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Town Hall · Lenoir

How is Lenoir run?

Lenoir’s city government spent $22.3 million on day-to-day services in the year to June 30, 2024, about $1,221 per resident. Water and other utilities ($8 million) are counted separately.

Town website
Election Day

Today

General election in North Carolina.

Register or check: vote.gov ↗
Day-to-day spending, 2024
$22.3M
year to June 30, 2024
Per resident, 2024
$1,221
In 2022: $1,281, more than 64% of 36 similar cities
Long-term debt
$20.0M
end of FY2024, reported
City staff, 2022
258
full-time · 44 part-time · March payroll $955,140
Typical tax bill
$1,311
0.73% of home value · NC 0.66%

What stands out about how Lenoir is run

Read from the city’s budget, meetings and official records.

Agendas posted online5 upcoming meetings posted, with agendas.Runs its own water & sewer42% of day-to-day spending goes to water, sewer and trash (2024).A shared school districtShares Caldwell County Schools with 6+ other towns.Its own police and fire55 sworn officers and 57 full-time firefighters on the payroll.
★ What stands out · Meetings

5 upcoming meetings at town hall

From Lenoir’s own agenda portal, checked daily. Agendas can change up to the meeting, so check before you go.

Recent meetings

Go in person

Most meetings are open to the public, and many have a public comment period at the start.

Agenda portal ↗
Your share of the 2024 budget

About $1,221 per resident a year, or $3.35 a day

Day-to-day services only. The biggest line: fire, at 22%.

Where the money comes from
Utility sales 26%Property taxes 24%Sales taxes 16%Fees & charges 13%From the state 9%From the federal government 8%Interest, fines & other 2%From other local governments 2%Other taxes & licenses <1%
Not in the receipt.Building projects $2.5 million; interest on debt $246,000; payments to other governments $16,000. With these and the enterprises, the whole budget was $33 million.
Compared with similar places

$1,281 per resident in 2022, close to the middle of similar cities

Lenoir’s day-to-day spending in 2022 ($1,281 per resident, hospital and utilities left out) against 36 North Carolina cities of 10,000–24,999 that don’t run their own schools: the median was $1,056, and the middle half spent $810–$1,468. Lenoir spent more than 64% of them.

Middle half of the group, $810–$1,468Median $1,056Lenoir

Includes sewer and trash ($2.8 million), as the Census Bureau counts them. Later years come from a Census sample, so the comparison stays on 2022. How Town Hall compares budgets →

The group
36

North Carolina cities of 10,000–24,999 that don’t run their own schools, 2022 Census of Governments (every government counted that year; Lenoir itself left out).

Over the years

Day-to-day spending is down 3% since 2022

Day-to-day services, in dollars, in the years Lenoir reported to the Census Bureau. Prices rose too: about 4% a year in 2022–2024.

Day-to-day spending by fiscal year

2022$22.9 million
2023$25.4 million
2024$22.3 million

Per resident: 2022: $1,281 · 2023: $1,399 · 2024: $1,221.

Building projects, interest and enterprises (hospital, utilities) are left out, so a big construction year doesn’t read as growth.

Property tax

The typical homeowner pays $1,311 a year

Every local property tax on the home: town, schools and county. About 0.73% of the home’s value, vs 0.66% across North Carolina.

What homes cost →

Typical yearly bill next door and statewide

North Carolina$1,896
Hudson$1,747
Lenoir$1,311
Sawmills$1,275
Cajah's Mountain$1,163
Gamewell$797
$1,311
typical bill a year
0.73%
effective rate
$179,400
typical home value (Census)
Your own bill

The Housing page’s calculator splits a monthly payment into loan, tax and insurance at Lenoir’s rate.

Can I afford it? →

The median bill homeowners report to the Census survey (bills of $10,000+ are reported as “$10,000+”). The effective rate is that bill ÷ the median home value: a rough guide, not the official tax rate.

Tax bills are one input to Lenoir’s Cost of living grade. Cost of living in Lenoir →

Who runs it

Who’s in charge in Lenoir

Names change after every election, so we link to the source that keeps them current.

See cityoflenoir.com for Lenoir’s current officialsWe name an official only when a public source lists a current term. None does for Lenoir yet.cityoflenoir.com ↗
Who works for Lenoir

One full-time city employee for every 71 residents

On the payroll in March 2022, from the Census Bureau’s Annual Survey of Public Employment & Payroll. Residents: the Census population in the 2024 finance file (18,255).

By department full-time, plus part-time, March 2022

Police72 + 3 pt
Fire57 + 1 pt
Sewer & trash32 + 2 pt
Parks & libraries20 + 20 pt
Administration & buildings20 + 1 pt
Water & other utilities19 + 2 pt
Roads & transportation13
Other25 + 15 pt
258
full-time
44
part-time
$955,140
payroll for March 2022
$11.5M
a year, estimated (March × 12)
$43,400
average full-time pay, before benefits (March × 12)
55
sworn police officers
57
full-time firefighters
Compared, 2022.Lenoir had 14.4 full-time staff per 1,000 residents in March 2022. The median for the 32 of the 36 North Carolina cities of 10,000–24,999 that don’t run their own schools that reported 2022 staff was 10.4: Lenoir had more than 69% of them. Same group and year as the budget comparison.

The Census reports one month’s payroll (March); yearly figures are that month × 12, an estimate. Part-timers count half in the bar lengths.

The school district

Caldwell County Schools

Lenoir’s K–12 school district, shared with Cajah's Mountain, Cedar Rock, Gamewell, Granite Falls, Hudson and more. It’s its own government, with a budget separate from the town’s.

Schools in Lenoir →
$12,425
per pupil · NC $13,045
10,665
students
$14.7 million
long-term debt

Of the $12,425 per pupil, $7,950 goes to the classroom (teachers, aides, supplies); the rest to buses, buildings, counselors and administration. Building projects and debt payments aren’t in the per-pupil figure.

The district: schools, scores and graduation →

Where the district’s money comes from
Local 19%State 62%Federal 19%

North Carolina districts overall: 26% local, 57% state, 17% federal.

School year 2023–24. Census Bureau school finance survey.

Elections · 2024 general election

Lenoir’s votes are counted by county

North Carolina reports official results by county and precinct, not by city, so there are no official results for Lenoir alone, and we don’t estimate them. These are Caldwell County’s results.

President · Caldwell County’s results43,540 votes · results as certified
Donald J TrumpDonald J TrumpRepublican75.8%33,009 votes
Kamala D HarrisKamala D HarrisDemocrat23.3%10,146 votes

Others: 0.9% (385 votes).

Most votes in Caldwell County: Donald J Trump

North Carolina: Trump 50.9%, Harris 47.6%

The county’s page

100% of Lenoir lies in Caldwell County. Every 2024 race in Caldwell County is on the county’s page.

Caldwell County’s 2024 results →
DemocratRepublicanLibertarianIndependent / other

Official 2024 general election returns, as certified (MIT Election Data + Science Lab). Percentages are of votes for candidates; blank and spoiled ballots aren’t counted. Candidates are listed by votes, and party colors are neutral on purpose.

Portraits: Kamala D Harris: official vice-presidential portrait, Lawrence Jackson, The White House, 2021; Donald J Trump: official portrait, Shealah Craighead, The White House, 2017. All are U.S. government works in the public domain. A race shows photos only when every candidate has an official portrait; otherwise every candidate in it gets initials.

Who represents Lenoir

From town hall to Washington

Every level of government that speaks for Lenoir.

2024 results ↑
  1. 1
    Your cityMayor & council
    Officials: cityoflenoir.com ↗
  2. 2
    North Carolina HouseState representatives
    Destin Hall
  3. 3
    North Carolina SenateState senator
    Mark HolloRalph Hise
  4. 4
    GovernorStatewide
    Josh Stein
  5. 5
    U.S. HouseYour representative in Congress
    Virginia Foxx
  6. 6
    U.S. SenateBoth represent all of North Carolina
    Thom TillisTed Budd
Find your state legislators by address ↗

Democrat · Republican · other or independent. Tap a name for their official page.

Next door

How Lenoir compares with the towns next door

Lenoir spent $1,281 per resident in 2022; the 3 neighbors that reported 2022 spent $99 to $819. Towns that run more services spend more. Tap a town to see its page.

Hudson: $819 per resident (2022)Cajah's Mountain: no reported 2022 figuresGamewell: $99 per resident (2022)Sawmills: $565 per resident (2022)HudsonCajah's MountainGamewellSawmillsLenoir
Spends the leastSpends the mostEstimate or no figures
TownDay-to-day, per resident (2022)Tax bill
Gamewell$99$797
Sawmills$565$1,275
Hudson$819$1,747
Cajah's Mountainestimate$1,163
Lenoir$1,281$1,311

Day-to-day spending in 2022, the last year every government was counted, for governments that reported it; hospital and utilities left out. Tax bill: the typical homeowner’s bill (Census ACS, 2020–24).

Reach Lenoir’s government

The official site has phone numbers, hours and forms. Neighbors add the rest to the Handbook.

The Handbook →
Official websitecityoflenoir.com ↗

Questions about Lenoir’s government

How much does Lenoir spend per resident?

About $1,221 per resident on day-to-day services in the year to June 30, 2024, as reported to the Census Bureau. In 2022, the last full count, its $1,281 was more than 64% of 36 North Carolina cities of 10,000–24,999 that don’t run their own schools.

What is the property tax rate in Lenoir?

Homeowners report a typical bill of $1,311 a year (Census ACS, 2020–24), about 0.73% of the typical home’s value, vs 0.66% across North Carolina. For the official rate per $1,000 of assessed value, see cityoflenoir.com.

Who runs Lenoir’s government?

See cityoflenoir.com for current officials. We name an official only when a public source lists a current term, and none does for Lenoir yet.

How did Lenoir vote in 2024?

North Carolina counts votes by county and precinct, not by city, so there are no official results for Lenoir alone. Caldwell County, where 100% of Lenoir lies, voted Trump 75.8%, Harris 23.3% for president; its page has every race.

How many people work for Lenoir?

258 full-time and 44 part-time employees in March 2022, with a March payroll of $955,140 (about $11.5M a year if every month were the same), as reported to the Census Bureau.

Who represents Lenoir in the state legislature?

Lenoir is split among 2 State Senate districts, so your address decides. The North Carolina Legislature’s lookup finds yours. Listed by Open States; districts from the Census Bureau.

When is the next public meeting in Lenoir?

The next posted meeting is City Council on Tuesday, November 3, at 6:00 pm in 905 West Ave, from the city’s own agenda portal.

Ask neighbors about Lenoir’s government

Neighbors who’ve been to the meetings can help.

Town Square →
Ask neighbors

Budget and staff: U.S. Census Bureau, Census of Governments (2022, every government) and Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances (2023–24, a sample) and the Annual Survey of Public Employment & Payroll; day-to-day spending is current operations, with hospitals, utilities and airports apart. School district: Census school finance survey, 2023–24. Property tax: Census American Community Survey, 2020–24. Elections: official 2024 returns via the MIT Election Data + Science Lab; turnout uses Census citizen voting-age population (CVAP, 2020–24). Officials: Open States, names shown only with a current term (checked October 9, 2026). Districts: Census Bureau (119th Congress, 2024 state districts); legislators: Open States and congress-legislators. How Town Hall works →