Wilkes County, North Carolina

10 cities & places have their primary county here.

Population: 65,983
Median household income: $50,438
Median home value: $161,400

Wilkes County, North Carolina counts 65,983 residents. 10 cities and places have their primary county here. The median household income of $50,438 is below the North Carolina median ($69,904).

From 2019 to 2023, Wilkes County's population declined 3.6% from 68,469 to 65,983, while its median household income rose 14.4% from $44,107 to $50,438.

The typical home was built around 1980. 16.4% of residents live below the poverty line.

Demographics

ACS 2019–2023

Population: 65,983
Median age: 45.3 yrs
Median household income: $50,438
Median home value: $161,400
Median gross rent: $715
Housing units: 31,744
Homeownership rate: 73.9%
Bachelor's degree or higher: 16.7%
Unemployment rate: 4.9%

Trends

ACS 5-year · 2019–2023

Population

68,46965,983

Median household income

$44,107$50,438

Median home value

$126,300$161,400

Median gross rent

$632$715

Year	Population	Median household income	Median home value	Median gross rent
2019	68,469	$44,107	$126,300	$632
2020	68,341	$44,980	$129,200	$642
2021	66,335	$46,079	$133,200	$653
2022	66,125	$49,119	$146,200	$712
2023	65,983	$50,438	$161,400	$715

Each year is a US Census Bureau ACS 5-year estimate ending that year.

Age distribution

Under 55.0%

5 to 1715.1%

18 to 247.7%

25 to 3411.1%

35 to 4410.8%

45 to 5413.1%

55 to 6414.6%

65 to 7413.1%

75 and over9.6%

	Count	Share
Under 5	3,270	5.0%
5 to 17	9,933	15.1%
18 to 24	5,089	7.7%
25 to 34	7,311	11.1%
35 to 44	7,152	10.8%
45 to 54	8,632	13.1%
55 to 64	9,615	14.6%
65 to 74	8,629	13.1%
75 and over	6,352	9.6%

Race & ethnicity

	Count	Share
White (non-Hispanic)	56,783	86.1%
Black or African American	2,461	3.7%
American Indian & Alaska Native	132	0.2%
Asian	385	0.6%
Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander	79	0.1%
Some other race	22	0.0%
Two or more races	1,336	2.0%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)	4,785	7.3%

Educational attainment (age 25+)

No high school diploma18.1%

High school graduate32.4%

Some college or associate's32.8%

Bachelor's degree11.6%

Graduate or professional degree5.1%

	Count	Share
No high school diploma	8,644	18.1%
High school graduate	15,435	32.4%
Some college or associate's	15,663	32.8%
Bachelor's degree	5,515	11.6%
Graduate or professional degree	2,434	5.1%

Commute to work

Mean travel time to work: 27 min

Drove alone81.1%

Carpooled9.2%

Public transit0.2%

Walked1.1%

Bicycle0.0%

Worked from home8.1%

Other means0.3%

How workers get to work

	Count	Share
Drove alone	22,922	81.1%
Carpooled	2,603	9.2%
Public transit	56	0.2%
Walked	320	1.1%
Bicycle	0	0.0%
Worked from home	2,288	8.1%
Other means	75	0.3%

Travel time

	Count	Share
Under 15 min	7,208	27.7%
15 to 29 min	9,791	37.7%
30 to 44 min	4,280	16.5%
45 to 59 min	1,919	7.4%
60+ min	2,778	10.7%

Households

Average household size: 2.41
Poverty rate: 16.4% (10,623 of 64,649)

	Count	Share
Family households	18,374	68.1%
Nonfamily households	8,601	31.9%

Housing

Median year structure built: 1980

Occupancy

	Count	Share
Occupied	26,975	85.0%
Vacant	4,769	15.0%

Tenure (of occupied units)

	Count	Share
Owner-occupied	19,941	73.9%
Renter-occupied	7,034	26.1%

1-unit, detached68.0%

1-unit, attached0.2%

2 to 4 units3.8%

5 to 19 units2.5%

20 or more units1.8%

Mobile home & other23.7%

Units in structure

	Count	Share
1-unit, detached	21,577	68.0%
1-unit, attached	77	0.2%
2 to 4 units	1,215	3.8%
5 to 19 units	783	2.5%
20 or more units	564	1.8%
Mobile home & other	7,528	23.7%

Geography

County GEOID: 37193
State: North Carolina
Land area: 754 sq mi
Water area: 2.65 sq mi
Center point: 36.2089, -81.1661