Population 176,200 · Census ACS 2020–24
Choose a measure to map it.Tap a measure to map it. Swipe the row for more. Arrows show the change since 2006–10.
Median age by neighborhoodHistory and comparison ↓︎
Younger residents
Older residents
Colorblind friendly
off
More maps of Wilmington: Best Neighborhoods · Walk Grade · Household income · Home prices · Race · Politics · Traffic noise · Internet
Population and households in Wilmington
Household size in Wilmington
| Period | Wilmington | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.32 | 2.53 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.34 | 2.58 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.35 | 2.56 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.22 | 2.52 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.10 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
Wilmington is a place of small households, averaging 2.22 people against 2.65 for the U.S., which points to many singles, couples and roommates and relatively few children. Since 2006–10, household size has dropped from 2.32, a much bigger shift than nationally. Only 29 of the 332 North Carolina cities with 5,000+ people have smaller households.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Wilmington
| Period | Wilmington | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 37.7 | 37.9 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 39.0 | 38.9 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 40.1 | 40.2 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 40.8 | 40.3 | 40.1 |
| Change | +3.1 | +2.3 | +2.3 |
At 40.8, the median age in Wilmington is close to the national median of 40.1, so its age mix looks much like the country's. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 37.7, mirroring the country. The youngest areas are in the east, the oldest in the south.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Wilmington
| Period | Wilmington | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 10.6% | 12.3% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 10.8% | 12.5% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 9.2% | 11.6% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 8.1% | 11.4% | 11.6% |
| Change | −2.5 pts | −1.0 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head only 8.1% of households in Wilmington, well below the national share of 11.6%. The single-parent share has fallen 2.5 points since 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Wilmington
Renters in Wilmington
| Period | Wilmington | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 42.7% | 31.9% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 47.0% | 34.2% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 46.6% | 34.8% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 44.0% | 33.4% | 34.8% |
| Change | +1.2 pts | +1.4 pts | +1.5 pts |
More than four in ten households in Wilmington rent their homes (44.0%), above the national share of 34.8%. About a third of owners (34.1%) have paid off their mortgages, below the national share of 39.8%. The renter share is up 1.2 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country. Of the 332 North Carolina cities with 5,000+ people, only 19 have a higher share of renters.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Wilmington
| Period | Wilmington | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 12.3% | 12.8% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 11.9% | 12.8% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 10.2% | 12.5% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 9.5% | 11.4% | 9.6% |
| Change | −2.8 pts | −1.5 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy in Wilmington is close to the national rate: 9.5% of homes are empty, against 9.6%. The rate is lower than in North Carolina overall (11.4%). Since 2006–10, vacancy has fallen 2.8 points, mirroring the country.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Wilmington
| Period | Wilmington | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1984 | 1983 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1984 | 1985 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1985 | 1986 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1990 | 1990 | 1980 |
| Change | +6 | +7 | +6 |
Much of the housing in Wilmington is relatively new: half of its homes were built after 1990, compared with 1980 for the U.S. as a whole. The median year built has moved up from 1984 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. Newer construction is concentrated in the northeast, while the west has the oldest housing.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Wilmington
| Period | Wilmington | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $919 | $789 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,044 | $868 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,135 | $981 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,528 | $1,317 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$609 | +$528 | +$606 |
The median renter in Wilmington pays $1,528 a month for rent and utilities, close to the national median of $1,571. Rents here are higher than in North Carolina overall ($1,317). Rent has climbed $609 a month since 2006–10, up 66%, faster than rents rose nationally. The typical renter here spends 34.4% of household income on rent, well over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, so many renters here are stretched.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Wilmington
Bachelor's degrees in Wilmington
| Period | Wilmington | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 37.0% | 27.8% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 37.4% | 29.0% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 41.5% | 32.0% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 45.9% | 36.2% | 35.6% |
| Change | +8.9 pts | +8.4 pts | +7.2 pts |
College graduates are unusually common in Wilmington: 45.9% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's degree or higher, against 35.6% nationally. Education tends to track local incomes and the kinds of jobs nearby. The share with a degree is up 8.9 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Wilmington
| Period | Wilmington | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 89.3% | 84.5% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 90.3% | 86.0% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 93.0% | 88.1% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 94.4% | 90.2% | 89.3% |
| Change | +5.1 pts | +5.7 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion is high in Wilmington: 94.4% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. The share with a diploma is up 5.1 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend. Wilmington has a higher share of high school graduates than the great majority of North Carolina cities.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Wilmington
| Period | Wilmington | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.9% | 8.8% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 10.9% | 10.6% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 5.7% | 5.7% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.6% | 4.8% | 5.4% |
| Change | −3.3 pts | −4.0 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Wilmington runs below the national rate: 4.6% of the labor force was out of work and looking, against 5.4% nationally. Since 2006–10, unemployment has fallen 3.3 points, in line with the national trend. Each figure pools five years of surveys (2020–24), so it describes that whole stretch rather than today's job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Wilmington compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wilmington | 2.22 | 40.8 | 8.1% | 44.0% | 9.5% | 1990 | $1,528 | 45.9% | 94.4% | 4.6% |
| Kings Grant | 2.26 | 38.3 | 13.1% | 31.3% | 3.8% | 1982 | $1,709 | 25.6% | 83.6% | 3.0% |
| Wrightsville Beach | 2.15 | 55.9 | 3.5% | 15.4% | 31.7% | 1986 | $2,154 | 74.2% | 99.8% | 1.6% |
| Murraysville | 2.22 | 38.5 | 5.4% | 25.7% | 5.8% | 2000 | $1,848 | 45.6% | 94.8% | 5.3% |
| Myrtle Grove | 2.61 | 43.6 | 4.9% | 16.1% | 5.9% | 2000 | $1,268 | 46.0% | 93.7% | 3.3% |
| Belville | 2.29 | 42.9 | 7.6% | 29.9% | 6.3% | 2010 | $1,908 | 34.3% | 94.4% | 4.2% |
| Blue Clay Farms | 2.63 | 40.7 | 14.8% | 5.0% | 9.3% | 1999 | $1,312 | 22.2% | 82.3% | 2.5% |
| Castle Hayne | 2.44 | 44.0 | 11.3% | 16.8% | 10.4% | 1990 | $1,089 | 25.1% | 89.0% | 3.9% |
| Skippers Corner | 2.84 | 41.4 | 21.4% | 13.2% | 7.2% | 1996 | $1,016 | 37.9% | 98.8% | 2.4% |
| Navassa | 2.64 | 39.9 | 15.1% | 21.7% | 10.8% | 1999 | $1,315 | 18.2% | 90.9% | 1.0% |
| Winnabow | 2.43 | 46.1 | 8.3% | 15.4% | 7.1% | 2008 | $1,643 | 35.4% | 96.0% | 3.3% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Talladega Springs, AL · Sunbeam, IL · Sunapee, NH · Surrey, ND · Tonieville, KY · Tallant, OK · Tallahassee, FL · Sutton, NE · Tatamy, PA · Sunfield, MI
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Wilmington. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
No other site shows detail at this level for free. We are able to keep this site free by receiving a small commission from the referring links on this page. Please share or cite this page if you aren’t able to otherwise support our work.