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.
Year | Population | Growth | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2029 | 67,345 | 222 | 0.33% |
| 2028 | 67,123 | 222 | 0.33% |
| 2027 | 66,901 | 222 | 0.33% |
| 2026 | 66,679 | 222 | 0.33% |
| 2025 | 66,457 | 222 | 0.34% |
| 2024 | 66,235 | 222 | 0.34% |
| 2023 | 66,013 | 222 | 0.34% |
| 2022 | 65,791 | -35 | -0.05% |
| 2021 | 65,826 | -90 | -0.14% |
| 2020 | 65,916 | -2,380 | -3.48% |
| 2019 | 68,296 | -185 | -0.27% |
| 2018 | 68,481 | 20 | 0.03% |
| 2017 | 68,461 | -112 | -0.16% |
| 2016 | 68,573 | 271 | 0.4% |
| 2015 | 68,302 | -116 | -0.17% |
| 2014 | 68,418 | -192 | -0.28% |
| 2013 | 68,610 | -300 | -0.44% |
| 2012 | 68,910 | -39 | -0.06% |
| 2011 | 68,949 | -316 | -0.46% |
| 2010 | 69,265 | 0 | 0% |
| 1990 | 59,393 | 736 | 1.25% |
| 1980 | 58,657 | 9,133 | 18.44% |
| 1970 | 49,524 | 4,255 | 9.4% |
| 1960 | 45,269 | 26 | 0.06% |
| 1950 | 45,243 | 2,240 | 5.21% |
| 1940 | 43,003 | 6,841 | 18.92% |
| 1930 | 36,162 | 3,518 | 10.78% |
| 1920 | 32,644 | 2,362 | 7.8% |
| 1910 | 30,282 | 3,410 | 12.69% |
| 1900 | 26,872 | 4,197 | 18.51% |
| 1890 | 22,675 | 3,494 | 18.22% |
| 1880 | 19,181 | 3,642 | 23.44% |
| 1870 | 15,539 | 790 | 5.36% |
| 1860 | 14,749 | 2,650 | 21.9% |
| 1850 | 12,099 | -478 | -3.8% |
| 1840 | 12,577 | 609 | 5.09% |
| 1830 | 11,968 | 2,001 | 20.08% |
| 1820 | 9,967 | 913 | 10.08% |
| 1810 | 9,054 | 1,807 | 24.93% |
| 1800 | 7,247 | -896 | -11% |
| 1790 | 8,143 | -59,202 | -87.91% |
Race | Population | Percentage (of total) |
|---|---|---|
| White | 58,549 | 88.54% |
| Two or more races | 3,048 | 4.61% |
| Black or African American | 2,446 | 3.7% |
| Other race | 1,356 | 2.05% |
| Asian | 297 | 0.45% |
| Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander | 272 | 0.41% |
| Native American | 157 | 0.24% |
White
Two or more races
Black or African American
Other race
Asian
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander
Native American
Household Type | Count | Average Size | Owner | Renter |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| All | 27,249 | 2.39 | 73 | 27 |
| Married | 13,680 | 2.96 | 84.9 | 15.1 |
| Non Family | 9,223 | 1.16 | 61.9 | 38.1 |
| Female | 3,111 | 3.29 | 57 | 43 |
| Male | 1,235 | 3.06 | 64.4 | 35.6 |
2.93
Average Family Size
2.39
Average Household Size
73.0%
Rate of Home Ownership
Married
Male
Female
NonFamily
owner
renter
Male
Female
Education Attained | Count | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| 9th to 12th Grade | 6,026 | 12.62% |
| Associates Degree | 5,382 | 11.27% |
| Bachelors Degree | 5,550 | 11.62% |
| Graduate Degree | 2,274 | 4.76% |
| High School Graduate | 15,621 | 32.71% |
| Less Than 9th Grade | 2,818 | 5.9% |
| Some College | 10,083 | 21.11% |
Less Than 9th Grade
9th to 12th Grade
High School Graduate
Some College
Associates Degree
Bachelors Degree
Graduate Degree
High School Graduation Rate
Bachelors Rate
Race | Total | High School | Bachelors |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 42,737 | 35,234 | 7,374 |
| Hispanic | 2,195 | 1,227 | 105 |
| Black | 1,959 | 1,679 | 187 |
| Other Race | 1,036 | 569 | 41 |
| 2+ Races | 900 | 663 | 78 |
| Islander | 227 | 227 | 0 |
| Asian | 193 | 175 | 116 |
| Native American | 123 | 99 | 18 |
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%.
All
Male
Female
Name | Average | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelors Degree | $52,703 | $52,754 | $52,649 |
| Graduate Degree | $69,000 | $76,556 | $61,220 |
| High School Graduate | $29,046 | $33,602 | $20,935 |
| Less Than 9th Grade | $28,022 | $29,583 | $22,538 |
| Overall | $34,570 | $37,603 | $30,938 |
| Some College | $35,722 | $41,718 | $32,782 |
$34,570
Average Earnings
$37,603
Average Male
$30,938
Average Female
Only English
Spanish
Other Indo-European Languages
Asian and Pacific Island Languages
Other Languages
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.
rate
Name | Total | In Poverty | Poverty Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 56,445 | 9,026 | 15.99% |
| Hispanic | 4,492 | 1,147 | 25.53% |
| Multiple | 2,939 | 770 | 26.2% |
| Black | 2,230 | 600 | 26.91% |
| Other | 1,329 | 205 | 15.43% |
| Islander | 272 | 33 | 12.13% |
17.15%
Overall Poverty Rate
14.61%
Male Poverty Rate
19.65%
Female Poverty Rate
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%.
rate
Rate | Poverty |
|---|---|
| Less Than 9th Grade | 27.1% |
| High School | 16.26% |
| Some College | 9.03% |
| Bachelors or Greater | 5.49% |
rate
Rate | Poverty |
|---|---|
| Female Unemployed | 44.16% |
| Male Unemployed | 32.36% |
| Female Employed | 7.28% |
| Male Employed | 5.42% |
Households
Families
MarriedFamilies
NonFamilies
Name | Median | Mean |
|---|---|---|
| Families | $60,492 | $75,076 |
| Households | $49,119 | $64,650 |
| Married Families | $72,186 | $85,567 |
| Non Families | $28,431 | $40,729 |
mean
median
Married
Widowed
Divorced
Separated
NeverMarried
52.1%
Overall Marriage Rate
53.7%
Male Marriage Rate
50.4%
Female Marriage Rate
male
female
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.
Married
Widowed
Divorced
Separated
NeverMarried
Second Gulf War
First Gulf War
Vietnam
Korea
World War II
3,829
Number of Veterans
3,570
Male Veterans
259
Female Veterans
War | Veterans |
|---|---|
| Vietnam | 1,568 |
| First Gulf War | 879 |
| Second Gulf War | 451 |
| Korea | 340 |
| World War II | 6 |
count
Age Group | Veterans |
|---|---|
| 75+ | 1,172 |
| 65 to 74 | 1,019 |
| 55 to 64 | 710 |
| 35 to 54 | 705 |
| 18 to 34 | 223 |
count
Name | Veterans | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| White | 3,374 | 7.1% |
| Black | 285 | 13.29% |
| Hispanic | 123 | 4.48% |
| Other Race | 115 | 9.8% |
| Native American | 25 | 15.92% |
| Asian | 18 | 9.33% |
| 2+ Races | 12 | 0.86% |
Less Than 9th Grade
High School Graduate
Some College
Bachelors or Greater
8.9%
Veteran Poverty Rate
36.02%
Veteran Disability Rate
LaborForceParticipation
56%
Labor Force Participation
52.5%
Employment Rate
6%
Unemployment Rate
LaborForceParticipation
LaborForceParticipation
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.
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
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.