Wilkes County , North Carolina
Population: 65,983 residents · 2023 Census ACS
Income $50,438 Home $161,400 Rent $715/mo
Page updated: · Data vintage: CDC PLACES 2023 · FEMA NRI v1.20
Across 65,983 residents, Wilkes County tracks on the more affordable end of national norms — useful as a comparison anchor for North Carolina and neighboring counties alike. FEMA's National Risk Index ranks Wilkes County in the top 17% nationally for overall natural-hazard exposure, with hurricane exposure the dominant local risk.
$50,438
Median Income
household
$161,400
Home Value
median
$715/mo
Monthly Rent
median gross
N/A
Unemployment
rate
Income & Housing
| Median Household Income | $50,438 |
| Per Capita Income | $27,866 |
| Poverty Rate | 16.4% |
| Median Home Value | $161,400 |
| Median Gross Rent | $715/mo |
| Owner Occupied | 73.9% |
| Renter Occupied | 26.1% |
Demographics & Education
| Total Population | 65,983 |
| Median Age | 45.3 yrs |
| Bachelor's or Higher | 16.7% |
Health Outcomes
CDC PLACES 2023 · % of adults
38.0%
Obesity
10.7%
Diabetes
17.8%
Smoking
41.5%
High Blood Pressure
28.0%
No Physical Activity
28.5%
Depression
32.7%
Insufficient Sleep
80.3%
Annual Checkup
Natural Hazard Risk
FEMA National Risk Index · county-level scores
Overall risk score: 82.6 · 83th national percentile
🌪️ Tornado
72.52
🌀 Hurricane
75.43
🔥 Wildfire
52.74
❄️ Winter Storm
45.58
🌍 Earthquake
73.92
☀️ Drought
63.80
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