Columbus County vs Lenoir County
A side-by-side comparison of Columbus County and Lenoir County: population, income, housing, and more.
Columbus County and Lenoir County are counties in North Carolina. This page compares them across population, income, housing, education, commuting, and how each has changed since 2019.
Lenoir County has the higher population (54,917 vs 50,453 in Columbus County). Columbus County has the higher median household income ($48,184 vs $44,795 in Lenoir County). Columbus County has the higher median home value ($128,300 vs $111,400 in Lenoir County).
Population, income & housing
| Columbus County | Lenoir County | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 50,453 | 54,917 |
| Median age | 42.4 yrs | 42.2 yrs |
| Median household income | $48,184 | $44,795 |
| Median home value | $128,300 | $111,400 |
| Median gross rent | $775 | $814 |
| Housing units | 23,560 | 26,767 |
| Homeownership rate | 72.3% | 59.3% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 15.1% | 15.8% |
| Unemployment rate | 4.7% | 7.2% |
Trends (ACS 5-year, 2019–2023)
| Columbus County | Lenoir County | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 56,068 → 50,453 (-10.0%) | 56,756 → 54,917 (-3.2%) |
| Median household income | $37,628 → $48,184 (+28.1%) | $39,402 → $44,795 (+13.7%) |
| Median home value | $88,900 → $128,300 (+44.3%) | $95,500 → $111,400 (+16.6%) |
| Median gross rent | $633 → $775 (+22.4%) | $717 → $814 (+13.5%) |
Columbus County
56,06850,453
$37,628$48,184
$88,900$128,300
$633$775
Lenoir County
56,75654,917
$39,402$44,795
$95,500$111,400
$717$814
Age & race/ethnicity
Age distribution (share)
| Columbus County | Lenoir County | |
|---|---|---|
| Under 5 | 5.2% | 5.7% |
| 5 to 17 | 15.5% | 17.0% |
| 18 to 24 | 8.5% | 7.8% |
| 25 to 34 | 12.3% | 11.4% |
| 35 to 44 | 11.5% | 10.8% |
| 45 to 54 | 12.7% | 11.7% |
| 55 to 64 | 13.9% | 14.4% |
| 65 to 74 | 12.0% | 12.3% |
| 75 and over | 8.5% | 8.8% |
Race & ethnicity (share)
| Columbus County | Lenoir County | |
|---|---|---|
| White (non-Hispanic) | 59.0% | 48.0% |
| Black or African American | 28.6% | 39.4% |
| American Indian & Alaska Native | 3.0% | 0.1% |
| Asian | 0.4% | 0.8% |
| Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander | 0.0% | 0.1% |
| Some other race | 0.1% | 0.3% |
| Two or more races | 3.4% | 2.9% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 5.5% | 8.4% |
Educational attainment (age 25+)
Share of adults 25+
| Columbus County | Lenoir County | |
|---|---|---|
| No high school diploma | 13.5% | 17.5% |
| High school graduate | 36.7% | 32.7% |
| Some college or associate's | 34.8% | 34.0% |
| Bachelor's degree | 10.1% | 10.3% |
| Graduate or professional degree | 4.9% | 5.5% |
Commute to work
How workers get to work (share)
| Columbus County | Lenoir County | |
|---|---|---|
| Drove alone | 84.9% | 82.6% |
| Carpooled | 7.6% | 12.1% |
| Public transit | 0.0% | 0.5% |
| Walked | 2.1% | 1.2% |
| Bicycle | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Worked from home | 4.8% | 2.9% |
| Other means | 0.5% | 0.7% |
Housing
Units in structure (share)
| Columbus County | Lenoir County | |
|---|---|---|
| 1-unit, detached | 62.8% | 60.1% |
| 1-unit, attached | 0.5% | 1.7% |
| 2 to 4 units | 3.5% | 7.5% |
| 5 to 19 units | 2.1% | 5.9% |
| 20 or more units | 0.9% | 2.9% |
| Mobile home & other | 30.1% | 22.0% |
Poverty & households
| Columbus County | Lenoir County | |
|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 18.8% | 22.5% |
| Average household size | 2.49 | 2.34 |
| Mean commute (minutes) | 28 | 24 |
| Median year structure built | 1981 | 1977 |
Full profiles
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