Wingate, NC Town Hall IMG 4253, 2012
Wingate’s story
Wingate in pictures
Census counts: 353 in 1910, 4,055 in 2020. The archive holds 4 old photos and papers going back to 2004 and 3 maps from 1970 on.
Explore the history →
Photo: Billy Hathorn · CC BY-SA 3.0
Population
4,628
2025 Census estimate · +12.9% since 2020
Typical home
$316K
+0.6% in a year
Household income
$63K
median
Median age
21.8
years
Jobs based here
1,175
Balanced
TownGrade
A+
#2 of 286 in NC
Why does Wingate grade so well?
Because it does well by almost any measure. Wingate earns an A+, 2nd among North Carolina's 286 graded towns. Homes are within reach, about $316K for a typical one, or 3.8 years of the Charlotte metro’s $83K median household income, its public schools beat 84% of North Carolina towns on state tests and graduation, and it is more walkable than 77% of U.S. towns. Its lowest mark, a B−, is in incomes. Wingate’s median age is 21.8 years, against 40.1 years in North Carolina’s towns and 40.5 years across U.S. towns. Wingate is home to Wingate University. Wingate's civic life (library use, community groups, volunteering) trails 95% of U.S. towns.
What makes Wingate stand out
Where Wingate beats most towns.
Union County Public Schools
| School | Grades | Students |
|---|---|---|
| Wingate Elementary | PK–5 | 394 |
SchoolsA−
#3 of the 290 North Carolina towns we grade for schools
NCES · EDFacts.
Typical home value
Wingate$316K
North Carolina$332K
Cost of livingA−
More affordable than 84% of U.S. towns
Zillow Home Value Index; area median household income, Census ACS.
WalkabilityA−
More walkable than 77% of U.S. towns
15.3% of workers walk, bike or ride transit
EPA National Walkability Index; Census ACS.
A growing town
Wingate has grown 31% since 2010
3,491 counted in 2010 and 4,055 in 2020; an estimated 4,628 in 2025.
Growth hasn’t slowed: 12.9% since 2020, after 16.2% in the decade before.
U.S. Census 2010 & 2020 counts · Census Bureau estimate, July 1, 2025
How Wingate grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within North Carolina), ordered by how far Wingate is from typical.
SchoolsA−Open →Cost of livingA−Open →WalkabilityEPA walkability 6.6 of 20; 5.2% of households have no carA−Open →HealthHealthier than 65% of U.S. towns; Atrium Health Union 4.4 miles awayB+Open →Hazard riskFEMA risk higher than 39% of U.S. communities; inland flooding tops the listB−Open →Jobs & income$63K median household incomeB−Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Outdoors1 mile of trailB−Open →HistoryDOpen →Civic life2.5 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsDOpen →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Wingate: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Wingate, and how to reach them.
PowerDuke Energy13.4¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterTown of Wingate water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet5 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpThursdayTrash dayTown site
Register to voteOnlineIn North Carolina you can register online until 25 days before Election Day, in person with same-day registration during the early voting period, or by mail (postmarked 25 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereUnion County Board of ElectionsUnion County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, May 2019
ZIP code2817428174 100%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Wingate.
Wingate pairs an A− for schools with modest home prices, trades lower home prices for longer drives to work and is shaped by its college students.
Who lives here
A college town: 47% of residents are 18 to 24
46.1% of residents are enrolled in college, against 6.4% statewide, which pulls the median age down.
Adults 18 to 34 are 54% of residents (23% statewide); adults 35 to 64 are 21% of residents (38% statewide). 17% of residents are under 18 in Wingate. Wingate has grown 13% since 2020, to 4,628 residents in the Census Bureau’s 2025 estimate.
21.8median age · NC 39.1
| Wingate | North Carolina towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 18 | 17% | 22% | 22% |
| Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+ | 38% | 29% | 29% |
WingateNorth CarolinaUnited States
Ages · share of residents
47%
Education · adults 25 and older
No diploma13%
High school27%
Some college14%
Associate’s8%
Bachelor’s28%
Graduate10%
Women and men · all residents
57% women, 43% men
About 76 men for every 100 women (the survey’s margin: ±5 points). Across North Carolina, 51.1% of residents are women. Median age: women 22.1, men 21.3.
| Wingate | NC | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 7.3% | 11.6% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 9.9% | 10.2% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 47.3% | 9.5% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 6.8% | 13.4% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 9% | 12.8% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 8.1% | 12.6% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 4% | 12.8% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 3.3% | 10.3% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 4.3% | 6.9% | 7% |
| No diploma | 13.4% | 9.9% | 10.4% |
| High school | 27.2% | 24.8% | 26% |
| Some college | 13.7% | 19.6% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 7.8% | 10.1% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 27.6% | 22.2% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 10.3% | 13.5% | 14.1% |
Census population estimates, 2025 · U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates · in a town of 4,600, single groups can be off by several points
SchoolsA−
For schools, Wingate earns an A−
Its A− for schools comes with an A− for cost of living: the typical home is worth about $316K. Its A− ranks #3 of the 290 North Carolina towns we grade for schools.
Its public schools are run by the Union County Public Schools. Its one school is below.
84%of NC districts it outscoresA−School Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wingate ElementaryLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–5 | Grades PK–5 | 394 | C |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within NC on state tests and graduation
Climate
Mild winters and hot summers in Wingate
Wingate has mild winters and warm summers. Wingate’s July high is 91°F.
2″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter33–55°
Spring48–73°
Summer67–89°
Fall50–73°
Nov 1
typical first frost
Apr 3
typical last frost
+1.2°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
HealthB+
A smaller share of adults have high blood pressure in Wingate than in most of North Carolina or the rest of the country
Against the 9,599 U.S. towns with household incomes like Wingate’s, it is healthier than 88%, so its B+ isn’t only a matter of income.
26% of Wingate adults have high blood pressure. Among 289 North Carolina towns, just 4 have a higher share of adults who have been diagnosed with depression than Wingate. 8.2% of Wingate adults have diabetes.
65%healthier than U.S. townsB+Health Grade
| Wingate | North Carolina towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 23% | 17% | 17% |
| Feel lonely (CDC PLACES) | 41% | 33% | 33% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 26% | 38% | 35% |
| Depression (CDC PLACES) | 29% | 25% | 23% |
32 measures vs. North Carolina
8 better11 too close to call13 worse
| What stands out | Wingate | NC |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults who have had cancer | 4% | 7.9% |
| Fewer adults with arthritis | 16.6% | 26.9% |
| More older adults who have lost all their teeth | 23% | 13.9% |
Atrium Health Union
4.4 mi away · emergency room
None
primary care, dental or mental-health shortage
58th
percentile among NC towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Work & commuteJobs & income grade B−
Most of Wingate’s workers commute out: the town has 0.8 jobs for each of them
Jobs based here grew from 882 in 2013 to 1,175.
Most working residents leave Wingate for work: only 3% work in town. Since 2013, Wingate has added 293 jobs, to 1,175 in 2023. The top destinations are Monroe (23%), Charlotte (20%) and Indian Trail (5%).
3%work in town
| Wingate | North Carolina towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Below the poverty line | 17% | 13% | 9.6% |
| Working residents who work in town | 3.4% | 6.8% | 8% |
| Work from home | 14% | 12% | 11% |
| Median household income | $63,000 | $69,000 | $80,000 |
Where working residents work
In Wingate3%
Monroe23%
Charlotte20%
Indian Trail5%
Raleigh3%
23 mi
median commute distance
1,175
jobs based in Wingate
Balanced
jobs vs. working residents
A−
Walkability grade: more walkable than 77% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade B−
Inland flooding leads a low hazard risk in Wingate
Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 61% of U.S. communities.
39risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingTornadoesCold waves
4
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
HousingCost of living grade A−
For cost of living, Wingate earns an A−
Homes are within reach (about $316K for the typical one, A− for cost of living), but half of working residents commute more than 23 miles. 74.9% of renter households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, against 48.9% across North Carolina.
The typical Wingate home is worth about $316,000, up 0.6% in a year, close to the North Carolina typical home.
$316KZillow home value
| Wingate | North Carolina towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 61% | 67% | 73% |
| Median rent | $1,123 a month | $1,084 a month | $1,185 a month |
Typical home value
Wingate$316K
North Carolina$332K
Market temperature
67
days on market
99.4%
sale-to-list price
+0.6%
value change, 1 year
6
homes sold in May
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
OutdoorsB−
3% of Wingate is conserved land
0.8 miles of trail in 2 parks and preserves. The biggest park or preserve is Wingate Community Park, at 34 acres.
3%conserved
| Wingate | North Carolina towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.3 miles per square mile | 0.2 | 0.4 |
| Conserved land | 3% | 3.4% | 4.3% |
3%
conserved · 50 of 1,682 acres
0.8 mi
of trails · 0.3 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Wingate Community Park | 0.8 mi | 34 |
| 2. Highland Park | — | 1 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Wingate
18pages on Wingate
The big questions
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
2 within 15 miles of the center of Wingate
Wingate UniversityUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · WingateIn town$41,636 tuitionSouth Piedmont Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · Polkton13.3 mi$2,022 in-state tuition
College town 46 of every 100 Wingate residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across North Carolina.
College town
46% of Wingate is in college
College Scorecard · IPEDS
About Wingate
Town in North Carolina, United States
Wingate is a town in Union County, North Carolina, United States. As of the 2020 census, Wingate had a population of 4,055.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 2.0 sq mi
- Elevation
- 587 ft
- ZIP code
- 28174
- Area code
- 704
Questions about Wingate
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Wingate, NC a good place to live?
Yes, by almost any measure. Wingate grades A+ overall, better than 97% of U.S. towns and #2 of 286 in North Carolina. It grades B+ for health and A− for schools.
Is Wingate, NC expensive?
Not for the area. Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades A−.