Data / Wise County / Profile

Wise County in figures

A profile of Wise County from official statistics: 20 figures in 4 sections, each with its period, its change from a year earlier, its rank among similar places where a ranking exists, and its source.

Figures last updated on 2026-10-12.

People

Population in Wise County was 34,824 in 2025, down 0.6% from 2024, and the 49th highest of 133 counties in Virginia.

Population34,8242025Down 0.6% from 2024The 49th highest of 133 counties in Virginia
Median age41.8 years2024Down 0.3 years from 2023The 62nd lowest of 133 counties in Virginia
Population aged 65 and over22%2025Up 0.2 percentage points from 2024The 59th lowest of 133 counties in Virginia
Foreign-born population share1.5%2024Up 0.3 percentage points from 2023
Population density33.3 inhabitants per km²2025Down 0.6% from 2024
Net domestic migration, July to June42025, estimatedCompared with 35 in 2024
34.8K35K35.3K35.5K35.8K36K36.3K2020202120222023202420252020: 36,072 persons2021: 35,700 persons2022: 35,341 persons2023: 35,194 persons2024: 35,035 persons2025: 34,824 persons
Population, 2020 to 2025. persons. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Annual estimates of the resident population for the United States, states and counties, 1 July (Population Estimates Program).

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, Annual estimates of the resident population for the United States, states and counties, 1 July (Population Estimates Program); U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B01002: median age, total population; U.S. Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, county population by age and sex (cc-est agesex): residents aged 65 and over as a percentage of the total, 1 July; states and the nation summed from counties; U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B05002: foreign-born population as a percentage of the total population, calculated with stored inputs; U.S. Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program resident population on 1 July divided by land area from the latest Census Gazetteer files, persons per km²; U.S. Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program: net domestic migration, states and counties, July 1 of the previous year to June 30 of the reported year; vintage 2020 files for 2011 to 2020 and the latest 2020s vintage from 2021. Population and demography statistics and rankings

Work and income

Unemployment rate in Wise County was 4.9% (provisional) in August 2026, up 0.3 percentage points from August 2025, and tied for the 13th highest of 133 counties in Virginia.

Unemployment rate4.9%August 2026, provisionalUp 0.3 percentage points from August 2025Tied for the 13th highest of 133 counties in Virginia
Median household income$52,9432024Up 4.3% from 2023The 19th lowest of 133 counties in Virginia
Poverty rate (US official measure)19.5%2024Up 1.3 percentage points from 2023The 19th highest of 133 counties in Virginia
Gini index41.82024Up 0.1 points from 2023
234562021-072022-042023-012023-102024-072025-042026-082021-07: 5.9 %2021-08: 5 %2021-09: 4.3 %2021-10: 3.9 %2021-11: 2.6 %2021-12: 3.1 %2022-01: 3.5 %2022-02: 3.3 %2022-03: 3.1 %2022-04: 3 %2022-05: 3.5 %2022-06: 4 %2022-07: 4 %2022-08: 4.4 %2022-09: 3.5 %2022-10: 3.5 %2022-11: 3.7 %2022-12: 3.2 %2023-01: 4 %2023-02: 3.5 %2023-03: 3.4 %2023-04: 3.1 %2023-05: 3.6 %2023-06: 3.9 %2023-07: 3.9 %2023-08: 4.1 %2023-09: 3.7 %2023-10: 3.6 %2023-11: 3.4 %2023-12: 3 %2024-01: 3.6 %2024-02: 3.6 %2024-03: 3.4 %2024-04: 3.2 %2024-05: 3.8 %2024-06: 4.4 %2024-07: 4.7 %2024-08: 4.5 %2024-09: 4 %2024-10: 4 %2024-11: 4.1 %2024-12: 3.6 %2025-01: 4.7 %2025-02: 4.6 %2025-03: 4.4 %2025-04: 3.9 %2025-05: 4.2 %2025-06: 4.5 %2025-07: 4.8 %2025-08: 4.6 %2025-09: 4.1 %2025-11: 4.8 %2025-12: 4.3 %2026-01: 4.8 %2026-02: 4.9 %2026-03: 4.7 %2026-04: 4.3 %2026-05: 4.5 %2026-06: 5 %2026-07: 5.1 %2026-08: 4.9 %
Unemployment rate, July 2021 to August 2026. %. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics: unemployment rate by county, not seasonally adjusted.

Sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics: unemployment rate by county, not seasonally adjusted; U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B19013: median household income in the past 12 months; U.S. Census Bureau, Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE): percent of people of all ages in poverty, states and counties; U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B19083: Gini index of household income inequality (coefficient multiplied by 100). Labor market statistics and rankings

Prices and housing

Median home value in Wise County was $118,600 in 2024, up 1.8% from 2023, and the 8th lowest of 133 counties in Virginia.

Median home value$118,6002024Up 1.8% from 2023The 8th lowest of 133 counties in Virginia
County house price annual change, sales and refinances-1.27%2025Down 4.18 percentage points from 2024The 7th lowest of 123 counties in Virginia
Median gross rent (monthly)$7902024Up 2.6% from 2023Tied for the 21st lowest of 133 counties in Virginia
Homeownership rate (US, housing units)74.2%2024Up 0.1 percentage points from 2023
Housing units authorized by building permits452025, estimatedUp 181.3% from 2024
90K95K100K105K110K115K120K20212022202320242021: 94,800 USD2022: 108,000 USD2023: 116,500 USD2024: 118,600 USD
Median home value, 2021 to 2024. USD. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B25077: median value (dollars), owner-occupied housing units.

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B25077: median value (dollars), owner-occupied housing units; Federal Housing Finance Agency, FHFA developmental all-transactions county house prices, published annual percent change, nominal, not seasonally adjusted; U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B25064: median gross rent (dollars), renter-occupied housing units paying cash rent; U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B25003: owner-occupied housing units as a percentage of occupied housing units, calculated with stored inputs; U.S. Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey: final annual county estimates of new privately owned housing units authorized, including imputation. Housing statistics and rankings

Business and tourism

Employer firms in Wise County were 447 in 2023, down 0.7% from 2022, and the 66th lowest of 133 counties in Virginia.

Employer firms4472023Down 0.7% from 2022The 66th lowest of 133 counties in Virginia
Establishment entry rate7.046%2023Down 1.01 percentage points from 2022The 11th lowest of 131 counties in Virginia
Establishment exit rate6.865%2023Down 2.8 percentage points from 2022The 25th lowest of 133 counties in Virginia
Job creation rate8.986%2023Down 3.71 percentage points from 2022
Farms1202022No 2021 figure to compare
40050060070080019992003200720112015201920231999: 717 count2000: 716 count2001: 703 count2002: 702 count2003: 708 count2004: 700 count2005: 688 count2006: 674 count2007: 652 count2008: 644 count2009: 635 count2010: 625 count2011: 624 count2012: 612 count2013: 582 count2014: 565 count2015: 563 count2016: 548 count2017: 525 count2018: 505 count2019: 493 count2020: 476 count2021: 459 count2022: 450 count2023: 447 count
Employer firms, 1999 to 2023. count. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Business Dynamics Statistics: employer firms, all covered industries, nation, states and counties.

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, Business Dynamics Statistics: employer firms, all covered industries, nation, states and counties; U.S. Census Bureau, Business Dynamics Statistics: establishment entry rate, all covered industries, nation and states from 1978, counties from 2010; U.S. Census Bureau, Business Dynamics Statistics: establishment exit rate, all covered industries, nation and states from 1978, counties from 2010; U.S. Census Bureau, Business Dynamics Statistics: job creation rate, all covered industries, nation and states from 1978, counties from 2010; U.S. Department of Agriculture, National Agricultural Statistics Service, Census of Agriculture: number of farms, nation, states and counties (1997 to 2022). Companies statistics and rankings

Sources and citations

Each figure comes from the table cited here. Cite the publisher; these citations include any notice the publisher requires.

  1. U.S. Census Bureau. Annual estimates of the resident population for the United States, states and counties, 1 July (Population Estimates Program). https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/popest/datasets/2020-2025/. Retrieved 2026-10-08.
  2. U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B01002: median age, total population. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2024-b01002.dat. Retrieved 2026-10-08.
  3. U.S. Census Bureau. Population Estimates Program, county population by age and sex (cc-est agesex): residents aged 65 and over as a percentage of the total, 1 July; states and the nation summed from counties. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/popest/datasets/2020-2025/counties/asrh/cc-est2025-agesex-all.csv. Retrieved 2026-10-09.
  4. U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B05002: foreign-born population as a percentage of the total population, calculated with stored inputs. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2024-b05002.dat. Retrieved 2026-10-09.
  5. U.S. Census Bureau. Population Estimates Program resident population on 1 July divided by land area from the latest Census Gazetteer files, persons per km². https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/popest/datasets/2020-2025/. Retrieved 2026-10-09.
  6. U.S. Census Bureau. Population Estimates Program: net domestic migration, states and counties, July 1 of the previous year to June 30 of the reported year; vintage 2020 files for 2011 to 2020 and the latest 2020s vintage from 2021. https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/popest/data/data-sets.html. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
  7. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Local Area Unemployment Statistics: unemployment rate by county, not seasonally adjusted. https://download.bls.gov/pub/time.series/la/la.data.0.CurrentU25-29. Retrieved 2026-10-08.
  8. U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B19013: median household income in the past 12 months. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2024-b19013.dat. Retrieved 2026-10-08.
  9. U.S. Census Bureau. Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE): percent of people of all ages in poverty, states and counties. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/saipe/datasets/2024/2024-state-and-county/est24all.txt. Retrieved 2026-10-08.
  10. U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B19083: Gini index of household income inequality (coefficient multiplied by 100). https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2024-b19083.dat. Retrieved 2026-10-10.
  11. U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B25077: median value (dollars), owner-occupied housing units. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2024-b25077.dat. Retrieved 2026-10-09.
  12. Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA). FHFA developmental all-transactions county house prices, published annual percent change, nominal, not seasonally adjusted. https://www.fhfa.gov/hpi/download/annual/hpi_at_county.xlsx. Retrieved 2026-10-10.
  13. U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B25064: median gross rent (dollars), renter-occupied housing units paying cash rent. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2024-b25064.dat. Retrieved 2026-10-09.
  14. U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B25003: owner-occupied housing units as a percentage of occupied housing units, calculated with stored inputs. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2024/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2024-b25003.dat. Retrieved 2026-10-09.
  15. U.S. Census Bureau. Building Permits Survey: final annual county estimates of new privately owned housing units authorized, including imputation. https://www2.census.gov/econ/bps/County/co2025a.txt. Retrieved 2026-10-10.
  16. U.S. Census Bureau. Business Dynamics Statistics: employer firms, all covered industries, nation, states and counties. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/bds/tables/time-series/2023/bds2023_st_cty.csv. Retrieved 2026-10-11.
  17. U.S. Census Bureau. Business Dynamics Statistics: establishment entry rate, all covered industries, nation and states from 1978, counties from 2010. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/bds/tables/time-series/2023/bds2023_st_cty.csv. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
  18. U.S. Census Bureau. Business Dynamics Statistics: establishment exit rate, all covered industries, nation and states from 1978, counties from 2010. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/bds/tables/time-series/2023/bds2023_st_cty.csv. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
  19. U.S. Census Bureau. Business Dynamics Statistics: job creation rate, all covered industries, nation and states from 1978, counties from 2010. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/bds/tables/time-series/2023/bds2023_st_cty.csv. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
  20. Source: USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service, Census of Agriculture. Census of Agriculture: number of farms, nation, states and counties (1997 to 2022). Retrieved through Data Commons (datacommons.org). https://www.nass.usda.gov/AgCensus/. Retrieved 2026-10-11. Retrieved through Data Commons (https://datacommons.org).

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