North Carolina

Lee

63,285
2020 population
1910
first census record
12
census records

About Lee

Lee, North Carolina, first appears in the United States federal census in 1910, when it recorded a population of 11,376. At the most recent census, in 2020, its population stood at 63,285.

The county's recorded population has risen across the decades to its highest level in 2020.

On the ground today, 19 places are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Population by decade

Census YearPopulationChart
202063,285
201057,866
200049,040
199041,374
198036,718
197030,467
196026,561
195023,522
194018,743
193016,996
192013,400
191011,376
Source

Population data from the United States decennial census, U.S. Census Bureau (public domain).

Historic places in Lee

National Register of Historic Places listings in Lee, North Carolina.

Buffalo Presbyterian Church and Cemeteries
Sanford
Railroad House
Sanford
Lee County Training School
Sanford
Endor Iron Furnace
Cumnock
Temple Theatre
Sanford
Seaboard Milling Company
Sanford
Rosemount-McIver Park Historic District
Sanford
East Sanford Historic District
Sanford
Lee Avenue Historic District
Sanford
Hawkins Avenue Historic District
Sanford
Downtown Sanford Historic District (Additional Documentation)
Sanford
Downtown Sanford Historic District (Boundary Increase and Decrease)
Sanford
McIver, John D., Farm
Sanford
Sanford High School, Former
Sanford
Browse all North Carolinahistoric sites ›

Other counties in North Carolina

Explore census history and historic records for more North Carolina counties.

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Everything a full report reveals about Lee County, North Carolina

This page charts the census history of Lee County, North Carolina. A full Aubrey report for an address here pulls together everything the historical record holds about the ground, from the earliest settlement to the twentieth century:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.
The Land
The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.
Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.
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North Carolinahistory ›NRHP historic sites ›Notable people from North Carolina›

Frequently asked about Lee

When does Lee first appear in the US census?
Lee, North Carolina first appears in the federal census in 1910, with a recorded population of 11,376.
What is the population of Lee?
At the most recent federal census (2020), Lee had a recorded population of 63,285.
How many historic places are in Lee?
19 sites are listed on the National Register of Historic Places in Lee, North Carolina.
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