The Town FilesWingate, North Carolina
Town in Union County · population 4,055 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $229,800
- Household income
- $63,068
- Jan low / Jul high
- 30° / 91°
- Snow a year
- 2 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 16
- Median age
- 21.8
Wingate is a town of 4,055 people in Union County, North Carolina. The median home is worth $229,800, close to the typical North Carolina town ($228,900). It ranks better for first-time buyers than 95% of North Carolina towns, more of a college town than 85% of North Carolina towns.
How Wingate ranks
Percentile among North Carolina towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of North Carolina towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Wingate is worth $229,800, close to the typical North Carolina town ($228,900). Homes cost about 3.6 times the median household income of $63,068, which is more affordable than 57% of North Carolina towns. Median rent is $1,123 a month. 60.9% of households own their home.
| Housing | Wingate | Typical North Carolina town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $229,800 | $228,900 |
| Median rent | $1,123 | $969 |
| Median household income | $63,068 | $60,458 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.6× | 3.7× |
| Homeownership | 60.9% | 69.5% |
| Median year built | 1987 | 1984 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Wingate
| People | Wingate | Typical North Carolina town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 21.8 | 41.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 7.6% | 19.0% |
| Under 18 | 17.2% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 37.9% | 24.5% |
| Below the poverty line | 17.0% | 14.3% |
| Veterans | 1.4% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 15.2% | — |
| Work from home | 14.0% | 9.8% |
| Average commute | 23.3 min | 24.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 95.2% | 89.5% |
Weather in Wingate
July highs average 91.1°F and January lows 30.3°F. About 47.8 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 2.1 inches of snow (typical North Carolina town: 2.2 in). Expect about 55 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 69 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
16 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Wingate since 1950, compared with 13 for the typical North Carolina town. 7 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on May 5, 1989 about 9.7 miles from the town center and killed 1. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 1 deaths and 19 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on March 5, 2025.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 25 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on July 5, 1997.
Severe weather in Union County since 1996
Union County has been included in 21 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for drought, tornado, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| January 24, 2026 | Winter Storm | EM-3637: Severe Winter Storm |
| September 28, 2024 | Tropical Storm | DR-4827: Tropical Storm Helene |
| September 26, 2024 | Tropical Storm | EM-3617: Hurricane Helene |
| August 6, 2024 | Tropical Storm | EM-3608: Tropical Storm Debby |
| October 1, 2022 | Hurricane | EM-3586: Hurricane Ian |
Jobs and pay in Union County
Union County had 74,299 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $61,500 a year. Unemployment was 3% in 2023; in Wingate itself the ACS puts it at 5.7%.
Public schools in Wingate
2 public schools with 661 students, about 12.2 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wingate Elementary | PK-5 | 382 | 11.6 |
| Union Elementary | K-5 | 279 | 13.3 |
Towns near Wingate
- Marshville, NC4.4 mi · 2,522 people · home $172,300
- Monroe, NC6.5 mi · 34,562 people · home $309,100
- Unionville, NC7.4 mi · 6,643 people · home $336,200
- Fairview, NC12.4 mi · 3,456 people · home $382,300
- Lake Park, NC12.5 mi · 3,269 people · home $334,500
- Indian Trail, NC12.8 mi · 39,997 people · home $385,000
- Hemby Bridge, NC13.1 mi · 1,614 people · home $298,400
- Mineral Springs, NC13.8 mi · 3,159 people · home $389,900
Wingate questions
Is Wingate, North Carolina a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Wingate scores better for retirees than 19% of North Carolina towns and quieter than 18%. 7.6% of residents are 65 or older (median age 21.8).
How much does a house cost in Wingate?
The median owner-occupied home in Wingate is valued at $229,800 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $63,068, so homes cost about 3.6 times income. Median rent is $1,123 a month.
What is the weather like in Wingate?
July highs average 91.1°F and January lows 30.3°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 47.8 inches of precipitation a year and 2.1 inches of snow.
Does Wingate get tornadoes?
16 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Wingate since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F4 on May 5, 1989. The typical North Carolina town has had 13.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)