Kinston, NC Micro Area

Metro Area

Population: 54,917 (2023 estimate)

Core-Based Statistical Area (CBSA)

Metro area data from the U.S. Census Bureau. Core-Based Statistical Areas (CBSAs) are defined by the Office of Management and Budget and group counties with a central urban core plus surrounding communities that are economically tied to it. Metro areas often cross county and state lines, making them the best unit for understanding regional labor markets, housing costs, and commute patterns.

Metro income rankings Compare to another metro

Trends 2017–2023

Income Poverty Home Values Rent Homeownership Education Unemployment Commute Time Work From Home Foreign-Born Uninsured

Data: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023 (released December 2024).

Quick Facts — Kinston, NC Micro Area

What is the median household income in Kinston, NC Micro Area?: The median household income in Kinston, NC Micro Area is $44,795 (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023).
What is the poverty rate in Kinston, NC Micro Area?: The poverty rate in Kinston, NC Micro Area is 17.4% (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023).
What is the median home value in Kinston, NC Micro Area?: $111,400 (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023).
What is the average rent in Kinston, NC Micro Area?: The median gross rent in Kinston, NC Micro Area is $814 per month (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023).
What percentage of Kinston, NC Micro Area residents have a college degree?: 15.8% of adults in Kinston, NC Micro Area hold a bachelor's degree or higher (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023).

Population

54,917

Median Income

$44,795

Median Home Value

$111,400

Poverty Rate

17.4%

Unemployment (ACS 2023)

7.2%

Median Age

42.0 yrs

Since 2019 Median Income: +$5,393 (+13.7%) Home Value: +$15,900 (+16.6%) Poverty Rate: -0.4 pp (-2.2%) Bachelor's+: +0.9 pp (+6%) Unemployment: -4.2 pp (-36.8%)

Demographics

Total Population 54,917

Median Age 42.0

Female 52.3%

Race & Ethnicity

Hispanic or Latino 8.4% White (non-Hisp.) 48.0% Black 39.7% Asian 0.8% Two or More 4.7% Other 3.8%

Asian Subgroups (% of total pop.)

Chinese

0.3%

Indian

0.2%

Vietnamese

0.2%

Korean

0.1%

Hispanic Subgroups (% of total pop.)

Mexican

6.1%

Puerto Rican

0.8%

Cuban

0.1%

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

Income & Poverty

Median Household Income $44,795 ±$2,264

Per Capita Income $66,374

Median Family Income $63,247

Poverty Rate 17.4%

Child Poverty Rate 29.2%

Working-Age Poverty Rate —

SNAP Recipients 25.9%

Social Security Income —

Retirement Income 28.7%

Household Income Distribution

< $10k

6.7%

$10–15k

8.1%

$15–25k

12.2%

$25–35k

12.8%

$35–50k

15.4%

$50–75k

15.4%

$75–100k

11.9%

$100–150k

9.9%

$150–200k

4.9%

$200k+

2.6%

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

Housing

Total Housing Units 26,767

Owner-Occupied 59.3%

Renter-Occupied 40.7%

Vacancy Rate 14.3%

Median Home Value $111,400

Median Gross Rent $814

Owner Cost Burden (30%+) 28.8%

Renter Cost Burden (30%+) 36.2%

Home Value Distribution

< $50k

18.1%

$50–100k

24.5%

$100–200k

24.0%

$200–300k

11.2%

$300–500k

6.1%

$500k–$1M

1.8%

$1M+

0.4%

Gross Rent Distribution

< $500

16.7%

$500–1k

56.6%

$1–1.5k

22.6%

$1.5–2k

3.6%

$2–2.5k

0.3%

$3.5k+

0.2%

Vehicle Availability

No vehicle

8.3%

1 vehicle

36.9%

2 vehicles

31.0%

23.8%

Housing Type

Single-fam. det.

60.1%

Single-fam. att.

1.7%

2–4 units

3.9%

5–19 units

4.0%

20+ units

2.9%

Mobile home

21.9%

Housing Age

Pre-1940

6.1%

1940–1969

5.7%

1970–1999

19.1%

2000–2009

9.3%

2010+

4.8%

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

Education

High School or Higher 82.5%

Bachelor's or Higher 15.8%

Graduate Degree 5.5%

Some College / Associate 21.8%

Less Than High School 5.5%

Enrolled in School —

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

Employment

Labor Force Participation 55.6%

Unemployment Rate 7.2%

Work from Home 2.9%

Self-Employed 5.0%

Government Workers 17.8%

Private For-Profit 76.8%

Industry

Edu/Health

29.1%

Manufacturing

15.4%

Retail

9.8%

Construction

9.1%

Arts/Entmt.

7.1%

Public Admin

5.7%

Prof. Services

4.8%

Transportation

4.2%

Finance

3.7%

Agriculture

3.5%

Wholesale

2.3%

Information

0.7%

Occupation

Management

30.0%

Production

20.4%

Food Prep

19.8%

Sales

16.2%

Construction

13.5%

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

Commute

Median Travel Time 24.2 min

Drove Alone 82.6%

Carpool 12.1%

Public Transit 0.5%

Work from Home 2.9%

Walked 1.2%

Bicycle —

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

Households & Families

Total Households 22,930

Avg. Household Size 2.00

Avg. Family Size —

Married-Couple Households 36.3%

Single-Mother Households —

Single-Father Households —

Living Alone —

Households with Children 11.4%

Multigenerational —

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

Age Distribution

Under 5

5.7%

5–9

6.6%

10–14

6.2%

15–19

6.2%

20–24

5.8%

25–34

11.4%

35–44

10.8%

45–54

11.7%

55–64

6.7%

65–74

7.7%

75–84

12.3%

85+

5.7%

Under 18: 22.7% Working age (18–64): 77.3% 65 and over: 21.1%

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

Social Characteristics

Immigration

Foreign Born 4.2%

Naturalized Citizen 35.0%

Speaks English Less Than Very Well 2.9%

Foreign-Born Origin

Latin America

69.5%

Asia

14.3%

Europe

13.8%

Africa

1.9%

Veterans & Disability

Veteran 8.8%

With a Disability 23.0%

Cognitive Difficulty —

Ambulatory Difficulty —

Health Insurance

Insured 89.8%

Uninsured 10.2%

Employer Insurance —

Medicaid —

Medicare —

Technology & Mobility

Broadband Internet 79.6%

Has a Computer 89.6%

Same House 1 Year Ago 90.0%

Moved from Abroad 0.1%

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