Small-town market profile · North Carolina
Kinston, NC area market data
Population, household spending and competition for 56 business types in the Kinston area, each scored against other small-town markets.
- Population, 2025
- 55,837
- +1.4% since 2020
- Households
- 23,351
- Median household income
- $45,143
- +14.6% vs. 2015–2019, before inflation
- Median home value
- $120,500
- Jobs located here
- 29,615
- Highest market score
- 70
- Chiropractors, #44 of 426 scored small-town markets
A site report maps the competitors on map listings around any address in the Kinston area by name and distance, and the households and spending within reach. Or open the report at the center of the Kinston area. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
Free10 actions over 3 days, no cardSurvey estimates 2020–2024 · population estimates 2025 · official business counts 2023 · map listings September 2026 · Data credits · How we measure
What this means
An estimated 55,837 people live in the Kinston area, in 23,351 households. Population estimates put the population change in the Kinston area from 2020 to 2025 at +1.4%, slower than the U.S. (+3.1%). The median household income in the Kinston area is $45,143 a year, 44% below the U.S. median of $80,734. That rose 14.6% from the 2015–2019 survey, before inflation.
Set against the U.S., households in the Kinston area spend the most on vehicle insurance (an index of 123, where 100 is the U.S. average) and the least on memberships, classes and admissions (48).
The highest Groundwork market scores in the Kinston area are for chiropractors (70), real estate agents and brokers (62) and real estate businesses (60). The Kinston area ranks #44 of 426 scored small-town markets for chiropractors.
The Kinston area is made up of one county, Lenoir County. For its number of households, the Kinston area has the most map listings, relative to the U.S., for funeral homes (2.9 times the U.S. rate) and the fewest for real estate agents and brokers (68% below the U.S. rate).
All 56 business types in the Kinston area
Highest Groundwork market score first. Each score compares the Kinston area with other small-town markets for that business type, from 0 to 100. Spending per listing divides a whole spending line (all vehicle repairs, all eating out) by one type’s listings: the demand for each competitor, not a business’s revenue. Compare it across markets with its index, where 100 is the U.S. figure for the same type; the real estate types, whose line is all housing costs, show the index only. How the score works.
| Business type | Score | Rank among small-town markets | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Spending per listing vs. U.S. (100) | Official establishments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chiropractors | 70 | #44 of 426 | 5 | 2.1 | $4.3M | 179 | 3 |
| Real estate agents and brokers | 62 | #104 of 533 | 23 | 9.8 | Index only | 236 | 9 |
| Real estate | 60 | #129 of 536 | 32 | 13.7 | Index only | 214 | 16 |
| Property management | 59 | #55 of 180 | 5 | 2.1 | Index only | 107 | 3 |
| Pet grooming and boarding | 59 | #127 of 387 | 6 | 2.6 | $2.7M | 105 | Under 3 |
| Insurance agencies | 59 | #193 of 537 | 39 | 16.7 | $1.4M | 114 | 22 |
| Physical therapy | 58 | #143 of 400 | 5 | 2.1 | $4.3M | 178 | Under 3 |
| Car washes and detailing | 57 | #158 of 441 | 8 | 3.4 | $2.4M | 97 | 3 |
| Coffee shops and cafes | 57 | #188 of 529 | 14 | 6.0 | $4.9M | 132 | 9 |
| Restaurants and cafes | 49 | #268 of 538 | 198 | 84.8 | $346K | 93 | 83 |
| Sit-down restaurants | 49 | #276 of 538 | 110 | 47.1 | $623K | 94 | 26 |
| Funeral homes | 48 | #188 of 365 | 14 | 6.0 | $268K | 40 | 5 |
| Bakeries and dessert shops | 48 | #275 of 507 | 16 | 6.9 | $4.3M | 103 | 9 |
| House cleaning | 46 | #76 of 142 | 7 | 3.0 | $4M | 63 | 8 |
| Roofing and gutters | 45 | #173 of 288 | 6 | 2.6 | $9M | 106 | 6 |
| Spas and skin care | 44 | #318 of 504 | 14 | 6.0 | $1.2M | 136 | Under 3 |
| Landscaping and lawn care | 42 | #259 of 399 | 15 | 6.4 | $1.9M | 64 | 20 |
| Clothing, shoes and laundry | 42 | #341 of 536 | 42 | 18.0 | $851K | 97 | 14 |
| Doctors, dentists and clinics | 40 | #365 of 538 | 131 | 56.1 | $163K | 107 | 55 |
| Gas stations | 40 | #380 of 536 | 50 | 21.4 | $1.3M | 55 | 30 |
| Salons, barbers and spas | 40 | #395 of 538 | 100 | 42.8 | $166K | 78 | 4 |
| Collision repair and body shops | 39 | #280 of 387 | 9 | 3.9 | $2.2M | 70 | 6 |
| Clothing and shoe stores | 39 | #366 of 536 | 33 | 14.1 | $1.1M | 85 | 14 |
| Pet businesses | 39 | #391 of 527 | 28 | 12.0 | $573K | 65 | 11 |
| HVAC and plumbing | 38 | #362 of 476 | 16 | 6.9 | $3.4M | 71 | 18 |
| Primary care and pediatrics | 36 | #339 of 458 | 13 | 5.6 | $1.6M | 92 | 33 |
| Lawn, cleaning and pest control | 36 | #380 of 481 | 25 | 10.7 | $1.1M | 67 | 31 |
| Pizza | 35 | #409 of 520 | 19 | 8.1 | $3.6M | 71 | 47 |
| Electricians | 33 | #252 of 295 | 8 | 3.4 | $6.7M | 56 | 23 |
| Martial arts and dance studios | 32 | #314 of 378 | 16 | 6.9 | $692K | 34 | 3 |
| Dentists and orthodontists | 30 | #453 of 526 | 24 | 10.3 | $892K | 91 | 16 |
| Home repair trades | 30 | #470 of 526 | 30 | 12.8 | $1.8M | 74 | 47 |
| Nail salons | 29 | #323 of 387 | 11 | 4.7 | $1.5M | 90 | Under 3 |
| Fast food and sandwich shops | 29 | #453 of 537 | 33 | 14.1 | $2.1M | 68 | 47 |
| Gyms | 28 | #458 of 506 | 24 | 10.3 | $461K | 35 | 5 |
| Child care and preschools | 27 | #396 of 454 | 12 | 5.1 | $582K | 58 | 19 |
| Convenience stores | 27 | #457 of 529 | 27 | 11.6 | $4.5M | 57 | 14 |
| Veterinarians | 26 | #355 of 398 | 13 | 5.6 | $1.2M | 45 | 8 |
| Auto repair shops | 25 | #487 of 538 | 64 | 27.4 | $304K | 68 | 33 |
| Gyms, studios and classes | 24 | #498 of 535 | 40 | 17.1 | $277K | 42 | 8 |
| Tire shops | 23 | #383 of 431 | 15 | 6.4 | $1.3M | 52 | 8 |
| Grocery and convenience stores | 23 | #482 of 538 | 61 | 26.1 | $2M | 59 | 27 |
| Auto repair and car care | 23 | #497 of 538 | 109 | 46.7 | $179K | 67 | 46 |
| Grocery stores | 22 | #462 of 506 | 25 | 10.7 | $4.9M | 52 | 13 |
| Barbershops | 20 | #338 of 377 | 17 | 7.3 | $978K | 52 | Under 3 |
| Hair salons | 20 | #517 of 538 | 57 | 24.4 | $292K | 68 | Under 3 |
| Dry cleaners | Not scored | Not scored | 4 | 1.7 | $8.9M | 57 | Under 3 |
| Mortgage brokers and lenders | Not scored | Not scored | 4 | 1.7 | Index only | 190 | Under 3 |
| Optometrists and eye care | Not scored | Not scored | 4 | 1.7 | $5.4M | 171 | 3 |
| Pet stores | Not scored | Not scored | 4 | 1.7 | $4M | 89 | 3 |
| Laundromats | Not scored | Not scored | 3 | 1.3 | $11.9M | 95 | Under 3 |
| Pest control | Not scored | Not scored | 3 | 1.3 | $9.4M | 92 | 3 |
| Oil change and quick lube | Not scored | Not scored | 2 | 0.9 | $9.7M | Too few | Under 3 |
| Home inspectors | Not scored | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | None listed | None listed | Under 3 |
| Urgent care and walk-in clinics | Not scored | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | None listed | None listed | Under 3 |
| Yoga, Pilates and fitness studios | Not scored | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | None listed | None listed | 5 |
Household spending in the Kinston area
What households here spend in a year on each line, in total and per household, with the index against the U.S. average (100).
| Spending line | A year, all households | Per household | Index vs. U.S. (100) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vehicle maintenance and repairs | $19.5M | $834 | 87 |
| Gasoline and other fuels | $65.1M | $2,788 | 107 |
| Food away from home | $68.6M | $2,937 | 72 |
| Groceries | $121.5M | $5,204 | 82 |
| Personal care products and services | $16.6M | $712 | 71 |
| Child care and other personal services | $7M | $299 | 52 |
| Memberships, classes and admissions | $11.1M | $474 | 48 |
| Medical and dental services | $21.4M | $916 | 71 |
| Pets | $16.1M | $688 | 76 |
| Clothing, shoes and related services | $35.8M | $1,531 | 75 |
| Vehicle insurance | $56M | $2,397 | 123 |
| Home repairs, maintenance and insurance | $53.9M | $2,307 | 76 |
| Lawn care, cleaning and other household services | $28.2M | $1,207 | 85 |
| Rent and homeowner costs | $296.5M | $12,697 | 76 |
Household spending is estimated from the incomes of the households in each neighborhood, using what households at each income spent nationally in 2024, adjusted for the region. It counts what residents spend, wherever they spend it.
Population and households in the Kinston area
- Population, 2025 estimate
- 55,837+1.4% since 2020
- Households
- 23,351
- Median age
- 41.6
- Homes lived in by their owners
- 59%
- Vehicles per household
- 1.9
- Land area
- 399 sq. mi.
- People per square mile
- 138
- Median household income
- $45,143+14.6% vs. 2015–2019, before inflation
- Average household income
- $65,291
- Median home value
- $120,500
- Jobs located here
- 29,615
- Daytime population
- 59,853Residents who don’t work, plus everyone whose job is here
Looking at a specific site in the Kinston area?
These figures cover the whole small-town market. A site report draws rings around one address and counts what’s inside them: households, spending, jobs, and the competitors on map listings by name and distance, for any of the 56 business types.
Or open the report at the center of the Kinston area. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
Free10 actions over 3 days, no cardRelated markets
Counties in the Kinston area 1
- Lenoir County, NC54,919 people
Other markets based in North Carolina 12
- Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC metro area2,768,407 people
- Raleigh-Cary, NC metro area1,487,302 people
- Greensboro-High Point, NC metro area786,419 people
- Winston-Salem, NC metro area689,766 people
- Durham-Chapel Hill, NC metro area601,724 people
- Wilmington, NC metro area453,347 people
- Asheville, NC metro area414,711 people
- Fayetteville, NC metro area392,380 people
- Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC metro area368,316 people
- Jacksonville, NC metro area207,906 people
- Greenville, NC metro area177,193 people
- Burlington, NC metro area176,893 people
Questions
How fast is the Kinston, NC area growing?
Population estimates put the Kinston area at 55,837 people in 2025, up 1.4% since 2020, slower than the U.S. (+3.1%). It has 23,351 households. Against the 2015–2019 survey, median household income rose 14.6%, before inflation.
How much do households in the Kinston, NC area spend?
Households in the Kinston area spend about $296.5M a year on rent and homeowner costs, $121.5M on groceries and $68.6M on food away from home. Relative to the U.S., household spending in the Kinston area runs highest on vehicle insurance (an index of 123, where 100 is the U.S. average) and lowest on memberships, classes and admissions (48).
Which business types have the highest market scores in the Kinston, NC area?
Of the business types scored in the Kinston area, chiropractors (70), real estate agents and brokers (62) and real estate businesses (60) have the highest Groundwork market scores. For chiropractors, that ranks #44 of 426 scored small-town markets.
How does the Kinston, NC area compare with the U.S.?
Median household income in the Kinston area is $45,143, 44% below the U.S. median of $80,734. The population rose 1.4% from 2020 to 2025, against +3.1% for the U.S. The median home value is $120,500, against $332,700 for the U.S. Against the U.S., map listings per household run highest for funeral homes (2.9 times the U.S. rate) and lowest for real estate agents and brokers (68% below the U.S. rate).
What is the Groundwork market score?
The Groundwork market score runs from 0 to 100 and compares a market with others of its kind for one business type: states with states, metro areas with metro areas, small-town markets and counties with their own. A small-town market is a town of 10,000 to 50,000 people and the county or counties tied to it by commuting. It weighs household spending per competitor (35%), households per business with payroll (25%), population growth (20%) and spending power (20%), each ranked against those peers. A higher score means that, taken together, the market has more household spending and more households for each business already there, faster population growth and more spending per household than similar markets. It describes a market, not any one site or deal. 46 of the 56 business types have a score in the Kinston area, each ranked against other small-town markets.
How can I see the market around a specific site?
Run a Groundwork site report on an address in the Kinston area. It maps the competitors on map listings near the site and sizes the households and spending within the distance you choose. New accounts get 10 actions over 3 days, no card.
All markets in North Carolina · Every U.S. market · How we measure
Screening a site or an acquisition in the Kinston area?
A site report maps the competitors on map listings near an address and sizes the households and spending around it.
The button opens the report at the center of the Kinston area. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.
Figures are estimates for research only. Not investment or real estate advice.