How many people live in Wilkes County, NC?
Updated Apr. 6, 2026Refreshed annually
In 2024, there were about 66,200 people living in Wilkes County, NC. That makes Wilkes County the 43rd-most populous county in North Carolina. It is home to 0.59% of people living in the state.
66.2K
population of Wilkes County, NC (2024)
0.59%
County share of the North Carolina population (2024)
About 66,200 people lived in Wilkes County, NC in 2024.
Population estimates, 2000–2024
What are Wilkes County, NC’s age demographics?
About 15,700 Wilkes County, NC residents are aged 65 and older in 2024. That represents 23.7% of its population. For comparison, the age group represents 18% of North Carolina’s population and 18% in the US overall.
Another 12,900 Wilkes County residents, or 19.5% of the population, were children under 18. For comparison, the age group represents 21.6% of North Carolina’s population and 21.6% in the US overall.
A higher share of Wilkes County, NC's population is aged 65 or older than the US as a whole.
Population estimates by age group, (2024)
What are Wilkes County, NC’s racial and ethnic demographics?
Non-Hispanic white residents make up 85.2% of the Wilkes County, NC population, higher than the national share of 57.5%.
In contrast, Wilkes County’s Hispanic population accounts for 7.9%, below the 20% nationwide, and the non-Hispanic Black or African American population makes up 4.4% of the county, compared with 12.6% nationally.
Racial and ethnic make up differ based on location. These figures reflect how people identified their race alone (not in combination with other races), and separate out Hispanic or Latino ethnicity, following Census reporting standards.
Wilkes County, NC has a higher share of a non-Hispanic white population than North Carolina as a whole.
Population estimates by race and ethnicity, (2024)
The largest city or town in Wilkes County, NC is North Wilkesboro with about 4,400 residents in 2024.
Cities and towns in Wilkes County, NC ranked by population
Population (2024), includes only portions within county
| City or town | Population | |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | North Wilkesboro | 4,412 |
| 2. | Wilkesboro | 3,620 |
| 3. | Ronda | 442 |
| 4. | Elkin (pt.) | 73 |
| 5. | Balance of Wilkes County | 57,639 |
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Methodology
USAFacts standardizes data, in areas such as time and demographics, to make it easier to understand and compare.
The analysis was generated with the help of AI and reviewed by USAFacts for accuracy.
Page sources
USAFacts endeavors to share the most up-to-date information available. We sourced the data on this page directly from government agencies; however, the intervals at which agencies publish updated data vary.
