Population 35,448 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Wise County
Household size in Wise County
| Period | Wise County | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.48 | 2.63 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.45 | 2.68 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.37 | 2.68 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.37 | 2.62 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.11 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
Wise County is a place of small households, averaging 2.37 people against 2.65 for the U.S., which points to many singles, couples and roommates and relatively few children. Since 2006–10, household size has dropped from 2.48, a much bigger shift than nationally.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Wise County
| Period | Wise County | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 40.1 | 38.2 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 39.8 | 39.0 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 41.7 | 40.0 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 42.2 | 40.3 | 40.1 |
| Change | +2.1 | +2.1 | +2.3 |
Wise County skews a little older than the country: its median age is 42.2, against 40.1 nationally. The median age has climbed from 40.1 in 2006–10, mirroring the country. The youngest areas are in the northeast, the oldest in the southwest.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Wise County
| Period | Wise County | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.2% | 11.1% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 10.3% | 11.0% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 12.0% | 10.5% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 12.7% | 10.7% | 11.6% |
| Change | +3.5 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head about one in eight households in Wise County (12.7%), a bit above the national share of 11.6%. Since 2006–10, the single-parent share has risen 3.5 points, even as the national share fell.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Wise County
Renters in Wise County
| Period | Wise County | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 30.3% | 31.1% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 30.8% | 33.3% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 33.4% | 33.7% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 25.8% | 32.7% | 34.8% |
| Change | −4.5 pts | +1.5 pts | +1.5 pts |
Just over a quarter of households in Wise County rent their homes (25.8%), below the national share of 34.8%; the rest own. Among homeowners, 53.4% have no mortgage at all, well above the national share of 39.8%. Renting is most common in the southwest and least common in the north. Since 2006–10, the renter share has fallen 4.5 points, even as the national share rose.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Wise County
| Period | Wise County | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 12.2% | 10.3% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 14.0% | 10.2% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 16.6% | 9.7% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 15.5% | 8.7% | 9.6% |
| Change | +3.3 pts | −1.6 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacant homes make up 15.5% of the housing in Wise County, far above the national rate of 9.6%. In resort and lake areas that usually means seasonal and vacation homes; elsewhere it can point to weak demand. Vacancy has risen 3.3 points since 2006–10, even as the national rate fell.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Wise County
| Period | Wise County | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1973 | 1978 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1974 | 1980 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1977 | 1981 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1979 | 1984 | 1980 |
| Change | +6 | +5 | +6 |
The typical home in Wise County was built around 1979, about the same vintage as the country's housing overall (1980). Homes here are older than in Virginia as a whole, where the median home dates to 1984. The median year built has moved up from 1973 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. The newest homes are mostly in the northeast, the oldest in the southwest.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Wise County
| Period | Wise County | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $524 | $1,143 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $609 | $1,238 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $632 | $1,436 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $802 | $1,743 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$278 | +$600 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Wise County costs $802 a month with utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $278 a month since 2006–10, up 53%, a slower climb than the nation's. Rent takes 23.8% of the typical renter's income, comfortably under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Wise County
Bachelor's degrees in Wise County
| Period | Wise County | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 11.9% | 35.2% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 13.8% | 36.7% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 15.7% | 39.3% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 15.4% | 42.5% | 35.6% |
| Change | +3.6 pts | +7.3 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are relatively uncommon in Wise County: 15.4% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor's or higher, well below the national share of 35.6%. The share with a degree is up 3.6 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country. Wise County has a lower share of college graduates than the great majority of Virginia counties.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Wise County
| Period | Wise County | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 70.6% | 86.8% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 74.4% | 88.3% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 76.0% | 89.9% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 80.2% | 91.6% | 89.3% |
| Change | +9.5 pts | +4.7 pts | +4.3 pts |
About one in five adults in Wise County never finished high school, well above the national share: only 80.2% have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3% nationally. The share with a diploma is up 9.5 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend. Of Virginia's 133 counties, only two have a lower share of high school graduates.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Wise County
| Period | Wise County | Virginia | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.4% | 6.0% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 11.1% | 7.0% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 10.2% | 4.7% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 8.5% | 4.3% | 5.4% |
| Change | +0.2 pts | −1.7 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Wise County runs well above the national rate: 8.5% of the labor force was out of work and looking, against 5.4%. Of Virginia's 133 counties, only four have higher unemployment. Each figure pools five years of surveys (2020–24), so it describes that whole stretch rather than today's job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Wise County compared with nearby counties
| County | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wise County | 2.37 | 42.2 | 12.7% | 25.8% | 15.5% | 1979 | $802 | 15.4% | 80.2% | 8.5% |
| Norton City | 2.31 | 40.2 | 19.5% | 50.0% | 11.8% | 1973 | $573 | 14.0% | 94.3% | 4.1% |
| Russell County | 2.38 | 46.8 | 10.1% | 23.7% | 16.5% | 1980 | $738 | 13.2% | 82.3% | 3.6% |
| Harlan County | 2.38 | 41.3 | 13.2% | 28.4% | 17.4% | 1976 | $705 | 13.8% | 81.7% | 9.8% |
| Smyth County | 2.31 | 45.7 | 11.0% | 29.0% | 16.4% | 1973 | $758 | 16.6% | 87.1% | 3.5% |
| Knox County | 2.54 | 40.2 | 15.6% | 34.7% | 14.2% | 1985 | $703 | 14.1% | 76.8% | 8.0% |
| Laurel County | 2.65 | 40.7 | 13.0% | 28.4% | 11.1% | 1991 | $832 | 17.2% | 84.4% | 4.0% |
| Whitley County | 2.65 | 35.4 | 15.1% | 33.2% | 14.1% | 1987 | $797 | 20.5% | 84.8% | 6.1% |
| Wythe County | 2.29 | 45.1 | 8.8% | 23.0% | 11.1% | 1980 | $826 | 19.3% | 89.9% | 4.2% |
| Pulaski County | 2.29 | 46.3 | 9.4% | 26.6% | 14.4% | 1975 | $882 | 21.3% | 91.6% | 3.2% |
| Pulaski County | 2.50 | 42.8 | 11.8% | 27.5% | 15.7% | 1985 | $840 | 18.3% | 86.0% | 5.0% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: Adams County, MS · Neshoba County, MS · Morgan County, CO · Morgan County, IL · Morovis Municipio, PR · Morrison County, MN · Morrow County, OH · Morton County, ND · Muhlenberg County, KY · Naranjito Municipio, PR
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Wise County. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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