United States › Virginia › Wise County COUNTY · 2020 ACS
Wise County Virginia · 36,130 residents · 403 sq mi
Time machine
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The short version
With 36,130 people, Wise County is a county in Virginia. Four-year degrees are less common here than nationally, at 15% of adults. That trails the Virginia median by roughly 46%. The typical home is worth $87,300, having risen by half since 2000. The foreign-born share is 1%. The median age is 42.8, about 4 years above the US median.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $66,278
Older
median age 42.8
US median: 38.8
Less educated
15% 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 from 37.8 in 2000
US average: 38.8
Population, 1990 – 2024
35K 37K 39K 40K 42K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Wise County Age distribution, 2020
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Section 02
Income & economy $41,285
+5%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $26,149 in 2000
US average: $66,278
from $14,271 in 2000
US average: $35,364
Households earning $100K+
from 16.4% in 2009
US average: 43.9%
from 20.0% in 2000
US average: 12.8%
Workforce by industry, 2020
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 5.4%
Public administration 4.4%
Professional, scientific, technical 3.4%
Transportation & warehousing 1.7%
Education & health services 1.4%
Arts, entertainment, food 0.8%
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$87,300
+8%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $53,700 in 2000
US average: $265,253
$638
+20%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $353 in 2000
US average: $1,124
from 75.3% in 2000
29.6% rent
from 2.42 people in 2009
US average: 2.61
from 2.3 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.
Section 04
Race & ethnicity 2000
White, non-Hispanic 96.4%(38,681)
Hispanic / Latino 0.7%(292)
2020
White, non-Hispanic 90.2%(32,586)
Hispanic / Latino 1.3%(452)
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means White and non-White residents are more separated across neighborhoods.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry Ancestry
+ 21 more ancestry groups with data from 10.8% in 2000
US average: 32.9%
High school or higher
from 62.5% in 2000
US average: 88.5%
from 4.1% in 2000
US average: 12.7%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 16.7 min in 2000
US average: 26.9
from 84.8% in 2009
US average: 75.1%
from 10.6% in 2009
US average: 8.4%
Section 07
Work & employment from 8.5% in 2011
US average: 5.4%
from 48.4% in 2011
US average: 63.4%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
US average: 73.3%
from 26.4% in 2009
US average: 39.3%
Section 08
People & community from 1.5% in 2009
US average: 13.5%
from 14.6% in 2013
US average: 8.8%
Computer in household
US average: 91.9%
Marital status (2024)
Women 15+
Never married 23.8%(3,364)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 14.6% in 2013
US average: 8.8%
Direct-purchase
US average: 13.7%
VA health care
US average: 2.3%
Any private
US average: 68.1%
Any public
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) 9.6%(207)
Gulf War (1990s) 22.4%(482)
Share of the 2,153 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 Wise County Head to head
Compare Wise County to nearby counties WISE COUNTY VS
Norton
Income $41,495 +1%
Home value $110,000 +26%
Population 3,477 −90%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
WISE COUNTY VS
Letcher County
Income $41,793 +1%
Home value $67,400 −23%
Population 19,952 −43%
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WISE COUNTY VS
Scott County
Income $46,349 +12%
Home value $143,000 +64%
Population 21,200 −39%
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WISE COUNTY VS
Dickenson County
Income $47,254 +14%
Home value $102,700 +18%
Population 13,236 −62%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked
How many people live in Wise County, Virginia? Wise County, Virginia has about 36,130 residents according to the 2020 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Wise County, Virginia? The typical household in Wise County, Virginia earns about $41,285 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 $87,300, and the typical rent is about $638 a month.
How educated are people in Wise County, Virginia? About 14.8% 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 21.1% of people in Wise County, Virginia live below the federal poverty line.
Has Wise County, Virginia grown since 1990? Yes, Wise County, Virginia has shrunk since 1990. The population has lost about 3,443 residents, a change of about -9 percent over that period.
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