Wise County, VA

County

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    2024 Population
    35,448
    US Senator
    Mark Warner
    Democratic Party
    US Senator
    Tim Kaine
    Democratic Party
    2024 Median Age
    41.8
    0.713% 1-year decrease
    2024 Poverty Rate
    17.2%
    2.87% 1-year decrease
    2024 Median Household Income
    $52,943
    4.34% 1-year growth
    2024 Median Property Value
    $118,600
    1.8% 1-year growth
    2024 Employed Population
    12,591
    0.427% 1-year decline

    About

    None of the households in Wise County, VA reported speaking a non-English language at home as their primary shared language. This does not consider the potential multi-lingual nature of households, but only the primary self-reported language spoken by all members of the household.

    99.2% of the residents in Wise County, VA are U.S. citizens.

    The largest universities in Wise County, VA are Mountain Empire Community College (834 degrees awarded in 2024) and University of Virginia's College at Wise (234 degrees).

    In 2024, the median property value in Wise County, VA was $118,600, and the homeownership rate was 74.2%.

    Most people in Wise County, VA drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 24.6 minutes. The average car ownership in Wise County, VA was 2 cars per household.

    United StatesVirginiaBig Stone Gap, VA

    Population & Diversity

    Wise County, VA is home to a population of 35.4k people, from which 99.2% are citizens. As of 2024, 1.52% of Wise County, VA residents were born outside of the country (539 people).

    In 2024, there were 19 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (31.9k people) in Wise County, VA than any other race or ethnicity. There were 1.68k Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) and 763 Two Races Excluding Other, & Three or More Races (Non-Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

    Population & Diversity

    Citizenship

    99.2%
    2024 Citizenship
    99.4%
    2023 Citizenship

    As of 2024, 99.2% of Wise County, VA residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.2%. In 2023, the percentage of US citizens in Wise County, VA was 99.4%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been decreasing.

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

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    Diversity

    Race and Ethnicity

    The 3 largest ethnic groups in Wise County, VA
    1. White (Non-Hispanic)
      31.9k ± 245
    2. Black or African American (Non-Hispanic)
      1.68k ± 185
    3. Two Races Excluding Other, & Three or More Races (Non-Hispanic)
      763 ± 249
    1.44%
    Hispanic Population
    509 people

    In 2024, there were 19 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (31.9k people) in Wise County, VA than any other race or ethnicity. There were 1.68k Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) and 763 Two Races Excluding Other, & Three or More Races (Non-Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

    1.44% of the people in Wise County, VA are hispanic (509 people).

    The following chart shows the 8 races represented in Wise County, VA as a share of the total population.

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    Global Diversity

    The PUMS dataset is not available at the County level, so we are showing data for Virginia.
    Most Common Origin
    1. El Salvador
      108,778 ± 8,047 people
    2. India
      98,440 ± 7,659 people
    3. Mexico
      58,677 ± 5,927 people

    In 2024, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of Virginia was El Salvador, the natal country of 108,778 Virginia residents, followed by India with 98,440 and Mexico with 58,677.

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    Foreign-Born Population

    1.52%
    2024 Foreign-Born Population
    539 people
    1.2%
    2023 Foreign-Born Population
    430 people

    As of 2024, 1.52% of Wise County, VA residents (539 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 Wise County, VA was 1.2%, meaning that the rate has been increasing.

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

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    Military

    Veterans

    Most Common Service Period
    1. Vietnam
      708 ± 197
    2. Gulf War (1990s)
      450 ± 161
    3. Gulf War (2001-)
      445 ± 180

    Wise County, VA has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 1.57 times greater than any other conflict.

    The chart shows the distribution of veterans by conflict in Wise County, VA.

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    Health

    93.5% of the population of Wise County, VA has health coverage, with 32.4% on employee plans, 28.2% on Medicaid, 18.6% on Medicare, 11.4% on non-group plans, and 2.95% on military or VA plans.

    Primary care physicians in Wise County, VA see 4,456 patients per year on average, which represents a 0% change from the previous year (4,456 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 3542 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 664 patients per year.

    By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 49.5% were men and 50.5% were women.

    Coverage

    Patient to Clinician Ratios

    4,456 to 1
    Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Wise County, VA

    Primary care physicians in Wise County, VA see an average of 4,456 patients per year. This represents a 0% change from the previous year (4,456 patients).

    The following chart shows how the number of patients seen by primary care physicians has been changing over time in Wise County, VA in comparison to its neighboring geographies.

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    Health Care Diversity

    In 2024, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 21.4% under 18 years, 19% between 18 and 34 years, 39% between 35 and 64 years, and 20.6% over 64 years.

    By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 49.5% were men and 50.5% were women.

    The following chart shows the number of people with health coverage by gender.

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    Uninsured People

    6.5%
    Uninsured
    32.4%
    Employer Coverage
    28.2%
    Medicaid
    18.6%
    Medicare
    11.4%
    Non-Group
    2.95%
    Military or VA

    Between 2023 and 2024, the percent of uninsured citizens in Wise County, VA declined by 1.65% from 6.61% to 6.5%.

    The following chart shows how the percent of uninsured individuals in Wise County, VA changed over time compared with the percent of individuals enrolled in various types of health insurance.

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    Health Indicators

    Health Outcomes

    Indicator

    In 2025, the average number of mentally unhealthy days reported in past 30 days (age-adjusted) was 6.25 in Wise County, VA.

    The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in Wise County, VA.

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    Health Behaviors

    Indicator

    In 2025, the percentage of the adult population (age 18 and older) that reports a body mass index (BMI) greater than or equal to 30 kg/m2 (age-adjusted) was 41.7% in Wise County, VA.

    The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in Wise County, VA.

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    Clinical Care

    Indicator

    In 2025, the percentage of population under age 65 without health insurance was 8.26% in Wise County, VA.

    The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in Wise County, VA.

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    Economy

    The economy of Wise County, VA employs 12.6k people. In 2024, the largest industries in Wise County, VA were Health Care & Social Assistance (1,879 people), Retail Trade (1,792 people), and Educational Services (1,504 people), and the highest paying industries were Utilities ($81,625), Mining, Quarrying, & Oil & Gas Extraction ($76,563), and Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing & Hunting, & Mining ($70,102).

    Employment

    Occupations

    12.6k
    2024 Value
    ± 920
    −0.427%
    1 Year decline
    ± 10.2%

    From 2023 to 2024, employment in Wise County, VA declined at a rate of −0.427%, from 12.6k employees to 12.6k employees.

    The most common job groups, by number of people living in Wise County, VA, are Office & Administrative Support Occupations (1,624 people), Education Instruction, & Library Occupations (1,176 people), and Sales & Related Occupations (1,048 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Wise County, VA.

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    Unemployment Insurance Claims

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

    This chart shows weekly unemployment insurance claims in Virginia (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.

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    Industries

    Employment by Industries

    12.6k
    2024 Value
    ± 920
    −0.427%
    1 Year decline
    ± 10.2%

    From 2023 to 2024, employment in Wise County, VA declined at a rate of −0.427%, from 12.6k employees to 12.6k employees.

    The most common employment sectors for those who live in Wise County, VA, are Health Care & Social Assistance (1,879 people), Retail Trade (1,792 people), and Educational Services (1,504 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Wise County, VA, though some of these residents may live in Wise County, VA and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

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    Median Earnings by Industry

    $48,569
    Median earning men ± $3,055
    $32,945
    Median earning women ± $3,340

    The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2024 are Transportation & Warehousing, & Utilities ($74,896), Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($70,284), and Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing & Hunting, & Mining ($70,230).

    The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2024 are Construction ($45,625), Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($44,220), and Public Administration ($44,125).

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    Employment by Industry Sector

    Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Virginia.
    Y-Axis
    2.48%
    Year-over-year growth
    Employment change between February 2022 and February 2023

    As of February 2023, there are 4.1M people employed in Virginia. This represents a 2.48% increase in employment when compared to February 2022.

    Right after the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, during April 2020, a general dip can be seen across industry sectors, resulting in an overall decline in employment by 10.8%.

    The following chart shows monthly employment numbers for each industry sector in Virginia.

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    Establishments by Size

    The industries with the most establishments
    1. 50
      Other Services (except Public Administration)
    2. 47
      Retail Trade
    3. 35
      Retail Trade

    The visualization shows the distribution of establishments by industry and by size according to the number of employees.

    The visualization shows the number of establishments and its share across establishment sizes.

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    Payroll by Industry Sector

    The industries with the highest total annual payroll
    1. $65.9k
      Health Care and Social Assistance
    2. $48.1k
      Retail Trade
    3. $24.7k
      Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services

    The chart shows the total annual payroll and the average annual payroll by industry.

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    Civics

    In the 2024 presidential election, the popular vote in Virginia went to Kamala Harris with 51.8% of the vote. The runner-up was Donald J. Trump (46.1%), followed by Other (0.905%).

    Mark Warner and Tim Kaine are the senators currently representing the state of Virginia. In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

    Virginia is currently represented by 11 members in the U.S. house, and members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms.

    Presidential Elections

    Voting results are not available for Wise County, VA. Showing the available data for Virginia.
    2024 Election Results
    1. Kamala Harris (51.8%)
      Democratic Party
    2. Donald J. Trump (46.1%)
      Republican Party
    3. Other (0.905%)
      Other Party

    In the 2024 presidential election, the popular vote in Virginia went to Kamala Harris with 51.8% of the vote. The runner-up was Donald J. Trump (46.1%), followed by Other (0.905%).

    The following chart shows the popular vote results in Virginia for each registered party from 1976 to 2024.

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    Senator Elections

    US Senators from Virginia

    Senatorial voting results are only available at the state level. Showing data for Virginia.
    Mark Warner
    Senator from Virginia2
    Assumed office on January 3, 2009
    Tim Kaine
    Senator from Virginia1
    Assumed office on January 3, 2013

    Mark Warner and Tim Kaine are the senators currently representing Virginia.

    In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

    The following chart shows elected senators in Virginia over time, excluding special elections, colored by their political party.

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    Education

    In 2024, universities in Wise County, VA awarded 1,068 degrees. The student population of Wise County, VA in 2024 is skewed towards women, with 1,643 male students and 2,640 female students.

    Most students graduating from Universities in Wise County, VA are White (949 and 88.9%), Black or African American (38 and 3.56%), Unknown (37 and 3.46%), and Hispanic or Latino (18 and 1.69%).

    The largest universities in Wise County, VA by number of degrees awarded are Mountain Empire Community College (834 and 78.1%) and University of Virginia's College at Wise (234 and 21.9%).

    The most popular majors in Wise County, VA are Liberal Arts & Sciences (179 and 16.8%), Other Liberal Arts & Sciences, General Studies, & Humanities (114 and 10.7%), and Other Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, & Treatment Professions (91 and 8.52%).

    The median tuition cost for a public four year colleges is $6,160 for in-state students and $21,662 for out-of-state students.

    Admissions & Enrollments

    Applicants, Admissions & Enrolled

    University
    Measure

    In 2024 in Wise County, VA, the percentage of applicants admitted was 28.5%, while the percentage of admitted who enrolled was 15.1%. The number of students enrolled in 2024 was 4,283 (38.4% men and 61.6% women).

    The line chart  shows the evolution of the percentage of applicants admitted, admitted who enrolled or the number of students enrolled according to the option selected in the upper button.

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    Enrollments by Gender and Races

    Universities

    In 2024 there were 4,283 students enrolled in Wise County, VA, 38.4% men and 61.6% women.

    By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in White with 2,889 records, of which 62.1% were women and 37.9% men.

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    Completions

    Concentrations

    Most Common
    1. Other Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, & Treatment Professions
      91 degrees awarded
    2. Welding Technology
      46 degrees awarded
    3. Electrical, Electronic, & Communications Engineering Technology
      25 degrees awarded

    In 2024, the most common concentation for Certificate of at least 1 but less than 2 academic years recipients in Wise County, VA was Other Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, & Treatment Professions with 91 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 Wise County, VA according to their major.

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    Universities

    Gender
    Race
    Largest Universities by degrees awarded
    1. Mountain Empire Community College
      834 degrees awarded
    2. University of Virginia's College at Wise
      234 degrees awarded

    In 2024, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was Mountain Empire Community College with 834 degrees awarded.

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    Student Diversity

    University

    In 2024, 468 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Wise County, VA, which is 0.78 times less than the 600 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 949 degrees mean that there were 25 times more degrees awarded to White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Black or African American, with 38 degrees awarded.

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    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.

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    Tuition

    Average Net Price by Sector

    Universities

    Public, 4-year or above ($6,160) is the sector with the highest median state tuition in 2024.

    Public, 4-year or above ($5,620) is the sector with the highest median state fee in 2024.

    Public, 4-year or above ($1,680) is the sector with the highest average net price of books and supplies.

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

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    Housing & Living

    The median property value in Wise County, VA was $118,600 in 2024, which is 0.356 times smaller than the national average of $332,700. Between 2023 and 2024 the median property value increased from $116,500 to $118,600, a 1.8% increase. The homeownership rate in Wise County, VA is 74.2%, which is higher than the national average of 65.2%.

    People in Wise County, VA have an average commute time of 24.6 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Wise County, VA is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

    In 2025, 12.4% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Wise County, VA. From 2014 to 2025, the indicator grew 0.742%.

    Housing

    Property

    $118,600
    Median Property Value 2024
    ±$6,535
    $10,317
    Median Property Taxes
    ±$796

    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 Wise County, VA the largest share of households pay taxes in the < $800 range.

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

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    Rent vs Own

    74.2%
    Homeownership
    2024
    61.9%
    Homeowners with Mortgage
    2024

    In 2024, 74.2% of the housing units in Wise County, VA were occupied by their owner. This percentage grew from the previous year's rate of 74.1%.

    This chart shows the percentage of owner in Wise County, VA compared it's parent and neighboring geographies.

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    Equity

    Household Income

    Please note that the buckets used in this visualization were not evenly distributed by ACS when publishing the data.
    $52,943
    Median Household Income
    ± $2,440
    13.9k
    Number of Households
    ± 960

    In 2024, the median household income of the 13.9k households in Wise County, VA grew to $52,943 from the previous year's value of $50,740.

    The following chart displays the households in Wise County, VA 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 $75k - $100k range.

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    Wage Distribution

    The closest comparable wage GINI for Wise County, VA is from Virginia.
    0.47
    2024 Wage GINI in Virginia
    0.472
    2023 Wage GINI in Virginia

    In 2024, the income inequality in Virginia was 0.47 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.376% decline from 2023 to 2024, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat more even. The GINI for Virginia was lower than than the national average of 0.474. In other words, wages are distributed more evenly in Virginia in comparison to the national average.

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

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    Transportation

    Commuter Transportation

    Most Common Commute in 2024
    1. Drove Alone (77.3%)
    2. Worked At Home (10.7%)
    3. Carpooled (8.89%)

    In 2024, 77.3% of workers in Wise County, VA drove alone to work, followed by those who worked at home (10.7%) and those who carpooled to work (8.89%).

    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.

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    Commute Time

    24.6 minutes
    Average Travel Time

    Using averages, employees in Wise County, VA have a shorter commute time (24.6 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.4 minutes). Additionally, 3.89% of the workforce in Wise County, VA have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

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

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    Car Ownership

    2 cars
    Average Number

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

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    Poverty

    Severe Housing Problems

    In 2025, 12.4% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Wise County, VA. From 2014 to 2025, the indicator grew 0.742%.

    The graph shows the trend of the percentage of the population living with severe housing problems.

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    Poverty & Diversity

    17.2% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Wise County, VA (5.58k out of 32.4k 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 55 - 64, followed by Males 45 - 54 and then Females 25 - 34.

    The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Wise County, VA is White, followed by Two Or More and Black.

    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.

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    Children in Poverty

    In 2025, 20% of the children was living in poverty in Wise County, VA. From 2014 to 2025, the indicator declined 9.3%.

    The graph shows the trend of the percentage of the children living in poverty.

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    Security

    Crimes & Accidents

    Indicator

    In 2022, the number of reported violent crimes offenses per 100,000 population was 214 in Wise County, VA. From 2014 to 2022, the indicator grew 56.5% per 100,000 population.

    The graph shows the trend in the number of reported violent crimes offenses per 100,000 population.

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