Wilkes County, North Carolina Population 2024

66,235

Wilkes County, North Carolina's estimated 2024 population is 66,235 with a growth rate of 0.34% in the past year according to the most recent United States census data. Wilkes County, North Carolina is the 43rd largest county in North Carolina. The 2010 population was 69,265 and has seen a growth of -4.37% since that time.

Note: data after 2022 is projected based on recent change

Download Table Data

Enter your email below, and you'll receive this table's data in your inbox momentarily.

Year
Population
Growth
Growth Rate
202967,3452220.33%
202867,1232220.33%
202766,9012220.33%
202666,6792220.33%
202566,4572220.34%
202466,2352220.34%
202366,0132220.34%
202265,791-35-0.05%
202165,826-90-0.14%
202065,916-2,380-3.48%
201968,296-185-0.27%
201868,481200.03%
201768,461-112-0.16%
201668,5732710.4%
201568,302-116-0.17%
201468,418-192-0.28%
201368,610-300-0.44%
201268,910-39-0.06%
201168,949-316-0.46%
201069,26500%
199059,3937361.25%
198058,6579,13318.44%
197049,5244,2559.4%
196045,269260.06%
195045,2432,2405.21%
194043,0036,84118.92%
193036,1623,51810.78%
192032,6442,3627.8%
191030,2823,41012.69%
190026,8724,19718.51%
189022,6753,49418.22%
188019,1813,64223.44%
187015,5397905.36%
186014,7492,65021.9%
185012,099-478-3.8%
184012,5776095.09%
183011,9682,00120.08%
18209,96791310.08%
18109,0541,80724.93%
18007,247-896-11%
17908,143-59,202-87.91%
showing: 41 rows
2024 Growth Rate
0.34% (222)
County Website
Wilkes County
2020 Population
65,916
Area
754 mi²
Density
88 people/mi²
Growth Since 2020
0.48% (319)
Founded
1778

Wilkes County, North Carolina Population 2024

Population by Race

Download Table Data

Enter your email below, and you'll receive this table's data in your inbox momentarily.

Race
Population
Percentage (of total)
White58,54988.54%
Two or more races3,0484.61%
Black or African American2,4463.7%
Other race1,3562.05%
Asian2970.45%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander2720.41%
Native American1570.24%

White

Two or more races

Black or African American

Other race

Asian

Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander

Native American

Wilkes County, North Carolina Population by Race

Wilkes County, North Carolina Population Pyramid 2024

Wilkes County, North Carolina Median Age

45.3

Total

44.2

Male

46.4

Female

Wilkes County, North Carolina Adults

There are 52,886 adults, (14,731 of whom are seniors) in Wilkes County, North Carolina.

Wilkes County, North Carolina Age Dependency

73.3

Age Dependency Ratio

38.6

Old Age Dependency Ratio

34.7

Child Dependency Ratio

Wilkes County, North Carolina Sex Ratio

Female33,21150.22%
Male32,91449.78%

Wilkes County, North Carolina Population by Age

Wilkes County, North Carolina Renter vs Owner Occupied by Household Type

Household Type
Count
Average Size
Owner
Renter
All27,2492.397327
Married13,6802.9684.915.1
Non Family9,2231.1661.938.1
Female3,1113.295743
Male1,2353.0664.435.6

2.93

Average Family Size

2.39

Average Household Size

73.0%

Rate of Home Ownership

Married

Male

Female

NonFamily

owner

renter

Wilkes County, North Carolina Households and Families

Male

Female

Download Table Data

Enter your email below, and you'll receive this table's data in your inbox momentarily.

Education Attained
Count
Percentage
Less Than 9th Grade2,8185.9%
9th to 12th Grade6,02612.62%
High School Graduate15,62132.71%
Some College10,08321.11%
Associates Degree5,38211.27%
Bachelors Degree5,55011.62%
Graduate Degree2,2744.76%

Less Than 9th Grade

9th to 12th Grade

High School Graduate

Some College

Associates Degree

Bachelors Degree

Graduate Degree

Wilkes County, North Carolina Educational Attainment by Sex (over 25)

Wilkes County, North Carolina Educational Attainment by Race

High School Graduation Rate

Bachelors Rate

Download Table Data

Enter your email below, and you'll receive this table's data in your inbox momentarily.

Race
Total
High School
Bachelors
White42,73735,2347,374
Hispanic2,1951,227105
Black1,9591,679187
Other Race1,03656941
2+ Races90066378
Islander2272270
Asian193175116
Native American1239918

The highest rate of high school graduation is among islander people with a rate of 100%.

The highest rate of bachelors degrees is among asian people with a rate of 60.1%.

Wilkes County, North Carolina Educational Attainment by Race

All

Male

Female

Download Table Data

Enter your email below, and you'll receive this table's data in your inbox momentarily.

Name
Average
Male
Female
Overall$34,570$37,603$30,938
Less Than 9th Grade$28,022$29,583$22,538
High School Graduate$29,046$33,602$20,935
Some College$35,722$41,718$32,782
Bachelors Degree$52,703$52,754$52,649
Graduate Degree$69,000$76,556$61,220

$34,570

Average Earnings

$37,603

Average Male

$30,938

Average Female

Wilkes County, North Carolina Earnings by Educational Attainment

Wilkes County, North Carolina Language by Age

Only English

Spanish

Other Indo-European Languages

Asian and Pacific Island Languages

Other Languages

Wilkes County, North Carolina Language

93.21% of Wilkes County, North Carolina residents speak only English, while 6.79% speak other languages. The non-English language spoken by the largest group is Spanish, which is spoken by 5.28% of the population.

Wilkes County, North Carolina Language

Wilkes County, North Carolina Poverty by Race

rate

Download Table Data

Enter your email below, and you'll receive this table's data in your inbox momentarily.

Name
Total
In Poverty
Poverty Rate
White56,4459,02615.99%
Hispanic4,4921,14725.53%
Multiple2,93977026.2%
Black2,23060026.91%
Other1,32920515.43%
Islander2723312.13%

17.15%

Overall Poverty Rate

14.61%

Male Poverty Rate

19.65%

Female Poverty Rate

Poverty in Wilkes County, North Carolina

The race most likely to be in poverty in Wilkes County, North Carolina is Black, with 26.91% below the poverty level.

The race least likely to be in poverty in Wilkes County, North Carolina is Islander, with 12.13% below the poverty level.

The poverty rate among those that worked full-time for the past 12 months was 2.12%. Among those working part-time, it was 17.27%, and for those that did not work, the poverty rate was 24.22%.

Wilkes County, North Carolina Poverty

rate

Download Table Data

Enter your email below, and you'll receive this table's data in your inbox momentarily.

Rate
Poverty
Less Than 9th Grade27.1%
High School16.26%
Some College9.03%
Bachelors or Greater5.49%

Wilkes County, North Carolina Poverty Rate by Education

rate

Download Table Data

Enter your email below, and you'll receive this table's data in your inbox momentarily.

Rate
Poverty
Female Unemployed44.16%
Male Unemployed32.36%
Female Employed7.28%
Male Employed5.42%

Wilkes County, North Carolina Poverty Rate by Employment Status and Sex

Wilkes County, North Carolina Income by Household Type

Households

Families

MarriedFamilies

NonFamilies

Download Table Data

Enter your email below, and you'll receive this table's data in your inbox momentarily.

Name
Median
Mean
Households$49,119$64,650
Families$60,492$75,076
Married Families$72,186$85,567
Non Families$28,431$40,729

mean

median

Income by Household Type

Wilkes County, North Carolina Marital Status

Married

Widowed

Divorced

Separated

NeverMarried

Marriage Rates

52.1%

Overall Marriage Rate

53.7%

Male Marriage Rate

50.4%

Female Marriage Rate

Wilkes County, North Carolina Married by Age and Sex

male

female

Wilkes County, North Carolina Marriage

The age group where males are most likely to be married is Over 65, while the female age group most likely to be married is 45-54.

Wilkes County, North Carolina Marital Status by Race

Married

Widowed

Divorced

Separated

NeverMarried

Wilkes County, North Carolina Marital Status

Second Gulf War

First Gulf War

Vietnam

Korea

World War II

3,829

Number of Veterans

3,570

Male Veterans

259

Female Veterans

Download Table Data

Enter your email below, and you'll receive this table's data in your inbox momentarily.

War
Veterans
Vietnam1,568
First Gulf War879
Second Gulf War451
Korea340
World War II6

Wilkes County, North Carolina Veterans by War

count

Download Table Data

Enter your email below, and you'll receive this table's data in your inbox momentarily.

Age Group
Veterans
75+1,172
65 to 741,019
55 to 64710
35 to 54705
18 to 34223

Wilkes County, North Carolina Veterans by Age

count

Download Table Data

Enter your email below, and you'll receive this table's data in your inbox momentarily.

Name
Veterans
% of Total
White3,3747.1%
Black28513.29%
Hispanic1234.48%
Other Race1159.8%
Native American2515.92%
Asian189.33%
2+ Races120.86%

Wilkes County, North Carolina Veterans by Race

Wilkes County, North Carolina Veterans by Education

Less Than 9th Grade

High School Graduate

Some College

Bachelors or Greater

8.9%

Veteran Poverty Rate

36.02%

Veteran Disability Rate

Wilkes County, North Carolina Veterans by Education

LaborForceParticipation

56%

Labor Force Participation

52.5%

Employment Rate

6%

Unemployment Rate

Wilkes County, North Carolina Employment by Age

LaborForceParticipation

Wilkes County, North Carolina Employment by Race

LaborForceParticipation

Wilkes County, North Carolina Employment by Education

Origin of Non-Citizens

Europe

Asia

Africa

Oceania

Latin America

North America

Non citizens include legal permanent residents (green card holders), international students, temporary workers, humanitarian migrants, and illegal immigrants.

Origin of Naturalized Citizens

Europe

Asia

Africa

Oceania

Latin America

North America

78.7%

Born in Wilkes County, North Carolina

96.75%

Native Born

3.25%

Foreign Born

2.07%

Non Citizen

1.19%

Naturalized

Place of Birth

96.75% of Wilkes County, North Carolina residents were born in the United States, with 78.7% having been born in North Carolina. 2.07% of residents are not US citizens. Of those not born in the United States, the largest percentage are from Latin America.

Wilkes County, North Carolina Place of Birth

Sources