Wilson, NC
Census place 3774540 · pop 48,370
Once a leading bright-leaf tobacco market, it is now famous for the whimsical Vollis Simpson Whirligig Park of folk-art wind machines.
Source ↗Sales & income are statewide.
The breakdown — worst first
U.S. median 14.6% · worse than most cities
18.6% of adults · Share of adults who currently smoke.
U.S. median 12.1% · worse than most cities
23.0% live in poverty · Share of residents living below the federal poverty line.
U.S. median 26.5% · worse than most cities
33.3% of adults · Adults with no leisure-time physical activity.
U.S. median 67.2% · worse than most cities
49.1% own their home · Share of occupied homes that are owner-occupied.
U.S. median 0.43 · worse than most cities
Gini 0.49 (0 = equal, 1 = unequal) · Gini index of household income (0 = equal, 1 = unequal).
U.S. median $67,857 · worse than most cities
$52,485 median household income · Median household income — a proxy for local economic health.
U.S. median 90.0% · worse than most cities
86.4% of homes have broadband · Share of households with a broadband internet subscription.
U.S. median +2.4% · worse than most cities
-1.8% population change (5yr) · 5-year population change — are people moving in, or fleeing?
U.S. median 9.3% · worse than most cities
14.4% of adults · Adults 18–64 without health insurance.
U.S. median 3.6% · worse than most cities
4.5% unemployment · Share of the labor force out of work. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median 36.5% · worse than most cities
39.5% of adults · Share of adults with obesity (BMI ≥ 30).
U.S. median 17.4% · worse than most cities
18.2% of adults · Adults reporting frequent poor mental health (14+ days a month).
U.S. median 24.3% · worse than most cities
24.5% have a bachelor's degree or higher · Share of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher.
U.S. median 0.99% · better than most cities
0.88% of home value paid in property tax · Median real-estate taxes paid as a share of home value.
U.S. median 77/100 · better than most cities
85/100 FEMA risk (higher = riskier) · FEMA National Risk Index — wildfire, flood, earthquake, heat and more. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median 24 min · better than most cities
21 min average one-way commute · Average one-way commute to work, in minutes.
U.S. median $214,900 · better than most cities
$210,700 median home value · Median home value — how expensive it is to buy in. Higher = less affordable.
U.S. median $1,756/mo · better than most cities
$1,476/mo typical rent · Typical monthly rent (Zillow Observed Rent Index, all home types).
Not measured for Wilson: Crime, Air, Bad air, Property crime. Not every public source covers every city — EPA air monitors and Zillow rent only reach some places, and national crime data is still being added.
Frequently asked
- Is Wilson, NC a good place to live?
- By the numbers, Wilson scores 37/100 — a D− (Rough) on Shcity, which ranks U.S. cities on public data across 18 metrics like crime, cost, jobs and health. Its strongest area is rent and its weakest is adult smoking. North Carolina overall ranks #16 of 50 states. Whether it's "good" depends on what you value — re-weight the factors to score it your way.
- Is Wilson, NC expensive to live in?
- Wilson has a median home value of $210,700 and typical rent around $1,476/mo — more affordable than most U.S. cities.
- What's the biggest downside of living in Wilson, NC?
- Its weakest measured area is adult smoking (18.6%) — 11/100, worse than most U.S. cities.
- What is Wilson, NC best at?
- Its strongest measured area is rent ($1,476/mo) — 70/100, better than most U.S. cities. Fun fact: Once a leading bright-leaf tobacco market, it is now famous for the whimsical Vollis Simpson Whirligig Park of folk-art wind machines.
Sources: U.S. Census (ACS), CDC PLACES, FBI Crime Data Explorer, BLS, EPA AirData, FEMA National Risk Index, and Zillow.