Wise County, Virginia
Located in Virginia, Wise County has a population of 35,448 residents and a median age of 41.8 years, making it the #1,329 most populous county out of 3,222 nationwide. In terms of economic indicators, the county has a poverty rate of 17.2%. The median home value is $118,600, and the median household income is $52,943, which is 30% below the national median.
Demographics
Wise County has a population of 35,448, making it the #1,329 most populous county in the US. The median age is 41.8 years, which is 7.5% 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 Wise County is $52,943, ranking #2,603 out of 3,222 counties — 29.5% below the national median. The poverty rate is 17.2% and unemployment stands at 8.2%.
Median Household Income Trend
Rankings →Income Distribution
Industry of Employment
Occupation
Housing
The median home value in Wise County is $118,600 (-57.9% vs national). Renters pay a median of $790/mo and the homeownership rate is 74.2%.
Median Home Value Trend
Rankings →Household Type
Education
In Wise County, 15.8% of adults age 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher, which is 53.2% below the national average, ranking #2,702 out of 3,222 counties.
Bachelor's Degree or Higher Trend
Rankings →Health & Wellbeing
Life expectancy in Wise County is 70.8 years. 22.2% of adults report poor or fair health and 8.3% lack health insurance. Data from County Health Rankings (2025).
Life Expectancy Trend
Substance Use
20.9% of adults in Wise County smoke , 41.7% are obese , and 19.5% report excessive drinking. The drug overdose death rate is 36.9 per 100,000.
Adult Smoking Trend
Safety
The homicide rate in Wise County is 3.8 per 100,000 and the suicide rate is 15.6 per 100,000. Motor vehicle deaths occur at a rate of 13.4 per 100,000.
Homicide Rate Trend
Families & Children
20.0% of children in Wise County live in poverty and the infant mortality rate is 8.0 per 1,000 live births. The teen birth rate is 31.6 per 1,000 females age 15–19.
Infant Mortality Trend
Civic & Transportation
Voter turnout in Wise County is 54.6%. The mean commute time is 26.4 min, which is 4.5% below the national average.
Voter Turnout Trend
Mean Commute Time Trend
Rankings →Elections
In the 2024 presidential election, Wise County voted Republican with a margin of 63.3%. The vote was 18.1% Dem / 81.4% Rep. Compared to 2020, the margin shifted 1.6 toward Republicans .
Vote Share Over Time
About Wise County, Virginia
Wise County, Virginia has a total population of 35,448, making it the 1,329th most populous county in the United States. The median age in Wise County is 41.8 years, which is 7.5% above the national median of 38.9 years.
The median household income in Wise County is $52,943, which ranks #2,603 of 3,222 counties nationwide. This is 29.5% below the national median of $75,149. The poverty rate is 17.2%, higher than the national rate of 12.6%. The unemployment rate stands at 8.2%.
The median home value in Wise County is $118,600, 57.9% below the national median. Renters in Wise County pay a median gross rent of $790 per month. The homeownership rate is 74.2%, compared to the national rate of 64.4%.
In Wise County, 15.8% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 53.2% below the national average of 33.7%. Health insurance coverage stands at 93.5% of the population. The average commute time for workers is 26.4 min.
Wise County is a diverse community. The largest racial or ethnic group is White (non-Hispanic) at 90.0% of the population, followed by Black (non-Hispanic) (4.7%) and Two or More Races (2.7%).
All data for Wise County, Virginia 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.