CensusEasy
METRO AREA · 2020 ACS

Wilmington Metro

Wilmington, NC · 3 counties · 422,598 residents · 1,913.62 sq mi
Time machine
COMPARE TO
Compare
The short version

Wilmington has lower-than-average household income, with a median household income of $58,161. The metro area has grown rapidly, with population up 54% since 2000. Median home value has more than doubled since 2000, reaching $237,411. With a median age of 46.1, the population is older than the US median of 38.8.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $66,278
Older
median age 46.1
US median: 38.8
More educated
36% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 33%
Less affordable
home values up 40%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $265,253
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
422,598
+54%since 2000
from 274,532 in 2000
1990 – 2025
Population density
221 / sq mi
+54%since 2000
from 143 / sq mi in 2000
US average: 280
Median age
46.1
+20%since 2000
from 38.2 in 2000
US average: 38.8
Population, 1990 – 2024
175K251K327K403K479K1990201020202024Wilmington
2024453K
1990201020202024
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$58,161
+1%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $38,392 in 2000
US average: $66,278
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$34,937
+63%since 2000
from $21,469 in 2000
US average: $35,364
Households earning $100K+
38.4%
+11.8 ptssince 2009
from 26.7% in 2009
US average: 43.9%
Poverty rate
13.4%
+0.4 ptssince 2000
from 13.0% in 2000
US average: 12.8%
Workforce by industry, 2020
Information13.2%
US avg: 11.1%
Wholesale trade8.4%
US avg: 6.7%
Retail trade6.7%
US avg: 10%
Other services6.6%
US avg: 6.6%
Finance & insurance4.3%
US avg: 5.5%
Public administration3.8%
US avg: 4.7%
Professional, scientific, technical2.7%
US avg: 4.7%
Arts, entertainment, food2.3%
US avg: 2%
Transportation & warehousing2%
US avg: 2.5%
Education & health services1.6%
US avg: 0.8%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing0.8%
US avg: 1.7%
Construction0.7%
US avg: 1.2%
Manufacturing0.1%
US avg: 0.5%
BARS: THIS PLACE · TICKS: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$237,411
+40%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $113,052 in 2000
US average: $265,253
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$1,014
+15%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $584 in 2000
US average: $1,124
Owner-occupied
70.2%
−1.9 ptssince 2000
from 72.0% in 2000
29.8% rent
Afford Score
4.1
+39%since 2000
from 2.9 in 2000
1990 – 2024
RELATED:See current rent listings in Wilmington on RentDataNow
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%
Diversity Score42%(115,398)
Segregation Score0%
2020
White, non-Hispanic76.3%(322,284)
Black10.9%(45,910)
Hispanic / Latino7%(29,702)
Asian1.1%(4,677)
Other3.2%(13,729)
Diversity Score47.8%(201,902)
Segregation Score38.7%(163,340)
Diversity Score
48
+14%since 2000
from 42 in 2000
1990 – 2024
Segregation Score
39
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
36.2%
+11.8 ptssince 2000
from 24.4% in 2000
US average: 32.9%
High school or higher
92.2%
+9.5 ptssince 2000
from 82.7% in 2000
US average: 88.5%
Graduate degree
12.5%
+5.5 ptssince 2000
from 7.0% in 2000
US average: 12.7%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
23.2 min
+56%since 2000
from 14.9 min in 2000
US average: 26.9
Drive alone to work
79.8%
−0.7 ptssince 2009
from 80.5% in 2009
US average: 75.1%
No vehicle available
4.9%
−1.3 ptssince 2009
from 6.2% in 2009
US average: 8.4%
Section 07

Work & employment

Unemployment rate
5.8%
−4.1 ptssince 2011
from 9.9% in 2011
US average: 5.4%
Labor force participation
57.7%
−4.9 ptssince 2011
from 62.6% in 2011
US average: 63.4%
Management & professional
38.1%
−25.0 ptssince 2009
from 63.0% in 2009
US average: 39.3%
Section 08

People & community

Male
48.1%
−0.5 ptssince 2009
from 48.6% in 2009
Female
51.9%
+0.5 ptssince 2009
from 51.4% in 2009
Foreign born
4.2%
+0.1 ptssince 2009
from 4.0% in 2009
US average: 13.5%
Uninsured
10.0%
−73.7 ptssince 2013
from 83.7% in 2013
US average: 8.8%
In this metro

Principal cities

WilmingtonCENTRAL126,809
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$76,743+32%
Home value$284,678+20%
Population544,949+11%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
WILMINGTON VS
Lansing
Income$72,596+25%
Home value$213,204−10%
Population479,722−3%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
WILMINGTON VS
Savannah
Income$77,692+34%
Home value$302,959+28%
Population438,314−11%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
WILMINGTON VS
Visalia
Income$71,300+23%
Home value$330,100+39%
Population485,146−2%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in Wilmington, NC?

Wilmington, NC has about 422,598 residents according to the 2020 American Community Survey.

What is the median household income in Wilmington, NC?

The typical household in Wilmington, NC earns about $58,161 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 $237,411, and the typical rent is about $1,014 a month.

How educated are people in Wilmington, NC?

About 36.2% 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 13.4% 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 222,474 residents, a change of about 111 percent over that period.

Keep going

Explore from here

Metro rankings
Largest US metrosHighest income metrosFastest growing metros
Compare
Compare Wilmington with another metro

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

How we source and harmonize this data →