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COUNTY · 2000 CENSUS

Wise County

Virginia · 40,123 residents · 403 sq mi
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The short version

Wise County is a county of 40,123 people in Virginia. Households here earn about 44% less than in Virginia as a whole. Four-year degrees are less common here than nationally, at 11% of adults. The typical home is worth $53,700. 75% of homes are owner-occupied. Median household income is $26,149, under the $42,589 national median.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $42,589
Older
median age 37.8
US median: 35.2
Less educated
11% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 24%
More affordable
home values down 7%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $120,530
Section 01

Population & growth

40,123
+1%since 1990
from 39,573 in 1990
1990 – 2025
37.8
+12%since 1990
from 33.8 in 1990
US average: 35.2
Land area
403 sq mi
Population, 19902024
35K37K39K40K42K19902000201020202024Wise County
202435K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2000
Under 55.8%(2,313)
US avg: 6.8%
5 to 96.4%(2,557)
US avg: 7.3%
10 to 146.4%(2,566)
US avg: 7.3%
15 to 197.9%(3,171)
US avg: 7.2%
20 to 246.8%(2,731)
US avg: 6.7%
25 to 3413%(5,236)
US avg: 14.2%
35 to 4415%(6,012)
US avg: 16%
45 to 5414.9%(5,986)
US avg: 13.4%
55 to 649.9%(3,963)
US avg: 8.6%
65 to 747.6%(3,034)
US avg: 6.5%
75 to 844.9%(1,949)
US avg: 4.4%
85 and over1.5%(605)
US avg: 1.5%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

$26,149
+1%inflation adjusted, since 1990
from $19,594 in 1990
US average: $42,589
1990 – 2024
$14,271
+52%since 1990
from $9,392 in 1990
US average: $21,522
20.0%
−1.6 ptssince 1990
from 21.6% in 1990
US average: 12.4%
Section 03

Housing

$53,700
−7%inflation adjusted, since 1990
from $43,600 in 1990
US average: $120,530
1990 – 2024
$353
−11%inflation adjusted, since 1990
from $302 in 1990
US average: $602
75.3%
−1.1 ptssince 1990
from 76.4% in 1990
24.7% rent
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

1990
White, non-Hispanic97.7%(38,651)
Black1.7%(679)
Hispanic / Latino0.4%(143)
Asian0.4%(162)
2000
White, non-Hispanic96.4%(38,681)
Black1.8%(708)
Hispanic / Latino0.7%(292)
Asian0.3%(118)

No data for the years selected.

Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Detailed origin tables are available for 2024; showing 2024 data.

Hispanic origin
Mexican1%(337)
Puerto Rican0.2%(66)
Spaniard0.1%(23)
Nicaraguan0.1%(22)
Peruvian0%(10)
Cuban0%(9)
Asian origin
Chinese0.1%(25)
Asian Indian0.1%(24)
Thai0%(14)
Korean0%(3)
Ancestry
American20.9%(7,411)
English14.7%(5,216)
Irish13%(4,609)
German8.2%(2,918)
Scottish2%(704)
Scotch-Irish1.9%(683)
Italian1.1%(376)
Dutch0.7%(240)
French0.6%(228)
Norwegian0.5%(171)
Polish0.4%(145)
Welsh0.4%(130)
+ 24 more ancestry groups with data
British0.3%(106)
Hungarian0.2%(71)
Arab0.2%(66)
Lithuanian0.1%(51)
Austrian0.1%(47)
Portuguese0.1%(38)
West Indian0.1%(36)
Finnish0.1%(35)
Swedish0.1%(33)
Moroccan0.1%(24)
Iranian0.1%(24)
Russian0.1%(22)
Lebanese0.1%(20)
Swiss0.1%(20)
Ukrainian0.1%(20)
Nigerian0%(13)
Armenian0%(11)
Syrian0%(10)
Belgian0%(8)
Latvian0%(5)
Section 05

Education

10.8%
+2.3 ptssince 1990
from 8.6% in 1990
US average: 24.4%
High school or higher
62.5%
+10.4 ptssince 1990
from 52.1% in 1990
US average: 80.3%
4.1%
+1.0 ptssince 1990
from 3.0% in 1990
US average: 8.8%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

16.7 min
−11%since 1990
from 18.9 min in 1990
US average: 17.6
Section 07

Work & employment

No data for the years selected.

Section 08

People & community

No data for the years selected.

Marital status
Men 15+
Never married24.7%(3,901)
Married63.4%(10,009)
Widowed3.2%(513)
Divorced8.7%(1,376)
Women 15+
Never married17.5%(2,961)
Married59.5%(10,055)
Widowed13.3%(2,256)
Divorced9.6%(1,630)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2000
Section 09

Health coverage

Showing 2024 (the nearest year with coverage data).

6.5%
−8.1 ptssince 2013
from 14.6% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
42.8%
−4.2 ptssince 2020
from 47.0% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
12.1%
+0.1 ptssince 2020
from 12.0% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
26.8%
−0.3 ptssince 2020
from 27.1% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
33.8%
+9.4 ptssince 2020
from 24.4% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
4.5%
+1.2 ptssince 2020
from 3.3% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
53.5%
−5.5 ptssince 2020
from 59.0% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
57.5%
+9.5 ptssince 2020
from 48.0% 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)22.2%(445)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)26.1%(524)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era38%(762)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War3.2%(65)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II0%(0)
US avg: 1%

Share of the 2,007 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 Wise County, Virginia?

Wise County, Virginia has about 40,123 residents according to the 2000 Census.

What is the median household income in Wise County, Virginia?

The typical household in Wise County, Virginia earns about $26,149 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Wise County, Virginia expensive?

In Wise County, Virginia, the median home is worth about $53,700, and the typical rent is about $353 a month.

How educated are people in Wise County, Virginia?

About 10.8% of adults age 25 and over in Wise County, Virginia hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Wise County, Virginia?

About 20.0% of people in Wise County, Virginia live below the federal poverty line.

Has Wise County, Virginia grown since 1990?

Yes, Wise County, Virginia has grown since 1990. The population has added about 550 residents, a change of about 1 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 →