CensusEasy
CITY

Wrightsville Beach

North Carolina · 2,397 residents (2025 est.) · 1.40 sq mi
Time machine
COMPARE TO
Part of the Wilmington metro area
Compare
The short version

Wrightsville Beach is home to 2,665 people in North Carolina. The median age is 58.0, about 19 years above the US median. Households here earn about 109% more than in North Carolina as a whole. This is an unusually credentialed place: 72% of adults have a four-year degree. The typical home is worth $1,168,700, having more than doubled since 2000. The median household earns $151,563, about 84% above the national median.

At a glance
Wealthier
above the US median
US median: $82,259
Older
median age 58.0
US median: 38.9
More educated
72% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 44%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
2,665
+3%since 2000
from 2,593 in 2000
2,397 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
1990 – 2025
Population density
1,910 / sq mi
+1%since 2009
from 1,897 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
Median age
58.0
+56%since 2000
from 37.1 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Land area
1.40 sq mi
Population, 1990 – 2024
2K3K3K3K3K19902000201020202024Wrightsville Beach
20243K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2024
Under 53.5%(92)
US avg: 5.6%
5 to 94.3%(115)
US avg: 6%
10 to 143.1%(82)
US avg: 6.4%
15 to 192.2%(59)
US avg: 6.6%
20 to 243.6%(95)
US avg: 6.5%
25 to 349.3%(247)
US avg: 13.7%
35 to 449.3%(249)
US avg: 13.2%
45 to 549.8%(261)
US avg: 12.2%
55 to 6422.9%(609)
US avg: 12.7%
65 to 7423.6%(628)
US avg: 10.2%
75 to 847.6%(202)
US avg: 5.1%
85 and over1%(26)
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$151,563
+49%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $55,903 in 2000
US average: $82,259
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$101,948
+179%since 2000
from $36,575 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
71.4%
+16.8 ptssince 2009
from 54.6% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
Poverty rate
4.0%
−5.5 ptssince 2000
from 9.5% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
Income inequality (Gini)
0.494
−24%since 2010
from 0.652 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Retail trade14%
US avg: 9.9%
Other services13.7%
US avg: 6.7%
Wholesale trade10.1%
US avg: 6.9%
Information6.2%
US avg: 10.8%
Public administration6.2%
US avg: 4.8%
Arts, entertainment, food5.6%
US avg: 1.9%
Finance & insurance2.6%
US avg: 5.9%
Transportation & warehousing2%
US avg: 2.2%
Education & health services1.5%
US avg: 0.9%
Professional, scientific, technical1.1%
US avg: 5.1%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing0%
US avg: 1.6%
Construction0%
US avg: 1.2%
Manufacturing0%
US avg: 0.4%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$1,168,700
+44%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $446,300 in 2000
US average: $376,019
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$2,336
+34%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $957 in 2000
US average: $1,442
Owner-occupied
80.8%
+25.8 ptssince 2000
from 55.0% in 2000
19.2% rent
Vacancy rate
54.7%
−8.7 ptssince 2009
from 63.4% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
Persons per household
2.02 people
−9%since 2009
from 2.23 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
Owner cost-burdened
31.0%
+2.6 ptssince 2009
from 28.4% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
Renter cost-burdened
39.4%
−7.7 ptssince 2009
from 47.2% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
Afford Score
7.7
−35%since 2009
from 11.9 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Gentrification Score
54
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic97.6%(2,532)
Black0.3%(7)
Hispanic / Latino0.7%(17)
Asian0.5%(14)
Other0%
2024
White, non-Hispanic96.3%(2,567)
Black0.5%(14)
Hispanic / Latino2.7%(71)
Asian0.3%(9)
Other0.2%(4)
Diversity Score
9
+315%since 2009
from 2 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Hispanic origin
Puerto Rican0.5%(14)
Spaniard0.3%(9)
Asian origin
Japanese0.3%(9)
Ancestry
English20.5%(546)
Irish13.3%(354)
German10.8%(289)
Italian9.1%(242)
Scottish5.3%(142)
American4.3%(115)
Scotch-Irish3.9%(103)
Dutch3.7%(98)
French3.6%(97)
Greek2.3%(61)
Canadian2.2%(59)
+ 14 more ancestry groups with data
Iranian1.6%(42)
Polish1.4%(36)
Russian0.9%(23)
Turkish0.9%(23)
Welsh0.8%(20)
Arab0.7%(19)
Lebanese0.7%(19)
British0.6%(17)
Swedish0.6%(15)
Ukrainian0.6%(15)
Slovak0.5%(13)
Norwegian0.3%(7)
Hungarian0.2%(6)
Portuguese0.2%(5)
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
72.5%
+11.5 ptssince 2000
from 61.0% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
100.0%
+1.2 ptssince 2000
from 98.8% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
Graduate degree
25.5%
+9.3 ptssince 2000
from 16.1% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
17.7 min
+33%since 2000
from 13.3 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
Drive alone to work
69.3%
−15.6 ptssince 2009
from 84.9% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
Carpooled to work
0.9%
−5.1 ptssince 2009
from 6.0% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
Public transit
0.0%
Unchangedsince 2009
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
Worked from home
28.7%
+25.8 ptssince 2009
from 2.9% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
Walked to work
0.7%
+0.7 ptssince 2009
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
Biked to work
0.0%
−5.5 ptssince 2009
from 5.5% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
No vehicle available
0.0%
−1.3 ptssince 2009
from 1.3% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07

Work & employment

Unemployment rate
0.4%
−6.9 ptssince 2011
from 7.3% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
Labor force participation
57.4%
−8.8 ptssince 2011
from 66.3% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
71.8%
+0.2 ptssince 2020
from 71.6% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
Self-employed
4.6%
−5.2 ptssince 2009
from 9.7% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
Management & professional
68.5%
+19.9 ptssince 2009
from 48.6% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08

People & community

Male
55.9%
+0.5 ptssince 2009
from 55.3% in 2009
Female
44.1%
−0.5 ptssince 2009
from 44.7% in 2009
Foreign born
5.7%
+5.7 ptssince 2009
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
Veterans
7.0%
−2.4 ptssince 2009
from 9.4% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
With a disability
5.3%
−1.0 ptssince 2012
from 6.3% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
Uninsured
1.1%
−10.2 ptssince 2013
from 11.3% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Broadband at home
96.3%
+11.6 ptssince 2017
from 84.7% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
99.6%
+0.8 ptssince 2020
from 98.8% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
Same house as last year
92.6%
+12.9 ptssince 2020
from 79.7% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
English only at home
94.8%
−2.5 ptssince 2016
from 97.2% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
Spanish at home
0.5%
+0.2 ptssince 2016
from 0.3% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married29.9%(387)
Married58.1%(752)
Widowed0.7%(9)
Divorced11.3%(146)
Women 15+
Never married24.3%(263)
Married65.5%(709)
Widowed6.2%(67)
Divorced4%(43)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09

Health coverage

Uninsured
1.1%
−10.2 ptssince 2013
from 11.3% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Employer-based
61.1%
−0.2 ptssince 2020
from 61.3% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
32.0%
+0.2 ptssince 2020
from 31.8% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
Medicare
30.1%
+8.1 ptssince 2020
from 22.0% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
Medicaid
1.6%
−0.4 ptssince 2020
from 2.0% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
0.7%
−0.5 ptssince 2020
from 1.2% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
87.9%
−1.8 ptssince 2020
from 89.7% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
31.3%
+7.9 ptssince 2020
from 23.4% in 2020
US average: 36.7%

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)0%(0)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)14.2%(23)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era32.1%(52)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War0%(0)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II0%(0)
US avg: 1%

Share of the 162 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
Drill deeper

Places similar to Wrightsville Beach

Pelican Marsh
Pop 2,617
Townsend
Pop 2,985
North Key Largo
Pop 1,808
Lake Mary Jane
Pop 1,792
Places similar to Wrightsville Beach
Head to head

Compare Wrightsville Beach to nearby cities

WRIGHTSVILLE BEACH VS
Ogden
Income$121,338−20%
Home value$463,700−60%
Population8,249+244%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
WRIGHTSVILLE BEACH VS
Wilmington
Income$66,738−56%
Home value$383,800−67%
Population126,809+5190%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
WRIGHTSVILLE BEACH VS
Kings Grant
Income$62,232−59%
Home value$300,700−74%
Population9,003+276%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
WRIGHTSVILLE BEACH VS
Murraysville
Income$81,167−46%
Home value$320,700−73%
Population16,339+582%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina?

Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina has about 2,665 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.

What is the median household income in Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina?

The typical household in Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina earns about $151,563 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina expensive?

In Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina, the median home is worth about $1,168,700, and the typical rent is about $2,336 a month.

How educated are people in Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina?

About 72.5% of adults age 25 and over in Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina?

About 4.0% of people in Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina live below the federal poverty line.

Has Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina grown since 1990?

Yes, Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina has shrunk since 1990. The population has lost about 132 residents, a change of about -5 percent over that period.

Keep going

Explore from here

Up the hierarchy
North Carolina

DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · UPDATED 2024

How we source and harmonize this data →

Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina: demographics, income & housing data · CensusEasy