A town of about 18,299 people in Caldwell County, part of the Hickory area. Resident comments and photos are about Lenoir; job numbers cover the wider area.
Lenoir at a glance
Each grade compares this area with all 813 U.S. metro and small-town areas: A is the top 20%, F the bottom 20%. Cost compares everyday prices with the U.S. average. Varro doesn't grade safety; crime facts are further down. Graded on the Hickory area's numbers.
A middle-of-the-road mix
Scored the same way as the quiz, against 813 U.S. metro areas. A feel is listed when Lenoir scores 70 or higher out of 100.
Less so: artsy, historic.
Photos and reviews come from Google Maps and show single places, not the whole area. Reviews are the most relevant ones Google returns for each place. We show the longest highly rated review under 400 characters and, when there is one, the longest low-rated review. Google doesn't verify reviews but removes fake ones when it finds them.
Around Lenoir
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Around Lenoir
What's nearby
Within 5 miles of Lenoir's center.
Counts from OpenStreetMap, a volunteer map, so small or new places can be missing. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.
Stores nearby
Biking and trails
Within 5 miles of the center of Lenoir.
Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors. Counts depend on how well local volunteers have mapped the area, so treat them as a rough guide.
Buses and trains
No public bus or train stops show up within 5 miles of the center of Lenoir, so most trips here likely need a car.
Health care
Nearest hospital with an emergency room: Caldwell Memorial Hospital in Lenoir, under 1 mile away in a straight line.
Costs of moving here
What rent costs
Of about 2,784 rented homes in Lenoir, 100% rent for under $2,000 a month and 100% for under $3,000.
Census American Community Survey 2019 to 2023 (table B25063). Gross rent includes utilities the renter pays. Today's asking rents for open apartments usually run higher.
What moving costs
Average cost: $1,946
From a 2025 survey of 1,000 people who hired movers. This Old House. Your quote depends on your stuff, stairs and the time of year.
The middle rented home in Lenoir rents for under $1,000 a month. Before you get the keys, expect about under $2,000 for first month plus a deposit, or up to under $3,000 where landlords also ask for last month.
Many landlords want your income to be about 3 times the rent. For rent under $1,000, that's a yearly income of about under $36,000.
Estimate from Census rent data (2019 to 2023, rent plus tenant-paid utilities). Deposits and fees vary by landlord and state law.
Moving to North Carolina: before and after
- Forward your mail: USPS change of address. It costs about $1 online to confirm who you are.
- Switch your driver's license and car registration. Each state sets its own deadline, often somewhere between 10 days and a few months after you move. Find the North Carolina DMV.
- Register to vote at your new address: North Carolina voter registration.
- Set up power, gas, water and trash. Some cities bill water and trash together, and some ask new customers for a deposit.
- Update your address with your bank, employer, insurance and the IRS (Form 8822 if you're not filing soon).
- Find a doctor and dentist early. New-patient waits can be weeks, even in big cities.
Schools and childcare
Schools
One public school district serves this county, with about 10,758 students. The county also has 1 public charter school and 1 private school. Which public school serves a home depends on its address.
Closest public schools to the center of Lenoir
Straight-line miles from the center of Lenoir, nearest first. Being closest doesn't mean a school serves a given home. "Passed the state test" is the share of students who scored proficient or better on North Carolina's own reading and math tests in the 2021-22 school year, the latest year the U.S. Department of Education has published for every school. Each state sets its own test and passing bar, so compare schools within the same state, not across states. Test results track family income closely and leave out a lot (teachers, programs, how a school fits your child). For newer results, see the state's school report card.
Public school districts in the county
School choice and pre-K in North Carolina
School choice: state law as summarized by the Education Commission of the States, 50-State Comparison: Open Enrollment Policies (2022). Pre-K: share of children in state-funded pre-K, National Institute for Early Education Research, State of Preschool 2025 Yearbook (2024-25 school year).
Special education in North Carolina
Source: U.S. Department of Education, 2026 determinations on state implementation of IDEA Part B (issued June 18, 2026).
NCES Common Core of Data 2022-23, National Center for Education Statistics. Private schools: NCES Private School Survey, 2021-22. Varro doesn't rank single schools. The area's Schools grade at the top of the page compares its test pass rates with the rest of the state only. For programs and newer results, see each district's site and the state's school report card.
Childcare and colleges
North Carolina keeps an official list of licensed childcare, with inspection reports and openings in many states. In a lot of towns, infant spots fill up months ahead, so it helps to get on waitlists before you move.
| Age | Daycare center | Home daycare |
|---|---|---|
| Infant (under 2) | $164/week about $8,500 a year | $150/week about $7,800 a year |
| Toddler (2) | $137/week about $7,100 a year | |
| Preschool (3 to 4) | $115/week about $6,000 a year | $137/week about $7,100 a year |
| School-age | $63/week about $3,300 a year |
For an infant at a center: $164/week here, $220 across NC, $259 across the U.S.. Full-time infant care at a center here costs about 13% of a typical family's income. These are 2022 prices, the newest the government has published by county, and prices have gone up since.
4 colleges in the county and the wider metro around Lenoir. Prices are yearly tuition and fees for full-time undergrads, before financial aid.
Moving for school? Public colleges charge state residents much less, and community colleges often charge even less to people who live in their district. Most states want you to have lived there about 12 months, for reasons other than school, before you count as a resident for tuition. The rules differ by state, so check with the college's registrar.
IPEDS 2023-24, National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS). Degree-granting public and nonprofit schools with 100+ students. Varro doesn't rank colleges.
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