Moving to Wise, Virginia

Population: 3,255. Estimated population in July 2024: 3,282 (+0.8% change)
Males: 1,639 (50.4%), Females: 1,616 (49.6%)

Wise County

Zip code: 24293

Demographics

Median resident age: 38.0 years
Median household income: $28,531
Median house value: $81,700

Population by Race

Races in Wise:

  • White Non-Hispanic (94.6%)
  • Black (1.9%)
  • Hispanic (1.4%)
  • Other race (0.8%)
  • Two or more races (0.6%)

Ancestries: United States (35.5%), English (9.1%), German (7.5%), Irish (6.8%), Scotch-Irish (2.7%), Scottish (2.4%).

Elevation: 2454 feet

Land area: 3.1 square miles

Population by Education

For population 25 years and over in Wise

  • High school or higher: 69.7%
  • Bachelor’s degree or higher: 23.1%
  • Graduate or professional degree: 9.6%
  • Unemployed: 3.5%
  • Mean travel time to work: 16.4 minutes

For population 15 years and over in Wise town

  • Never married: 20.3%
  • Now married: 55.5%
  • Separated: 3.0%
  • Widowed: 9.7%
  • Divorced: 11.5%

0.2% Foreign born

Population change in the 1990s: +43 (+1.3%).

Hospitals

Hospitals/medical centers near Wise:

  • NORTON COMMUNITY HOSPITAL (about 5 miles; NORTON, VA)
  • ST MARYS HOSPITAL (about 5 miles; NORTON, VA)
  • DICKENSON COUNTY MEDICAL CENTER (about 15 miles; CLINTWOOD, VA)

Airports

Airports certified for carrier operations nearest to Wise:

  • TRI-CITIES RGNL TN/VA (about 38 miles; BRISTOL/JOHNSON/KINGSPORT, TN; Abbreviation: TRI)
  • TRI-STATE/MILTON J. FERGUSON FIELD (about 96 miles; HUNTINGTON, WV; Abbreviation: HTS)
  • ASHEVILLE REGIONAL (about 107 miles; ASHEVILLE, NC; Abbreviation: AVL)

Other public-use airports nearest to Wise:

  • LONESOME PINE (about 5 miles; WISE, VA; Abbreviation: LNP)
  • GRUNDY MUNI (about 36 miles; GRUNDY, VA; Abbreviation: GDY)
  • PIKE COUNTY-HATCHER FIELD (about 40 miles; PIKEVILLE, KY; Abbreviation: PBX)

Colleges and Universities

Colleges/Universities in Wise:

  • UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA’S COLLEGE AT WISE (Full-time enrollment: 1,272; Location: 1 COLLEGE AVE; Public; Website: www.wise.virginia.edu)
  • WISE SKILLS CENTER (Location: 515 HURRICANE RD N; Public)

Colleges and Universities

Colleges/universities with over 2000 students nearest to Wise:

  • NORTHEAST STATE TECHNICAL COMMUNITY COLLEGE (about 34 miles; BLOUNTVILLE, TN; Full-time enrollment: 2,729)
  • EAST TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY (about 49 miles; JOHNSON CITY, TN; Full-time enrollment: 9,498)
  • SOUTHWEST VIRGINIA COMMUNITY COLLEGE (about 54 miles; RICHLANDS, VA; Full-time enrollment: 2,412)
  • WALTERS STATE COMMUNITY COLLEGE (about 73 miles; MORRISTOWN, TN; Full-time enrollment: 3,893)
  • APPALACHIAN STATE UNIVERSITY (about 80 miles; BOONE, NC; Full-time enrollment: 12,245)
  • CARSON-NEWMAN COLLEGE (about 87 miles; JEFFERSON CITY, TN; Full-time enrollment: 2,073)
  • UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA AT ASHEVILLE (about 93 miles; ASHEVILLE, NC; Full-time enrollment: 2,759)

Schools

Public high school in Wise:

  • J. J. KELLY HIGH (Students: 520; Location: 716 BIRCHFIELD RD; Grades: 09 – 12)

Private high school in Wise:

  • WISE COUNTY CHRISTIAN SCHOOL (Students: 96; Location: PO BOX 3297 9635 COEBURN MTN R; Grades: PK – 12)

Public primary/middle schools in Wise:

  • WISE PRIMARY (Students: 660; Location: 323 RAILROAD AVENUE SE; Grades: PK – 04)
  • L. F. ADDINGTON MIDDLE (Students: 499; Location: 324 SCHOOL ST; Grades: 05 – 08)
  • REGIONAL LEARNING ACADEMY/WISE CO (Location: C/O WISE CO PUBLIC SCHLS; Grades: 06 – 12)
  • WISE COUNTY CAREER-TECHNICAL CENTER (Location: 621 LAKE ST NE; Grades: 00 – 00)
  • WISE CO. ALTERNATIVE ED. CTR. (Location: 515 HURRICANE RD.; Grades: 00 – 00)

Libraries

Library in Wise:

  • LONESOME PINE REGIONAL LIBRARY (Operating income: $2,398,439; Location: 124 LIBRARY RD. SW; 432,147 books; 50,507 audio materials; 21,123 video materials; 918 serial subscriptions)