State
Land Area
18.4 sq mi
Density
1,068.3/sq mi
2020 Growth Rate
-1.11%
Growth Since 2010
-9.38%
Rank in State
Rank in Country
Metro Population
54,646
Kinston is a city located in North Carolina. With a 2020 population of 19,643, it is the 50th largest city in North Carolina and the 1885th largest city in the United States. Kinston is currently declining at a rate of -1.11% annually and its population has decreased by -9.38% since the most recent census, which recorded a population of 21,677 in 2010. Kinston reached it's highest population of 25,295 in 1990. Spanning over 19 miles, Kinston has a population density of 1,068 people per square mile.
The average household income in Kinston is $53,945 with a poverty rate of 29.45%. The median rental costs in recent years comes to $708 per month, and the median house value is $102,700. The median age in Kinston is 44.6 years, 38.3 years for males, and 47.6 years for females. For every 100 females there are 89.3 males.
According to the most recent ACS, the racial composition of Kinston was:
| Year | Total Population | Growth | Annual Growth Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 54,646 | -665 | -1.22% |
| 2019 | 55,311 | -665 | -1.20% |
| 2018 | 55,976 | -665 | -1.19% |
| 2017 | 56,641 | -622 | -1.10% |
| 2016 | 57,263 | -731 | -1.28% |
| 2015 | 57,994 | -267 | -0.46% |
| 2014 | 58,261 | -476 | -0.82% |
| 2013 | 58,737 | -378 | -0.64% |
| 2012 | 59,115 | -294 | -0.50% |
| 2011 | 59,409 | -83 | -0.14% |
| 2010 | 59,492 | 0.00% |
| Race | Population | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Black or African American | 13,701 | 66.32% |
| White | 6,009 | 29.09% |
| Two or More Races | 554 | 2.68% |
| Asian | 234 | 1.13% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 128 | 0.62% |
| Some Other Race | 33 | 0.16% |
| Type | Count | Average Size | Owned |
|---|---|---|---|
| All | 8,857 | 2.23 | 42.2 |
| Non Family | 3,672 | 1.12 | 33.5 |
| Married | 2,742 | 2.89 | 68 |
| Female | 2,053 | 3.3 | 22.6 |
| Male | 390 | 2.32 | 45.6 |
| Education Attained | Count | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Less Than 9th Grade | 807 | 5.68% |
| 9th to 12th Grade | 1,768 | 12.45% |
| High School Graduate | 4,747 | 33.43% |
| Some College | 3,007 | 21.18% |
| Associates Degree | 1,346 | 9.48% |
| Bachelors Degree | 1,595 | 11.23% |
| Graduate Degree | 930 | 6.55% |
| Name | Total | High School | Bachelors |
|---|---|---|---|
| Black | 9,147 | 7,292 | 1,013 |
| White | 4,363 | 3,879 | 1,398 |
| Hispanic | 270 | 213 | 9 |
| Multiple Races | 216 | 167 | 65 |
| Asian | 164 | 67 | |
| Native American | 124 | 85 | 49 |
| Other Race | 16 | 16 |
The highest rate of high school graduation is among other race people with a rate of 100.00%.
The highest rate of bachelors degrees is among native american people with a rate of 39.52%.
$25,634
Average Earnings
$29,502
Average Male
$22,655
Average Female
96.15% of Kinston residents speak only English, while 3.85% speak other languages. The non-English language spoken by the largest group is Spanish, which is spoken by 2.54% of the population.
| Name | Total | In Poverty | Poverty Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Black | 13,330 | 4,647 | 34.86% |
| White | 5,224 | 528 | 10.11% |
| Hispanic | 505 | 407 | 80.59% |
| Multiple | 547 | 299 | 54.66% |
| Native | 115 | 37 | 32.17% |
29.45%
Overall Poverty Rate
26.82%
Male Poverty Rate
31.68%
Female Poverty Rate
The race most likely to be in poverty in Kinston is Hispanic, with 80.59% below the poverty level.
The race least likely to be in poverty in Kinston is White, with 10.11% below the poverty level.
The poverty rate among those that worked full-time for the past 12 months was 5.96%. Among those working part-time, it was 31.83%, and for those that did not work, the poverty rate was 31.52%.
36.4%
Overall Marriage Rate
40.5%
Male Marriage Rate
33.0%
Female Marriage Rate
The age group where males are most likely to be married is Over 65, while the female age group most likely to be married is 55-64.
| Name | Veterans | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Black | 893 | 8.51% |
| White | 555 | 11.17% |
| Hispanic | 80 | 25.00% |
| 2 or More | 15 | 5.32% |
| Indian | 4 | 3.23% |
14.02%
Veteran Poverty Rate
39.40%
Veteran Disability Rate
52.3%
Labor Force Participation
44.2%
Employment Rate
15.5%
Unemployment Rate
Non citizens include legal permanent residents (green card holders), international students, temporary workers, humanitarian migrants, and illegal immigrants.
97.61%
Native Born
2.39%
Foreign Born
1.03%
Non Citizen
97.61% of Kinston residents were born in the United States, with 77.33% having been born in North Carolina. 1.03% of residents are not US citizens. Of those not born in the United States, the largest percentage are from Latin America.
| Year | Population | Growth | Annual Growth Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 19,643 | -220 | -1.11% |
| 2019 | 19,863 | -220 | -1.10% |
| 2018 | 20,083 | -284 | -1.39% |
| 2017 | 20,367 | -220 | -1.07% |
| 2016 | 20,587 | -478 | -2.27% |
| 2015 | 21,065 | -79 | -0.37% |
| 2014 | 21,144 | -208 | -0.97% |
| 2013 | 21,352 | -199 | -0.92% |
| 2012 | 21,551 | -103 | -0.48% |
| 2011 | 21,654 | -78 | -0.36% |
| 2010 | 21,732 | -1,956 | -0.86% |
| 2000 | 23,688 | -1,607 | -0.65% |
| 1990 | 25,295 | 61 | 0.02% |
| 1980 | 25,234 | 2,214 | 0.92% |
| 1970 | 23,020 | -1,799 | -0.75% |
| 1960 | 24,819 | 6,483 | 3.07% |
| 1950 | 18,336 | 2,948 | 1.77% |
| 1940 | 15,388 | 4,026 | 3.08% |
| 1930 | 11,362 | 1,591 | 1.52% |
| 1920 | 9,771 | 2,776 | 3.40% |
| 1910 | 6,995 | 2,889 | 5.47% |
| 1900 | 4,106 | 0.00% |