City profile · North Carolina · Census ACS 2023

Lexington, NC

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Lexington - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

19,691
Residents
$41,775
Median income
$158,100
Median home
$960
Median rent (state)

Lexington - the verdict

Lexington ranks in the 9th percentile for household income and the 11th percentile for safety nationally, out of every US city with at least 1,000 residents. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

9th
percentile, household income
29th
percentile, home value
11th
percentile, median rent
11th
percentile, safety
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Lexington, NC

19,691 people live in Lexington, North Carolina - a small town by U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. Lexington households earn a median of $41,775 annually, in the lower quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 23.2%. Home values in Lexington run a median of $158,100, and the median resident age is 35.9 years. 13.4% of adults here have a bachelor's degree or higher; 52.5% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

Housing supply pressure shows in Census Building Permit Survey data: 168 residential units were authorized in 2024 (Rapid Growth), up 49% from five years earlier. Lexington's reported crime rate runs above the national norm: the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program logs 3457.5 total incidents per 100,000 residents here, above the national average (agency reporting is voluntary, so this measures reporting activity, not a definitive danger score). The annual average temperature per NOAA climate normals runs 59.3°F with 45.5 inches of precipitation per year and 3.3 inches of snowfall.

Living costs in North Carolina run below the national norm: the state registers 94.3 on a 100-equals-national-average index (Below Average) per BEA Regional Price Parities 2024. A typical two-bedroom carries a HUD Fair Market Rent of $960 per month statewide. EIA 2023 residential energy data puts North Carolina's average monthly utility costs around $215 (state average). On FEMA's National Risk Index, this area rates 87.2 out of 100 for natural-hazard exposure (Very High).

Population

19,691 residents

Census ACS 2023 - North Carolina

Median Household Income

$41,775 /yr

Poverty 23.2%

Cost of Living Index (state)

94.3 (US=100)

Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, North Carolina average

How does Lexington compare to other US cities?

Where Lexington sits among all US cities (population 1,000+) on each measure, computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 9% higher than other cities
Home value 29% pricier than other cities
Median rent 11% pricier than other cities
Safety 11% safer than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

A national percentile can hide a lot of local variation: narrowed to North Carolina alone, Lexington ranks #134 of 195 North Carolina cities by lowest crime rate - a different, more locally useful comparison than stacking it against the entire country.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

Each percentile compares Lexington against every qualifying US city; each in-state rank narrows that to North Carolina only. Full formula and direction notes: methodology.

North Carolina-relative analysis

Poverty Rate places Lexington toward the top of North Carolina's cities

Among the 746 North Carolina cities PlainCities tracks with reported poverty rate data, Lexington ranks #120 - the 84th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Lexington only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#562 of 700
20th percentile in North Carolina
Median Gross Rent
#535 of 746
27th percentile in North Carolina
Median Home Value
#456 of 708
36th percentile in North Carolina
Poverty Rate
#120 of 746
84th percentile in North Carolina
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#570 of 746
23rd percentile in North Carolina

Ranked by raw value (highest first); a higher rank is not automatically "better" for every measure, see each metric's own context above. This is a comparison within North Carolina only, not a livability score. See the methodology for the source and calculation.

9thIncome percentile
11thSafety percentile

9th percentile nationally for median household income · 11th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Lexington's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Lexington's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 33 Avg. percentile National median
Lexington's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How Lexington's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$158,100 Among the most affordable more affordable than 71% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). This entry sits in this band. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Above this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Above this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Lexington $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Lexington, NC Lexington, NC's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Lexington, NC-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Lexington, NC median $41,775/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Lexington, NC's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Lexington, NC. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 13.4%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 23.2%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 52.5%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
19,691
Median Income
$41,775
Median Home Value
$158,100
Median Age
35.9
Poverty Rate
23.2%
Labor force participation
52.5%
Bachelor's Degree+
13.4%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
3457.5
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
437.2
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
3020.3
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Climate

Avg Temperature
59.3°F
Annual Precipitation
45.5"
Annual Snowfall
3.3"

Schools

Total Schools
27
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
19,000 residents19,500 residents20,000 residents20,500 residents 202020212022202320242025 19,522 residents 20,238 residents ▲ +3.7%
Lexington's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

📈 Rapid Growth
Total Permits (2024)
168
housing units authorized
Single-Family
98
detached homes
Multifamily
70
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
8.5
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 113
2020 41
2021 21
2022 76
2023 79
2024 168

Permit volume increased 49% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
72.4%
Carpool
15.9%
Public Transit
0.5%
Walk
2.7%
Work from Home
8.0%

Based on 7,652 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for North Carolina - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$115
avg/month
Natural Gas
$55
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$45
avg/month
Total Utilities
$215
estimated/month

Estimates reflect North Carolina state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a North Carolina state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Lexington sits in

Cost of Living Index
94.3
Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$960/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
87.2 / 100
Very High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in North Carolina

Kinston
19,576 people
Boone
19,534 people
Knightdale
19,532 people
Lumberton
19,220 people
Harrisburg
19,203 people
Mebane
18,899 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Lexington's 19,691 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Monroe, WA
19,696 people
Erlanger, KY
19,677 people
East Northport, NY
19,672 people
Lake Zurich, IL
19,727 people
Casa de Oro-Mount Helix, CA
19,651 people
Tavares, FL
19,738 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Lexington's $41,775 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

La Pryor, TX
$41,776 median income
Port Sanilac, MI
$41,779 median income
Centertown, MO
$41,771 median income
Somerset, PA
$41,782 median income
Jasper, FL
$41,759 median income
South La Paloma, TX
$41,791 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Lexington, NC Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Lexington, NC - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 47.5% 26.0% 7.3% 14.7% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 20.8% White 47.5% Black or African American 26.0% Asian 4.3% American Indian 0.0% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 7.3% Two or more races 14.7% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Lexington compares to nearby North Carolina cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Lexington (this city) 19,691 $41,775
Kinston 19,576 $35,250
Boone 19,534 $28,633
Knightdale 19,532 $91,638
Census ACS 5-year FIPS NC FBI UCR NOAA Normals NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Lexington, NC?

What is the population of Lexington, NC? +

Lexington, NC counts 19,691 residents according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Lexington, NC? +

In Lexington, the typical household earns $41,775 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Lexington? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Lexington; the closest available measure is the North Carolina state average, a cost of living index of 94.3 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Below Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within North Carolina vary by metro area.

Is Lexington, NC safe? +

Lexington has a total crime rate of 3457.5 per 100,000 residents, which is above the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in Lexington, NC? +

The median home value in Lexington is $158,100, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the climate like in Lexington? +

The average annual temperature in Lexington runs 59.3°F, 45.5 inches of precipitation, and 3.3 inches of snowfall per year. Source: NOAA Climate Normals.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.