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COUNTY · 2020 ACS

Wilson County

North Carolina · 78,784 residents · 368 sq mi
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The short version

Wilson County is a county of 78,784 people in North Carolina. Four-year degrees are less common here than nationally, at 20% of adults. The typical home is worth $127,100, having risen by half since 2000. The median age is 41.9, about 3 years above the US median. The poverty rate is 19.9%, above the 12.8% national rate. Households here earn about 21% less than in North Carolina as a whole.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $66,278
Older
median age 41.9
US median: 38.8
Less educated
20% 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

Total population
78,784
+7%since 2000
from 73,814 in 2000
1990 – 2025
Median age
41.9
+16%since 2000
from 36.2 in 2000
US average: 38.8
Land area
368 sq mi
Population, 1990 – 2024
65K69K74K79K83K19902000201020202024Wilson County
202479K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2020
Under 55.6%(4,420)
US avg: 5.6%
5 to 95.8%(4,561)
US avg: 6.1%
10 to 147%(5,531)
US avg: 6.5%
15 to 196.5%(5,112)
US avg: 6.6%
20 to 245.5%(4,372)
US avg: 6.7%
25 to 3411.4%(9,003)
US avg: 13.5%
35 to 4411.6%(9,143)
US avg: 12.7%
45 to 5412.7%(10,006)
US avg: 12.3%
55 to 6414.1%(11,122)
US avg: 13.1%
65 to 7411.8%(9,304)
US avg: 10%
75 to 845.9%(4,623)
US avg: 4.9%
85 and over2%(1,587)
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$44,594
−10%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $33,116 in 2000
US average: $66,278
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$24,656
+44%since 2000
from $17,102 in 2000
US average: $35,364
Households earning $100K+
28.2%
+6.2 ptssince 2009
from 22.0% in 2009
US average: 43.9%
Poverty rate
19.9%
+1.5 ptssince 2000
from 18.5% in 2000
US average: 12.8%
Workforce by industry, 2020
Retail trade16.7%
US avg: 10%
Information10.9%
US avg: 11.1%
Wholesale trade7.9%
US avg: 6.7%
Other services6.4%
US avg: 6.6%
Public administration5.5%
US avg: 4.7%
Finance & insurance3.6%
US avg: 5.5%
Transportation & warehousing3.3%
US avg: 2.5%
Professional, scientific, technical3%
US avg: 4.7%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing1.9%
US avg: 1.7%
Construction1.8%
US avg: 1.2%
Arts, entertainment, food1.2%
US avg: 2%
Education & health services0.6%
US avg: 0.8%
Manufacturing0.1%
US avg: 0.5%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$127,100
+7%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $79,300 in 2000
US average: $265,253
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$744
+6%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $469 in 2000
US average: $1,124
Owner-occupied
60.1%
−1.0 ptssince 2000
from 61.2% in 2000
39.9% rent
Persons per household
2.50 people
+2%since 2009
from 2.45 people in 2009
US average: 2.61
Afford Score
2.9
+1%since 2009
from 2.8 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-Hispanic53.5%(39,498)
Black39.1%(28,886)
Hispanic / Latino6%(4,457)
Asian0.4%(286)
Other0%
2020
White, non-Hispanic45.8%(36,106)
Black37.9%(29,842)
Hispanic / Latino11.5%(9,024)
Asian1.1%(900)
Other2.8%(2,213)
Segregation Score
41
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means White and non-White residents are more separated across neighborhoods.
Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Hispanic origin
Mexican7.8%(6,338)
Cuban0.4%(360)
Puerto Rican0.4%(341)
Honduran0.3%(263)
Ecuadorian0.3%(233)
Colombian0.1%(110)
Dominican0.1%(74)
Nicaraguan0.1%(66)
Guatemalan0.1%(59)
Argentine0%(28)
+ 5 more hispanic origin groups with data
Asian origin
Asian Indian0.2%(143)
Cambodian0.1%(91)
Chinese0.1%(59)
Thai0.1%(57)
Korean0.1%(46)
Vietnamese0.1%(43)
Japanese0%(39)
Filipino0%(28)
Laotian0%(10)
Pacific Islander origin
Ancestry
American12.2%(9,987)
English6.3%(5,151)
Irish3.9%(3,155)
German3.9%(3,149)
Italian1.6%(1,305)
Scotch-Irish1.4%(1,174)
Scottish1.1%(902)
West Indian0.7%(562)
Polish0.6%(496)
French0.6%(492)
Haitian0.5%(416)
British0.3%(257)
+ 29 more ancestry groups with data
Arab0.3%(244)
Dutch0.3%(244)
Swedish0.3%(212)
Welsh0.2%(178)
Norwegian0.2%(162)
Iranian0.2%(132)
Turkish0.2%(130)
Greek0.1%(110)
Brazilian0.1%(81)
Danish0.1%(77)
Czech0.1%(73)
Jamaican0.1%(72)
Canadian0.1%(52)
Swiss0.1%(45)
Jordanian0.1%(41)
Slovak0%(36)
Russian0%(32)
Hungarian0%(30)
Lebanese0%(18)
Austrian0%(17)
Finnish0%(15)
Syrian0%(13)
Israeli0%(8)
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
20.0%
+5.0 ptssince 2000
from 15.1% in 2000
US average: 32.9%
High school or higher
81.4%
+12.0 ptssince 2000
from 69.4% in 2000
US average: 88.5%
Graduate degree
6.7%
+2.8 ptssince 2000
from 3.9% in 2000
US average: 12.7%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
21.8 min
+54%since 2000
from 14.1 min in 2000
US average: 26.9
Drive alone to work
82.0%
+0.4 ptssince 2009
from 81.6% in 2009
US average: 75.1%
No vehicle available
9.3%
−0.3 ptssince 2009
from 9.5% in 2009
US average: 8.4%
Section 07

Work & employment

Unemployment rate
8.6%
−4.0 ptssince 2011
from 12.6% in 2011
US average: 5.4%
Labor force participation
59.3%
−3.5 ptssince 2011
from 62.8% in 2011
US average: 63.4%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
71.9%
US average: 73.3%
Management & professional
32.8%
+4.5 ptssince 2009
from 28.3% in 2009
US average: 39.3%
Section 08

People & community

Male
47.1%
−0.6 ptssince 2009
from 47.8% in 2009
Female
52.9%
+0.6 ptssince 2009
from 52.2% in 2009
Foreign born
5.9%
−0.4 ptssince 2009
from 6.3% in 2009
US average: 13.5%
Uninsured
11.9%
−7.2 ptssince 2013
from 19.1% in 2013
US average: 8.8%
Computer in household
82.8%
US average: 91.9%
Same house as last year
88.6%
US average: 86.2%
Marital status (2024)
Men 15+
Never married36.1%(10,937)
Married50.7%(15,358)
Widowed3.8%(1,159)
Divorced9.4%(2,844)
Women 15+
Never married32.1%(10,994)
Married45.8%(15,697)
Widowed10.4%(3,568)
Divorced11.7%(4,025)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09

Health coverage

Uninsured
11.9%
−7.2 ptssince 2013
from 19.1% in 2013
US average: 8.8%
Employer-based
47.3%
US average: 55.4%
Direct-purchase
12.6%
US average: 13.7%
Medicare
20.6%
US average: 17.6%
Medicaid
26.1%
US average: 20.0%
VA health care
2.9%
US average: 2.3%
Any private
58.2%
US average: 68.1%
Any public
43.1%
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)21.3%(1,114)
US avg: 20.6%
Gulf War (1990s)24.7%(1,297)
US avg: 21.4%
Vietnam era34.2%(1,794)
US avg: 35.2%
Korean War3.8%(199)
US avg: 7.6%
World War II2.2%(117)
US avg: 2.9%

Share of the 5,241 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
Drill deeper

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Head to head

Compare Wilson County to nearby counties

WILSON COUNTY VS
Nash County
Income$62,426+40%
Home value$191,000+50%
Population99,365+22%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
WILSON COUNTY VS
Greene County
Income$53,244+19%
Home value$117,400−8%
Population20,700−74%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
WILSON COUNTY VS
Edgecombe County
Income$51,265+15%
Home value$125,100−2%
Population49,121−39%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
WILSON COUNTY VS
Wayne County
Income$59,733+34%
Home value$178,700+41%
Population122,278+51%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in Wilson County, North Carolina?

Wilson County, North Carolina has about 78,784 residents according to the 2020 American Community Survey.

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

The typical household in Wilson County, North Carolina earns about $44,594 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Wilson County, North Carolina expensive?

In Wilson County, North Carolina, the median home is worth about $127,100, and the typical rent is about $744 a month.

How educated are people in Wilson County, North Carolina?

About 20.0% of adults age 25 and over in Wilson County, North Carolina hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Wilson County, North Carolina?

About 19.9% of people in Wilson County, North Carolina live below the federal poverty line.

Has Wilson County, North Carolina grown since 1990?

Yes, Wilson County, North Carolina has grown since 1990. The population has added about 12,723 residents, a change of about 19 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 →