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Wilkes
North Carolina

66K

Population

$49K

Median Income

$226K

Median Home

R+57

Politics

Economy

Median Household Income$49K

This county

national avg ~$75K

Poverty Rate19.1%

This county

national avg ~11.5%

Unemployment Rate3.8%

This county

national avg ~3.8%

GDP per Capita$46,454

Federal Spending per Capita$241

Median Individual Earnings$34K

This county

national avg $45K

Professional/Management Workers28.3%

Average Adjusted Gross Income$62K

Avg Credit Score670

Work From Home %7.6%

This county

national avg 17.0%

Population Under 1820.0%

This county

national avg 22.0%

Single-Person Households28.9%

This county

national avg 28.0%

Banks & Finance Firms27

Income (20th Percentile)$22K

Income (80th Percentile)$96K

Income (95th Percentile)$161K

Bachelor's Degree or Higher19.6%

This county

national avg 35.0%

Less Than High School18.5%

This county

national avg 11.0%

Knowledge Economy GDP %7.3%

Dependency Ratio1.05

Medicare Spending / Person$3,944

SS Benefits / Person$5,143

Education Wage Premium2.38x

Median Earnings (Bachelor's)$53K

Median Earnings (Graduate)$69K

Median Earnings (HS Diploma)$29K

Public Assistance Recipients1.7%

Average Annual Wage$48K

Professional Services Concentration0.46x national

This county

1.0 = national average share

Housing

Median Home Value$223K

This county

$335K state avg

$303K national

Median Sale Price$210K

This county

$303K national

Market Rent (ZORI)$1275/mo

This county

$1450/mo state avg

$1400/mo national

Property Tax Rate0.69%

This county

0.70% state avg

1.10% national

Annual tax on median home: $1,005

Affordability & Supply

HUD Fair Market Rent (2BR)$925/mo

Home Price Change (1 yr)+4.3%

Home Value to Income Ratio2.4x income

Severely Cost-Burdened Households8.4%

Homeownership Rate73.0%

This county

national avg ~65%

Market Activity

Sale-to-List Ratio— Buyers market — homes selling below list

93.7%

Listings with Price Cuts— Low — market moving fast

17.2%

Sold Above List Price

11.6%

Median Days to Close

34 days

Active Listings

239

New Listings / Month

Source: Zillow Research · Updated monthly

Days on Market (Redfin)— Slow — buyers have leverage

54 days

Months of Supply (Redfin)— Balanced market

4.3 mo

Sold Above List (Redfin)

7.5%

Sale-to-List Cross-Reference

Zillow 93.7% · Redfin 95.3%

Source: Redfin · Updated monthly

Health

Life Expectancy74.5 yrs

This county

national avg ~78.5 years

Hospital Rating3.0 / 5

This county

national avg 3.0 stars

Food Insecurity14.9%

This county

national avg ~11%

Food Environment Index7.3 / 10

This county

higher = better access

Primary Care Shortage Score18

This county

national avg 5

Mental Health Shortage Score20

Dental Care Shortage Score25

Healthcare Shortage Score21.0

Healthcare Offices66

Obesity Rate (BRFSS)38.2%

This county

national avg 32.0%

Smoking Rate (BRFSS)17.8%

This county

national avg 14.0%

Poor Health Rate (BRFSS)21.0%

This county

national avg 18.0%

Physical Inactivity (BRFSS)25.9%

This county

national avg 24.0%

High Blood Pressure (BRFSS)34.4%

This county

national avg 32.0%

Active Physicians56

Nursing Home Rating2.0 / 5

This county

national avg ~3 stars

ER Visits per 1,000 Medicare Patients689 / 1,000

Medicare Cost per Beneficiary$12,874

Uninsured (under 65)12.7%

This county

national avg ~10%

Adults with Depression28.5%

Education

Math Test Scores3.06 grade level

Reading Test Scores3.09 grade level

HS Diploma Holders12,973

Bachelor's Degree Holders5,382

HS Completion Rate81.5%

This county

national avg ~85%

Private Schools6

Safety

Violent Crime Rate3.9 / 1,000

This county

national avg ~4.0

Firearm Fatality Rate16.5 / 100K

This county

national avg ~13.6/100K

Homicide Rate5.9 / 100K

This county

national avg ~7.5/100K

Drug Overdose Rate29.7 / 100K

This county

national avg ~21/100K

Traffic Fatalities8

Social Vulnerability (CDC SVI)71th pct

Drug Overdose Deaths (2024)27.3 / 100K

Suicide Rate18.6 / 100K

This county

national avg ~14/100K

Climate & Air Quality

Natural Amenity Scale1.9

January Sunshine0.68

January Temperature0.62

Average Temp58°F

Avg High Temp69°F

Avg Low Temp46°F

Annual Precipitation42.8 in/yr

Avg Storm Events25.4 storms/yr

Avg Annual Storm Damage$290K

Drought Index (2022)0.38

Heating Degree Days3,740 HDD/yr

This county

national avg ~4,500 HDD/yr

Cooling Degree Days1,140 CDD/yr

This county

national avg ~1,200 CDD/yr

Heating Degree Days (1901–2000 Baseline)4,298 HDD/yr

Cooling Degree Days (1901–2000 Baseline)948 CDD/yr

Avg Tornadoes / Year0.4

Avg Flood Events / Year3.4

Avg Hail Events / Year2.4

Avg Hurricane Events / Year0.00

Avg Wildfire Events / Year0.4

Avg Winter Storms / Year0.0

Avg Heat Events / Year0.0

Natural Hazard Risk (FEMA)55 / 100

Community Resilience (FEMA)29 / 100

Federal Disaster Declarations22 since 1953

Fine Particulate Pollution (PM2.5)7.1 µg/m³

This county

EPA standard 9 µg/m³

Outdoor & Recreation

Historic Places (NRHP)24 properties

FAA-Registered Airports3 total

Airports (excl. heliports)2 airports

Internet & Remote Work

Download Speed200 Mbps

This county

national avg ~120 Mbps

Upload Speed65 Mbps

Fixed Internet (Q1 2026)374 Mbps

Mobile Internet (Q1 2026)142 Mbps

Mobile Upload (Q1 2026)15 Mbps

Mobile Latency (Q1 2026)38 ms

Households with 100Mbps+99.4%

This county

national avg 75.0%

Cellular-Only Internet8.7%

This county

national avg 8.0%

Fixed Upload Speed (Q1 2026)156 Mbps

EV Infrastructure

EV Charging Stations6 stations

DC Fast Chargers4 chargers

Level 2 EV Chargers9

Commute & Transit

Remote Workers2,140 workers

Public Transit Commuters31 workers

Walk to Work266 workers

Extreme Commutes (90+ min)927 workers

Avg Commute Time25.5 min

This county

national avg ~27 min

Walk to Work0.9%

Agriculture

Farms342 farms

Farmland3,305 acres

Families & Childcare

Childcare Cost Burden31.8%

This county

national median ~27% of household income

Childcare Centers7.9 per 10K residents

Childcare Facilities13

Civic & Community

Voter Turnout67.1%

This county

national avg ~55%

Volunteering Rate1.0%

Income Inequality (Gini)4.278

Nonprofit Organizations220

Veterans Share7.3%

This county

national avg 7.0%

Married Adults55.0%

Never-Married Adults24.5%

Divorced Adults11.4%

Religious Organizations88

Asian Population0.5%

Native American Population0.2%

Membership Associations14.6 per 10K residents

Lifestyle & Services

Full-Service Restaurants0.59 per 1K residents

Colleges & Universities1

Nursing & Care Facilities20

Grocery Stores18

Arts & Entertainment Venues3

Hotels & Lodging8

Recreation Businesses11

Professional Services Firms72

Veterinary Practices10

Real Estate Firms31

Debt Burden

Avg Mortgage Balance$62K

Avg Student Loan Balance$6K

Avg Credit Card Balance$4K

Loan Delinquency Rate47.8%

This county

national avg 4.0%

Innovation

Inventor Rate0.09%

Politics

R+57

2024 Presidential · North Carolina was R+3 statewide

vs North Carolina State

Income tax

4.5%Same (state law)

Property tax

0.69%0.7% state avg

Politics

R+57R+3

COL Index

County data94 (state)

Population & Migration

Net Domestic Migration 2023

↑ +467

More people arriving than leaving

IRS Wealth Migration

Lower-income migration pattern (IRS: 0.86x avg income)

Economic Mobility

38%

chance a low-income child reaches the middle class

Source: Opportunity Insights

Real Estate

Find Homes in Wilkes County

Median home value: $226K

View on Zillow →View on Realtor.com →

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Local News — Wilkes

WBTV · 1 week ago

Man leading group of bicyclists killed in North Carolina crash

The deadly crash happened near a church in Wilkes County.…

FOX8 WGHP · 2 weeks ago

Motorcyclist dies after 3-vehicle crash in Wilkes County, troopers say

NORTH WILKESBORO, N.C. (WGHP) — Troopers are investigating a fatal crash in Wilkes County. According…

WataugaOnline.com · 1 week ago

Two Fatal Wilkes County Crashes Under Investigation by NC Highway Patrol

Last Updated on August 27, 2026 6:04 am. Two fatal traffic crashes in Wilkes County within the past …

USAFacts · Apr 6, 2026

How many people live in Wilkes County, NC?

How many people live in Wilkes County, NC ? ... In 2025, there were about 66,200 people living in Wi…

wfmynews2.com · 2 weeks ago

Motorcyclist dies in three-vehicle collision in Wilkes County

WILKES COUNTY, N.C. — A 73-year-old motorcyclist was killed Thursday afternoon in a three-vehicle cr…

FOX Carolina News · Jul 5, 2026

USGS reports small earthquake in NC Foothills

The United States Geological Survey reported a magnitude 1.9 earthquake in Wilkes County, North Caro…

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Data: Census ACS, BLS, Zillow, USDA Natural Amenities, OpenElections 2024, CMS, NCES. Vintage 2022–2025. News via Google News.

WilkesNorth Carolina

Wilkes
North Carolina