The Town Files

Wise County, Virginia

35,448 people. The median home is worth $118,600 (typical Virginia town: $298,050) and the median household earns $52,943.

Towns in Wise County

Towns in Wise County

TownPeopleMedian homeIncomeMedian age
Big Stone Gap5,254$163,000$54,58141.0
Wise2,971$144,700$53,59636.5

People and housing

Wise CountyTypical Virginia town
Median home value$118,600$298,050
Median rent$790$1,254
Median household income$52,943$78,595
Median age41.839.8
Bachelor's degree or higher15.8%31.2%
Below the poverty line17.2%8.8%

Jobs and pay

10,969 jobs in 2024, average pay $46,985 a year.

Largest industries in Wise CountyRetail1,730 jobs · $30,855Health care & social assistan…1,459 jobs · $50,999Hotels & restaurants984 jobs · $19,533Administrative & support639 jobs · $32,504Professional & technical serv…340 jobs · $64,176Manufacturing320 jobs · $50,879
BLS QCEW 2024.
Unemployment rate in Wise County0%2%4%6%8%10%12%2000200420082012201620202023 4.2%
BLS LAUS via USDA ERS, annual averages.

Storms since 1996

NOAA recorded 370 storm events in Wise County from 1996 to 2026, with 1 deaths.

Storm events in Wise County by type since 1996Hail31Flood14Tornado2Blizzard1High Wind6Ice Storm6Heavy Snow103Flash Flood34Funnel Cloud2Winter Storm25
NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database.

Federal disaster declarations

Wise County has been included in 19 FEMA declarations since 1953.

DeclaredIncidentDeclaration
January 23, 2026Winter StormEM-3631: Severe Winter Storm
April 4, 2025Severe StormDR-4863: Severe Winter Storms And Flooding
October 1, 2024Tropical StormDR-4831: Tropical Storm Helene
September 29, 2024Tropical StormEM-3621: Post-Tropical Cyclone Helene
April 2, 2020BiologicalDR-4512: Covid-19 Pandemic
March 13, 2020BiologicalEM-3448: Covid-19
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024; BLS QCEW and LAUS; NOAA Storm Events; FEMA OpenFEMA (not endorsed by FEMA).