United States › North Carolina › Wilson CITY
Wilson North Carolina · 49,572 residents (2025 est.) · 31.4 sq mi
Time machine
COMPARE TO 1990 Census 2000 Census 2009 ACS 2010 ACS 2011 ACS 2012 ACS 2013 ACS 2014 ACS 2015 ACS 2016 ACS 2017 ACS 2018 ACS 2019 ACS 2020 ACS 2021 ACS 2022 ACS 2023 ACS
The short version
With 48,370 people, Wilson is a city in North Carolina. 49% of homes are owner-occupied. 25% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher. The poverty rate is 23.0%, above the 12.5% national rate. Households here earn about 27% less than in North Carolina as a whole. Home values have more than doubled since 2000, reaching $210,700.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Mid-age
median age 39.5
US median: 38.9
Less educated
25% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 27%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01
Population & growth from 44,405 in 2000
49,572 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
1,541 / sq mi
+2%since 2009
from 1,516 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
from 35.1 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
36K 39K 43K 47K 51K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Wilson Age distribution, 2024
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy $52,485
−8%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $31,169 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $17,813 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 22.8% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 21.6% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.473 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Public administration 6.3%
Professional, scientific, technical 4%
Transportation & warehousing 1.4%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 1%
Arts, entertainment, food 0.8%
Education & health services 0.3%
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$210,700
+27%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $90,900 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$971
+12%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $478 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 51.0% in 2000
50.9% rent
from 10.8% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
from 2.40 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 30.9% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 50.7% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
from 3.6 in 2009
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04
Race & ethnicity 2000
White, non-Hispanic 43.9%(19,479)
Hispanic / Latino 7.3%(3,237)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 34.9%(16,898)
Hispanic / Latino 12.5%(6,061)
from 75 in 2009
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry Hispanic origin
+ 1 more hispanic origin group with data Ancestry
+ 28 more ancestry groups with data from 19.2% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 69.3% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 5.1% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 13.8 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 79.1% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 13.9% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 2.0% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 0.9% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 1.8% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 0.5% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 13.0% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 14.1% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 61.7% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 73.0% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 15.8% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 30.1% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 7.7% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 9.3% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 15.0% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 18.1% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 71.7% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 82.2% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 84.6% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 90.5% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 7.0% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married 38.6%(6,943)
Women 15+
Never married 37.2%(7,972)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 18.1% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 45.3% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 12.7% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 19.7% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 28.1% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 3.0% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 56.0% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 43.9% in 2020
US average: 36.7%
Shares are "alone or in combination": a person with both Medicare and Medicaid counts in each, so categories overlap and do not sum to 100%.
Section 09 · Service history
Veterans Veterans by period of service, 2024
Gulf War (2001 or later) 26.2%(541)
Share of the 2,063 veterans here. A veteran who served across eras counts in each, so shares can total more than 100%. Peacetime-only service is included in the total but not shown as an era.
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Drill deeper
Places similar to Wilson Head to head
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Frequently asked
How many people live in Wilson, North Carolina? Wilson, North Carolina has about 48,370 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Wilson, North Carolina? The typical household in Wilson, North Carolina earns about $52,485 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Wilson, North Carolina expensive? In Wilson, North Carolina, the median home is worth about $210,700, and the typical rent is about $971 a month.
How educated are people in Wilson, North Carolina? About 24.5% of adults age 25 and over in Wilson, North Carolina hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Wilson, North Carolina? About 23.0% of people in Wilson, North Carolina live below the federal poverty line.
Has Wilson, North Carolina grown since 1990? Yes, Wilson, North Carolina has grown since 1990. The population has added about 11,440 residents, a change of about 31 percent over that period.
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