County profile · North Carolina
Lincoln County, NC market data
How Lincoln County compares with other counties for 56 business types: competitors, household spending, official counts and growth.
- Population, 2025
- 98,654
- +13.2% since 2020
- Households
- 36,811
- Median household income
- $80,016
- +39.1% vs. 2015–2019, before inflation
- Median home value
- $321,000
- Jobs located here
- 27,413
- Highest market score
- 87
- Veterinarians, #28 of 1,485 scored counties
A site report maps the competitors on map listings around any address in Lincoln County by name and distance, and the households and spending within reach. Or open the report at the center of Lincoln County. 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
Lincoln County has an estimated 98,654 people and 36,811 households. Population estimates show Lincoln County grew 13.2% from 2020 to 2025, faster than the U.S. (+3.1%). Median household income in Lincoln County is $80,016, in line with the U.S. median of $80,734. Against the 2015–2019 survey, the median rose 39.1%, before inflation.
Relative to the U.S., household spending in Lincoln County runs highest on vehicle insurance (an index of 149, where 100 is the U.S. average) and lowest on memberships, classes and admissions (84).
Of the business types scored in Lincoln County, veterinarians (87), bakeries and dessert shops (87) and insurance agencies (85) have the highest Groundwork market scores. For veterinarians, that ranks #28 of 1,485 scored counties.
Lincoln County is part of the Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia metro area. Against the U.S., map listings per household run highest for pet grooming and boarding businesses (89% above the U.S. rate) and lowest for clothing, shoe and laundry businesses (53% below the U.S. rate).
All 56 business types in Lincoln County
Highest Groundwork market score first. Each score compares Lincoln County with other counties 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 counties | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Spending per listing vs. U.S. (100) | Official establishments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Veterinarians | 87 | #28 of 1,485 | 9 | 2.4 | $3.9M | 143 | 8 |
| Bakeries and dessert shops | 87 | #31 of 1,889 | 21 | 5.7 | $7M | 168 | 13 |
| Insurance agencies | 85 | #125 of 2,272 | 33 | 9.0 | $3.3M | 259 | 33 |
| Clothing, shoes and laundry | 84 | #83 of 2,210 | 40 | 10.9 | $1.8M | 208 | 14 |
| Clothing and shoe stores | 84 | #98 of 2,087 | 32 | 8.7 | $2.3M | 180 | 10 |
| Convenience stores | 84 | #110 of 2,261 | 29 | 7.9 | $7.9M | 100 | 4 |
| Tire shops | 83 | #66 of 1,530 | 13 | 3.5 | $3.1M | 123 | 4 |
| Funeral homes | 82 | #50 of 1,472 | 6 | 1.6 | $927K | 137 | 3 |
| Sit-down restaurants | 82 | #95 of 2,405 | 145 | 39.4 | $1M | 152 | 52 |
| Restaurants and cafes | 82 | #108 of 2,405 | 258 | 70.1 | $567K | 153 | 132 |
| Grocery and convenience stores | 80 | #191 of 2,402 | 67 | 18.2 | $3.4M | 100 | 16 |
| Grocery stores | 79 | #225 of 2,070 | 21 | 5.7 | $10.9M | 117 | 12 |
| Mortgage brokers and lenders | 78 | #42 of 887 | 6 | 1.6 | Index only | 248 | 5 |
| House cleaning | 78 | #47 of 847 | 7 | 1.9 | $8.2M | 128 | 19 |
| Fast food and sandwich shops | 78 | #168 of 2,222 | 36 | 9.8 | $4.1M | 133 | 65 |
| Property management | 77 | #53 of 910 | 5 | 1.4 | Index only | 209 | 15 |
| Chiropractors | 77 | #104 of 1,490 | 13 | 3.5 | $3.3M | 138 | 6 |
| Coffee shops and cafes | 76 | #178 of 2,063 | 34 | 9.2 | $4.3M | 116 | 13 |
| Child care and preschools | 75 | #156 of 1,611 | 14 | 3.8 | $1.3M | 134 | 22 |
| Nail salons | 74 | #110 of 1,328 | 18 | 4.9 | $1.9M | 115 | 3 |
| Pest control | 73 | #69 of 699 | 6 | 1.6 | $9.6M | 93 | 4 |
| Gas stations | 73 | #329 of 2,358 | 56 | 15.2 | $2.2M | 94 | 44 |
| Car washes and detailing | 72 | #190 of 1,451 | 15 | 4.1 | $2.7M | 106 | 6 |
| HVAC and plumbing | 71 | #183 of 1,707 | 18 | 4.9 | $6.2M | 131 | 42 |
| Pet businesses | 67 | #407 of 2,200 | 47 | 12.8 | $744K | 85 | 21 |
| Pizza | 67 | #425 of 2,090 | 33 | 9.0 | $4.4M | 87 | 65 |
| Electricians | 65 | #246 of 1,160 | 8 | 2.2 | $14M | 117 | 41 |
| Roofing and gutters | 65 | #267 of 1,177 | 19 | 5.2 | $5.9M | 70 | 5 |
| Gyms | 63 | #427 of 1,792 | 22 | 6.0 | $1.4M | 106 | 14 |
| Physical therapy | 62 | #398 of 1,422 | 17 | 4.6 | $2.5M | 105 | 13 |
| Home repair trades | 62 | #498 of 2,057 | 45 | 12.2 | $2.5M | 103 | 88 |
| Pet stores | 60 | #327 of 974 | 11 | 3.0 | $3.2M | 70 | 3 |
| Barbershops | 60 | #453 of 1,356 | 16 | 4.3 | $2.2M | 115 | 3 |
| Yoga, Pilates and fitness studios | 59 | #214 of 777 | 6 | 1.6 | $5.1M | 125 | 14 |
| Optometrists and eye care | 59 | #451 of 1,302 | 15 | 4.1 | $2.9M | 91 | 6 |
| Landscaping and lawn care | 59 | #493 of 1,493 | 25 | 6.8 | $2.3M | 78 | 50 |
| Lawn, cleaning and pest control | 59 | #537 of 1,771 | 38 | 10.3 | $1.5M | 90 | 73 |
| Primary care and pediatrics | 57 | #630 of 1,656 | 29 | 7.9 | $1.5M | 83 | 38 |
| Auto repair shops | 57 | #865 of 2,378 | 86 | 23.4 | $467K | 105 | 58 |
| Hair salons | 56 | #898 of 2,339 | 93 | 25.3 | $373K | 87 | 16 |
| Dentists and orthodontists | 55 | #766 of 1,886 | 37 | 10.1 | $1.2M | 118 | 30 |
| Auto repair and car care | 54 | #1,047 of 2,401 | 155 | 42.1 | $259K | 96 | 74 |
| Gyms, studios and classes | 53 | #916 of 2,088 | 51 | 13.9 | $595K | 90 | 22 |
| Doctors, dentists and clinics | 51 | #1,152 of 2,394 | 269 | 73.1 | $160K | 105 | 93 |
| Martial arts and dance studios | 50 | #688 of 1,334 | 23 | 6.2 | $1.3M | 65 | 8 |
| Pet grooming and boarding | 50 | #752 of 1,461 | 25 | 6.8 | $1.4M | 55 | 10 |
| Real estate | 50 | #1,097 of 2,229 | 108 | 29.3 | Index only | 124 | 91 |
| Salons, barbers and spas | 50 | #1,193 of 2,385 | 176 | 47.8 | $197K | 93 | 32 |
| Real estate agents and brokers | 47 | #1,234 of 2,176 | 95 | 25.8 | Index only | 112 | 63 |
| Spas and skin care | 46 | #1,038 of 1,769 | 49 | 13.3 | $707K | 81 | 9 |
| Collision repair and body shops | 45 | #785 of 1,327 | 17 | 4.6 | $2.4M | 77 | 21 |
| Oil change and quick lube | Not scored | Not scored | 4 | 1.1 | $10M | 73 | 5 |
| Home inspectors | Not scored | Not scored | 2 | 0.5 | Index only | Too few | 4 |
| Laundromats | Not scored | Not scored | 2 | 0.5 | $36.7M | Too few | Under 3 |
| Urgent care and walk-in clinics | Not scored | Not scored | 2 | 0.5 | $21.5M | Too few | Under 3 |
| Dry cleaners | Not scored | Not scored | 1 | 0.3 | $73.4M | Too few | 4 |
Household spending in Lincoln County
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 | $40.1M | $1,090 | 114 |
| Gasoline and other fuels | $125.9M | $3,419 | 132 |
| Food away from home | $146.4M | $3,976 | 98 |
| Groceries | $227.9M | $6,192 | 98 |
| Personal care products and services | $34.6M | $941 | 94 |
| Child care and other personal services | $18.8M | $511 | 88 |
| Memberships, classes and admissions | $30.4M | $825 | 84 |
| Medical and dental services | $43M | $1,167 | 91 |
| Pets | $35M | $950 | 104 |
| Clothing, shoes and related services | $73.4M | $1,994 | 97 |
| Vehicle insurance | $107.4M | $2,918 | 149 |
| Home repairs, maintenance and insurance | $112.3M | $3,051 | 101 |
| Lawn care, cleaning and other household services | $57.3M | $1,557 | 110 |
| Rent and homeowner costs | $580.3M | $15,765 | 95 |
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 Lincoln County
- Population, 2025 estimate
- 98,654+13.2% since 2020
- Households
- 36,811
- Median age
- 44.7
- Homes lived in by their owners
- 79%
- Vehicles per household
- 2.2
- Land area
- 296 sq. mi.
- People per square mile
- 313
- Median household income
- $80,016+39.1% vs. 2015–2019, before inflation
- Average household income
- $108,694
- Median home value
- $321,000
- Jobs located here
- 27,413
- Daytime population
- 76,555Residents who don’t work, plus everyone whose job is here
Looking at a specific site in Lincoln County?
These figures cover the whole county. 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 Lincoln County. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
Free10 actions over 3 days, no cardRelated markets
Nearest counties in North Carolina 8
- Gaston County, NC234,881 people
- Catawba County, NC163,573 people
- Iredell County, NC196,544 people
- Cleveland County, NC100,991 people
- Mecklenburg County, NC1,154,681 people
- Alexander County, NC36,412 people
- Cabarrus County, NC236,133 people
- Burke County, NC87,795 people
Questions
How fast is Lincoln County, NC growing?
Population estimates put Lincoln County at 98,654 people in 2025, up 13.2% since 2020, faster than the U.S. (+3.1%). It has 36,811 households. Median household income rose 39.1% from the 2015–2019 survey, before inflation.
How much do households in Lincoln County, NC spend?
Households in Lincoln County spend about $580.3M a year on rent and homeowner costs, $227.9M on groceries and $146.4M on food away from home. Set against the U.S., households in Lincoln County spend the most on vehicle insurance (an index of 149, where 100 is the U.S. average) and the least on memberships, classes and admissions (84).
Which business types have the highest market scores in Lincoln County, NC?
The highest Groundwork market scores in Lincoln County are for veterinarians (87), bakeries and dessert shops (87) and insurance agencies (85). Lincoln County ranks #28 of 1,485 scored counties for veterinarians.
How does Lincoln County, NC compare with the U.S.?
The median household income in Lincoln County is $80,016 a year, in line with the U.S. median of $80,734. The population rose 13.2% from 2020 to 2025, against +3.1% for the U.S. The median home value is $321,000, against $332,700 for the U.S. For its number of households, Lincoln County has the most map listings, relative to the U.S., for pet grooming and boarding businesses (89% above the U.S. rate) and the fewest for clothing, shoe and laundry businesses (53% 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. 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. 51 of the 56 business types have a score in Lincoln County, each ranked against other counties.
How can I see the market around a specific site?
Run a Groundwork site report on an address in Lincoln County. 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 Lincoln County?
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 Lincoln County. 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.