RANK #74 / 1001 NAT · #5 / 51 NC · POP 79,290
1YR FORECAST: +2.7%
5YR OUTLOOK: +4%
Wilson County, North Carolina, is known for the Vollis Simpson Whirligig Park, an outdoor art installation featuring large, kinetic sculptures made from salvaged metal that spin in the wind. Located in the Coastal Plain region, the county seat, Wilson, is approximately 40 miles east of Raleigh, a commute that typically takes under an hour. The community offers a blend of small-town Southern living with access to larger city amenities. Outdoor recreation includes numerous parks, walking trails, and opportunities for boating and fishing at places like Buckhorn Reservoir and Lake Wilson.
Life in Wilson County often appeals to families seeking a more relaxed pace. The public schools in Wilson County are highly rated, and the county offers a world-class broadband system. The economy, historically rooted in agriculture and once known for its tobacco market, has diversified to include manufacturing, commercial, and service businesses. Recent economic developments include significant investments from healthcare companies like Johnson & Johnson, which is building multiple manufacturing facilities and creating hundreds of new jobs. Other companies, such as IDEXX and Schott Pharma, are also establishing a presence, contributing to job growth.
Wilson County's data profile doesn't fit any single market profile cleanly — its housing, labor, and demographic signals pull in different directions (home prices +0.9% YoY, population +0.8%, wages +0.7%). About 414 U.S. counties show this kind of mixed-signal pattern.
See all 414 Idiosyncratic Markets counties →Overvalued relative to economy
Well below national median
Below-average climate & terrain
Housing looks overvalued at 7.7x — home prices are high relative to local economic output. The typical U.S. county is 4–6x.
Estimated local headcount ranges. Larger employers shown as floor + "+"; smaller employers show exact counts where reported.
Bars show trailing 12-month growth. The dashed Forecast bars are the model's next-12-month projection; the whisker marks the ±1% range (cooling–accelerating).
Source: Redfin · Census BPS — Browse sales on Redfin →
Source: CDC/NCHS vital statistics via County Health Rankings (2020–2022 avg). Rates per 100,000 population. Grade based on homicide rate relative to national average (~6.3). Learn more →
Bars show percentile rank among all 1001 counties.
Wilson County ranks #74 out of 1001 U.S. counties on the Boom Town Index with a score of 93/100. The composite score reflects long-term strength — housing, income, and migration patterns — but near-term hiring is soft (employment is down 0.6% year-over-year). Median household income here is $56,423.
Housing in Wilson County is roughly in line with national affordability norms. The median home costs $186,000 and the income-to-home-value ratio sits at 0.30, with rents averaging $953/month. Not a bargain, but not a stretch for most local earners either.
Wilson County's population is growing — up +0.8% YoY — while the job market is roughly flat (employment change of -0.6%). Home values shifted +0.9% over the past year. In-migration is outpacing local hiring, which often points to remote workers or retirees driving the headcount.
In significant numbers — 5.62% of Wilson County's current population relocated from another state, well above the national norm. That level of in-migration usually signals a county where jobs, affordability, or quality of life are pulling people in from elsewhere.