Lenoir County is a county located in the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of 2000, the population was 59,648, and estimated to be 57,961 in 2005. Its county seat is Kinston.

History
The county was formed in 1791 from the southern part of Dobbs County. It was named for William Lenoir (1751-1839), an officer in the American Revolutionary War, who took part in the Battle of Kings Mountain, and prominent political leader who at the time of the county's establishment was serving as Speaker of the North Carolina Senate.

Law and government
Lenoir County is a member of the regional Eastern Carolina Council of Governments.

Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 402 square miles (1,041 km²), of which, 400 square miles (1,036 km²) of it is land and 2 square miles (6 km²) of it (0.56%) is water.

Townships
The county is divided into twelve townships: Contentnea Neck, Falling Creek, Institute, Kinston, Moseley Hall, Neuse, Pink Hill, Sand Hill, Southwest, Trent, Vance, and Woodington.

Education
The City of Kinston and Lenoir County have a merged school system. There are three public high schools in Lenoir County: North Lenoir, South Lenoir, and Kinston High School. In addition, there are four public middle schools: E.B. Frink, Rochelle, Woodington, and Savannah. There are also ten public elementary schools: Banks, Bynum, Contentnea, La Grange, Moss Hill, Northwest, Pink Hill, Southeast, Southwood, and Teachers Memorial. There is one alternative school, Sampson.
Lenoir County is home to three private schools: Arendell Parrott Academy, Bethel Christian Academy, and Kinston Charter Academy.