Chatham County vs Wilson County
A side-by-side comparison of Chatham County and Wilson County: population, income, housing, and more.
Chatham County and Wilson County are counties in North Carolina. This page compares them across population, income, housing, education, commuting, and how each has changed since 2019.
Wilson County has the higher population (78,648 vs 78,319 in Chatham County). Chatham County has the higher median household income ($88,534 vs $51,381 in Wilson County). Chatham County has the higher median home value ($397,800 vs $171,800 in Wilson County).
Population, income & housing
| Chatham County | Wilson County | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 78,319 | 78,648 |
| Median age | 47.6 yrs | 40.7 yrs |
| Median household income | $88,534 | $51,381 |
| Median home value | $397,800 | $171,800 |
| Median gross rent | $1,066 | $915 |
| Housing units | 35,013 | 36,702 |
| Homeownership rate | 80.4% | 59.1% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 48.0% | 20.3% |
| Unemployment rate | 3.0% | 6.0% |
Trends (ACS 5-year, 2019–2023)
| Chatham County | Wilson County | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 71,338 → 78,319 (+9.8%) | 81,435 → 78,648 (-3.4%) |
| Median household income | $67,031 → $88,534 (+32.1%) | $43,877 → $51,381 (+17.1%) |
| Median home value | $281,700 → $397,800 (+41.2%) | $123,600 → $171,800 (+39.0%) |
| Median gross rent | $845 → $1,066 (+26.2%) | $753 → $915 (+21.5%) |
Chatham County
71,33878,319
$67,031$88,534
$281,700$397,800
$845$1,066
Wilson County
81,43578,648
$43,877$51,381
$123,600$171,800
$753$915
Age & race/ethnicity
Age distribution (share)
| Chatham County | Wilson County | |
|---|---|---|
| Under 5 | 4.6% | 5.9% |
| 5 to 17 | 15.1% | 17.1% |
| 18 to 24 | 6.6% | 8.2% |
| 25 to 34 | 9.1% | 12.1% |
| 35 to 44 | 11.3% | 12.0% |
| 45 to 54 | 13.3% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 15.0% | 13.6% |
| 65 to 74 | 14.2% | 11.6% |
| 75 and over | 10.8% | 7.4% |
Race & ethnicity (share)
| Chatham County | Wilson County | |
|---|---|---|
| White (non-Hispanic) | 69.8% | 44.8% |
| Black or African American | 10.3% | 39.1% |
| American Indian & Alaska Native | 0.1% | 0.2% |
| Asian | 2.0% | 1.0% |
| Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Some other race | 0.6% | 0.6% |
| Two or more races | 3.7% | 2.4% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 13.4% | 11.9% |
Educational attainment (age 25+)
Share of adults 25+
| Chatham County | Wilson County | |
|---|---|---|
| No high school diploma | 9.6% | 15.6% |
| High school graduate | 18.0% | 34.2% |
| Some college or associate's | 24.3% | 29.9% |
| Bachelor's degree | 25.2% | 12.3% |
| Graduate or professional degree | 22.8% | 8.0% |
Commute to work
How workers get to work (share)
| Chatham County | Wilson County | |
|---|---|---|
| Drove alone | 71.2% | 81.1% |
| Carpooled | 5.4% | 9.3% |
| Public transit | 0.3% | 0.1% |
| Walked | 1.6% | 1.5% |
| Bicycle | 0.1% | 0.0% |
| Worked from home | 20.1% | 6.5% |
| Other means | 1.2% | 1.5% |
Housing
Units in structure (share)
| Chatham County | Wilson County | |
|---|---|---|
| 1-unit, detached | 76.4% | 63.1% |
| 1-unit, attached | 3.9% | 3.0% |
| 2 to 4 units | 2.6% | 12.4% |
| 5 to 19 units | 2.3% | 5.3% |
| 20 or more units | 1.7% | 1.9% |
| Mobile home & other | 13.1% | 14.3% |
Poverty & households
| Chatham County | Wilson County | |
|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 10.5% | 21.0% |
| Average household size | 2.41 | 2.35 |
| Mean commute (minutes) | 27 | 22 |
| Median year structure built | 1997 | 1985 |
Full profiles
2Related rankings
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