Kinston is a city in Lenoir County, North Carolina, home to about 19,505 people across 18 square miles. Its ZIP codes are 28501 and 28504.
Homes sold for a median of $103 per square foot across 2 ZIP codes in the three months ending August 2026, and 0 of 2 were seller’s markets.
Mostly Kinston; also Graingers
Mostly Kinston; also Jackson Heights
Each card is that ZIP code’s whole market, including any part outside Kinston. Seller’s market: under 4 months of supply; buyer’s market: over 6. Methodology
We’re writing up Kinston’s story and what everyday life there is like, for people thinking about moving in.
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| Nearest major airport | Raleigh-Durham International Airport (RDU)79 miles away |
|---|---|
| Closer regional airport | Albert J Ellis Airport (OAJ)28 miles away |
| Nearest city of 250,000+ | Raleigh, NC70 miles away |
| Nearest city of 1 million+ | Philadelphia, PA356 miles away |
Straight-line distances from the center of Kinston; driving is longer.
Source: Airports from OurAirports (scheduled passenger service); city centers and populations from the U.S. Census Bureau.
Source: Members of Congress from the congress-legislators project; districts from the Census Bureau’s relationship files; governor and mayor from Wikidata.
Kinston had 19,900 residents in the 2020 census, down 16% since 2000.
It’s the 53rd largest of 771 towns in North Carolina by population.
Lenoir County grew from 18,639 residents in 1900 to 55,122 in 2020.
Lenoir County, 1900–2020
Source: U.S. Census Bureau decennial censuses (counties 1900–1990 from the Bureau’s historical county file).
Average highs peak around 91°F in summer, and winter lows average 35°F. About 52.8 inches of rain and melted snow fall in a typical year, with about 1 inches of snow.
Source: NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals, Kinston Ag Rsch, NC weather station (5 miles away).
25,562 jobs at 1,220 businesses in Lenoir County. The biggest industries by employees:
Source: U.S. Census Bureau County Business Patterns 2023 (private employers; jobs counted where people work).
385 doctors and other health care providers list an office in Kinston’s ZIP codes.
Nearest hospitals
Providers with an office here
| Primary care doctors | 49 |
|---|---|
| Specialist doctors | 72 |
| Dentists | 37 |
| Nurse practitioners and physician assistants | 100 |
| Mental health providers | 95 |
| Physical and occupational therapists | 20 |
| Optometrists | 5 |
| Chiropractors | 7 |
| Pharmacies | 23 |
Source: Hospitals from CMS Hospital General Information (ratings are CMS overall star ratings); straight-line distances; providers from the CMS National Plan and Provider Enumeration System (NPPES), by practice address and primary specialty.
Parks (6 nearby)
Grocery stores (4 nearby)
Pharmacies (2 nearby)
Libraries (1 nearby)
Museums (6 nearby)
Theaters and performance venues
Counts are within about 3 miles of the center of town.
Source: Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors (openstreetmap.org/copyright), as mapped by volunteers; it can miss places or include closed ones.
Established in 1762.
Colleges and universities
Notable people born here
Source: Wikidata (wikidata.org), the free knowledge base; people are listed by place of birth.
Public schools here are run by Lenoir County Public Schools. Check each district’s attendance zones for a specific address.
| School | Grades | Students | Type | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Banks ElementaryKinston | Pre-K–5 | 436 | Public | 4.2 mi |
| Contentnea-Savannah SchoolKinston | Pre-K–8 | 789 | Public | 7.9 mi |
| Lenoir County Learning AcademyKinston | Pre-K–12 | 66 | Alternative Education | 4.1 mi |
| Northeast ElementaryKinston | Pre-K–5 | 465 | Public | 4.5 mi |
| Southeast ElementaryKinston | Pre-K–5 | 326 | Public | 3.2 mi |
| Southwood ElementaryKinston | Pre-K–5 | 218 | Public | 4.0 mi |
| Moss Hill ElementaryKinston | K–5 | 371 | Public | 8.0 mi |
| Northwest ElementaryKinston | K–5 | 504 | Public | 2.8 mi |
| Rochelle MiddleKinston | 6–8 | 517 | Public | 3.8 mi |
| Woodington MiddleKinston | 6–8 | 584 | Public | 5.7 mi |
| Kinston HighKinston | 9–12 | 659 | Public | 4.7 mi |
| School | Grades | Students | Affiliation | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bethel Christian AcademyKinston | Pre-K–12 | 353 | Baptist | 3.2 mi |
| Hope Preparatory SchoolKinston | K–6 | 139 | Christian (no specific denomination) | 4.1 mi |
Source: U.S. Department of Education, NCES: Common Core of Data (2024-2025) for public schools; Private School Universe Survey (2023-2024) for private schools. Listed by address; we don’t rate schools.
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Shares ZIP codes with Jackson Heights and Graingers.
Town boundaries don’t always match ZIP codes: a ZIP code can cross into neighboring towns, and a town can share a ZIP code with its neighbors. Facts describe the town itself; market figures describe whole ZIP codes.