Wilkes County, North Carolina
Among the top 18% of US counties for lifestyle & connectivity.
AffordabilityAffordability: grade B+, better than 76% of US counties
WeatherWeather: grade C, better than 36% of US counties
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade D, better than 15% of US counties
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade D, better than 22% of US counties
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade B+, better than 82% of US counties
- top 18% for park & nature access
- top 19% for monthly owner costs
- bottom 11% for walkability
Wilkes County is a county in North Carolina with about 66,000 residents. It grades B+ for lifestyle & connectivity and D for safety & wellbeing. Standout strengths include park & nature access, monthly owner costs, and monthly rent. It rates lower on school quality and walkability.
Official websitewilkescounty.net (opens in new tab)
Climate
Hot, humid summers · Cool winters · Wet · Light snow
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63%52%clearovercast
Precipitation 5.0 in4.0 in
muggy 88%dry
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$49k19th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$45kbetter than 52% of US counties
Home Value$146k42nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$712better than 76% of US counties
Monthly Owner Costs$1kbetter than 81% of US counties
Property Tax Rate0.69%better than 65% of US counties
Income Tax4.50%better than 62% of US counties
Sales Tax7.00%better than 61% of US counties
Estimated total tax burden8.86%better than 65% of US counties
Unemployment6.0%better than 27% of US counties
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)40°F66th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)78°F55th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation52.6 in81st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall6.3 inbetter than 61% of US counties
Sunny Days199 daysbetter than 15% of US counties
Summer Humidity67°Fbetter than 38% of US counties
Comfortable Days86 daysbetter than 68% of US counties
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk82.6better than 17% of US counties
School Quality37.4better than 11% of US counties
Violent Crime772/100kbetter than 51% of US counties
Property Crime1320/100kbetter than 31% of US counties
Community
Population66,12574th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age45.379th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.2140th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio0.9943rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningR+5775th percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)86.5%62nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)3.7%61st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)7.0%63rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)0.4%40th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)2.4%24th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time28 minbetter than 28% of US counties
Walkability4.6/20better than 11% of US counties
Airport Distance71 mibetter than 67% of US counties
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access84.2%better than 56% of US counties
Amenities Nearby4.84better than 66% of US counties
Park & Nature AccessExcellentbetter than 82% of US counties
Frequently asked questions
- Is Wilkes County an affordable place to live?
- Wilkes County is about average in cost. Its cost-of-living index is $45k, better than 52% of comparable areas.
- What is the median home value in Wilkes County?
- The median home value in Wilkes County is $146k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- What is the median household income in Wilkes County?
- Median household income in Wilkes County is $49k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- How much is rent in Wilkes County?
- Median gross rent in Wilkes County is $712 a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Is Wilkes County safe?
- Wilkes County is about average for safety comparable areas, with a violent crime rate of 772/100k (better than 51%). Property crime is 1320/100k.
- What is the weather like in Wilkes County?
- Wilkes County averages 78°F in July and 40°F in January, with 52.6 in of annual precipitation and about 199 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in Wilkes County?
- Public-school quality in Wilkes County is below average, scoring better than 11% of comparable areas on a composite of graduation rates, spending, and student-teacher ratio.
- How long is the commute in Wilkes County?
- The average one-way commute in Wilkes County is 28 min.
Other counties in North Carolina
Explore North Carolina
Data sources
- EPA Smart Location Database
- EPI Family Budget Calculator
- FAA airport enplanements
- FBI Uniform Crime Reports
- FEMA National Risk Index
- MIT Election Data Lab (2020)
- NCES School Finance Survey
- NOAA Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA nClimGrid
- OpenStreetMap
- Tax Foundation + state revenue depts
- U.S. Census ACS (5-Year)
- USGS Protected Areas (PAD-US)