Wilkesboro, NC

Census Place

2024 Population

3,646

US Senator

Thom Tillis

Republican Party

US Senator

Ted Budd

Republican Party

2024 Median Age

47.9

8.37% 1-year increase

2024 Poverty Rate

22.6%

20.7% 1-year increase

2024 Median Household Income

$40,907

0.651% 1-year decline

2024 Median Property Value

$223,700

Population & Diversity

Wilkesboro, NC is home to a population of 3.65k people, from which 96% are citizens.

As of 2024, 6.06% of Wilkesboro, NC residents were born outside of the country (221 people).

In 2024, there were 5.69 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (2.77k people) in Wilkesboro, NC than any other race or ethnicity. There were 487 Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) and 253 Two Races Including Other (Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

96%

2024 Citizenship

98.1%

2023 Citizenship

As of 2024, 96% of Wilkesboro, NC residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.2%. In 2023, the percentage of US citizens in Wilkesboro, NC was 98.1%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been decreasing.

The following chart shows US citizenship percentages in Wilkesboro, NC compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Wilkesboro, NC

White (Non-Hispanic)
2.77k ± 340
Black or African American (Non-Hispanic)
487 ± 230
Two Races Including Other (Hispanic)
253 ± 239

10.3%

Hispanic Population

374 people

10.3% of the people in Wilkesboro, NC are hispanic (374 people).

The following chart shows the 8 races represented in Wilkesboro, NC as a share of the total population.

Global Diversity

The PUMS dataset is not available at the Place level, so we are showing data for North Carolina.

Most Common Origin

Mexico
228,441 ± 11,609 people
India
90,815 ± 7,367 people
Honduras
52,061 ± 5,588 people

In 2024, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of North Carolina was Mexico, the natal country of 228,441 North Carolina residents, followed by India with 90,815 and Honduras with 52,061.

Foreign-Born Population

6.06%

2024 Foreign-Born Population

221 people

3.47%

2023 Foreign-Born Population

127 people

As of 2024, 6.06% of Wilkesboro, NC residents (221 people) were born outside of the United States, which is approximately the same as the national average of 14%. In 2023, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Wilkesboro, NC was 3.47%, meaning that the rate has been increasing.

The following chart shows the percentage of foreign-born residents in Wilkesboro, NC compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Vietnam
68 ± 64
Korea
39 ± 44
Gulf War (2001-)
28 ± 50

Wilkesboro, NC has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 1.74 times greater than any other conflict.

The chart shows the distribution of veterans by conflict in Wilkesboro, NC.

Economy

The economy of Wilkesboro, NC employs 1.47k people. In 2024, the largest industries in Wilkesboro, NC were Retail Trade (246 people), Health Care & Social Assistance (234 people), and Manufacturing (225 people), and the highest paying industries were Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($75,192), Construction ($73,158), and Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services ($61,364).

Employment

Occupations

1.47k

2024 Value

± 332

1.1%

1 Year growth

± 29.9%

From 2023 to 2024, employment in Wilkesboro, NC grew at a rate of 1.1%, from 1.45k employees to 1.47k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Wilkesboro, NC, are Production Occupations (230 people), Food Preparation & Serving Related Occupations (172 people), and Management Occupations (145 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Wilkesboro, NC.

Unemployment Insurance Claims

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for North Carolina.

This chart shows weekly unemployment insurance claims in North Carolina (not-seasonally adjusted) compared with the four states with the most similar impact.

The most recent data point uses Advance State Claims data, which can be revised in subsequent weeks.

Industries

Employment by Industries

1.47k

2024 Value

± 332

1.1%

1 Year growth

± 29.9%

From 2023 to 2024, employment in Wilkesboro, NC grew at a rate of 1.1%, from 1.45k employees to 1.47k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Wilkesboro, NC, are Retail Trade (246 people), Health Care & Social Assistance (234 people), and Manufacturing (225 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Wilkesboro, NC, though some of these residents may live in Wilkesboro, NC and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

Median Earnings by Industry

$27,470

Median earning men ± $3,354

$33,012

Median earning women ± $4,655

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2024 are Construction ($73,158), Retail Trade ($32,974), and Manufacturing ($26,971).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2024 are Professional, Scientific, & Management, & Administrative & Waste Management Services ($61,250), Educational Services, & Health Care & Social Assistance ($40,125), and Other Services Except Public Administration ($31,563).

Education

The student population of Wilkesboro, NC in 2024 is skewed towards women, with 1,073 male students and 1,520 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Wilkesboro, NC are White (920 and 82.2%), Hispanic or Latino (133 and 11.9%), Black or African American (22 and 1.97%), and Two or More Races (21 and 1.88%).

The largest universities in Wilkesboro, NC by number of degrees awarded are Wilkes Community College (1,123 and 100%).

The most popular majors in Wilkesboro, NC are General Business Administration & Management (178 and 15.9%), Liberal Arts & Sciences (157 and 14%), and Welding Technology (86 and 7.66%).

Admissions & Enrollments

Enrollments by Gender and Races

In 2024 there were 2,593 students enrolled in Wilkesboro, NC, 41.4% men and 58.6% women.

By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in White with 1,975 records, of which 59.5% were women and 40.5% men.

Completions

Concentrations

Most Common

General Business Administration & Management
103 degrees awarded
Welding Technology
71 degrees awarded
Automobile Mechanics Technology
42 degrees awarded

In 2024, the most common concentation for Certificate of at least 1 but less than 2 academic years recipients in Wilkesboro, NC was General Business Administration & Management with 103 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of students graduating with a Certificate of at least 1 but less than 2 academic years from schools in Wilkesboro, NC according to their major.

Universities

Gender

Race

Wilkes Community College

Largest Universities by degrees awarded

1,123 degrees awarded

In 2024, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was Wilkes Community College with 1,123 degrees awarded.

Student Diversity

In 2024, 596 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Wilkesboro, NC, which is 1.13 times more than the 527 female students who received degrees in the same year.

In 2024, the most common race/ethnicity group awarded degrees at institutions was White students. These 920 degrees mean that there were 6.92 times more degrees awarded to White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Hispanic or Latino, with 133 degrees awarded.

Awarded Degrees over Time

The graph shows the evolution of awarded degrees by degrees. Under the paragraphs, the average number of awarded degrees by university in each degree is shown.

Tuition

Average Net Price by Sector

Public, 2-year ($2,432) is the sector with the highest median state tuition in 2024.

Public, 2-year ($140) is the sector with the highest median state fee in 2024.

Public, 2-year ($702) is the sector with the highest average net price of books and supplies.

The graph shows the average net price by sector and year.

Housing & Living

The median property value in Wilkesboro, NC was $223,700 in 2024, which is 0.672 times smaller than the national average of $332,700. Between 2023 and 2024 the median property value increased from $197,600 to $223,700, a 13.2% increase. The homeownership rate in Wilkesboro, NC is 48%, which is lower than the national average of 65.2%.

People in Wilkesboro, NC have an average commute time of 18.9 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Wilkesboro, NC is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

Housing

Property

$223,700

Median Property Value 2024

±$57,036

$802

Median Property Taxes

±$213

The following chart display owner-occupied housing units distributed between a series of property tax buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In Wilkesboro, NC the largest share of households pay taxes in the $800 - $1,499 range.

The chart underneath the paragraph shows the property taxes in Wilkesboro, NC compared to it's parent and neighbor geographies.

Rent vs Own

48%

Homeownership

2024

66%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2024

In 2024, 48% of the housing units in Wilkesboro, NC were occupied by their owner. This percentage declined from the previous year's rate of 50.6%.

This chart shows the percentage of owner in Wilkesboro, NC compared it's parent and neighboring geographies.

Equity

Household Income

Please note that the buckets used in this visualization were not evenly distributed by ACS when publishing the data.

$40,907

Median Household Income

± $6,060

1.67k

Number of Households

± 334

In 2024, the median household income of the 1.67k households in Wilkesboro, NC declined from $40,907 from the previous year's value of $41,175.

The following chart displays the households in Wilkesboro, NC distributed between a series of income buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households have an income in the $25k - $30k range.

Wage Distribution

The closest comparable wage GINI for Wilkesboro, NC is from North Carolina.

0.466

2024 Wage GINI in North Carolina

0.467

2023 Wage GINI in North Carolina

In 2024, the income inequality in North Carolina was 0.466 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.16% decline from 2023 to 2024, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat more even. The GINI for North Carolina was lower than than the national average of 0.474. In other words, wages are distributed more evenly in North Carolina in comparison to the national average.

This chart shows the number of workers in North Carolina across various wage buckets compared to the national average.

Transportation

Commuter Transportation

Most Common Commute in 2024

Drove Alone (84.7%)
Carpooled (4.19%)
Walked (3.91%)

In 2024, 84.7% of workers in Wilkesboro, NC drove alone to work, followed by those who carpooled to work (4.19%) and those who walked to work (3.91%).

The following chart shows the number of households using each mode of transportation over time, using a logarithmic scale on the y-axis to help better show variations in the smaller means of commuting.

Commute Time

18.9 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Wilkesboro, NC have a shorter commute time (18.9 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.4 minutes). Additionally, 1.71% of the workforce in Wilkesboro, NC have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

The chart below shows how the median household income in Wilkesboro, NC compares to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Car Ownership

2 cars

Average Number

The following chart displays the households in Wilkesboro, NC distributed between a series of car ownership buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households in Wilkesboro, NC have 2 cars.

Poverty

Poverty & Diversity

22.6% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Wilkesboro, NC (758 out of 3.36k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is higher than the national average of 12.5%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 45 - 54, followed by Males 12 - 14 and then Females 75+.

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Wilkesboro, NC is White, followed by Hispanic and Two Or More.

The Census Bureau uses a set of money income thresholds that vary by family size and composition to determine who classifies as impoverished. If a family's total income is less than the family's threshold than that family and every individual in it is considered to be living in poverty.

Social Needs

Data only available at the state level.

Most prevalent states

California
35,798 individuals
New York
5,087 individuals

In 2017, California had the highest estimated number of chronically homeless individuals in the nation, at 35,798, followed by New York (5,087).

The following map shows the estimated number of chronically homeless individuals by state over multiple years.

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