The Town FilesKinston, North Carolina
City in Lenoir County · population 19,900 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $119,300
- Household income
- $36,878
- Jan low / Jul high
- 35° / 91°
- Snow a year
- 1 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 22
- Median age
- 42.9
Kinston is a city of 19,900 people in Lenoir County, North Carolina. The median home is worth $119,300, below the typical North Carolina town ($228,900). It ranks more walkable than 91% of North Carolina towns, better for cycling than 89% of North Carolina towns, hipper than 87% of North Carolina towns.
How Kinston ranks
Percentile among North Carolina towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of North Carolina towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Kinston is worth $119,300, below the typical North Carolina town ($228,900). Homes cost about 3.2 times the median household income of $36,878, which is more affordable than 72% of North Carolina towns. Median rent is $867 a month. 42.5% of households own their home.
| Housing | Kinston | Typical North Carolina town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $119,300 | $228,900 |
| Median rent | $867 | $969 |
| Median household income | $36,878 | $60,458 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.2× | 3.7× |
| Homeownership | 42.5% | 69.5% |
| Median year built | 1966 | 1984 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.6% | — |
Who lives in Kinston
| People | Kinston | Typical North Carolina town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 42.9 | 41.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 24.5% | 19.0% |
| Under 18 | 21.8% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 16.4% | 24.5% |
| Below the poverty line | 27.9% | 14.3% |
| Veterans | 9.5% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 3.6% | — |
| Work from home | 3.3% | 9.8% |
| Average commute | 20.7 min | 24.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 77.8% | 89.5% |
Weather in Kinston
July highs average 90.6°F and January lows 35.3°F. About 52.9 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.7 inches of snow (typical North Carolina town: 2.2 in). Expect about 62 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 45 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
22 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Kinston since 1950, compared with 13 for the typical North Carolina town. 2 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on September 16, 1996 about 1.9 miles from the town center. The most recent was on June 22, 2023.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 37 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on July 16, 2000.
Severe weather in Lenoir County since 1996
Lenoir County has been included in 29 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for tornado, hurricane, snowstorm.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| January 24, 2026 | Winter Storm | EM-3637: Severe Winter Storm |
| September 26, 2024 | Tropical Storm | EM-3617: Hurricane Helene |
| August 6, 2024 | Tropical Storm | EM-3608: Tropical Storm Debby |
| October 1, 2022 | Hurricane | EM-3586: Hurricane Ian |
| October 14, 2020 | Hurricane | DR-4568: Hurricane Isaias |
Jobs and pay in Lenoir County
Lenoir County had 29,083 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $50,091 a year. Unemployment was 3.4% in 2023; in Kinston itself the ACS puts it at 16.1%.
Public schools in Kinston
13 public schools with 5,298 students, about 15.5 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Contentnea-Savannah School | PK-8 | 875 | 15.9 |
| Kinston High | 9-12 | 706 | 18.6 |
| Woodington Middle | 6-8 | 582 | 16.6 |
| Banks Elementary | PK-5 | 483 | 15.6 |
| Northwest Elementary | K-5 | 445 | 14.4 |
| Northeast Elementary | PK-5 | 433 | 14.0 |
| Rochelle Middle | 6-8 | 429 | 19.5 |
| Moss Hill Elementary | K-5 | 389 | 13.9 |
| Southeast Elementary | PK-5 | 270 | 9.6 |
| Southwood Elementary | K-5 | 235 | 13.1 |
| Lenoir County Early College High | 9-13 | 230 | 32.9 |
| Children's Village Academy (charter) | K-8 | 149 | 14.9 |
Towns near Kinston
- La Grange, NC11.3 mi · 2,595 people · home $83,800
- Ayden, NC16.7 mi · 4,977 people · home $182,400
- Elroy, NC19.0 mi · 3,755 people · home $133,100
- Winterville, NC20.6 mi · 10,462 people · home $245,100
- Farmville, NC22.1 mi · 4,461 people · home $183,000
- Goldsboro, NC22.5 mi · 33,657 people · home $200,400
- Brogden, NC24.6 mi · 2,510 people · home $96,400
- Greenville, NC25.4 mi · 87,521 people · home $233,500
Kinston questions
Is Kinston, North Carolina a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Kinston scores better for retirees than 25% of North Carolina towns and quieter than 12%. 24.5% of residents are 65 or older (median age 42.9).
How much does a house cost in Kinston?
The median owner-occupied home in Kinston is valued at $119,300 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $36,878, so homes cost about 3.2 times income. Median rent is $867 a month.
What is the weather like in Kinston?
July highs average 90.6°F and January lows 35.3°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 52.9 inches of precipitation a year and 0.7 inches of snow.
Does Kinston get tornadoes?
22 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Kinston since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on September 16, 1996. The typical North Carolina town has had 13.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)