HomeNorth CarolinaWilson County
Wilson County, North Carolina: commercial real estate data.
Wilson County, North Carolina had an estimated 79,958 residents on July 1, 2024, up 0.9 percent since the 2020 census base of 79,269, across 368 square miles. County output reached $5.17 bn in 2024, 1,818 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 42 7(a) approvals worth $29.1 m since FY2020.
Underlined figures are computed by MMCG Analytics, not published by the agency.
Wilson County
How many people live in Wilson County
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202479,290
- Households33,068
- Average household size2.40
- Median household income$56,423
- Median age40.6
- Median gross rent$953 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$186,000
- Home value to household income3.3 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income20.3 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher21.7 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree8.2 percent
- Adults 25 and over54,277
- Population under 1818,060
- Share under 1822.8 percent
- Population 65 and over15,296
- Share 65 and over19.3 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 6445,934
- Civilian labor force36,364
- Unemployment rate5.6 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over59.4 percent
- Rank by population among North Carolina counties36th of 100
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents, Puerto Rico included734th of 3,222
Wilson County is the 36th largest of 100 North Carolina counties by population. A median home costs 3.3 times median household income, which is moderately unaffordable by national standards. Residents under 18 outnumber those 65 and over, at 22.8 percent against 19.3 percent, a household formation profile rather than a retirement one.
US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Wilson County
Is Wilson County's population growing?
- Population, July 1, 202479,958
- Census 2020 base population79,269
- Population change since the 2020 census base0.87 percent
- Population change, 2023 to 2024352
- Births, 2024902
- Deaths, 20241,030
- Natural change, 2024-128
- Net domestic migration, 2024297
- Net international migration, 2024183
- Total net migration, 2024480
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 20241,104
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents1525th of 3,144
The county has grown 0.87 percent since the 2020 census base. Deaths exceeded births in 2024 and the population still grew, so all of the growth came from people moving in. A market held up by migration is more sensitive to a change in relative cost than one growing from household formation.
US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
Wilson County
Where are people moving to Wilson County from?
- Tax returns filed by households arriving1,944
- People arriving, from those returns3,632
- Tax returns filed by households leaving1,781
- Net household movement163
- Adjusted gross income arriving$92.3 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$858,000
- Average income of an arriving household$47,465
- Average income of a leaving household$51,327
- Largest single originWake County (312 households)
- Largest single destinationNash County (273 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wake County | 312 | 585 | $16.0 m |
| Nash County | 271 | 540 | $12.8 m |
| Johnston County | 166 | 363 | $8.8 m |
| Wayne County | 102 | 166 | $4.6 m |
| Pitt County | 99 | 162 | $3.5 m |
| Edgecombe County | 77 | 154 | $2.3 m |
| Durham County | 29 | 59 | $1.3 m |
| Franklin County | 26 | 48 | $1.2 m |
Households arriving report $3,862 less average income than households leaving, which drains spending power even where headcount holds up. The largest single source of arrivals is Wake County, which is the catchment a retail or multifamily study should look at first.
US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Wilson County
What is the Wilson County economy?
- County GDP, 2024$5.17 bn
- County GDP, 2023$4.93 bn
- GDP change, 2023 to 20244.7 percent
- GDP change over five years27.1 percent
- Rank by GDP among the North Carolina areas BEA publishes29th of 100
- Rank by GDP among the US county areas BEA publishes703rd of 3,127
- GDP per resident$65,156
Output grew 4.7 percent in the latest year and 27.1 percent over five, which is the trend line a lender will read behind any single year figure.
US Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional, table CAGDP2, CAGDP2, through 2024.
Wilson County
Employment by industry in Wilson County
- Covered employment, annual average35,117
- Establishments reporting2,155
- Average annual pay$54,643
- Average weekly wage$1,051
- Manufacturing, employment6,875
- Manufacturing, average annual pay$74,679
- Health care and social assistance, employment4,196
- Health care and social assistance, average annual pay$48,096
- Retail trade, employment4,065
- Retail trade, average annual pay$35,719
- Accommodation and food services, employment3,247
- Accommodation and food services, average annual pay$21,153
- Construction, employment3,156
- Administrative and support and waste management services, employment1,553
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 6,875 | 81 | $74,679 |
| Health care and social assistance | 4,196 | 238 | $48,096 |
| Retail trade | 4,065 | 315 | $35,719 |
| Accommodation and food services | 3,247 | 182 | $21,153 |
| Construction | 3,156 | 228 | $70,783 |
| Administrative and support and waste management services | 1,553 | 149 | $46,649 |
| Finance and insurance | 1,546 | 101 | $75,607 |
| Wholesale trade | 1,260 | 136 | $67,358 |
Manufacturing is the largest private sector at 6,875 jobs, 19.6 percent of covered employment.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Wilson County
How many businesses are in Wilson County?
- Establishments, all industries1,818
- Employment at those establishments32,253
- Annual payroll$1.63 bn
- Establishments per 1,000 residents22.9
These are counts of establishments physically operating in the county, not listings, so they are the supply side a feasibility study measures demand against. County Business Patterns counts private establishments with paid employees in March 2023, while the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages above counts every unemployment-insured employer, public ones included, as a 2024 annual average, so the two establishment and employment counts differ.
US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
Wilson County
Building permits in Wilson County
- Housing units authorized by permit, 2024580
- Declared construction value permitted$108.1 m
- Single family units authorized398
- Multifamily units authorized182
- Multifamily share of units31.4 percent
- Average declared value per unit$186,421
- Units authorized per 1,000 households17.5
Single-family homes are 68.6 percent of units authorized, so the pipeline is predominantly single-family.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
Wilson County
SBA loans in Wilson County (7(a) and 504)
- 7(a) approvals recorded42
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$29.1 m
- Average 7(a) approval$692,624
- Median 7(a) approval$463,300
- 10th percentile approval$50,000
- 90th percentile approval$1,705,240
- Largest single approval$3,714,600
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)598
- Jobs per approval14.2
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active27
- Distinct industries receiving approvals27
- Median 7(a) term120 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer33.3 percent
- Loans on real estate terms14
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter25
- Franchise loans9
- Franchise share of approvals21.4 percent
- Leading industry by approval countPlumbing, Heating, and Air-Conditioning Contractors (6)
- 504 approvals recorded7
- 504 gross approval dollars$7.5 m
- Average 504 approval$1,067,857
- Median 504 approval$1,158,000
- Distinct CDCs active2
- 504 jobs per approval7.9
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved7.4
- Most active CDCBusiness Expansion Funding Corporation (5)
- Combined SBA approval dollars, 7(a) FY2020 to FY2026 and 504 FY2010 to FY2026$36.6 m
The average approval of $692,624 sits well above the median of $463,300, pulled up by a few larger deals, so the median is the better guide to what a typical borrower here gets. 33.3 percent of approvals run on real estate terms of 240 months or more, so this is a market where SBA credit is buying buildings, not just funding operations.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30. US Small Business Administration, 504 FOIA release, FY2010 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Wilson County
SBA loan default and charge-off rates in Wilson County
Do SBA loans in Wilson County get paid back?
- Loans with a final outcome recorded4
- Paid in full4
- Charged off0
- Status: Paid in full4
- Status: Exempt from disclosure31
- Status: Cancelled6
- Status: Committed, not yet disbursed1
Only 4 loans have reached a final outcome, fewer than the 30 a charge-off rate needs, so no rate is published.
Compare against the national and state SBA charge-off rates, computed the same way over resolved loans only.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Wilson County
SBA lending by place in Wilson County
- Borrower cities with recorded lending7
- Wilson, approvals36
- Walstonburg, approvals1
- Black Creek, approvals1
- Lucama, approvals1
- Bailey, approvals1
- Stantonsburg, approvals1
| Borrower city | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| Wilson | 36 | $25,401,300 |
| Walstonburg | 1 | $1,212,000 |
| Black Creek | 1 | $734,000 |
| Lucama | 1 | $609,500 |
| Bailey | 1 | $568,400 |
| Stantonsburg | 1 | $540,000 |
| Fountain | 1 | $25,000 |
Wilson accounts for 36 approvals against 1 in Walstonburg. County level figures average over that gap, which is why a site decision is made at the submarket rather than the county.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Wilson County
How large is Wilson County?
- Land area368 sq mi
- Rank by land area among North Carolina counties71st of 100
- Width, east to west29.8 mi
- Height, north to south19.6 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary6
- Residents per square mile of land215
- Establishments per square mile4.94
US Census Bureau county boundary geometry, TIGER, adjacency computed from shared boundary vertices, TIGER county boundaries. US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year. US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
Wilson County
Flood risk in Wilson County
- Participation of the county's own NFIP community Wilson County, unincorporated areasParticipating, community 370370
- Communities in the county in the NFIP Community Status Book10
- Of those, participating in the NFIP10
- NFIP participation rate100.0 percent
- Best Community Rating System class in the county A lower CRS class is a larger flood insurance premium discount.Class 5
- Communities carrying a CRS class1
- Radon levels in Wilson County, EPA zone predicted average indoor radon screening level less than 2 pCi/LZone 3
The county's own community in the status book, unincorporated Wilson County (community 370370), participates in the National Flood Insurance Program and carries no Community Rating System class, so no CRS premium discount applies there. The EPA places Wilson County in radon zone 3, a predicted average indoor radon screening level less than 2 pCi/L. The zone is a screening prediction for the county and does not substitute for a test at an address. The best Community Rating System class among the county's communities is 5, which carries a flood insurance premium discount for policies written in that community. 100.0 percent of the county's listed communities participate in the National Flood Insurance Program, per Federal Emergency Management Agency, NFIP Community Status Book (OpenFEMA), as of 2026-09-26.
Federal Emergency Management Agency, NFIP Community Status Book (OpenFEMA), as of 2026-09-26. US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001.
Coverage
What this page does not hold.
Traffic counts, zoning and the flood zone at an address are not on this page; they resolve at the address in the platform. How this page was built →
Feasibility studies
When a Wilson County site needs a document a lender will accept.
The same data layer behind this page is the one the studies are written from. A study for a Wilson County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202479,290
- Households33,068
- Average household size2.40
- Median household income$56,423
- Median age40.6
Common questions
Wilson County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Wilson County, North Carolina?
The Census Bureau estimates 79,958 residents on July 1, 2024 (US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024). The American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimate is 79,290, in 33,068 households, ranking 36th of 100 North Carolina counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Wilson County's population growing?
The population has grown 0.87 percent since the 2020 census base of 79,269, to 79,958 on July 1, 2024. In 2024 there were 902 births against 1,030 deaths, with net migration of 480. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Wilson County?
$56,423. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $186,000, which is 3.3 times income, and median gross rent is $953 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are in Wilson County?
1,818 establishments, employing 32,253 people with an annual payroll of $1.63 bn. These are establishments physically operating in the county, not listings. Source: US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
What is employment by industry in Wilson County?
Manufacturing is the largest private sector at 6,875 jobs, 19.6 percent of covered employment. Covered employment averages 35,117 jobs at an average annual pay of $54,643, or $1,051 a week. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Wilson County?
42 7(a) approvals totaling $29.1 m since FY2020, across 27 lenders, with a median approval of $463,300, plus 7 504 approvals worth $7.5 m since FY2010. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
How many building permits were issued in Wilson County?
580 housing units were authorized by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $108.1 m. Multifamily was 31.4 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Wilson County?
Zone 3, a predicted average indoor radon screening level less than 2 pCi/L. Source: US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001.
Where do people moving to Wilson County come from?
The largest single origin is Wake County, with 312 households. Arriving households report an average income of $47,465 against $51,327 for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for Wilson County on this page?
No. Annual average daily traffic resolves in the platform rather than in this dataset, so no AADT figure is printed here. It is a gap we know about rather than a figure we estimated.
Is zoning published for Wilson County?
No. Nothing on this page presents parcel level zoning, and where a statutory framework applies it is marked as the statewide frame, to be confirmed locally.
Wilson County
Cities and places in Wilson.
9 Census places lie wholly or partly in Wilson County. All 9 carry enough published place level data for a page of their own and are linked.
| Place | Type | Population | SBA 7(a) approvals, projects in this county | Lies in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wilson | city | 48,370 | 36 | Wholly in this county |
| Kenly | town | 2,359 | None recorded | 4.0 percent here, 96.0 percent Johnston County |
| Sharpsburg | town | 1,605 | None recorded | 21.7 percent here, 58.0 percent Nash County, 20.3 percent Edgecombe County |
| Elm City | town | 1,292 | None recorded | 97.3 percent here, 2.7 percent Nash County |
| Lucama | town | 1,205 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| Stantonsburg | town | 958 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| Black Creek | town | 749 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| Sims | town | 522 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Saratoga | town | 291 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
A further 3 of the county's 42 SBA 7(a) approvals are to borrowers in cities that match no Census place in Wilson County, the largest being Walstonburg (1), Bailey (1), Fountain (1). Those are postal cities, unincorporated areas and cities outside the county, so no place row claims them; they are counted in the county total above.