Wilkes County, Georgia
Located in Georgia, Wilkes County has a population of 9,549 residents and a median age of 46.0 years, making it the #2,520 most populous county out of 3,222 nationwide. In terms of economic indicators, the county has a poverty rate of 17.8%. The median home value is $122,700, and the median household income is $52,043, which is 31% below the national median.
Demographics
Wilkes County has a population of 9,549, making it the #2,520 most populous county in the US. The median age is 46.0 years, which is 18.3% above the national median.
Population Trend
Rankings →Year-over-Year Population Growth
Age & Sex Distribution
Race & Ethnicity
Nativity
Geographic Mobility (Past Year)
Economy
The median household income in Wilkes County is $52,043, ranking #2,655 out of 3,222 counties — 30.7% below the national median. The poverty rate is 17.8% and unemployment stands at 1.5%.
Median Household Income Trend
Rankings →Income Distribution
Industry of Employment
Occupation
Housing
The median home value in Wilkes County is $122,700 (-56.5% vs national). Renters pay a median of $786/mo and the homeownership rate is 66.1%.
Median Home Value Trend
Rankings →Household Type
Education
In Wilkes County, 16.9% of adults age 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher, which is 49.8% below the national average, ranking #2,511 out of 3,222 counties.
Bachelor's Degree or Higher Trend
Rankings →Health & Wellbeing
Life expectancy in Wilkes County is 72.0 years. 23.3% of adults report poor or fair health and 17.7% lack health insurance. Data from County Health Rankings (2025).
Life Expectancy Trend
Substance Use
20.1% of adults in Wilkes County smoke , 43.9% are obese , and 15.7% report excessive drinking.
Adult Smoking Trend
Safety
The suicide rate is 20.9 per 100,000. Motor vehicle deaths occur at a rate of 20.5 per 100,000.
Firearm Fatalities Trend
Families & Children
32.3% of children in Wilkes County live in poverty . The teen birth rate is 26.1 per 1,000 females age 15–19.
Teen Birth Rate Trend
Civic & Transportation
Voter turnout in Wilkes County is 66.9%. The mean commute time is 35.7 min, which is 29.5% above the national average.
Voter Turnout Trend
Mean Commute Time Trend
Rankings →Elections
In the 2024 presidential election, Wilkes County voted Republican with a margin of 16.9%. The vote was 41.4% Dem / 58.3% Rep. Compared to 2020, the margin shifted 3.7 toward Republicans .
Vote Share Over Time
About Wilkes County, Georgia
Wilkes County, Georgia has a total population of 9,549, making it the 2,520th most populous county in the United States. The median age in Wilkes County is 46.0 years, which is 18.3% above the national median of 38.9 years.
The median household income in Wilkes County is $52,043, which ranks #2,655 of 3,222 counties nationwide. This is 30.7% below the national median of $75,149. The poverty rate is 17.8%, higher than the national rate of 12.6%. The unemployment rate stands at 1.5%.
The median home value in Wilkes County is $122,700, 56.5% below the national median. Renters in Wilkes County pay a median gross rent of $786 per month. The homeownership rate is 66.1%, compared to the national rate of 64.4%.
In Wilkes County, 16.9% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 49.8% below the national average of 33.7%. Health insurance coverage stands at 84.7% of the population. The average commute time for workers is 35.7 min.
Wilkes County is a diverse community. The largest racial or ethnic group is White (non-Hispanic) at 51.6% of the population, followed by Black (non-Hispanic) (39.4%) and Hispanic or Latino (4.8%).
All data for Wilkes County, Georgia comes from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates. These figures are estimates based on survey sampling and are subject to margin of error. For the most detailed and up-to-date data, visit the Census Bureau's official data portal.