Wilkes County, North Carolina

NC · FIPS 37193 · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates

Metric Value vs National Rank Percentile
Total Population 65,935 #831 / 3,222
74th
Median Household Income $51,721 -31.2% #2,678 / 3,222
17th
Median Age 45.7 years +17.5% #642 / 3,222
80th
Median Home Value $168,800 -40.1% #1,832 / 3,222
43th
Median Gross Rent $723 -37.8% #2,625 / 3,222
18th
Poverty Rate 16.7% +32.8% #2,254 / 3,222
30th

Demographics

Wilkes County has a population of 65,935, making it the #831 most populous county in the US. The median age is 45.7 years, which is 17.5% above the national median.

Population Trend

Rankings →

Year-over-Year Population Growth

Age & Sex Distribution

Race & Ethnicity

Nativity

96.3%
Native Born
3.7%
Foreign Born

Household Type

Economy

The median household income in Wilkes County is $51,721, ranking #2,678 out of 3,222 counties — 31.2% below the national median. The poverty rate is 16.7% and unemployment stands at 5.0%.

Median Household Income
$51,721 −31.2% vs nat'l
Rank #2,678 of 3,222
17th percentile
Per Capita Income
$27,947 −32.3% vs nat'l
Rank #2,713 of 3,222
16th percentile
Poverty Rate
16.7% +32.8% vs nat'l
Rank #2,254 of 3,222
30th percentile
Unemployment Rate
5.0% −5.6% vs nat'l
Rank #2,015 of 3,222
37th percentile
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
16.9% −49.9% vs nat'l
Rank #2,516 of 3,222
22th percentile
Mean Commute Time
28.1 min +1.6% vs nat'l
Rank #1,257 of 3,222
61th percentile

Median Household Income Trend

Rankings →

Poverty Rate Trend

Rankings →

Housing

The median home value in Wilkes County is $168,800 (-40.1% vs national). Renters pay a median of $723/mo and the homeownership rate is 73.5%.

Median Home Value
$168,800 −40.1% vs nat'l
Rank #1,832 of 3,222
43th percentile
Median Gross Rent
$723 −37.8% vs nat'l
Rank #2,625 of 3,222
18th percentile
Homeownership Rate
73.5% +14.2% vs nat'l
Rank #1,796 of 3,222
44th percentile
73.5% Homeownership

Median Home Value Trend

Rankings →

Health

89.5% of residents in Wilkes County have health insurance coverage, which is 2.3% below the national rate.

89.5% Health Insurance
Health Insurance Coverage
89.5% −2.3% vs nat'l
Rank #2,257 of 3,222
30th percentile

About Wilkes County, North Carolina

Wilkes County, North Carolina has a total population of 65,935, making it the 831st most populous county in the United States. The median age in Wilkes County is 45.7 years, which is 17.5% above the national median of 38.9 years.

The median household income in Wilkes County is $51,721, which ranks #2,678 of 3,222 counties nationwide. This is 31.2% below the national median of $75,149. The poverty rate is 16.7%, higher than the national rate of 12.6%. The unemployment rate stands at 5.0%.

The median home value in Wilkes County is $168,800, 40.1% below the national median. Renters in Wilkes County pay a median gross rent of $723 per month. The homeownership rate is 73.5%, 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, 49.9% below the national average of 33.7%. Health insurance coverage stands at 89.5% of the population. The average commute time for workers is 28.1 min.

Wilkes County is a diverse community. The largest racial or ethnic group is White (non-Hispanic) at 85.7% of the population, followed by Hispanic or Latino (7.5%) and Black (non-Hispanic) (3.6%).

All data for Wilkes County, North Carolina 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.