Wilkesboro offers small-town charm in the Blue Ridge Foothills
Appalachian heritage and love for the outdoors define Wilkesboro. This small town, less than 60 miles west of Winston-Salem, rests in the scenic Yadkin River Valley between the Brushy and Blue Ridge Mountains. It’s known for its wealth of recreational activities, thrilling NASCAR races and lively festivals. Residents also enjoy a humble downtown scene with mom-and-pop shops and a brewery. Whether you’re looking for a home in town, something waterfront or a property offering seclusion, you’ll likely find it here.
From in-town bungalows to lakeside luxury and countryside retreats
A community stretching well beyond the town limits, Wilkesboro offers a wide variety of home styles. Bungalows and cottages dot small lots close to downtown, while split-levels and ranch-style homes rest on more spacious lots in the Westwood Hills neighborhood near Wilkes Community College. Subdivisions farther out, such as Beacon Ridge and Quail Hollow Estates, feature brick New Traditional homes and farmhouse-inspired Colonial Revivals. Custom luxury properties surround the private 18-hole golf course at Oakwoods Country Club and dot the shoreline of the W. Kerr Scott Reservoir. Homes in the countryside offer acreage.
How much you can expect to pay for a home here
The median sale price here is around $325,000, well below the national median and less than that of Moravian Falls and Boomer. Prices tend to be lower in North Wilkesboro. Most homes cost between the lower $200,000s and the upper $600,000s. However, especially large homes and luxury properties can start in the lower $700,000s and can exceed $1.5 million. There are also townhouses from the upper $200,000s to the upper $300,000s, and manufactured homes from the lower $100,000s to the upper $200,000s.
Local spots, NASCAR thrills and easy getaways from town
There’s more to do here than one might think, especially in the Downtown Wilkesboro Historic District. “You can drive from one end of the county to the other and see miles of farmland, and when you get into the town, we have a lot of family-owned small businesses,” says Tathel Miller, a Wilkes County native and Realtor with Braken Real Estate Group. During your free time, you may:
- Browse boutiques such as Summit Gaming & Collectibles and Aunt B's Attic
- Get a bite to eat at Mr. Toro Bakery and Taqueria or Dooley's Tavern and Grill
- Hang out with friends at Wilkes Coffee Company or TwoBoros Brewery
- Explore local history at the Wilkes Heritage Museum
- Watch a NASCAR race at North Wilkesboro Speedway
And if you’re looking to get away, several mountain towns and major cities are within reach. “Because we're in the foothills, we're 30 to 45 minutes away from Watauga County. We're an hour and a half from Charlotte, and about an hour from Winston-Salem and Greensboro, so we’re nestled in a good area,” Miller says.
From pickleball to paddling, there’s lots to do outdoors here
The town and surrounding foothills offer many ways to enjoy the outdoors. You can visit Cub Creek Park to play basketball, baseball and pickleball. “Pickleball has been all the rage here. The sport appeals to all ages, and it's not unusual to see someone in their 80s playing with someone who is 15,” Miller says. Nearby, disc throwers can take on 18 baskets peppering Rolling Pines Disc Golf Course. Fishing and paddling on the Yadkin River are popular pastimes, and greenways run along the banks for walks and bike rides. Parks, hiking trails and boat ramps dot the shoreline of the W. Kerr Scott Reservoir. Also, several state parks are within driving distance, including Stone Mountain State Park.
Major festivals celebrate music and Brushy Mountain heritage
Wilkesboro’s unique culture is best experienced at its annual festivals, which can draw tens of thousands to the town. In April, MerleFest takes over the Wilkes Community College campus for four days of “traditional plus” music, a blend of traditional Appalachian music with other styles. The long-running festival, created in honor of North Carolina’s famed folk and bluegrass guitarist Eddy Merle Watson, features 12 stages and dozens of musicians. The Brushy Mountain Peach and Heritage Festival, held the last Saturday in July, celebrates the region’s agricultural roots, filling downtown with craft and food vendors and bushels of peaches.
Above-average public schools serve Wilkesboro
Wilkes County Schools is highly rated, with around 8,300 students across 22 schools. Students typically attend the school they’re zoned for, but families can submit a school of choice request, with placement subject to space availability and district approval. Highly rated schools include Wilkesboro Elementary School, West Wilkes Middle School and Wilkes Early College High School.
Major employers range from food production to county offices
The town has a diverse economy, largely supported by manufacturing. However, there are also jobs in education, health care and government. Top employers include:
- Tyson Foods, Inc., which operates a large production facility in town
- ECMD, Inc., which is a building materials distributor
- Wilkes Community College, which has a campus southwest of downtown
- Wilkes County Government, which has offices downtown
