Wilson, North Carolina Demographics
Population trends, housing costs, income, commuting, and health, all on one page.
Wilson, NC Population Density Map and Area Scores
Area Score
Health, income and education, each graded from F to A+. Explore interactive maps for deeper analysis.
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C
Health Below average
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D
Income Well below average
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D
Education Well below average
Source: Map AI Methodology
Population
| Metric | Wilson | North Carolina Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 34,764 | 10,724,323 | 337,468,954 |
| Population density (per sq mi) | 1071.6 | 199.1 | 86.4 |
| Population growth (%/yr) | 0.59% | 0.97% | 0.59% |
| Median age | 41.1 | 37.7 | 37.3 |
| Households | 14,655 | 4,279,225 | 130,235,071 |
Population in Wilson grew by 2.4% from 2009 to 2024, reaching 34,764 in 2024.
Population Growth 2009–2024
Race & Ethnicity
Age & Sex
The largest generation in Wilson is Gen Z, aged 13–28, at 21.8% of residents. That is about the same share as North Carolina.
- Gen Z 13–28 7,592 21.8% on par
- Millennials 29–44 6,634 19.1% -2.3 pts
- Gen X 45–60 7,370 21.2% +0.7 pts
- Boomers 61–79 6,313 18.2% +1.2 pts
Residents by birth cohort, from the 2025 age distribution. The right-hand figure is how far each cohort's share sits above or below North Carolina, in percentage points. Children younger than Gen Z and the generations before the Boomers are counted in the population but not shown here, so these shares do not add up to 100%.
Male and female share
Women are 53.2% of the people living in Wilson and men 46.8%.
- Women 53.2% North Carolina 51.1%
- Men 46.8% North Carolina 48.9%
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Economy
Wilson has a the economy index of D, which means it is barely prosperous.
| Metric | Wilson | North Carolina Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $52,609 | $72,438 | $80,455 |
| Income growth (%/yr) | 3.94% | 5.20% | 4.80% |
| Unemployment rate | 6.8% | 4.6% | 5.2% |
The median household income in Wilson is about 27% lower than in North Carolina.
Housing
| Metric | Wilson | North Carolina Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $128,891 | $278,288 | $248,835 |
| Median rent | $1,014 | $1,227 | $1,407 |
| Homeownership rate | 48.9% | 66.6% | 65.2% |
The median home price in Wilson is about 10.6 years' worth of rent — buying at the median price costs roughly as much as paying the median rent of $1,014 per month for that long.
Commute Time & Mobility
Commuters in Wilson spend about 31 minutes on the road round trip each working day. Over a typical 250-day work year, that adds up to roughly 128 hours, about 5.3 full days, spent commuting.
| Metric | Wilson | North Carolina Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-way commute (min) | 15.4 | 21.9 | 22.4 |
| Round-trip commute (min) | 30.8 | 43.7 | 44.8 |
| Yearly time spent (hours) | 128 | 182 | 187 |
| Estimated yearly cost | $3,974 | $5,645 | $5,790 |
| Work from home | 7.6% | 16.3% | 15.0% |
| Highway traffic (vehicles/day) | 5,582 | 8,330 | 8,813 |
| Local road traffic (vehicles/day) | 1,986 | 1,609 | 1,355 |
The average commute time in Wilson is 15 minutes, shorter than the 22 minutes in North Carolina.
Estimated yearly cost applies a single national wage rule of thumb (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics average hourly earnings), not a measurement of wages in this area. Traffic volume figures come from proprietary Ticon and TrafficZoom data.
Education & Households
Wilson has a education index of D, which means it is barely educated.
| Metric | Wilson | North Carolina Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 20.7% | 31.1% | 31.6% |
| Average household size | 2.30 | 2.44 | 2.53 |
Health
Wilson has a health index of C, which means it is somewhat healthy.
| Metric | Wilson | North Carolina Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy (years) | 76.2 | 77.1 | 78.3 |
| Self-rated poor health | 25.8% | 16.8% | 16.3% |
| Smokers | 25.7% | 20.7% | 19.0% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Wilson, North Carolina.
What is the population of Wilson, North Carolina?
About 34,764 people live in Wilson, North Carolina, in 14,655 households of 2.3 people on average. The median age is 41.1, so residents are older than the U.S. median of 37.3 by about 4 years.
Is Wilson, North Carolina urban or rural?
Averaged over its land area, Wilson, North Carolina has 1,072 people per square mile, a density typical of urban and suburban areas. That is about 12 times the U.S. average of 86.
Can a typical household afford a home in Wilson, North Carolina?
The median home costs 2.4 times the median household income ($128,891 against $52,609), compared with 3.1 times nationally. That is within the traditional rule of thumb of about 3 times income. Median rent of $1,014 a month takes about 23% of the median household's income, below the 30% level at which HUD considers renters cost-burdened.
How strong is the job market in Wilson, North Carolina?
Unemployment in Wilson, North Carolina is 6.8%, well above the U.S. rate of 5.2%, so job seekers may face more competition than elsewhere.
What share of adults in Wilson, North Carolina have a college degree?
20.7% of adults in Wilson, North Carolina hold a bachelor's degree or higher (about 1 in 5), well below the U.S. share of 31.6%.
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