Lee County, North Carolina Demographics 2026

Population Overview

Lee County is located in North Carolina with a total population of 64,565. It is the 42nd most populous county out of 100 in North Carolina.

Age Demographics

The median age in Lee County is 39.9 years. This is 2% higher than the state median of 39.1 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Lee County is $63,060. This is 10% lower than the state median of $69,904. Compared to the national median of $78,538, household income here is 20% lower. The poverty rate stands at 15.5%. This is 17% higher than the state poverty rate of 13.2%. The unemployment rate is 4.0%. This is 16% lower than the state rate of 4.8%. The median home value is $213,800. Housing costs are 18% lower than the state median of $259,400. The home-value-to-income ratio is 3.4x. 66.0% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Lee County is White (non-Hispanic), making up 56.4% of the population. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 21.1%. The Hispanic or Latino population is significantly higher than the state average (21.1% vs 10.9%). The Asian population (1.1%) is well below the state average of 3.1%.

Education

21.6% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 38% lower than the state rate of 34.7%. Nationally, 35.0% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 85.1%.