City profile · North Carolina · Census ACS 2023

Lincolnton, NC

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

11,503
Residents
$43,294
Median income
$224,600
Median home
$1,054
Median rent (state)

Lincolnton - the verdict

Measured against every US city with at least 1,000 residents, Lincolnton lands in the 11th percentile for household income and the 23rd percentile for safety. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

11th
percentile, household income
49th
percentile, home value
25th
percentile, median rent
23rd
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: Lincolnton, NC

Census ACS 2023 estimates count 11,503 residents in Lincolnton, a small town within North Carolina. The typical household in Lincolnton brings in $43,294 a year, in the lower quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 15.7%. Typical homes in Lincolnton are valued around $224,600, and the median resident age is 37.7 years. 19.4% of adults here have a bachelor's degree or higher; 55.0% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

Crime here tracks close to the national norm: FBI UCR reporting places total crime at 2484.3 incidents per 100,000 residents, near the national average (voluntary agency reporting, reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score). NOAA climate normals record an annual average temperature of 59.8°F with 49.5 inches of precipitation per year and 5.6 inches of snowfall.

Living costs in North Carolina run below the national norm: BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 puts North Carolina at 94.3 on a 100-equals-national-average scale (Below Average). Statewide, HUD pegs Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom unit at $1,054 monthly. Statewide, average monthly utility bills in North Carolina run around $215, per EIA 2023 residential energy data. Natural-hazard exposure scores 73.8 out of 100 on FEMA's National Risk Index (High).

Population

11,503 residents

Census ACS 2023 - North Carolina

Median Household Income

$43,294 /yr

Poverty 15.7%

Cost of Living Index (state)

94.3 (US=100)

Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, North Carolina average

How does Lincolnton compare to other US cities?

Lincolnton measured against every US city with 1,000+ residents, computed live from the same Census and FBI data shown throughout this page.

Household income 11% higher than other cities
Home value 49% pricier than other cities
Median rent 25% pricier than other cities
Safety 23% safer than other cities

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

National percentiles can mask local variation. Looking only at North Carolina, Lincolnton ranks #95 of 195 North Carolina cities by lowest crime rate - a narrower, more locally useful cut than the national comparison above.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

For each metric we count every US city with population 1,000+ and a non-null value, then compute what share of them fall below Lincolnton's value: round(cities-below ÷ total × 100). Safety is inverted (percentile = share of cities with a higher crime rate) so a higher number always means safer. The in-state rank narrows that same crime-rate comparison to only the cities PlainCities tracks in North Carolina, breaking ties alphabetically. See the methodology page for the full source-to-figure lineage.

11thIncome percentile
23rdSafety percentile

11th percentile nationally for median household income · 23rd percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Lincolnton's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Lincolnton'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 32 Avg. percentile National median
Lincolnton'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 Lincolnton's home value compares nationally

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

$224,600 Among the most affordable more affordable than 51% 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%). Below this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). This entry sits in this band. $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. Lincolnton $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 - Lincolnton, NC Lincolnton, NC's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Lincolnton, 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 Lincolnton, NC median $43,294/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%
Lincolnton, 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 Lincolnton, NC. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 19.4%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 15.7%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 55.0%

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

Population
11,503
Median Income
$43,294
Median Home Value
$224,600
Median Age
37.7
Poverty Rate
15.7%
Labor force participation
55.0%
Bachelor's Degree+
19.4%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
2484.3
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
360.6
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
2123.7
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
59.8°F
Annual Precipitation
49.5"
Annual Snowfall
5.6"

Schools

Total Schools
13
Public schools in this city

Population Change

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

See the fastest-growing cities →
10,500 residents11,000 residents11,500 residents12,000 residents12,500 residents13,000 residents 202020212022202320242025 11,126 residents 12,465 residents ▲ +12.0%
Lincolnton's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
79.5%
Carpool
5.8%
Public Transit
0.1%
Walk
3.0%
Work from Home
8.7%
Other
2.9%

Based on 4,834 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 Lincolnton sits in

Cost of Living Index
94.3
Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,054/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
73.8 / 100
High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in North Carolina

Kings Mountain
11,472 people
Wendell
11,585 people
Spring Lake
11,613 people
Elon
11,325 people
Smithfield
11,798 people
Spout Springs
11,073 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Lincolnton's 11,503 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

La Riviera, CA
11,503 people
Caño Martin Peña comunidad, PR
11,508 people
Oskaloosa, IA
11,492 people
Four Corners, TX
11,490 people
Woods Cross, UT
11,490 people
River Forest, IL
11,489 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Lincolnton's $43,294 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Verona, MO
$43,295 median income
Mina, NV
$43,295 median income
Middleton, TN
$43,295 median income
Marysvale, UT
$43,289 median income
West Sharyland, TX
$43,288 median income
Dardanelle, AR
$43,287 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Lincolnton, 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 Lincolnton, NC - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 64.0% 20.4% 11.5% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 17.1% White 64.0% Black or African American 20.4% Asian 0.1% American Indian 0.0% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 3.9% Two or more races 11.5% 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 Lincolnton 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
Lincolnton (this city) 11,503 $43,294
Kings Mountain 11,472 $45,507
Wendell 11,585 $93,848
Spring Lake 11,613 $50,497
Census ACS 5-year FIPS NC FBI UCR NOAA Normals NCES CCD OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Lincolnton, NC?

What is the population of Lincolnton, NC? +

The population of Lincolnton, NC stands at 11,503 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

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

Median annual household income in Lincolnton runs $43,294, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Lincolnton? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Lincolnton; 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 Lincolnton, NC safe? +

Lincolnton has a total crime rate of 2484.3 per 100,000 residents, which is near 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 Lincolnton, NC? +

Lincolnton's median home value sits at $224,600, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the climate like in Lincolnton? +

The average annual temperature in Lincolnton runs 59.8°F, 49.5 inches of precipitation, and 5.6 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 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 Editorial

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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.