Lenoir County land and farms is increasingly popular with investors, manufacturers, homebuyers and outdoorsmen. Located in the Coastal Plain, land in Lenoir County is bordered by Greene, Pitt, Craven, Jones, Duplin and Wayne counties. The 403-square-mile county is home to 56,000 residents. Wages are low, and there is an available skilled workforce. Adding to its traditional agriculture base is a growing business and manufacturing economic component that has been growing due to the Global Transpark, a 2,500-acre state-owned business and industrial complex with access to air, rail, highways and two international ports. The county is approximately 75 miles from Raleigh and 75 miles from Morehead City, a major port and beach-goer destination. Included in the top private employers are Sanderson Farms Inc., Smithfield Foods Inc., Electrolux Home Products Inc., Aristofraft/Decora/Shrock and Spirit Aerosystems. Farmland includes 114,000 acres and 76% of agricultural sales are for livestock and poultry. Cropland uses 75% of the land, and 19% is left in woodlands. Some farmers create impoundments to attract waterfowl for hunting. Others go in search of bear, deer and turkeys. Fishermen take advantage of the Neuse River and its many tributaries to catch bluegills, channel catfish, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass and striped bass. Other attractions include the American Tobacco Company Prizery and the CSS Neuse Interpretive Center State Historic Site. Lenoir County Public Schools provides public education for K-12, and Lenoir Community College offers higher learning.
