Small-town market profile · North Carolina
Wilson, NC area market data
How the Wilson area compares with other small-town markets for 56 business types: competitors, household spending, official counts and growth.
- Population, 2025
- 81,150
- +1.7% since 2020
- Households
- 33,068
- Median household income
- $56,423
- +28.6% vs. 2015–2019, before inflation
- Median home value
- $186,000
- Jobs located here
- 36,414
- Highest market score
- 78
- Pet grooming and boarding, #19 of 387 scored small-town markets
A site report maps the competitors on map listings around any address in the Wilson area by name and distance, and the households and spending within reach. Or open the report at the center of the Wilson area. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
Free10 actions over 3 days, no cardSurvey estimates 2020–2024 · population estimates 2025 · official business counts 2023 · map listings September 2026 · Data credits · How we measure
What this means
The Wilson area has an estimated 81,150 people and 33,068 households. Population estimates put the population change in the Wilson area from 2020 to 2025 at +1.7%, slower than the U.S. (+3.1%). Median household income in the Wilson area is $56,423, 30% below the U.S. median of $80,734. Against the 2015–2019 survey, the median rose 28.6%, before inflation.
Relative to the U.S., household spending in the Wilson area runs highest on vehicle insurance (an index of 129, where 100 is the U.S. average) and lowest on memberships, classes and admissions (57).
Of the business types scored in the Wilson area, pet grooming and boarding businesses (78); pet businesses (75); and lawn care, cleaning and pest control companies (68) have the highest Groundwork market scores. For pet grooming and boarding businesses, that ranks #19 of 387 scored small-town markets.
The Wilson area is made up of one county, Wilson County. Against the U.S., map listings per household run highest for tire shops (twice the U.S. rate) and lowest for gyms (61% below the U.S. rate).
All 56 business types in the Wilson area
Highest Groundwork market score first. Each score compares the Wilson area with other small-town markets for that business type, from 0 to 100. Spending per listing divides a whole spending line (all vehicle repairs, all eating out) by one type’s listings: the demand for each competitor, not a business’s revenue. Compare it across markets with its index, where 100 is the U.S. figure for the same type; the real estate types, whose line is all housing costs, show the index only. How the score works.
| Business type | Score | Rank among small-town markets | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Spending per listing vs. U.S. (100) | Official establishments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pet grooming and boarding | 78 | #19 of 387 | 7 | 2.1 | $3.6M | 140 | 3 |
| Pet businesses | 75 | #29 of 527 | 25 | 7.6 | $1M | 114 | 8 |
| Lawn, cleaning and pest control | 68 | #70 of 481 | 14 | 4.2 | $3.1M | 183 | 49 |
| Insurance agencies | 66 | #132 of 537 | 42 | 12.7 | $2M | 159 | 38 |
| Gyms | 65 | #86 of 506 | 10 | 3.0 | $1.9M | 142 | 7 |
| Landscaping and lawn care | 65 | #87 of 399 | 7 | 2.1 | $6.1M | 209 | 40 |
| Bakeries and dessert shops | 65 | #98 of 507 | 20 | 6.0 | $5.3M | 129 | 8 |
| Physical therapy | 64 | #98 of 400 | 7 | 2.1 | $4.6M | 191 | 10 |
| Coffee shops and cafes | 64 | #112 of 529 | 24 | 7.3 | $4.4M | 120 | 8 |
| Veterinarians | 63 | #107 of 398 | 13 | 3.9 | $1.9M | 71 | 5 |
| Dentists and orthodontists | 63 | #141 of 526 | 18 | 5.4 | $1.8M | 182 | 18 |
| Optometrists and eye care | 62 | #107 of 400 | 7 | 2.1 | $4.6M | 147 | Under 3 |
| Gas stations | 62 | #149 of 536 | 54 | 16.3 | $1.8M | 76 | 37 |
| Chiropractors | 60 | #134 of 426 | 10 | 3.0 | $3.2M | 135 | 9 |
| Electricians | 59 | #91 of 295 | 7 | 2.1 | $11.8M | 99 | 24 |
| Property management | 57 | #62 of 180 | 6 | 1.8 | Index only | 135 | 13 |
| Funeral homes | 56 | #142 of 365 | 12 | 3.6 | $377K | 56 | 5 |
| Real estate agents and brokers | 55 | #185 of 533 | 40 | 12.1 | Index only | 206 | 31 |
| Restaurants and cafes | 54 | #220 of 538 | 277 | 83.8 | $385K | 104 | 133 |
| Gyms, studios and classes | 54 | #222 of 535 | 27 | 8.2 | $687K | 104 | 10 |
| Doctors, dentists and clinics | 54 | #236 of 538 | 174 | 52.6 | $185K | 121 | 66 |
| Primary care and pediatrics | 52 | #221 of 458 | 18 | 5.4 | $1.8M | 100 | 29 |
| Real estate | 50 | #267 of 536 | 59 | 17.8 | Index only | 175 | 50 |
| Sit-down restaurants | 49 | #272 of 538 | 159 | 48.1 | $670K | 101 | 54 |
| Clothing and shoe stores | 49 | #284 of 536 | 43 | 13.0 | $1.3M | 100 | 19 |
| Pizza | 48 | #272 of 520 | 23 | 7.0 | $4.6M | 91 | 67 |
| Auto repair shops | 46 | #323 of 538 | 71 | 21.5 | $418K | 94 | 42 |
| Martial arts and dance studios | 45 | #232 of 378 | 14 | 4.2 | $1.3M | 66 | 3 |
| Spas and skin care | 45 | #312 of 504 | 23 | 7.0 | $1.1M | 128 | Under 3 |
| Child care and preschools | 44 | #281 of 454 | 18 | 5.4 | $647K | 65 | 19 |
| HVAC and plumbing | 42 | #310 of 476 | 20 | 6.0 | $4.1M | 87 | 41 |
| Clothing, shoes and laundry | 41 | #349 of 536 | 62 | 18.7 | $878K | 100 | 31 |
| Car washes and detailing | 40 | #305 of 441 | 16 | 4.8 | $1.9M | 74 | Under 3 |
| Home repair trades | 39 | #390 of 526 | 43 | 13.0 | $1.9M | 79 | 72 |
| Mortgage brokers and lenders | 38 | #130 of 177 | 13 | 3.9 | Index only | 88 | Under 3 |
| Collision repair and body shops | 38 | #285 of 387 | 13 | 3.9 | $2.3M | 74 | 12 |
| Auto repair and car care | 38 | #395 of 538 | 133 | 40.2 | $223K | 83 | 62 |
| Roofing and gutters | 37 | #218 of 288 | 16 | 4.8 | $5.2M | 61 | 7 |
| Hair salons | 37 | #419 of 538 | 80 | 24.2 | $321K | 75 | 11 |
| Nail salons | 35 | #303 of 387 | 25 | 7.6 | $1M | 62 | 5 |
| Grocery stores | 34 | #399 of 506 | 26 | 7.9 | $7M | 75 | 21 |
| Fast food and sandwich shops | 34 | #417 of 537 | 51 | 15.4 | $2.1M | 69 | 67 |
| Salons, barbers and spas | 34 | #456 of 538 | 150 | 45.4 | $171K | 81 | 19 |
| Barbershops | 29 | #312 of 377 | 21 | 6.4 | $1.2M | 65 | Under 3 |
| Convenience stores | 28 | #453 of 529 | 49 | 14.8 | $3.7M | 47 | 18 |
| Grocery and convenience stores | 28 | #465 of 538 | 91 | 27.5 | $2M | 59 | 39 |
| Tire shops | 23 | #385 of 431 | 25 | 7.6 | $1.2M | 47 | 13 |
| Dry cleaners | Not scored | Not scored | 5 | 1.5 | $10.9M | 69 | 7 |
| House cleaning | Not scored | Not scored | 4 | 1.2 | $10.7M | 168 | 5 |
| Laundromats | Not scored | Not scored | 4 | 1.2 | $13.6M | 109 | 5 |
| Oil change and quick lube | Not scored | Not scored | 3 | 0.9 | $9.9M | 72 | 5 |
| Pest control | Not scored | Not scored | 3 | 0.9 | $14.3M | 140 | 4 |
| Yoga, Pilates and fitness studios | Not scored | Not scored | 3 | 0.9 | $6.2M | 152 | 7 |
| Pet stores | Not scored | Not scored | 1 | 0.3 | $25M | Too few | Under 3 |
| Home inspectors | Not scored | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | None listed | None listed | Under 3 |
| Urgent care and walk-in clinics | Not scored | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | None listed | None listed | Under 3 |
Household spending in the Wilson area
What households here spend in a year on each line, in total and per household, with the index against the U.S. average (100).
| Spending line | A year, all households | Per household | Index vs. U.S. (100) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vehicle maintenance and repairs | $29.7M | $898 | 94 |
| Gasoline and other fuels | $97.6M | $2,951 | 114 |
| Food away from home | $106.6M | $3,224 | 79 |
| Groceries | $182.1M | $5,506 | 87 |
| Personal care products and services | $25.7M | $777 | 77 |
| Child care and other personal services | $11.6M | $352 | 61 |
| Memberships, classes and admissions | $18.5M | $561 | 57 |
| Medical and dental services | $32.2M | $974 | 76 |
| Pets | $25M | $756 | 83 |
| Clothing, shoes and related services | $54.5M | $1,647 | 80 |
| Vehicle insurance | $83.6M | $2,529 | 129 |
| Home repairs, maintenance and insurance | $82.9M | $2,508 | 83 |
| Lawn care, cleaning and other household services | $42.9M | $1,298 | 92 |
| Rent and homeowner costs | $448.5M | $13,564 | 81 |
Household spending is estimated from the incomes of the households in each neighborhood, using what households at each income spent nationally in 2024, adjusted for the region. It counts what residents spend, wherever they spend it.
Population and households in the Wilson area
- Population, 2025 estimate
- 81,150+1.7% since 2020
- Households
- 33,068
- Median age
- 40.9
- Homes lived in by their owners
- 60%
- Vehicles per household
- 1.9
- Land area
- 368 sq. mi.
- People per square mile
- 216
- Median household income
- $56,423+28.6% vs. 2015–2019, before inflation
- Average household income
- $76,415
- Median home value
- $186,000
- Jobs located here
- 36,414
- Daytime population
- 81,523Residents who don’t work, plus everyone whose job is here
Looking at a specific site in the Wilson area?
These figures cover the whole small-town market. A site report draws rings around one address and counts what’s inside them: households, spending, jobs, and the competitors on map listings by name and distance, for any of the 56 business types.
Or open the report at the center of the Wilson area. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
Free10 actions over 3 days, no cardRelated markets
Counties in the Wilson area 1
- Wilson County, NC79,290 people
Other markets based in North Carolina 12
- Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC metro area2,768,407 people
- Raleigh-Cary, NC metro area1,487,302 people
- Greensboro-High Point, NC metro area786,419 people
- Winston-Salem, NC metro area689,766 people
- Durham-Chapel Hill, NC metro area601,724 people
- Wilmington, NC metro area453,347 people
- Asheville, NC metro area414,711 people
- Fayetteville, NC metro area392,380 people
- Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC metro area368,316 people
- Jacksonville, NC metro area207,906 people
- Greenville, NC metro area177,193 people
- Burlington, NC metro area176,893 people
Questions
How fast is the Wilson, NC area growing?
Population estimates put the Wilson area at 81,150 people in 2025, up 1.7% since 2020, slower than the U.S. (+3.1%). It has 33,068 households. Median household income rose 28.6% from the 2015–2019 survey, before inflation.
How much do households in the Wilson, NC area spend?
Households in the Wilson area spend about $448.5M a year on rent and homeowner costs, $182.1M on groceries and $106.6M on food away from home. Set against the U.S., households in the Wilson area spend the most on vehicle insurance (an index of 129, where 100 is the U.S. average) and the least on memberships, classes and admissions (57).
Which business types have the highest market scores in the Wilson, NC area?
The highest Groundwork market scores in the Wilson area are for pet grooming and boarding businesses (78); pet businesses (75); and lawn care, cleaning and pest control companies (68). The Wilson area ranks #19 of 387 scored small-town markets for pet grooming and boarding businesses.
How does the Wilson, NC area compare with the U.S.?
The median household income in the Wilson area is $56,423 a year, 30% below the U.S. median of $80,734. The population rose 1.7% from 2020 to 2025, against +3.1% for the U.S. The median home value is $186,000, against $332,700 for the U.S. For its number of households, the Wilson area has the most map listings, relative to the U.S., for tire shops (twice the U.S. rate) and the fewest for gyms (61% below the U.S. rate).
What is the Groundwork market score?
The Groundwork market score runs from 0 to 100 and compares a market with others of its kind for one business type: states with states, metro areas with metro areas, small-town markets and counties with their own. A small-town market is a town of 10,000 to 50,000 people and the county or counties tied to it by commuting. It weighs household spending per competitor (35%), households per business with payroll (25%), population growth (20%) and spending power (20%), each ranked against those peers. A higher score means that, taken together, the market has more household spending and more households for each business already there, faster population growth and more spending per household than similar markets. It describes a market, not any one site or deal. 47 of the 56 business types have a score in the Wilson area, each ranked against other small-town markets.
How can I see the market around a specific site?
Run a Groundwork site report on an address in the Wilson area. It maps the competitors on map listings near the site and sizes the households and spending within the distance you choose. New accounts get 10 actions over 3 days, no card.
All markets in North Carolina · Every U.S. market · How we measure
Screening a site or an acquisition in the Wilson area?
A site report maps the competitors on map listings near an address and sizes the households and spending around it.
The button opens the report at the center of the Wilson area. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.
Figures are estimates for research only. Not investment or real estate advice.