostly in Lexington, and 3 more reach into it (2020 census blocks). Their median household incomes run from $31,580 (Tract 614) to $67,426 (Tract 615.02).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 615.01Davidson County | 4,678 | $44,235 |
| Tract 614Davidson County | 3,476 | $31,580 |
| Tract 613Davidson County | 2,411 | $47,805 |
| Tract 612.03Davidson County | 3,938 | $43,484 |
| Tract 616Davidson County | 3,055 | $42,667 |
| Tract 618.03Davidson County | 3,021 | $51,895 |
| Tract 615.02Davidson County | 2,531 | $67,426 |
| Tract 612.04Davidson County | 2,544 | $44,090 |
| Tract 617.01Davidson County | 4,288 | $58,365 |
| Tract 612.02Davidson County | 3,101 | $67,787 |
| Tract 619.02Davidson County | 5,202 | $74,439 |
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 Lexington) · Census block assignment files
How does Lexington compare with other places in North Carolina?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Lexington is the 1,924th-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 51st-most populous of 549 in North Carolina.
Lexington ranks 365th 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 | 51st | 549 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 210th | 331 |
| Residents per square mile | 183rd | 443 |
| Median household income | 365th | 434 |
| Per capita income | 399th | 443 |
| Median home value | 334th | 438 |
| Median gross rent | 258th | 395 |
| Poverty rate | 52nd | 341 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 383rd | 421 |
| Median age | 333rd | 442 |
| Owner-occupied share | 428th | 443 |
| Work from home | 241st | 279 |
| Travel time to work | 172nd | 439 |
Lexington's figures with every place in North Carolina (CSV)
Every place in North Carolina, sortable · Compare Lexington 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 Lexington?
4 of the 57 figures for Lexington 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 Lexington 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 Lexington.