Wilkes County is a county of 65,935 people in North Carolina. 17% of adults hold a bachelor's degree, below the 36% national rate. At a median age of 45.7, this is an older place than the country as a whole. Home values have more than doubled since 2000, reaching $168,800. That trails the North Carolina median by roughly 29%. The foreign-born share is 4%.
At a glance
Lower income
median household income $51,721, below the US median
US median: $82,259
Older
median age 45.7
US median: 38.9
Less educated
17% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Stable housing
home values roughly flat, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Unique to this place
What stands out about Wilkes County
What changed most since 1990
White share94.2% → 85.7%(−8.5 pts)US over the same years: −17.8 pts
Median age35.2 → 45.7(+10.5 years)US over the same years: +6.0 years
Adults with a bachelor's degree8.8% → 16.9%(+8.1 pts)US over the same years: +15.3 pts
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)11.1%(356)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)22.8%(733)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era43.9%(1,410)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War9.3%(300)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II0.3%(11)
US avg: 1%
Share of the 3,211 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
Over time
Wilkes County, decade by decade
Wilkes County population, inflation-adjusted income and home value, education, and diversity by year
Year
Population
Median household income
Median home value
Bachelor's degree+
Diversity score
1990
59,393
$53,428
$126,724
8.8%
13.7
2000
65,632
$62,406
$146,461
11.3%
20.2
2010
69,340
$48,103
$156,948
12.3%
25.8
2020
65,969
$54,518
$156,595
16.0%
33.0
2024
65,935
$51,721
$168,800
16.9%
32.2
Census years come from the decennial census and the latest year from the American Community Survey, so part of any change between those two rows can reflect the different surveys. Dollar figures are adjusted for inflation to 2024 dollars; a figure ending in "+" was at the Census Bureau's reporting cap that year. The diversity score runs from 0 to 100; see how it's calculated.
How many people live in Wilkes County, North Carolina?
Wilkes County, North Carolina has about 65,935 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Wilkes County, North Carolina?
The typical household in Wilkes County, North Carolina earns about $51,721 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Wilkes County, North Carolina expensive?
In Wilkes County, North Carolina, the median home is worth about $168,800, and the typical rent is about $723 a month.
How educated are people in Wilkes County, North Carolina?
About 16.9% of adults age 25 and over in Wilkes County, North Carolina hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Wilkes County, North Carolina?
About 16.7% of people in Wilkes County, North Carolina live below the federal poverty line.
Has Wilkes County, North Carolina grown since 1990?
Yes, Wilkes County, North Carolina has grown since 1990. The population has added about 6,542 residents, a change of about 11 percent over that period.
