Wilkes, NC

Community Overview

Named one of America's Best Places to Live by Livability.com

Nestled within the picturesque Blue Ridge Mountains, Wilkes County is just 80 miles from Charlotte and 45 miles from Winston-Salem. The county is actually bordered on three sides by mountain ranges (Brushy Mountains, Blue Ridge Mountains and the Appalachian Mountain range). That mountain beauty is a fitting backdrop for MerleFest, one of the premiere traditional music festivals in the country. Wilkes boasts a burgeoning wine industry, history and heritage sites and recreational opportunities that draw folks interested in mountain biking, birding and canoeing.

Population
County Population: 67,000 Wilkes
City Population: 3,171 Wilkesboro

Detailed Demographics Infomation

Climate
July High Temperature: 89 degrees F
January Low Temperature: 24 degrees F

Wilkes County enjoys a temperate year-round climate, with an average annual temperature of 56° F. However, the county’s climate varies due to the wide elevation ranges present. Wilkes County averages just 10 inches of snowfall a year, most of which melts away by midday.

Schools
Wilkes County School System consists of 22 schools, serving more than 10,000 students. Facilities include 13 elementary schools, four new middle schools, four high schools, and a career education center. All schools are accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. Wilkes Community College, a member of the North Carolina Community College System, is a public, two-year, open-door institution serving Wilkes, Ashe and Alleghany counties and beyond.

Education Statistics

Health Care
In addition to Wilkes Regional Medical Center, there are rural medical centers and the Wilkes County Health Department offering a variety of health services. Wilkes is committed to maintaining a high-standard quality of life required to attract and retain medical professionals such as general practitioners, specialists, dentists and mental health specialists.

Neighborhoods
From affordable house lots to exclusive gated resort communities and everywhere in between, there's a housing option in Wilkes County to meet everyone's needs. The area is home to a diverse and rapidly growing population, and developments such as the Timber Ridge gated community and other similar residential developments are turning Wilkes into a destination for retirees and second-home owners, a majority of whom represent upper education and income levels.

Average Home Prices and Rent Payments

Business Climate
Wilkes boasts a burgeoning wine industry, several textile and furniture factories and one of the largest poultry plants east of the Mississippi River in the Tyson Foods poultry processing plant. The home improvement store chain Lowe’s began in Wilkes, and its headquarters are still based in rural North Wilkesboro‚ N.C.

Workforce and Labor Statistcs

Culture
Residents of Wilkes enjoy a variety of culture, arts and entertainment opportunities. The city is host to MerleFest, one of the nation's biggest yearly Americana music festivals. The four-day-long festival, founded in 1988 in memory of Eddy Merle Watson as a fundraiser for Wilkes Community College, now attracts more than 85,000 participants.

Local Attractions

Additional Resources

	Places of Worship
	Government Office and Community Connections