Wilkes County, North Carolina Housing Market Prices
Wilkes County Home Prices and Rent at a Glance
The median home price (often called the average home price), rent costs, affordability metrics, and housing stock characteristics for this housing market.
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Median home price 93% below the North Carolina median Among the top 3 cheapest counties in North Carolina$19,444
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Median rent 41% below the North Carolina median Among the top 5 cheapest counties in North Carolina$722
Median Home Price Map: Nearby Counties
Housing Market Overview
| Metric | Wilkes County | North Carolina Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Price | $19,444 | $278,288 | $248,835 |
| Price Trend (Annual %) | -2.2% | 9.3% | 7.5% |
| Median Gross Rent | $722 | $1,227 | $1,407 |
| Rent Trend (Annual %) | 2.5% | 5.3% | 5.1% |
| Household Income Trend (Annual %) | — | — | — |
The median home price in Wilkes County is about 93% lower than in North Carolina. Rent is about 41% lower than the North Carolina average.
Median Home and Rent Price Trends
Median Home Prices, 2015-2024
Median Rent Prices, 2015-2024
Home prices and rent are moving in opposite directions in Wilkes County: home prices fell about 2.2% a year while rent rose about 2.5% a year. That is an unusual pattern worth watching.
Median rent in Wilkes County rose about 23.2% between 2015 and 2024, from $586 to $722. Over the same span, rent in North Carolina rose about 54.2%.
Affordability
On average, housing unit costs 0.4 yearly household incomes in Wilkes County.
Buying the median-priced home in Wilkes County costs roughly 2.2 years of rent at the median monthly rate. That is a relatively low price-to-rent ratio, which tends to favor buying over renting in Wilkes County. The price-to-rent ratio in North Carolina is about 18.9.
| Metric | Wilkes County | North Carolina Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Price | $19,444 | $278,288 | $248,835 |
| Median Household Income | $51,695 | $72,438 | $80,455 |
| Price-to-Income Ratio | 0.4 | 3.8 | 3.1 |
Home Prices vs Income Over Time
Between 2015 and 2024, the median home price in Wilkes County fell about 80.4%, while median household income rose about 43.7% between 2009 and 2025 — income grew faster than the home price.
Income Growth vs Housing Cost Growth (Year-over-Year %)
Compare income and housing cost trends.
Occupancy & Tenure
| Metric | Wilkes County | North Carolina Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homeownership Rate | 62.6% | 58.3% | 58.5% |
| Rental Rate | 22.5% | 29.2% | 31.2% |
| Vacancy Rate | 14.9% | 12.5% | 10.2% |
| Median Tenure (years) | 20.0 | 15.0 | 15.0 |
| Median Year Moved In | 2006 | 2011 | 2011 |
Wilkes County has a homeownership rate of 62.6%, higher than the North Carolina average of 58.3%. Its housing vacancy rate is 14.9%, compared with 12.5% in North Carolina.
Housing Stock
| Metric | Wilkes County | North Carolina Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average Household Size | 2.39 people | 2.44 people | 2.53 people |
| Median Structure Built Year | 1978 | 1989 | 1978 |
| Median Number of Rooms | 5.3 | 5.6 | 5.5 |
The typical housing unit in Wilkes County was built around 1978. On average, 2.4 people live in a home with about 5.3 rooms, staying for about 20.0 years on average.
Wilkes County, NC Housing Compared With Nearby Counties
Wilkes County, NC is the 2nd largest of the 4 counties compared here, 65,914 residents against a local median of 36,412. Where Wilkes County, NC breaks from the counties next to it is median home price, sitting 93% below the local median of $269,620 at $19,444.
The counties themselves spread $180,587 on median home price, so Wilkes County, NC sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Wilkes County, NC has the 4th highest median home price of the 4 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Median home price | Median rent | Homeownership |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wilkes County, NC | 65,914 | $19,444 #4/4 | $722 #4/4 | 73.5% #4/4 |
| Alexander County, NC | 36,412 | $270,833 | $764 | 80.7% |
| Grayson County, VA | 15,277 | $90,246 | $765 | 80.4% |
| Caldwell County, NC | 80,517 | $269,620 | $743 | 73.5% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about the housing market in Wilkes County, North Carolina.
What is the median home price in Wilkes County, North Carolina?
The median home price in Wilkes County, North Carolina is $19,444, lower than the North Carolina average of $278,288.
What is the average home price in Wilkes County, North Carolina?
The typical home price in Wilkes County, North Carolina, reported as the median sale price, is $19,444. The median is used instead of a mathematical average because it is not skewed by a small number of very expensive or very cheap homes, so it better reflects what a typical buyer pays.
What is the median rent in Wilkes County, North Carolina?
The median gross rent in Wilkes County, North Carolina is $722 per month, lower than the North Carolina average of $1,227.
What was the median gross rent in Wilkes County in 2020?
In 2020, the median gross rent in Wilkes County, North Carolina was $641 per month.
What is the price-to-rent ratio in Wilkes County, North Carolina?
The price-to-rent ratio in Wilkes County, North Carolina is about 2.2, meaning it would take roughly 2.2 years of rent payments at the median rent to equal the median home price. That is a relatively low price-to-rent ratio, which tends to favor buying over renting in Wilkes County.
Are home prices or rent rising faster in Wilkes County, North Carolina?
Home prices and rent are moving in opposite directions in Wilkes County: home prices fell about 2.2% a year while rent rose about 2.5% a year. That is an unusual pattern worth watching.
What is the homeownership rate in Wilkes County, North Carolina?
62.6% of households in Wilkes County, North Carolina own their home, higher than the North Carolina average of 58.3%.
What is the vacancy rate in Wilkes County, North Carolina?
The housing vacancy rate in Wilkes County, North Carolina is 14.9%, higher than the North Carolina average of 12.5%.
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