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CITY · 2020 ACS

Wilson

North Carolina · 47,851 residents · 31.4 sq mi
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The short version

With 47,851 people, Wilson is a city in North Carolina. 51% of homes are owner-occupied. The poverty rate is 23.2%, above the 12.8% national rate. 23% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher. Home values have risen by half since 2000, reaching $146,000. That trails the North Carolina median by roughly 24%.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $66,278
Older
median age 41.1
US median: 38.8
Less educated
23% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 33%
Stable housing
home values roughly flat, inflation adjusted
US median home: $265,253
Section 01

Population & growth

47,851
+8%since 2000
from 44,405 in 2000
1990 – 2025
41.1
+17%since 2000
from 35.1 in 2000
US average: 38.8
Land area
31.4 sq mi
Population, 19902024
36K39K43K47K51K19902000201020202024Wilson
202448K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2020
Under 55.8%(2,760)
US avg: 5.6%
5 to 96%(2,862)
US avg: 6.1%
10 to 147%(3,340)
US avg: 6.5%
15 to 196.4%(3,083)
US avg: 6.6%
20 to 245.8%(2,757)
US avg: 6.7%
25 to 3411.9%(5,717)
US avg: 13.5%
35 to 4411.4%(5,463)
US avg: 12.7%
45 to 5412.5%(5,969)
US avg: 12.3%
55 to 6413.7%(6,560)
US avg: 13.1%
65 to 7411.5%(5,483)
US avg: 10%
75 to 845.8%(2,754)
US avg: 4.9%
85 and over2.3%(1,103)
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

$43,126
−8%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $31,169 in 2000
US average: $66,278
1990 – 2024
$24,286
+36%since 2000
from $17,813 in 2000
US average: $35,364
Households earning $100K+
24.6%
+1.8 ptssince 2009
from 22.8% in 2009
US average: 43.9%
23.2%
+1.6 ptssince 2000
from 21.6% in 2000
US average: 12.8%
Workforce by industry, 2020
Retail trade16.5%
US avg: 10%
Information12.9%
US avg: 11.1%
Other services7.6%
US avg: 6.6%
Public administration6.3%
US avg: 4.7%
Wholesale trade5.4%
US avg: 6.7%
Transportation & warehousing3.1%
US avg: 2.5%
Finance & insurance2.9%
US avg: 5.5%
Professional, scientific, technical2.6%
US avg: 4.7%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing1.3%
US avg: 1.7%
Construction1.2%
US avg: 1.2%
Arts, entertainment, food1.2%
US avg: 2%
Education & health services0.3%
US avg: 0.8%
Manufacturing0.1%
US avg: 0.5%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

$146,000
+7%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $90,900 in 2000
US average: $265,253
1990 – 2024
$747
+4%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $478 in 2000
US average: $1,124
50.6%
−0.4 ptssince 2000
from 51.0% in 2000
49.4% rent
2.46 people
+3%since 2009
from 2.40 people in 2009
US average: 2.61
3.4
−6%since 2009
from 3.6 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic43.9%(19,479)
Black47.3%(21,007)
Hispanic / Latino7.3%(3,237)
Asian0.5%(238)
Other0%
2020
White, non-Hispanic36.6%(17,503)
Black47.9%(22,914)
Hispanic / Latino10.1%(4,824)
Asian1.7%(811)
Other3%(1,437)

No data for the years selected.

Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Hispanic origin
Mexican7%(3,439)
Cuban0.6%(311)
Ecuadorian0.5%(233)
Honduran0.5%(226)
Puerto Rican0.4%(191)
Colombian0.2%(103)
Dominican0.2%(74)
Guatemalan0.1%(59)
Nicaraguan0.1%(54)
Argentine0.1%(28)
+ 4 more hispanic origin groups with data
Asian origin
Asian Indian0.3%(143)
Cambodian0.2%(91)
Korean0.1%(46)
Japanese0.1%(30)
Chinese0.1%(29)
Filipino0.1%(28)
Pacific Islander origin
Ancestry
American8.2%(4,047)
English5.7%(2,831)
German4.1%(2,019)
Irish3.6%(1,777)
Italian1.5%(734)
Scotch-Irish1.2%(608)
Scottish1.1%(545)
West Indian1.1%(536)
Haitian0.8%(416)
Polish0.5%(248)
Arab0.5%(244)
+ 24 more ancestry groups with data
Swedish0.4%(176)
French0.4%(174)
Dutch0.3%(161)
British0.3%(146)
Norwegian0.3%(136)
Turkish0.3%(130)
Greek0.2%(93)
Brazilian0.2%(81)
Welsh0.2%(81)
Danish0.2%(76)
Jamaican0.1%(61)
Czech0.1%(50)
Jordanian0.1%(41)
Slovak0.1%(36)
Russian0%(23)
Lebanese0%(18)
Austrian0%(17)
Canadian0%(15)
Finnish0%(15)
Syrian0%(13)
Hungarian0%(13)
Swiss0%(9)
Section 05

Education

22.8%
+3.7 ptssince 2000
from 19.2% in 2000
US average: 32.9%
High school or higher
81.7%
+12.4 ptssince 2000
from 69.3% in 2000
US average: 88.5%
7.3%
+2.2 ptssince 2000
from 5.1% in 2000
US average: 12.7%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

20.0 min
+45%since 2000
from 13.8 min in 2000
US average: 26.9
80.8%
+1.6 ptssince 2009
from 79.1% in 2009
US average: 75.1%
11.9%
−1.1 ptssince 2009
from 13.0% in 2009
US average: 8.4%
Section 07

Work & employment

10.0%
−4.1 ptssince 2011
from 14.1% in 2011
US average: 5.4%
59.4%
−2.4 ptssince 2011
from 61.7% in 2011
US average: 63.4%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
73.0%
US average: 73.3%
34.0%
+3.9 ptssince 2009
from 30.1% in 2009
US average: 39.3%
Section 08

People & community

46.0%
−1.3 ptssince 2009
from 47.2% in 2009
54.0%
+1.3 ptssince 2009
from 52.8% in 2009
6.2%
−1.6 ptssince 2009
from 7.7% in 2009
US average: 13.5%
12.0%
−6.1 ptssince 2013
from 18.1% in 2013
US average: 8.8%
Computer in household
82.2%
US average: 91.9%
84.6%
US average: 86.2%
Marital status (2024)
Men 15+
Never married38.6%(6,943)
Married47.3%(8,499)
Widowed4.2%(761)
Divorced9.9%(1,774)
Women 15+
Never married37.2%(7,972)
Married39.8%(8,527)
Widowed9.8%(2,091)
Divorced13.2%(2,817)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09

Health coverage

12.0%
−6.1 ptssince 2013
from 18.1% in 2013
US average: 8.8%
45.3%
US average: 55.4%
Direct-purchase
12.7%
US average: 13.7%
19.7%
US average: 17.6%
28.1%
US average: 20.0%
VA health care
3.0%
US average: 2.3%
Any private
56.0%
US average: 68.1%
Any public
43.9%
US average: 35.2%

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, 2020
Gulf War (2001 or later)23.7%(738)
US avg: 20.6%
Gulf War (1990s)29.3%(913)
US avg: 21.4%
Vietnam era27.9%(867)
US avg: 35.2%
Korean War5%(157)
US avg: 7.6%
World War II2.6%(80)
US avg: 2.9%

Share of the 3,113 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.

BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
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Frequently asked

How many people live in Wilson, North Carolina?

Wilson, North Carolina has about 47,851 residents according to the 2020 American Community Survey.

What is the median household income in Wilson, North Carolina?

The typical household in Wilson, North Carolina earns about $43,126 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 $146,000, and the typical rent is about $747 a month.

How educated are people in Wilson, North Carolina?

About 22.8% 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 23.2% 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 10,921 residents, a change of about 30 percent over that period.

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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · UPDATED 2024

How we source and harmonize this data →