Lee County vs Wilkes County
A side-by-side comparison of Lee County and Wilkes County: population, income, housing, and more.
Lee County and Wilkes County are counties in North Carolina. This page compares them across population, income, housing, education, commuting, and how each has changed since 2019.
Wilkes County has the higher population (65,983 vs 64,565 in Lee County). Lee County has the higher median household income ($63,060 vs $50,438 in Wilkes County). Lee County has the higher median home value ($213,800 vs $161,400 in Wilkes County).
Population, income & housing
| Lee County | Wilkes County | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 64,565 | 65,983 |
| Median age | 39.9 yrs | 45.3 yrs |
| Median household income | $63,060 | $50,438 |
| Median home value | $213,800 | $161,400 |
| Median gross rent | $962 | $715 |
| Housing units | 26,854 | 31,744 |
| Homeownership rate | 66.0% | 73.9% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 21.6% | 16.7% |
| Unemployment rate | 4.0% | 4.9% |
Trends (ACS 5-year, 2019–2023)
| Lee County | Wilkes County | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 60,481 → 64,565 (+6.8%) | 68,469 → 65,983 (-3.6%) |
| Median household income | $49,994 → $63,060 (+26.1%) | $44,107 → $50,438 (+14.4%) |
| Median home value | $144,200 → $213,800 (+48.3%) | $126,300 → $161,400 (+27.8%) |
| Median gross rent | $775 → $962 (+24.1%) | $632 → $715 (+13.1%) |
Lee County
60,48164,565
$49,994$63,060
$144,200$213,800
$775$962
Wilkes County
68,46965,983
$44,107$50,438
$126,300$161,400
$632$715
Age & race/ethnicity
Age distribution (share)
| Lee County | Wilkes County | |
|---|---|---|
| Under 5 | 6.2% | 5.0% |
| 5 to 17 | 17.7% | 15.1% |
| 18 to 24 | 8.3% | 7.7% |
| 25 to 34 | 12.6% | 11.1% |
| 35 to 44 | 12.9% | 10.8% |
| 45 to 54 | 12.2% | 13.1% |
| 55 to 64 | 13.3% | 14.6% |
| 65 to 74 | 10.1% | 13.1% |
| 75 and over | 6.7% | 9.6% |
Race & ethnicity (share)
| Lee County | Wilkes County | |
|---|---|---|
| White (non-Hispanic) | 56.4% | 86.1% |
| Black or African American | 17.5% | 3.7% |
| American Indian & Alaska Native | 0.1% | 0.2% |
| Asian | 1.1% | 0.6% |
| Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander | 0.0% | 0.1% |
| Some other race | 0.1% | 0.0% |
| Two or more races | 3.8% | 2.0% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 21.0% | 7.3% |
Educational attainment (age 25+)
Share of adults 25+
| Lee County | Wilkes County | |
|---|---|---|
| No high school diploma | 14.9% | 18.1% |
| High school graduate | 26.9% | 32.4% |
| Some college or associate's | 36.6% | 32.8% |
| Bachelor's degree | 14.8% | 11.6% |
| Graduate or professional degree | 6.8% | 5.1% |
Commute to work
How workers get to work (share)
| Lee County | Wilkes County | |
|---|---|---|
| Drove alone | 80.7% | 81.1% |
| Carpooled | 10.4% | 9.2% |
| Public transit | 0.2% | 0.2% |
| Walked | 1.5% | 1.1% |
| Bicycle | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Worked from home | 5.7% | 8.1% |
| Other means | 1.4% | 0.3% |
Housing
Units in structure (share)
| Lee County | Wilkes County | |
|---|---|---|
| 1-unit, detached | 68.3% | 68.0% |
| 1-unit, attached | 0.7% | 0.2% |
| 2 to 4 units | 7.1% | 3.8% |
| 5 to 19 units | 7.3% | 2.5% |
| 20 or more units | 2.1% | 1.8% |
| Mobile home & other | 14.5% | 23.7% |
Poverty & households
| Lee County | Wilkes County | |
|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 15.5% | 16.4% |
| Average household size | 2.58 | 2.41 |
| Mean commute (minutes) | 26 | 27 |
| Median year structure built | 1988 | 1980 |
Full profiles
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