Scores by category

Each category averages its indicators' percentile scores among US cities and towns.

Safety4#15,083/15,637
Economy2#15,322/15,631
Housing50#7,422/14,977
Health6#14,649/15,609
Healthcare23#12,061/15,650
Environment82#2,834/15,453
Education10#14,035/15,649
Infrastructure9#14,219/15,650
Community45#8,669/15,651
Leisure & amenities25#11,685/15,651

Strengths · Weaknesses

Indicators where Kinston, North Carolina ranks highest and lowest among US cities and towns (score = percentile, 100 = best). Values marked “Lenoir County value” are the county’s: the source publishes no figure for this city or town, and the county holding most of its residents stands in.

Strengths

Job growth · high1.8%
87/100North Carolina 0.8%United States 0.1%2026 Q1U.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsProvisional dataLenoir County value
Median Air Quality Index · low35
86/1002025U.S. Environmental Protection AgencyLenoir County value
Drinking water violations · low0
86/100North Carolina 0United States 02024University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteLenoir County value
Social associations · high13.7 /10k
85/100North Carolina 11.2 /10kUnited States 9.1 /10k2023University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteLenoir County value
Days with unhealthy air · low0.0%
84/1002025U.S. Environmental Protection AgencyLenoir County value
Grocery stores · high2.3 /10k
84/100North Carolina 1.8 /10kUnited States 1.7 /10k2025U.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsLenoir County value

Weaknesses

Dental care shortage · high20.0
1/100North Carolina 11.5United States 5.7Oct 2026Health Resources and Services AdministrationLenoir County value
Broadband subscriptions · low77.8%
2/100North Carolina 90.1%United States 91.0%2020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B28002
Unemployment rate · high16.1%
2/100North Carolina 3.8%United States 4.3%2020-2024U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Census table B23025
Adult obesity · high46.8%
2/100North Carolina 37.2%United States 38.2%2023University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteModel-based estimate
Lack of reliable transportation · high19.4%
3/100North Carolina 8.8%United States 8.3%2023Centers for Disease Control and PreventionModel-based estimate
Primary care shortage · high19.0
3/100North Carolina 9.9United States 6.2Oct 2026Health Resources and Services AdministrationLenoir County value

Trends

The largest changes over about five years, next to the country's over the same periods.

New homes permittedWorsening
0.4 /1k (2019) → 0.0 /1k (2024)
−100%5 yearsUS 4.2 /1k → 4.3 /1k
Child poverty rateImproving
49.0% (2015-2019) → 38.8% (2020-2024)
−10 pts5 yearsCensus table B17001US 16.8% → 15.5%
Broadband subscriptionsImproving
70.8% (2015-2019) → 77.8% (2020-2024)
+6.9 pts5 yearsCensus table B28002US 82.7% → 91.0%
Average commute timeWorsening
16.4 min (2015-2019) → 20.7 min (2020-2024)
+26%5 yearsCensus table B08013US 26.9 min → 26.4 min
High school diploma or higherImproving
79.6% (2015-2019) → 82.8% (2020-2024)
+3.2 pts5 yearsCensus table B15003US 88.0% → 89.6%
Income inequality (Gini index)Improving
0.576 (2015-2019) → 0.506 (2020-2024)
−12%5 yearsCensus table B19083US 0.482 → 0.483

What changed in five years

How each measure moved between two periods about five years apart, read against whether more or less is better, the published margin of error and the same change in other places.

Over about five years, Kinston, North Carolina improved on 2 of 14 measures with a comparison and declined on 1. 11 moved within the margin of error and 0 barely changed.

Earlier (2015-2019)
Latest (2020-2024)
Lower standingHigher standing

Position is the place's standing among cities and towns: further right is better, whichever way the measure counts.

Improved2

Child poverty−10 points49.0% → 38.8%
Broadband+6.9 points70.8% → 77.8%

Declined1

Commute+4.3 min16.4 min → 20.7 min

All 14 measures

Change of every measure of Kinston, North Carolina between two periods about five years apart
Measure	Before	After	Change	Reading	Favourable vs peers
Average commute time	16.4 min2015-2019	20.7 min2020-2024	+4.3 min	Declined	12%
Bachelor's degree or higher	17.6%2015-2019	16.4%2020-2024	−1.2 points	Within the margin of error	20%
Broadband subscriptions	70.8%2015-2019	77.8%2020-2024	+6.9 points	Improved	43%
Child poverty rate	49.0%2015-2019	38.8%2020-2024	−10 points	Improved	82%
Effective property tax rate	1.18%2015-2019	0.98%2020-2024	−0.2 points	Within the margin of error	59%
High school diploma or higher	79.6%2015-2019	82.8%2020-2024	+3.2 points	Within the margin of error	70%
Home price to income ratio	3.1×2015-2019	3.2×2020-2024	+0.2×	Within the margin of error	71%
Income inequality (Gini index)	0.5762015-2019	0.5062020-2024	−0.070	Within the margin of error	90%
Median household income	$33,0662015-2019	$36,8782020-2024	+12%	Within the margin of error	19%
Poverty rate	27.8%2015-2019	27.9%2020-2024	+0.1 points	Within the margin of error	43%
Rent as share of income	29.8%2015-2019	29.3%2020-2024	−0.5 points	Within the margin of error	59%
Rent-burdened households	49.5%2015-2019	47.4%2020-2024	−2.1 points	Within the margin of error	64%
Unemployment rate	15.4%2015-2019	16.1%2020-2024	+0.8 points	Within the margin of error	33%
Uninsured residents (under 65)	12.9%2015-2019	12.4%2020-2024	−0.4 points	Within the margin of error	52%

“Against peers” compares the change with the same change in the 14640 cities and towns that have the same two periods. It describes how common a change is, not why it happened.

Sources: American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates. Values are the latest and the one five years earlier of the same publisher dataset; datasets that changed publisher in between are never compared.

Survey estimates (American Community Survey) compare the two most recent 5-year windows that do not share years, so the margin of error of the difference holds. The 2015-2019 window predates the pandemic and 2020-2024 includes it.
A change counts only when it is larger than 1.645 times the square root of the two standard errors squared, summed (a 90% margin). Measures published without a margin must change by at least 5% to count.
“Against peers” compares the change with the same change in the 15651 cities and towns that have the same two periods. It describes how common a change is, not why it happened.
Standing is a percentile among the same places: 0 is the lowest value on the measure (or the worst when lower is better), 100 the best.

Cities and towns like Kinston, North Carolina five years ago that improved

The places whose measures looked most like those of Kinston, North Carolina in the earlier period, ranked by how many measures improved beyond the margin of error, minus how many declined. A comparison of published data, not a forecast and not advice.

For comparison, Kinston, North Carolina itself moved −0 points in standing on average over the same 10 measures (standings of all places average about zero).

How the ranking works

Similarity is the root-mean-square difference of standings in the earlier period over the measures most places have. Places are ranked by measures that improved beyond the margin of error minus those that declined (a count that estimation noise in small places cannot inflate), then by the mean change of standing over the measures a place has in both periods. Only places with more improvements than declines and a rise in standing are listed. Standings are relative, so a place can improve in absolute terms and still lose standing.

Who lives here

Age, race and education of residents, from the American Community Survey. Shares are of all residents (age), residents of every origin (race) or adults 25 and over (education).

Age and sex

19,505 residents (±26)

Men
Women

80 and over
70–79
60–69
50–59
40–49
30–39†
20–29
10–19
Under 10

Share of all residents, each sex

Biggest shift since 2015–2019: 10–19 men (−2.6 points).

† Wide margin of error (more than 30% of the estimate): read with care.

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B01001View table on data.census.gov

Race and Hispanic origin

19,505 residents (±26)

Kinston, North Carolina
North Carolina share

White23%4,422
Black68%13,170
Hispanic or Latino3.2%†624

Education

13,534 residents (±422)

Kinston, North Carolina
North Carolina share

No high school diploma17%2,326
High school or GED34%4,650
Some college22%2,975

Counts are survey estimates, each with a margin of error. The grouping into ranges is ours; every count is the Census Bureau's.

Income

How household income is spread, not just the middle: each bar is the share of households in that income range.

Household income

8,891 households (±407)

Kinston, North Carolina
North Carolina share

Under $25k32%2,845
$25k–50k31%2,746
$50k–75k13%1,167
$75k–100k11%1,010
$100k–150k7.2%644
$150k–200k2.9%†262
$200k or more2.4%†217

Biggest shift since 2015–2019: Under $25k (−9.3 points).

† Wide margin of error (more than 30% of the estimate): read with care.

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B19001View table on data.census.gov

Counts are survey estimates, each with a margin of error. The grouping into ranges is ours; every count is the Census Bureau's.

Homes

Who owns and who rents, what homes cost, and what the housing stock looks like.

Owners and renters

8,891 households (±407)

Kinston, North Carolina
North Carolina share

Own43%3,783
Rent57%5,108

No change since 2015–2019 is larger than the margin of error.

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B25003View table on data.census.gov

Rent paid

4,913 households (±469)

Kinston, North Carolina
North Carolina share

Under $75038%1,843
$750–1,00030%1,498
$1,000–1,50029%1,433

Home values

3,783 homes (±375)

Kinston, North Carolina
North Carolina share

Under $150k62%2,327
$150k–250k29%1,087
$250k–400k6.6%†248

Age of homes

10,599 homes (±395)

Kinston, North Carolina
North Carolina share

2010 or later3.6%†381
2000–20092.9%†303
1980–199919%1,972

Size of homes

10,599 homes (±395)

Kinston, North Carolina
North Carolina share

Studio3.2%†336
1 bedroom11%1,115
2 bedrooms31%3,245

Counts are survey estimates, each with a margin of error. The grouping into ranges is ours; every count is the Census Bureau's.

Getting to work

How workers travel to their job and how long it takes them.

How people get to work

6,485 workers (±494)

Kinston, North Carolina
North Carolina share

Drive alone80%5,188
Carpool15%961
Public transit0.4%†29
Walk1.4%†89
Bike0.0%0
Work from home3.3%†211
Other0.1%†7

Biggest shift since 2015–2019: Work from home (+2.2 points).

† Wide margin of error (more than 30% of the estimate): read with care.

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B08301View table on data.census.gov

Time to get to work

6,274 workers (±483)

Kinston, North Carolina
North Carolina share

Under 15 min49%3,068
15–29 min22%1,389
30–44 min17%1,080

Counts are survey estimates, each with a margin of error. The grouping into ranges is ours; every count is the Census Bureau's.

Jobs and pay

What the largest occupations here pay, from the Bureau of Labor Statistics' Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes pay by metro area, not by county or city. The metro area page lists its largest occupations and lets you look up any job.

Pay in the Kinston, NC

Local businesses

Employer businesses and sole proprietors by industry, per resident and against the state and the nation. Counts of businesses next to counts of people, not a measure of demand.

The Census Bureau publishes business counts by county, not by city, so these are the figures of Lenoir County, the county holding most of Kinston's residents.

Lenoir County has 1,220 employer establishments, 222 for every 10,000 residents (0.89× the US rate of 248; 0.93× North Carolina's), with 25,562 paid employees at an average annual pay of $46,388. The Census Bureau also counts 3,789 nonemployer businesses, mostly sole proprietors.

Establishments: 1,220; 3,789 nonemployers
Per 10,000 residents: 222; US 248 · North Carolina 237
Paid employees: 25,562
Average annual pay: $46,388; US $68,342

Employer establishments, employees, average pay and nonemployers of Lenoir County by industry, with the density per resident against the nation

Specialty trade contractors	99	18	1.16×About typical	966	$55,584	313
Ambulatory health care services	93	16.9	0.81×About typical	1,590	$54,423	188
Restaurants and other eating places	83	15.1	0.82×About typical	1,623	$18,640	14
Religious organizations	64	11.6	2.10×More than typical	302	$23,642	—
Limited-service restaurants	47	8.5	1.07×About typical	1,021	$18,812	4
Building equipment contractors	44	8	1.33×More than typical	519	$60,497	44
Automotive repair and maintenance	38	6.9	1.37×More than typical	182	$36,511	98
Lessors of real estate	36	6.5	0.53×Fewer than typical	146	$131,856	273
Offices of physicians	33	6	0.93×About typical	399	$78,090	21
Services to buildings and dwellings	31	5.6	0.84×About typical	517	$31,948	384
Gasoline stations	30	5.5	1.68×More than typical	158	$26,481	—
Truck transportation	29	5.3	1.04×About typical	251	$57,940	79

Rank places for an industry Open Lenoir County

County Business Patterns (2023); Nonemployer Statistics (2024)

Per-resident figures divide by the population estimate of 2023: 54,983 residents here, 336,755,052 in the United States. County Business Patterns counts establishments in 2023; the Nonemployer Statistics count businesses in 2024.
“More than typical” is a density at least 1.25 times the nation's per resident, “fewer” at most 0.8 times, with at least 10 establishments. It compares counts of businesses with counts of people: it says nothing about demand, incomes, size, quality or profit, and visitors and commuters are not residents.
The Census Bureau adds noise to employment and payroll to protect confidentiality, and withholds some figures: an industry with few establishments can show employees or pay as unavailable.
Industries overlap: a narrower industry (full-service restaurants) is part of a broader one (restaurants), so the rows do not add up.
Industries follow the North American Industry Classification System; the two surveys use different editions (NAICS 2017 and 2022), which this page matches industry by industry.

Federal contracts performed here

In FY2026, an estimated $55.1K of federal contract obligations were for work performed in Kinston, North Carolina: $2.83 per resident (US $1,994).

Obligations: $55.1K; −91% vs FY2025
Per resident: $2.83; US $1,994
Sole-source: 69%; US 30%
Single offer: 0.0%; US 8.8%

A signal is a reason to look closer, not evidence of wrongdoing: most sole-source awards are lawful and justified.

Top buying agencies

Top recipients

LIONS INDUSTRIES FOR THE BLIND, INC.$37.9K69%
MULTI-MAC JOINT VENTURE$8,10215%
SOUTHERN POWER & LIGHTING LLC$6,07011%
HIGHTOWER COMMUNICATIONS INC$3,0075.5%

Spending by fiscal year

103.8KFY2017
873.8KFY2018
693.8KFY2019
118.5KFY2020
270.1KFY2021
153.4KFY2022
165.2KFY2023
194.8K

Top industries (NAICS)

Other textile product mills · 3149$17.8K32%
Other miscellaneous manufacturing · 3399$16.1K29%
Architectural, engineering, and related services · 5413$8,10215%
Electric power generation, transmission and distribution · 2211$6,07011%
Utility system construction · 2371$3,0075.5%
Fabric mills · 3132$2,037

Source: Federal contract transactions (Federal Procurement Data System) (U.S. Department of the Treasury, USAspending.gov), data current to Oct 3, 2026, loaded Oct 3, 2026.

How this is estimated

Agencies report each contract action's place of performance as a county and a ZIP code. A ZIP code's money is split among the cities it covers by the share of its land inside each (Census 2020 ZIP code tabulation areas); the part outside city limits stays with the county.

The place of performance is what the contracting agency reports, often the contractor's office rather than where the work happens.
Shares are of land, not of people or businesses: a ZIP code that is mostly rural land but has its offices in town gives the town less than it should.
ZIP codes that are not mapped areas (post office boxes, the unique ZIP codes of large federal sites and companies) stay with their county, unless one city covers nearly all of it.
Counts of actions and awards include those only partly in Kinston, North Carolina, so they do not add up across cities.

Kinston, North Carolina's figures are part of those of Lenoir County, NC ($1M in FY2026), never added to them: 5.3% of that total.

Grants and other federal assistance are counted by county here, not split among cities: Kinston is mostly in Lenoir County.

See federal money in Lenoir County

Representation in Congress

Members serving today, with their record in the current Congress (party-unity votes cast with their caucus, roll calls missed). Not a grade.

Kinston, North Carolina is represented in the 119th Congress by these members.

House

Donald G. DavisD-NC-1 · 100% of residentsWith party 70%Missed 1.8%

Senate

Explore Congress The 2026 races

County

A city can lie in several counties. Some indicators are published for counties only: the page marks them.

Lenoir County23100% of residents

Metro area

The metro or micro area the city belongs to.

Kinston, NC19

Other cities and towns in Lenoir County

Largest first.

Similar cities and towns

Closest indicator profiles across the country (no model: score distances).

Data and sources

Latest published value of each indicator; periods differ by source. Values flagged by their publisher are marked.

PLACES: Local Data for Better HealthCenters for Disease Control and Prevention · release 2025
Local Area Unemployment StatisticsU.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · release 2025
American Community Survey 5-Year EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2017-2024
Building Permits SurveyU.S. Census Bureau · release 2026-08
Population Estimates ProgramU.S. Census Bureau · release 2025
Small Area Health Insurance EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2024
Small Area Income and Poverty EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2024
County Health Rankings & RoadmapsUniversity of Wisconsin Population Health Institute · release 2022-2025+2026-03-supplement

JSON · /api/v1/places/3735920

Scores by category

Strengths · Weaknesses

Strengths

Weaknesses

Trends