United States › North Wilkesboro MICROPOLITAN AREA
North Wilkesboro Micro North Wilkesboro, NC · 1 counties · 66,233 residents (2025 est.) · 754 sq mi
Time machine
COMPARE TO 1990 Census 2000 Census 2009 ACS 2010 ACS 2011 ACS 2012 ACS 2013 ACS 2014 ACS 2015 ACS 2016 ACS 2017 ACS 2018 ACS 2019 ACS 2020 ACS 2021 ACS 2022 ACS 2023 ACS
The short version
North Wilkesboro is a metro area of 65,935 people. 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. The foreign-born share is 4%. Renters pay $723 a month at the median.
At a glance
Lower income
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
Section 01
Population & growth 65,935
Unchangedsince 2000
from 65,632 in 2000
66,233 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
87 / sq mi
Unchangedsince 2000
from 87 / sq mi in 2000
US average: 281
from 38.5 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
58K 61K 64K 67K 70K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 North Wilkesboro Age distribution, 2024
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy $51,721
−17%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $34,258 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $17,516 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 16.2% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 11.9% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.465 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Professional, scientific, technical 5.2%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 2.3%
Transportation & warehousing 2%
Public administration 1.8%
Arts, entertainment, food 1.3%
Education & health services 0.2%
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$168,800
+15%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $80,400 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$723
−5%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $416 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 77.9% in 2000
26.5% rent
from 14.0% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
from 2.46 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 21.9% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 37.6% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
from 3.1 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.
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04
Race & ethnicity 2000
White, non-Hispanic 91.4%(59,977)
Hispanic / Latino 3.4%(2,262)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 85.7%(56,518)
Hispanic / Latino 7.5%(4,915)
from 25 in 2009
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
from 27 in 2020
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
+ 2 more hispanic origin groups with data Ancestry
+ 23 more ancestry groups with data from 11.3% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 66.0% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 3.6% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 16.2 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 83.2% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 11.9% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 0.3% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 2.6% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 1.6% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 6.3% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 12.0% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 57.6% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 69.4% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 11.4% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 24.8% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 3.6% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 8.9% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 18.2% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 16.5% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 66.5% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 86.3% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 94.3% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 93.8% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 4.9% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Women 15+
Never married 21.2%(5,945)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 16.5% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 44.9% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 18.7% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 25.3% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 19.9% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 3.5% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 62.3% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 41.5% 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) 11.1%(356)
Gulf War (1990s) 22.8%(733)
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.
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In this metro
Largest cities What's inside
1 component county Drill deeper
Metros similar to North Wilkesboro Head to head
Compare North Wilkesboro side by side NORTH WILKESBORO VS
Forest City
Income $51,410 −1%
Home value $201,800 +20%
Population 65,745 −1%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
NORTH WILKESBORO VS
Columbus
Income $50,861 −2%
Home value $153,272 −9%
Population 67,144 +1%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
NORTH WILKESBORO VS
Fort Payne
Income $51,204 −1%
Home value $152,700 −10%
Population 74,085 +12%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
NORTH WILKESBORO VS
Clewiston
Income $53,987 +4%
Home value $200,405 +19%
Population 61,546 −7%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked
How many people live in North Wilkesboro, NC? North Wilkesboro, NC has about 65,935 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in North Wilkesboro, NC? The typical household in North Wilkesboro, NC earns about $51,721 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is North Wilkesboro, NC expensive? In North Wilkesboro, NC, the median home is worth about $168,800, and the typical rent is about $723 a month.
How educated are people in North Wilkesboro, NC? About 16.9% of adults age 25 and over in North Wilkesboro, NC hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in North Wilkesboro, NC? About 16.7% of people in North Wilkesboro, NC live below the federal poverty line.
Has North Wilkesboro, NC grown since 1990? Yes, North Wilkesboro, NC has grown since 1990. The population has added about 6,542 residents, a change of about 11 percent over that period.
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