What is the largest city in Wise County, VA?

Big Stone Gap is the largest city or town in Wise County, with about 5,162 residents.

How many ZIP codes are in Wise County?

Wise County includes 8 ZIP Code Tabulation Areas, including 24216, 24219, 24230, 24246, 24273.

What is the population of Wise County, VA?

About 35,448 people live in Wise County, based on American Community Survey 5-year estimates.

What counties border Wise County?

Wise County borders Pike County, KY, Harlan County, KY, Russell County, Lee County, Scott County, Letcher County, KY, Dickenson County, Norton city.

Wise County, VA: Cities, ZIP Codes & Local Data

Population

35,448

Land area

403sq mi

People per sq mi

88

ZIP codes

8

Wise County at a glance

Wise County is 60% less dense than Virginia as a whole.
Households here earn a median of $52,943 a year, 43% less than the Virginia figure of $93,170.
A typical owner-occupied home is valued at $118,600 (69% below Virginia) and median rent is $790 a month.
The biggest population centers are Big Stone Gap (5,162), Wise (2,916) and Coeburn (1,639).

Local data for Wise County, VA

Counts from official public data

Housing and community stats

Wise County, VA, American Community Survey 2020-2024

Full profile

Median household income

$52,943

Poverty rate

17.2%

Median home value

$118,600

Prices -1.3% in a year

Median rent

$790/mo

Homeownership

74.2%

Bachelor's or higher

15.8%

Median age

41.8

Average commute

24.6 min

Largest reported origins and ancestries: Irish Americans (4,609), German Americans (2,918), Scottish Americans (704).

Home values and rents Income, education and commute

Economy and federal money

Jobs, income, federal spending and pandemic loans

Details

Unemployment rate

4.9%

Aug 2026, +0.3 pts in a year

Average annual pay

$48,431

10,958 jobs, 2025

Federal spending

$331M

FY 2026, $9,167 per person

PPP loans

$38.7M

670 loans, 6,132 jobs reported

Campaign donations

$65.63K

Itemized, 2026 cycle

Economy Federal spending PPP loans

How people get to work

Wise County, VA, workers 16 and older. American Community Survey 5-year estimates

Drove alone77.3%
Carpooled8.9%
Public transit0.2%
Walked2.3%
Bicycle0.0%
Taxi, ride-hailing, motorcycle or other0.6%
Worked from home10.7%

Average one-way commute: 24.6 minutes for people who do not work from home.

Environment and hazard risk

Wise County, VA, from FEMA, NOAA and EPA

Full report

Natural hazard risk

Relatively Low

Top: landslide

Storm events since 1996

370

Most often thunderstorm wind

Flood insurance policies

154

1.1% of homes, county

July high / Jan low

81° / 25°F

51.6 inches of rain a year

Hazards, floods and storm history Check a flood zone 14 historic places

Health statistics

Share of adults in Wise County, VA, CDC PLACES estimates

All 40 measures

Obesity

43.5%

U.S. 33.3% +10.2 pts

Diabetes

15.1%

U.S. 12.1% +3.0 pts

Smoking

19.4%

U.S. 12.8% +6.6 pts

Uninsured (18-64)

10.9%

U.S. 11.1% about the same

Cities, towns and ZIP codes in Wise County

Population shown

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Frequently asked questions

What is the largest city in Wise County, VA?: Big Stone Gap is the largest city or town in Wise County, with about 5,162 residents.
How many ZIP codes are in Wise County?: Wise County includes 8 ZIP Code Tabulation Areas, including 24216, 24219, 24230, 24246, 24273.
What is the population of Wise County, VA?: About 35,448 people live in Wise County, based on American Community Survey 5-year estimates.
What counties border Wise County?: Wise County borders Pike County, KY, Harlan County, KY, Russell County, Lee County, Scott County, Letcher County, KY, Dickenson County, Norton city.