Jobs, pay and daily life in Kinston, from official statistics with source and year on every table.
Click any dot to open that city: jobs, pay, rent, commute, county economy and climate. Dot size follows population; colours follow the state flag.
By AtiveSite · Published 07/11/2026 · Updated 07/11/2026 · Every figure is linked to its source below.
Kinston is a city in North Carolina with 19,505 residents. The median household earns $36,878 a year and the median rent is $867 a month, which is 28.2% of the median household income. The nearest metropolitan area with BLS wage data is Greenville, NC (80,770 jobs), about 21 miles away; this place is probably not part of it, so its pay tables are a reference only.
How Kinston compares. Among the 100 largest places in North Carolina, Kinston is #53 by population, #100 for remote work (#1 = most), #99 for household income (#1 = highest), #96 for college degrees (#1 = most). Its county, Lenoir County, is #37 of 100 counties for average pay ($50,091).
Kinston has 19,505 residents (ACS 2020–2024), about 0.2% of the population of North Carolina. It covers 18 square miles of land, which works out to roughly 1,067 people per square mile. The median age is 42.9, 10% older than the state median (42.9 against 39.1).
The median gross rent is $867 a month (rent plus utilities), 29% below the state median ($867 against $1,228). Over a year that is 28.2% of the median household income. US housing guidance treats housing as affordable when it takes 30% of income or less, so the typical household is under that line. The median home value is $119,300, which is 3.2 times the median household income ($36,878); a ratio under 4 usually means ownership is within reach for many households. 42.5% of households own their home, 36% below the state average (42.5% against 66.6%). A low ownership share points to a rental-heavy market with more apartments and shorter stays.
The nearest metropolitan area with wage data is Greenville, NC, metropolitan area has 80,770 jobs in the BLS wage survey, and the median pay across all occupations is $46,560 a year, 9% below the national median ($46,560 against $50,980). The biggest occupation groups are healthcare practitioners and technical (10,310 jobs, median $81,670); office and administrative support (9,280 jobs, median $41,600); food preparation and serving related (8,420 jobs, median $28,470). The area is most specialised in healthcare practitioners and technical (2.0 times) and educational instruction and library (1.2 times), where the share of workers is well above the national share. The best-paying groups with at least 5,000 jobs are healthcare practitioners and technical ($81,670) and educational instruction and library ($57,610). In 2026M09 the unemployment rate of Lenoir County was 3.3%. 51.4% of residents aged 16 and over are in the labour force. The city lies in Lenoir County; its jobs, pay by industry and GDP are on the county page.
Among workers, 80.0% drive alone, 0.5% use public transit, 1.4% walk, 3.2% work from home. 11.8% of workers commute 45 minutes or more, 15% below the state average (11.8% against 13.9%).
16.4% of adults aged 25 and over hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 54% below the state share (16.4% against 35.6%). 3.5% of residents were born outside the United States, 61% below the state share (3.5% against 9.1%). The poverty rate is 27.9%, 114% above the state rate (27.9% against 13.0%).
The warmest month is Jul, averaging 80°F (26.9°C), and the coolest is Jan at 40°F (4.7°C). About 1,289 mm (51 inches) of precipitation falls in a year; Aug is the wettest month (153 mm) and Jan the driest (75 mm). These values come from NASA satellite-based climatology on a grid of about 50 km, so they describe the wider area, not a weather station in the city.
Closest cities in this guide: Winterville (21 miles, rent 77% higher); Goldsboro (22 miles, rent 12% higher); Greenville (25 miles, rent 16% higher); New Bern (32 miles, rent 25% higher). Rent differences are against Kinston; use the Compare tab to put any two cities side by side.
Federal jobs in North Carolina (495) →State guide: North CarolinaCountry guideLenoir CountyNorth Carolina rankings
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There are 495 federal postings open in North Carolina (USAJOBS, state level; we do not have a city filter for them). Private-sector jobs are not in this feed.
Open federal jobs in North Carolina →
| Occupation ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Median pay (year) ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Median vs US ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Registered Nurses | 3,770 | 2.15 | $81,670 | $67,540 | $127,330 | -16% |
| Retail Salespersons | 2,370 | 1.17 | $29,250 | $22,340 | $42,910 | -17% |
| Cashiers | 1,870 | 1.17 | $27,720 | $21,580 | $34,220 | -16% |
| Office Clerks, General | 1,870 | 1.46 | $41,110 | $29,700 | $52,230 | -9% |
| Cooks, Fast Food | 1,780 | 5.34 | $23,600 | $21,980 | $30,040 | -24% |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 1,770 | 0.88 | $28,000 | $21,510 | $35,600 | -10% |
| Nursing Assistants | 1,730 | 2.30 | $39,480 | $29,290 | $43,060 | -7% |
| Medical Secretaries and Administrative Assistants | 1,640 | 3.29 | $39,980 | $34,860 | $47,240 | -13% |
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | 1,560 | 0.70 | $30,620 | $24,250 | $35,680 | -14% |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | 1,320 | 0.90 | $35,240 | $29,190 | $45,410 | -6% |
| Waiters and Waitresses | 1,310 | 1.11 | $28,680 | $16,150 | $57,360 | -19% |
| Customer Service Representatives | 1,160 | 0.86 | $36,310 | $28,630 | $55,880 | -19% |
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | 960 | 0.63 | $35,910 | $28,680 | $45,850 | -11% |
| Cooks, Restaurant | 890 | 1.21 | $34,130 | $27,040 | $43,630 | -9% |
| General and Operations Managers | 780 | 0.43 | $91,140 | $46,570 | $198,460 | -14% |
| Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | 750 | 0.66 | $34,700 | $26,680 | $38,160 | -6% |
| First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales Workers | 740 | 1.26 | $45,960 | $30,480 | $75,330 | -5% |
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | 740 | 1.03 | $55,490 | $43,320 | $69,660 | -13% |
| First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers | 730 | 1.15 | $38,620 | $28,710 | $60,870 | -12% |
| Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks | 720 | 1.01 | $47,670 | $34,290 | $62,240 | -6% |
These figures are for the nearest metropolitan area with wage data, Greenville, NC, about 21 miles away. They show what the regional labour market pays; they are not a measure of this city.
Median pay across all occupations: $46,560 (US $50,980); unemployment 3.5% (2026M09).
| Industry (residents) ⇅ | Share of employed residents ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Education and health care | 28.7% |
| Manufacturing | 18.8% |
| Arts, entertainment, accommodation, food | 11.0% |
| Public administration | 8.0% |
| Retail trade | 6.5% |
| Construction | 6.3% |
| Professional, scientific, management, administrative | 5.5% |
| Other services | 4.9% |
| Finance, insurance, real estate | 4.2% |
| Transportation, warehousing, utilities | 3.9% |
| Wholesale trade | 1.5% |
| Information | 0.4% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing, mining | 0.4% |
Cities have no official GDP or payroll count of their own. These figures are for the county where Kinston lies and cover the whole county, not only the city.
| County ⇅ | Population ⇅ | GDP (2024) ⇅ | GDP per resident ⇅ | Jobs (QCEW 2024) ⇅ | Employer sites ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Job change vs 2023 ⇅ | Unemployment rate ⇅ | Labour force ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lenoir County | 54,919 | $3,627 million | $66,045 | 29,083 | 1,412 | $50,091 | +0.3% | 3.3% | 24,404 |
| Industry ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Share of private jobs ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Concentration vs US (location quotient) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 8,017 | 34.4% | $53,428 | 3.36 |
| Health care and social assistance | 2,745 | 11.8% | $43,780 | 0.66 |
| Retail trade | 2,537 | 10.9% | $32,003 | 0.87 |
| Construction | 1,885 | 8.1% | $68,226 | 1.23 |
| Accommodation and food services | 1,827 | 7.8% | $19,697 | 0.69 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 1,774 | 7.6% | $72,209 | 1.44 |
| Administrative and waste services | 1,334 | 5.7% | $33,736 | 0.78 |
| Wholesale trade | 782 | 3.4% | $65,171 | 0.68 |
| Professional and technical services | 564 | 2.4% | $73,801 | 0.28 |
| Other services (except public administration) | 536 | 2.3% | $36,070 | 0.61 |
| Finance and insurance | 392 | 1.7% | $70,976 | 0.33 |
| Management of companies | 311 | 1.3% | $83,912 | 0.63 |
| Educational services | 283 | 1.2% | $41,257 | 0.47 |
| Real estate and rental | 191 | 0.8% | $91,755 | 0.42 |
| Arts, entertainment, recreation | 85 | 0.4% | $21,025 | 0.17 |
| Utilities | 44 | 0.2% | $67,983 | 0.40 |
| Information | 23 | 0.1% | $39,959 | 0.04 |
QCEW counts jobs covered by unemployment insurance; sectors with too few employers are withheld by BLS. Latest-month unemployment is preliminary.
| How residents get to work ⇅ | Share ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Drive alone | 80.0% |
| Public transit | 0.5% |
| Walk | 1.4% |
| Work from home | 3.2% |
| Commute of 45 minutes or more | 11.8% |
Shares are of workers aged 16 and over; they describe residents, wherever they work.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median household income | $36,878 |
| Income per person | $29,087 |
| Median gross rent per month | $867 |
| Yearly rent as share of median household income | 28.2% |
| Median home value | $119,300 |
| Homeowners | 42.5% |
| Poverty rate | 27.9% |
| Price level of the nearest metro area (US = 100) | 88.4 |
| Nearest metro median pay, all occupations | $46,560 |
Estimate for a wage earner: 2026 federal brackets and standard deduction (IRS), Social Security 6.2% up to $184,500, Medicare 1.45% (+0.9% above $200,000 single / $250,000 married), and a state rate you set. It ignores credits, pre-tax deductions, local taxes and benefits. Sources: IRS: tax year 2026 inflation adjustments · SSA wage base per Federal Register notice 2025-19763.
State tax: Flat 3.99%.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median age | 42.9 |
| High school or higher (25+) | 82.8% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (25+) | 16.4% |
| Born abroad | 3.5% |
| Labour force participation (16+) | 51.4% |
Work permits are federal: see permits and first steps.
| Month ⇅ | Mean temperature (°C) ⇅ | Mean temperature (°F) ⇅ | Precipitation (mm) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 4.7 | 40 | 75 |
| Feb | 6.4 | 44 | 82 |
| Mar | 10.3 | 51 | 94 |
| Apr | 15.8 | 60 | 90 |
| May | 20.6 | 69 | 108 |
| Jun | 25.1 | 77 | 121 |
| Jul | 26.9 | 80 | 144 |
| Aug | 26.1 | 79 | 153 |
| Sep | 22.9 | 73 | 148 |
| Oct | 17.2 | 63 | 88 |
| Nov | 11.1 | 52 | 87 |
| Dec | 7.1 | 45 | 99 |
Satellite-reanalysis climatology on a grid of roughly 50 km, so it smooths local effects (hills, coast, city heat). It is not a weather-station record.
| City ⇅ | State ⇅ | Distance (straight line) ⇅ | Population ⇅ | Median household income ⇅ | Median rent ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winterville | NC | 21 mi | 10,725 | $83,193 | $1,534 |
| Goldsboro | NC | 22 mi | 34,383 | $48,540 | $971 |
| Greenville | NC | 25 mi | 92,857 | $49,748 | $1,007 |
| New Bern | NC | 32 mi | 32,734 | $61,031 | $1,081 |
| Washington | NC | 36 mi | 9,726 | $40,186 | $856 |
| Wilson | NC | 37 mi | 48,370 | $52,485 | $971 |
| Piney Green | NC | 39 mi | 14,078 | $72,177 | $1,202 |
| Jacksonville | NC | 39 mi | 71,279 | $57,697 | $1,321 |
| Tarboro | NC | 44 mi | 10,770 | $49,796 | $843 |
| Smithfield | NC | 46 mi | 12,116 | $43,270 | $658 |
Straight-line distance in miles, not driving distance.
Pick two cities.
vs
19,505 (Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimate).
$867 a month (ACS 2020–2024), which is 28.2% of the median household income.
$36,878 (ACS 2020–2024, in 2024 dollars).
3.3% (BLS county, Lenoir County (latest month 2026M09)).
North Carolina. See the state guide for minimum wage, taxes and pay.