Lenoir is a city in Caldwell County, North Carolina, home to about 18,299 people across 21 square miles. Its ZIP code is 28645, and parts of 28638 are in Lenoir too.
Homes sold for a median of $176 per square foot in the three months ending August 2026, a balanced market.
Mostly Lenoir; also Gamewell and Cajah's Mountain
Mostly Hudson; part is in Lenoir
Each card is that ZIP code’s whole market, including any part outside Lenoir. Seller’s market: under 4 months of supply; buyer’s market: over 6. Methodology
We’re writing up Lenoir’s story and what everyday life there is like, for people thinking about moving in.
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| Nearest major airport | Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT)59 miles away |
|---|---|
| Nearest city of 250,000+ | Charlotte, NC63 miles away |
| Nearest city of 1 million+ | Philadelphia, PA449 miles away |
Straight-line distances from the center of Lenoir; 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.
Lenoir had 18,352 residents in the 2020 census, up 9% since 2000.
It’s the 56th largest of 771 towns in North Carolina by population.
Caldwell County grew from 15,694 residents in 1900 to 80,652 in 2020.
Caldwell County, 1900–2020
Source: U.S. Census Bureau decennial censuses (counties 1900–1990 from the Bureau’s historical county file).
Average highs peak around 88°F in summer, and winter lows average 27°F. About 49.6 inches of rain and melted snow fall in a typical year, with about 4 inches of snow.
Source: NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals, Lenoir, NC weather station (about a mile away).
23,930 jobs at 1,414 businesses in Caldwell County. The biggest industries by employees:
Source: U.S. Census Bureau County Business Patterns 2023 (private employers; jobs counted where people work).
351 doctors and other health care providers list an office in Lenoir.
Nearest hospitals
Providers with an office here
| Primary care doctors | 54 |
|---|---|
| Specialist doctors | 44 |
| Dentists | 21 |
| Nurse practitioners and physician assistants | 97 |
| Mental health providers | 90 |
| Physical and occupational therapists | 42 |
| Optometrists | 1 |
| Chiropractors | 2 |
| Pharmacies | 14 |
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 (12 nearby)
Grocery stores (6 nearby)
Pharmacies (5 nearby)
Libraries (1 nearby)
Museums (1 nearby)
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 1841.
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 Caldwell County Schools, Oak Hill Charter School. Check each district’s attendance zones for a specific address.
| School | Grades | Students | Type | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Davenport A+ SchoolLenoir | Pre-K–5 | 429 | Public | 0.1 mi |
| Gamewell ElementaryLenoir | Pre-K–5 | 459 | Public | 4.5 mi |
| Happy Valley ElementaryLenoir | Pre-K–8 | 234 | Public | 5.8 mi |
| Kings Creek ElementaryLenoir | Pre-K–8 | 153 | Public | 9.4 mi |
| Lower Creek ElementaryLenoir | Pre-K–5 | 396 | Public | 1.6 mi |
| Valmead ElementaryLenoir | Pre-K–5 | 305 | Public | 1.7 mi |
| Whitnel ElementaryLenoir | Pre-K–5 | 330 | Public | 1.8 mi |
| Horizons ElementaryLenoir | K–5 | 29 | Alternative Education | 1.0 mi |
| Oak Hill Charter SchoolLenoir | K–8 | 253 | Charter | 6.8 mi |
| Caldwell Online AcademyLenoir | 4–12 | 138 | Public | 1.0 mi |
| Gamewell MiddleLenoir | 6–8 | 457 | Public | 4.4 mi |
| William Lenoir MiddleLenoir | 6–8 | 512 | Public | 2.5 mi |
| Hibriten HighLenoir | 9–12 | 818 | Public | 2.6 mi |
| West Caldwell HighLenoir | 9–12 | 634 | Public | 3.5 mi |
Source: U.S. Department of Education, NCES: Common Core of Data (2024-2025) for public schools. Listed by address; we don’t rate schools.
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Shares ZIP codes with Hudson, Gamewell, Cajah's Mountain, Sawmills and Cedar Rock.
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.