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METRO AREA

Wilmington Metro

Wilmington, NC · 3 counties · 492,772 residents (2025 est.) · 1,914 sq mi
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The short version

Wilmington is home to 453,347 people. Since 2000 the metro area has risen by half, up 178,815 people. At a median age of 45.7, this is an older place than the country as a whole. Few US metro areas rank higher on income. 5% of people across the metro were born outside the United States. Owners hold 72% of the housing stock.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Older
median age 45.7
US median: 38.9
More educated
40% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 76%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
453,347
+65%since 2000
from 274,532 in 2000
492,772 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
1990 – 2025
Population density
237 / sq mi
+65%since 2000
from 143 / sq mi in 2000
US average: 281
Median age
45.7
+19%since 2000
from 38.2 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Land area
1,914 sq mi
Population, 1990 – 2024
175K251K327K403K479K19902000201020202024Wilmington
2024453K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2024
Under 54.4%(19,870)
US avg: 5.6%
5 to 94.5%(20,359)
US avg: 6%
10 to 145.3%(23,921)
US avg: 6.4%
15 to 195.5%(24,958)
US avg: 6.6%
20 to 246.7%(30,468)
US avg: 6.5%
25 to 3411.5%(51,978)
US avg: 13.7%
35 to 4411.8%(53,276)
US avg: 13.2%
45 to 5411.7%(53,010)
US avg: 12.2%
55 to 6414.8%(67,161)
US avg: 12.7%
65 to 7415%(68,022)
US avg: 10.2%
75 to 847%(31,633)
US avg: 5.1%
85 and over1.9%(8,691)
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$76,547
+9%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $38,392 in 2000
US average: $82,259
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$46,500
+117%since 2000
from $21,469 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
50.9%
+24.2 ptssince 2009
from 26.7% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
Poverty rate
10.9%
−2.1 ptssince 2000
from 13.0% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
Income inequality (Gini)
0.460
−1%since 2010
from 0.463 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Information12%
US avg: 10.8%
Wholesale trade9.1%
US avg: 6.9%
Retail trade7%
US avg: 9.9%
Other services6.6%
US avg: 6.7%
Finance & insurance5.2%
US avg: 5.9%
Public administration4.1%
US avg: 4.8%
Professional, scientific, technical3.4%
US avg: 5.1%
Arts, entertainment, food2.3%
US avg: 1.9%
Transportation & warehousing1.9%
US avg: 2.2%
Education & health services1.8%
US avg: 0.9%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing0.8%
US avg: 1.6%
Construction0.7%
US avg: 1.2%
Manufacturing0%
US avg: 0.4%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$362,172
+76%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $113,052 in 2000
US average: $376,019
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$1,350
+27%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $584 in 2000
US average: $1,442
Owner-occupied
72.3%
+0.3 ptssince 2000
from 72.0% in 2000
27.7% rent
Vacancy rate
19.7%
−3.4 ptssince 2009
from 23.2% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
Persons per household
2.24 people
−1%since 2009
from 2.26 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
Owner cost-burdened
22.5%
−6.4 ptssince 2009
from 28.9% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
Renter cost-burdened
48.6%
+1.8 ptssince 2009
from 46.8% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
Afford Score
4.7
+12%since 2009
from 4.2 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
79
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic78.4%(215,248)
Black17.1%(46,996)
Hispanic / Latino2.5%(6,732)
Asian0.6%(1,589)
Other0%
2024
White, non-Hispanic76.7%(347,684)
Black10.1%(45,844)
Hispanic / Latino7.3%(32,917)
Asian1%(4,650)
Other4.9%(22,252)
Diversity Score
49
+11%since 2009
from 44 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Segregation Score
35
−10%since 2020
from 39 in 2020
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means White and non-White residents are more separated across neighborhoods.
Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Hispanic origin
Mexican3.5%(15,978)
Puerto Rican1%(4,364)
South American0.6%(2,757)
Honduran0.6%(2,651)
Dominican0.3%(1,294)
Colombian0.3%(1,169)
Cuban0.2%(1,001)
Salvadoran0.2%(834)
Spaniard0.2%(739)
Guatemalan0.1%(621)
Peruvian0.1%(487)
+ 9 more hispanic origin groups with data
Chilean0.1%(458)
Panamanian0.1%(391)
Venezuelan0.1%(304)
Nicaraguan0%(177)
Argentine0%(136)
Bolivian0.1%(122)
Uruguayan0%(11)
Asian origin
Korean0.2%(1,025)
Chinese0.2%(983)
Asian Indian0.2%(728)
Filipino0.1%(643)
Vietnamese0.1%(266)
Nepalese0%(175)
Indonesian0.1%(167)
Burmese0.1%(144)
Japanese0%(139)
Hmong0%(125)
Taiwanese0%(116)
Thai0%(96)
+ 5 more asian origin groups with data
Cambodian0%(35)
Pakistani0%(22)
Okinawan0%(17)
Kazakh0%(16)
Laotian0%(10)
Pacific Islander origin
Samoan0%(142)
Chamorro0%(136)
Ancestry
English15.7%(71,050)
Irish13.4%(60,703)
German12.3%(55,670)
Italian6.1%(27,633)
American5.4%(24,594)
Scottish3%(13,377)
Polish2.5%(11,372)
French2.1%(9,546)
Scotch-Irish2.1%(9,328)
Swedish0.8%(3,561)
Welsh0.7%(3,194)
Dutch0.7%(3,175)
+ 48 more ancestry groups with data
British0.7%(3,096)
French Canadian0.6%(2,670)
Norwegian0.6%(2,585)
Russian0.5%(2,092)
Hungarian0.4%(2,028)
Arab0.4%(1,906)
Greek0.3%(1,554)
Danish0.3%(1,339)
Czech0.3%(1,188)
West Indian0.3%(1,154)
Ukrainian0.2%(1,122)
Slovak0.2%(1,065)
Brazilian0.2%(1,017)
Austrian0.2%(1,008)
Canadian0.2%(1,004)
Lithuanian0.2%(963)
Swiss0.2%(945)
Portuguese0.2%(922)
Lebanese0.2%(718)
Romanian0.1%(576)
Finnish0.1%(464)
Jamaican0.1%(390)
Belgian0.1%(321)
Croatian0.1%(299)
Serbian0.1%(248)
Haitian0.1%(247)
Nigerian0.1%(243)
Jordanian0.1%(226)
Slovene0%(226)
Australian0.1%(220)
Syrian0%(219)
Moroccan0%(192)
Iranian0%(186)
Guyanese0%(181)
Armenian0%(167)
Turkish0%(149)
Egyptian0%(117)
Latvian0%(83)
Ghanaian0%(70)
Ethiopian0%(65)
Barbadian0%(61)
Israeli0%(54)
Macedonian0.1%(48)
Iraqi0%(11)
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
39.6%
+15.3 ptssince 2000
from 24.4% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
93.4%
+10.6 ptssince 2000
from 82.7% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
Graduate degree
14.0%
+7.0 ptssince 2000
from 7.0% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
23.7 min
+59%since 2000
from 14.9 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
Drive alone to work
72.6%
−8.0 ptssince 2009
from 80.5% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
Carpooled to work
7.5%
−3.9 ptssince 2009
from 11.3% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
Public transit
0.3%
−0.4 ptssince 2009
from 0.7% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
Worked from home
16.9%
+12.9 ptssince 2009
from 4.1% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
Walked to work
1.1%
−0.7 ptssince 2009
from 1.8% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
Biked to work
0.3%
−0.2 ptssince 2009
from 0.5% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
No vehicle available
4.2%
−2.0 ptssince 2009
from 6.2% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07

Work & employment

Unemployment rate
4.6%
−5.3 ptssince 2011
from 9.9% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
Labor force participation
59.4%
−3.2 ptssince 2011
from 62.6% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
73.2%
+2.8 ptssince 2020
from 70.3% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
Self-employed
11.9%
+0.6 ptssince 2009
from 11.3% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
Management & professional
42.5%
+10.9 ptssince 2009
from 31.6% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08

People & community

Male
48.2%
−0.4 ptssince 2009
from 48.6% in 2009
Female
51.8%
+0.4 ptssince 2009
from 51.4% in 2009
Foreign born
4.9%
+0.9 ptssince 2009
from 4.0% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
Veterans
8.6%
−4.4 ptssince 2009
from 12.9% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
With a disability
13.7%
Unchangedsince 2012
from 13.8% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
Uninsured
8.8%
−7.5 ptssince 2013
from 16.3% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Broadband at home
92.6%
+13.8 ptssince 2017
from 78.8% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
96.5%
+2.7 ptssince 2020
from 93.8% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
Same house as last year
86.2%
+1.5 ptssince 2020
from 84.6% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
English only at home
93.0%
−0.4 ptssince 2016
from 93.3% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
Spanish at home
5.0%
+0.5 ptssince 2016
from 4.5% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married31.5%(58,387)
Married56.8%(105,313)
Widowed3.2%(5,986)
Divorced8.5%(15,786)
Women 15+
Never married26%(52,868)
Married52.1%(106,104)
Widowed9.2%(18,684)
Divorced12.8%(26,069)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09

Health coverage

Uninsured
8.8%
−7.5 ptssince 2013
from 16.3% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Employer-based
51.6%
−0.7 ptssince 2020
from 52.3% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
21.5%
−0.1 ptssince 2020
from 21.6% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
Medicare
25.6%
+0.9 ptssince 2020
from 24.7% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
Medicaid
14.9%
+0.2 ptssince 2020
from 14.7% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
3.5%
−0.3 ptssince 2020
from 3.8% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
71.3%
+0.3 ptssince 2020
from 71.0% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
38.7%
+1.0 ptssince 2020
from 37.7% 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)24.7%(7,907)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)23.3%(7,477)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era39.1%(12,547)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War3.9%(1,252)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II0.5%(174)
US avg: 1%

Share of the 32,076 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
In this metro

Largest cities

WilmingtonCENTRAL126,809Leland35,731Murraysville16,339Myrtle Grove12,637Oak Island9,337Hampstead9,292Kings Grant9,003Ogden8,249Porters Neck7,654St. James7,318Boiling Spring Lakes6,875Carolina Beach6,870Silver Lake6,563Wrightsboro6,287Northchase5,896Carolina Shores5,540Shallotte5,335Sunset Beach4,642Southport4,434Burgaw3,903Skippers Corner3,792Belville3,199Calabash3,069Bayshore2,949Wrightsville Beach2,397Kure Beach2,145Navassa1,889Sea Breeze1,849Northwest1,096Rocky Point1,020

The 30 most populous of 45 cities and towns in this metro. CENTRAL marks the metro's principal cities.

What's inside

3 component counties

New Hanover CountyCENTRAL245,959Brunswick CountyCENTRAL174,702Pender County72,111
Drill deeper

Metros similar to Wilmington

Pensacola
Pop 544,949
Lansing
Pop 479,722
Savannah
Pop 438,314
Visalia
Pop 485,146
Places similar to Wilmington
Head to head

Compare Wilmington side by side

WILMINGTON VS
Pensacola
Income$76,743same
Home value$284,678−21%
Population544,949+11%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
WILMINGTON VS
Lansing
Income$72,596−5%
Home value$213,204−41%
Population479,722−3%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
WILMINGTON VS
Savannah
Income$77,692+1%
Home value$302,959−16%
Population438,314−11%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
WILMINGTON VS
Visalia
Income$71,300−7%
Home value$330,100−9%
Population485,146−2%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in Wilmington, NC?

Wilmington, NC has about 453,347 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.

What is the median household income in Wilmington, NC?

The typical household in Wilmington, NC earns about $76,547 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Wilmington, NC expensive?

In Wilmington, NC, the median home is worth about $362,172, and the typical rent is about $1,350 a month.

How educated are people in Wilmington, NC?

About 39.6% of adults age 25 and over in Wilmington, NC hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Wilmington, NC?

About 10.9% of people in Wilmington, NC live below the federal poverty line.

Has Wilmington, NC grown since 1990?

Yes, Wilmington, NC has grown since 1990. The population has added about 253,223 residents, a change of about 127 percent over that period.

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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · METRO ROLLUP OF COMPONENT COUNTIES · UPDATED 2024

How we source and harmonize this data →