Wilmington is a city of 120,805 people in North Carolina. Since 2000 the city has risen by half, up 44,967 people. 48% of homes are owner-occupied. 47% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher. There are 2,350 people per square mile. 79% were living in the same home a year earlier.
At a glance
Lower income
median household income $66,738, below the US median
US median: $82,259
Younger
median age 37.1
US median: 38.9
More educated
47% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 73%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Unique to this place
What stands out about Wilmington
What changed most since 1990
White share64.6% → 69.9%(+5.3 pts)US over the same years: −17.8 pts
Black share33.7% → 14.4%(−19.3 pts)US over the same years: +0.2 pts
Median home value (2024 dollars)$149,284 → $383,800(+157%)US over the same years: +67%
Wilmington's population equals 51% of New Hanover County's. Its number of households without a car equals 79% of the county's. Its number of residents living in poverty equals 67% of the county's.
Shares are "alone or in combination": a person with both Medicare and Medicaid counts in each, so categories overlap and do not sum to 100%.
Section 09 · Service history
Veterans
Veterans by period of service, 2024
Gulf War (2001 or later)28.7%(1,566)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)22%(1,197)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era34.5%(1,879)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War7.5%(411)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II0.6%(32)
US avg: 1%
Share of the 5,451 veterans here. A veteran who served across eras counts in each, so shares can total more than 100%. Peacetime-only service is included in the total but not shown as an era.
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Over time
Wilmington, decade by decade
Wilmington population, inflation-adjusted income and home value, education, and diversity by year
Year
Population
Median household income
Median home value
Bachelor's degree+
Diversity score
1990
55,530
$49,463
$149,284
20.7%
58.5
2000
75,838
$56,652
$221,513
31.0%
56.5
2010
106,476
$55,960
$339,071
36.2%
57.0
2020
115,451
$61,980
$320,705
43.9%
61.0
2024
120,805
$66,738
$383,800
46.8%
59.9
Census years come from the decennial census and the latest year from the American Community Survey, so part of any change between those two rows can reflect the different surveys. Dollar figures are adjusted for inflation to 2024 dollars; a figure ending in "+" was at the Census Bureau's reporting cap that year. The diversity score runs from 0 to 100; see how it's calculated.
