How many people live in Wilson County, NC?
Updated Apr. 6, 2026Refreshed annually
In 2024, there were about 80,000 people living in Wilson County, NC. That makes Wilson County the 36th-most populous county in North Carolina. It is home to 0.71% of people living in the state.
80K
population of Wilson County, NC (2024)
0.71%
County share of the North Carolina population (2024)
About 80,000 people lived in Wilson County, NC in 2024.
Population estimates, 2000–2024
What are Wilson County, NC’s age demographics?
About 15,700 Wilson County, NC residents are aged 65 and older in 2024. That represents 19.6% of its population. For comparison, the age group represents 18% of North Carolina’s population and 18% in the US overall.
Another 18,000 Wilson County residents, or 22.5% 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 lower share of Wilson County, NC's population is aged 25–44 than the US as a whole.
Population estimates by age group, (2024)
What are Wilson County, NC’s racial and ethnic demographics?
Non-Hispanic Black or African American residents make up 38.5% of the Wilson County, NC population, higher than the national share of 12.6%.
In contrast, Wilson County’s non-Hispanic white population accounts for 44.6%, below the 57.5% nationwide, and the Hispanic population makes up 13.4% of the county, compared with 20% 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.
Wilson County, NC has a higher share of a non-Hispanic Black or African American population than North Carolina as a whole.
Population estimates by race and ethnicity, (2024)
The largest city or town in Wilson County, NC is Wilson with about 48,600 residents in 2024.
Cities and towns in Wilson County, NC ranked by population
Population (2024), includes only portions within county
| City or town | Population | |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | Wilson | 48,579 |
| 2. | Elm City (pt.) | 1,223 |
| 3. | Lucama | 1,060 |
| 4. | Stantonsburg | 765 |
| 5. | Black Creek | 698 |
| 6. | Sharpsburg (pt.) | 434 |
| 7. | Saratoga | 352 |
| 8. | Sims | 345 |
| 9. | Kenly (pt.) | 207 |
| 10. | Balance of Wilson County | 26,295 |
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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.
