City profile · North Carolina · Census ACS 2023

Wilmington, NC

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Wilmington - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

118,578
Residents
$63,900
Median income
$350,300
Median home
$1,659
Median rent (state)

Wilmington - the verdict

Wilmington ranks in the 41st percentile for household income and the 7th percentile for safety nationally, out of every US city with at least 1,000 residents. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

41st
percentile, household income
72nd
percentile, home value
66th
percentile, median rent
7th
percentile, safety
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Wilmington, NC

118,578 people live in Wilmington, North Carolina - a mid-sized U.S. city by U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. The typical household in Wilmington brings in $63,900 a year, below the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 8.9%. Typical homes in Wilmington are valued around $350,300, and the median resident age is 37.5 years. 45.8% of adults here have a bachelor's degree or higher; 61.4% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

Wilmington's reported crime rate runs above the national norm: the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program logs 3997.6 total incidents per 100,000 residents here, above the national average (agency reporting is voluntary, so this measures reporting activity, not a definitive danger score). NOAA climate normals record an annual average temperature of 64.4°F with 60.1 inches of precipitation per year and 0.9 inches of snowfall.

Living costs in North Carolina run below the national norm: on BEA's 100-equals-national-average cost index, North Carolina scores 94.3 (Below Average), per the 2024 Regional Price Parities release. A typical two-bedroom carries a HUD Fair Market Rent of $1,659 per month statewide. Monthly utility costs average around $215 across North Carolina, per EIA 2023 residential energy estimates. FEMA's National Risk Index rates natural-hazard exposure at 96.1 out of 100 (Very High).

Population

118,578 residents

Census ACS 2023 - North Carolina

Median Household Income

$63,900 /yr

Poverty 8.9%

Cost of Living Index (state)

94.3 (US=100)

Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, North Carolina average

How does Wilmington compare to other US cities?

Where Wilmington sits among all US cities (population 1,000+) on each measure, computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 41% higher than other cities
Home value 72% pricier than other cities
Median rent 66% pricier than other cities
Safety 7% safer than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

National percentiles can mask local variation. Looking only at North Carolina, Wilmington ranks #155 of 195 North Carolina cities by lowest crime rate - a narrower, more locally useful cut than the national comparison above.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

Each percentile compares Wilmington against every qualifying US city; each in-state rank narrows that to North Carolina only. Full formula and direction notes: methodology.

North Carolina-relative analysis

Bachelor's Degree or Higher places Wilmington toward the top of North Carolina's cities

Among the 746 North Carolina cities PlainCities tracks with reported bachelor's degree or higher data, Wilmington ranks #105 - the 86th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Wilmington only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#292 of 700
58th percentile in North Carolina
Median Gross Rent
#94 of 746
85th percentile in North Carolina
Median Home Value
#118 of 708
83rd percentile in North Carolina
Poverty Rate
#382 of 746
48th percentile in North Carolina
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#105 of 746
86th percentile in North Carolina

Ranked by raw value (highest first); a higher rank is not automatically "better" for every measure, see each metric's own context above. This is a comparison within North Carolina only, not a livability score. See the methodology for the source and calculation.

41stIncome percentile
7thSafety percentile

41st percentile nationally for median household income · 7th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Wilmington's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Wilmington's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 26 Avg. percentile National median
Wilmington's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How Wilmington's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$350,300 28th percentile more affordable than 28% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Below this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). This entry sits in this band. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Wilmington $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Wilmington, NC Wilmington, NC's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Wilmington, NC-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Wilmington, NC median $63,900/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Wilmington, NC's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Wilmington, NC. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 45.8%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 8.9%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 61.4%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
118,578
Median Income
$63,900
Median Home Value
$350,300
Median Age
37.5
Poverty Rate
8.9%
Labor force participation
61.4%
Bachelor's Degree+
45.8%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
3997.6
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
482.8
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
3514.8
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Climate

Avg Temperature
64.4°F
Annual Precipitation
60.1"
Annual Snowfall
0.9"

Schools

Total Schools
44
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
110,000 residents115,000 residents120,000 residents125,000 residents130,000 residents 202020212022202320242025 115,947 residents 126,809 residents ▲ +9.4%
Wilmington's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
70.9%
Carpool
7.0%
Public Transit
0.4%
Walk
2.2%
Work from Home
17.7%
Other
1.8%

Based on 60,943 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for North Carolina - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$115
avg/month
Natural Gas
$55
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$45
avg/month
Total Utilities
$215
estimated/month

Estimates reflect North Carolina state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a North Carolina state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Wilmington sits in

Cost of Living Index
94.3
Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,659/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
96.1 / 100
Very High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in North Carolina

High Point
115,263 people
Concord
106,518 people
Asheville
94,369 people
Greenville
88,540 people
Gastonia
81,632 people
Jacksonville
73,507 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Wilmington's 118,578 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Spring Hill, FL
118,814 people
Billings, MT
118,321 people
Richardson, TX
118,269 people
Cambridge, MA
117,794 people
West Palm Beach, FL
119,508 people
North Charleston, SC
117,460 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Wilmington's $63,900 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Wabasso, MN
$63,900 median income
Linwood, KS
$63,902 median income
Lancaster, NY
$63,902 median income
Henry, IL
$63,894 median income
Syracuse, IN
$63,894 median income
Black Creek, WI
$63,894 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Wilmington, NC Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Wilmington, NC - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 72.9% 14.9% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 8.9% White 72.9% Black or African American 14.9% Asian 1.3% American Indian 0.3% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 4.8% Two or more races 5.9% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Wilmington compares to nearby North Carolina cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Wilmington (this city) 118,578 $63,900
High Point 115,263 $61,228
Concord 106,518 $84,752
Asheville 94,369 $67,221
Census ACS 5-year FIPS NC FBI UCR NOAA Normals NCES CCD OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Wilmington, NC?

What is the population of Wilmington, NC? +

Wilmington, NC has a population of 118,578 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Wilmington, NC? +

In Wilmington, the typical household earns $63,900 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Wilmington? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Wilmington; the closest available measure is the North Carolina state average, a cost of living index of 94.3 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Below Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within North Carolina vary by metro area.

Is Wilmington, NC safe? +

Wilmington has a total crime rate of 3997.6 per 100,000 residents, which is above the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in Wilmington, NC? +

Homes in Wilmington carry a median value of $350,300, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the climate like in Wilmington? +

Climate normals put Wilmington's yearly average temperature at 64.4°F, 60.1 inches of precipitation, and 0.9 inches of snowfall per year. Source: NOAA Climate Normals.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES CCD, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.