Living in Wilson, NC
Small city in North Carolina
Wilson is a small city in North Carolina, home to about 48,000 people, with 281,000 living within 31 mi. Day to day, most trips are by car. Life moves at a slow, calm pace, and homes are a mix of apartments and houses.
Is Wilson a good place to live? Pros and cons
👍 Pros
- Affordable housing: a typical 3-bedroom home is about $224k and rents for $1,310 a month
- Low natural disaster risk: 8 federally declared disasters since 2000
- Strong healthcare: 2 top-rated (4–5★) hospitals within 31 mi
- Easy flying: RDU is 49 mi away
👎 Cons
- Fewer graduates: 23% of adults have a bachelor's degree or higher
- Smaller job market: about 281,000 people live within 31 mi
- Quieter on culture: few museums and attractions nearby
- Fewer outdoor escapes: no big hills or water close by
Whether it's a good place for you depends on what you value. Take the quiz to see how Wilson ranks against your own priorities.
Key facts
Living in Wilson: common questions
What is the cost of living in Wilson?
A typical 3-bedroom home is worth about $224k, and a 3-bedroom rents for about $1,310 a month including utilities. Overall living costs are below the US average (index 88, where the US is 100).
What are taxes like in Wilson?
North Carolina collects about $1,615 in state income tax per resident, and homeowners here pay about 0.98% of their home's value in property tax each year.
Is Wilson safe?
Violent crime is somewhat above the national rate (1.2× in FBI 2019 data).
What is the weather like in Wilson?
Wilson has mild winters: winter days average around 54°F and summer days around 88°F.
Does Wilson get natural disasters?
Natural disaster risk is low, mainly from flooding and hurricanes: 8 federally declared disasters have hit the county since 2000, and FEMA expects about 0.61 deaths or injuries per 100,000 residents a year.
What is the nearest major airport to Wilson?
The nearest major airport is RDU, about 49 mi away.
How Wilson scores
Each bar compares Wilson with the other 1143 places in Best Life Fit Me. A dot shows where it sits between two ends, such as major metro and small town; neither end is better. Coloured bars run from poor (red) to excellent (green).
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Is Wilson right for you?
Answer 27 quick questions and see how it ranks against your priorities.