Town guide

North Wilkesboro, North Carolina

North Wilkesboro is a town in Wilkes County, North Carolina, home to about 4,421 people across 6.6 square miles. It has no ZIP code of its own: it’s part of 28659.

Homes sold for a median of $158 per square foot in the three months ending August 2026, a balanced market.

Population4,421667 per sq mi
Median home value$212,700Census, as estimated by owners
Price per sq ft$158Sold homes, 3 months to August 2026
Sold over asking8%Latest 3 months

ZIP codes in North Wilkesboro

1 ZIP code, 1 shared with neighboring towns

Each card is that ZIP code’s whole market, including any part outside North Wilkesboro. Seller’s market: under 4 months of supply; buyer’s market: over 6. Methodology

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We’re writing up North Wilkesboro’s story and what everyday life there is like, for people thinking about moving in.

  • History
  • What it’s like to live there
  • Getting around
  • Things to do

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Around North Wilkesboro

Distances

Nearest major airportPiedmont Triad International Airport (GSO)67 miles away
Closer regional airportConcord-Padgett Regional Airport (USA)61 miles away
Nearest city of 250,000+Winston-Salem, NC49 miles away
Nearest city of 1 million+Philadelphia, PA419 miles away

Straight-line distances from the center of North Wilkesboro; driving is longer.

Source: Airports from OurAirports (scheduled passenger service); city centers and populations from the U.S. Census Bureau.

Who represents North Wilkesboro

Source: Members of Congress from the congress-legislators project; districts from the Census Bureau’s relationship files; governor and mayor from Wikidata.

Population over time

North Wilkesboro had 4,382 residents in the 2020 census, up 6% since 2000.

It’s the 193rd largest of 771 towns in North Carolina by population.

Wilkes County grew from 26,872 residents in 1900 to 65,969 in 2020.

North Wilkesboro population by census2000: 4,116, 2010: 4,245, 2020: 4,3824,11620004,24520104,3822020

Wilkes County, 1900–2020

Wilkes County population, 1900 to 20201900: 26,872, 1910: 30,282, 1920: 32,644, 1930: 36,162, 1940: 43,003, 1950: 45,243, 1960: 45,269, 1970: 49,524, 1980: 58,657, 1990: 59,393, 2000: 65,632, 2010: 69,340, 2020: 65,96927K’00’1033K’20’3043K’40’5045K’60’7059K’80’9066K’00’1066K’20

Source: U.S. Census Bureau decennial censuses (counties 1900–1990 from the Bureau’s historical county file).

Weather by month

Average highs peak around 87°F in summer, and winter lows average 27°F. About 51.8 inches of rain and melted snow fall in a typical year, with about 6 inches of snow.

Average high and low temperature and precipitation by month near North WilkesboroJan: high 48°F, low 27°F, 4.4 in; Feb: high 52°F, low 29°F, 3.3 in; Mar: high 60°F, low 36°F, 4.4 in; Apr: high 70°F, low 44°F, 4.7 in; May: high 77°F, low 53°F, 4.5 in; Jun: high 84°F, low 62°F, 4.9 in; Jul: high 87°F, low 66°F, 4.5 in; Aug: high 85°F, low 65°F, 5.1 in; Sep: high 79°F, low 58°F, 4.3 in; Oct: high 71°F, low 46°F, 3.8 in; Nov: high 60°F, low 35°F, 3.5 in; Dec: high 51°F, low 30°F, 4.4 in48°27°Jan4.452°29°Feb3.360°36°Mar4.470°44°Apr4.777°53°May4.584°62°Jun4.987°66°Jul4.585°65°Aug5.179°58°Sep4.371°46°Oct3.860°35°Nov3.551°30°Dec4.4Rain and melted snow, inches

Source: NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals, N Wilkesboro, NC weather station (3 miles away).

Jobs in Wilkes County

19,772 jobs at 1,157 businesses in Wilkes County. The biggest industries by employees:

Largest industries in Wilkes CountyManufacturing: 5,084 jobs; Retail trade: 2,720 jobs; Health care and social assistance: 2,710 jobs; Company headquarters: 2,682 jobs; Hotels and restaurants: 1,890 jobs; Construction: 701 jobs; Administrative and support: 697 jobs; Other services: 617 jobsManufacturing 26% Retail trade 14% Health care and social assistance 14% Company headquarters 14% Hotels and restaurants 10% Construction 4% Administrative and support 4% Other services 3%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau County Business Patterns 2023 (private employers; jobs counted where people work).

Health care

335 doctors and other health care providers list an office in North Wilkesboro.

Nearest hospitals

  • Wilkes Regional Medical CenterGeneral hospital · emergency room · CMS rating 3 of 5 · North Wilkesboro3.4 miles
  • Hugh Chatham Memorial HospitalGeneral hospital · emergency room · CMS rating 3 of 5 · Elkin16.7 miles
  • Alleghany Memorial HospitalCritical access hospital · emergency room · Sparta21.2 miles

Providers with an office here

Primary care doctors23
Specialist doctors62
Dentists22
Nurse practitioners and physician assistants83
Mental health providers113
Physical and occupational therapists24
Optometrists7
Chiropractors1
Pharmacies10

Source: Hospitals from CMS Hospital General Information (ratings are CMS overall star ratings); straight-line distances; providers from the CMS National Plan and Provider Enumeration System (NPPES), by practice address and primary specialty.

Places in and around North Wilkesboro

Grocery stores (3 nearby)

  • Lowes Foods1.4 mi
  • Village Market1.7 mi
  • Food Lion1.9 mi

Pharmacies (2 nearby)

  • CVS Pharmacy1.3 mi
  • Blue Ridge Pharmacy1.9 mi

Libraries

  • Wilkes County Public Library3.1 mi

Museums

  • Wilkes Heritage Museum3.9 mi

Theaters and performance venues

  • Wilkes Art Gallery2.2 mi
  • Walker Center5.5 mi
  • Watson Stage5.6 mi
  • Creekside Stage5.6 mi

Counts are within about 2 miles of the center of town.

Source: Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors (openstreetmap.org/copyright), as mapped by volunteers; it can miss places or include closed ones.

Colleges, teams and notable people

Established in 1891.

Notable people born here

  • Zach Galifianakis (1969) · American actor and comedian (born 1969)
  • Robert Byrd (1917) · American politician (1917–2010)
  • Oliver (1945) · American singer (1945–2000)

Source: Wikidata (wikidata.org), the free knowledge base; people are listed by place of birth.

Schools in North Wilkesboro

Public schools here are run by Wilkes County Schools. Check each district’s attendance zones for a specific address.

Public schools (4)
SchoolGradesStudentsTypeDistance
C C Wright Elementary SchoolNorth WilkesboroPre-K–5316Public4.6 mi
Mulberry Elementary SchoolNorth WilkesboroPre-K–5419Public3.8 mi
North Wilkesboro Elementary SchoolNorth WilkesboroPre-K–5329Public1.7 mi
North Wilkes Middle SchoolNorth Wilkesboro6–8484Public4.3 mi

Source: U.S. Department of Education, NCES: Common Core of Data (2024-2025) for public schools. Listed by address; we don’t rate schools.

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Where North Wilkesboro is

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Towns near North Wilkesboro

All North Carolina towns →

Shares ZIP codes with Cricket, Mulberry and Fairplains.

Town boundaries don’t always match ZIP codes: a ZIP code can cross into neighboring towns, and a town can share a ZIP code with its neighbors. Facts describe the town itself; market figures describe whole ZIP codes.