City profile · North Carolina · Census ACS 2023

Wilkesboro, NC

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Wilkesboro - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

3,664
Residents
$41,175
Median income
$197,600
Median home
$925
Median rent (state)

Wilkesboro - the verdict

Out of every US city with 1,000+ residents, Wilkesboro places in the 9th percentile for household income and the 3rd percentile for safety. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

9th
percentile, household income
42nd
percentile, home value
7th
percentile, median rent
3rd
percentile, safety
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Wilkesboro, NC

Census ACS 2023 estimates count 3,664 residents in Wilkesboro, a small town within North Carolina. Wilkesboro households earn a median of $41,175 annually, in the lower quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 16.2%. Wilkesboro's housing stock carries a median value of $197,600, and the median resident age is 44.2 years. About 22.7% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, while 47.8% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

Wilkesboro's reported crime rate runs above the national norm: per-100,000 total crime stands at 5613.4 in FBI UCR data, above the national average (a voluntary reporting program, read this as reporting activity, not a definitive danger score).

Living costs in North Carolina run below the national norm: BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 puts North Carolina at 94.3 on a 100-equals-national-average scale (Below Average). A typical two-bedroom carries a HUD Fair Market Rent of $925 per month statewide. Statewide, average monthly utility bills in North Carolina run around $215, per EIA 2023 residential energy data. FEMA's National Risk Index rates natural-hazard exposure at 82.6 out of 100 (High).

Population

3,664 residents

Census ACS 2023 - North Carolina

Median Household Income

$41,175 /yr

Poverty 16.2%

Cost of Living Index (state)

94.3 (US=100)

Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, North Carolina average

How does Wilkesboro compare to other US cities?

Where Wilkesboro sits among all US cities (population 1,000+) on each measure, computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 9% higher than other cities
Home value 42% pricier than other cities
Median rent 7% pricier than other cities
Safety 3% safer than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

National percentiles can mask local variation. Looking only at North Carolina, Wilkesboro ranks #180 of 195 North Carolina cities by lowest crime rate - a narrower, more locally useful cut than the national comparison above.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

Each percentile compares Wilkesboro against every qualifying US city; each in-state rank narrows that to North Carolina only. Full formula and direction notes: methodology.

North Carolina-relative analysis

Median Gross Rent places Wilkesboro near the bottom of North Carolina's cities

Among the 746 North Carolina cities PlainCities tracks with reported median gross rent data, Wilkesboro ranks #552 - the 0th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Wilkesboro only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#568 of 700
19th percentile in North Carolina
Median Gross Rent
#552 of 746
0th percentile in North Carolina
Median Home Value
#335 of 708
53rd percentile in North Carolina
Poverty Rate
#209 of 746
72nd percentile in North Carolina
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#349 of 746
53rd percentile in North Carolina

Ranked by raw value (highest first); a higher rank is not automatically "better" for every measure, see each metric's own context above. This is a comparison within North Carolina only, not a livability score. See the methodology for the source and calculation.

9thIncome percentile
3rdSafety percentile

9th percentile nationally for median household income · 3rd percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Wilkesboro's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Wilkesboro's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 29 Avg. percentile National median
Wilkesboro's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How Wilkesboro's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$197,600 Among the most affordable more affordable than 58% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). This entry sits in this band. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Above this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Above this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Wilkesboro $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Wilkesboro, NC Wilkesboro, NC's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Wilkesboro, NC-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Wilkesboro, NC median $41,175/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Wilkesboro, NC's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Wilkesboro, NC. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 22.7%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 16.2%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 47.8%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
3,664
Median Income
$41,175
Median Home Value
$197,600
Median Age
44.2
Poverty Rate
16.2%
Labor force participation
47.8%
Bachelor's Degree+
22.7%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
5613.4
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
356.0
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
5257.4
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Schools

Total Schools
4
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
3,580 residents3,600 residents3,620 residents3,640 residents3,660 residents 202020212022202320242025 3,643 residents 3,618 residents ▼ -0.7%
Wilkesboro's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
81.9%
Carpool
1.9%
Public Transit
1.4%
Walk
6.0%
Work from Home
7.7%
Other
1.1%

Based on 1,425 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for North Carolina - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$115
avg/month
Natural Gas
$55
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$45
avg/month
Total Utilities
$215
estimated/month

Estimates reflect North Carolina state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a North Carolina state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Wilkesboro sits in

Cost of Living Index
94.3
Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$925/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
82.6 / 100
High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in North Carolina

Eastover
3,666 people
Rutherfordton
3,669 people
Welcome
3,649 people
Glen Raven
3,684 people
Jamestown
3,685 people
Tyro
3,635 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Wilkesboro's 3,664 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Centre, AL
3,664 people
Camden, TN
3,664 people
Lake Holm, WA
3,664 people
Camden, ME
3,665 people
Stanford, KY
3,662 people
Stonybrook, PA
3,662 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Wilkesboro's $41,175 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Shelburn, IN
$41,176 median income
Dodson, MT
$41,172 median income
Hurley, NM
$41,167 median income
Tidioute, PA
$41,167 median income
Landrum, SC
$41,161 median income
Repton, AL
$41,154 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Wilkesboro, NC Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Wilkesboro, NC - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 86.1% 9.0% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 9.5% White 86.1% Black or African American 9.0% Asian 0.0% American Indian 0.3% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 2.1% Two or more races 2.4% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Wilkesboro compares to nearby North Carolina cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Wilkesboro (this city) 3,664 $41,175
Eastover 3,666 $80,000
Rutherfordton 3,669 $59,750
Welcome 3,649 $65,342
Census ACS 5-year FIPS NC FBI UCR NCES CCD OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Wilkesboro, NC?

What is the population of Wilkesboro, NC? +

Wilkesboro, NC has a population of 3,664 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Wilkesboro, NC? +

Median annual household income in Wilkesboro runs $41,175, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Wilkesboro? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Wilkesboro; the closest available measure is the North Carolina state average, a cost of living index of 94.3 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Below Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within North Carolina vary by metro area.

Is Wilkesboro, NC safe? +

Wilkesboro has a total crime rate of 5613.4 per 100,000 residents, which is above the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in Wilkesboro, NC? +

Wilkesboro's median home value sits at $197,600, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NCES CCD, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.