City profile · North Carolina · Census ACS 2023

Wrightsville Beach, NC

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

2,679
Residents
$167,273
Median income
$1,041,800
Median home
$1,659
Median rent (state)

Wrightsville Beach - the verdict

Out of every US city with 1,000+ residents, Wrightsville Beach places in the 96th percentile for household income and the 8th percentile for safety. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

96th
percentile, household income
97th
percentile, home value
66th
percentile, median rent
8th
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: Wrightsville Beach, NC

2,679 people live in Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina - a small town by U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. The typical household in Wrightsville Beach brings in $167,273 a year, placing it in the top quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 0.0%. Home values in Wrightsville Beach run a median of $1,041,800, and the median resident age is 56.1 years. Educational attainment runs 71.6% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher. Separately, 56.2% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

The Census Building Permit Survey recorded 11 residential units authorized here in 2024 (Stable), up 0% from five years earlier. Wrightsville Beach's reported crime rate runs above the national norm: per-100,000 total crime stands at 3866.9 in FBI UCR data, above the national average (a voluntary reporting program, read this as reporting activity, not a definitive danger score).

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. Statewide, HUD pegs Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom unit at $1,659 monthly. Statewide, average monthly utility bills in North Carolina run around $215, per EIA 2023 residential energy data. On FEMA's National Risk Index, this area rates 96.1 out of 100 for natural-hazard exposure (Very High).

Population

2,679 residents

Census ACS 2023 - North Carolina

Median Household Income

$167,273 /yr

Poverty 0.0%

Cost of Living Index (state)

94.3 (US=100)

Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, North Carolina average

How does Wrightsville Beach compare to other US cities?

Here's how Wrightsville Beach stacks up against the full field of US cities (population 1,000+), computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 96% higher than other cities
Home value 97% pricier than other cities
Median rent 66% pricier than other cities
Safety 8% safer than other cities

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

Zoom in to just North Carolina and the picture shifts: Wrightsville Beach ranks #150 of 195 North Carolina cities by lowest crime rate, a different read than the national percentile above.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

For each metric we count every US city with population 1,000+ and a non-null value, then compute what share of them fall below Wrightsville Beach's value: round(cities-below ÷ total × 100). Safety is inverted (percentile = share of cities with a higher crime rate) so a higher number always means safer. The in-state rank narrows that same crime-rate comparison to only the cities PlainCities tracks in North Carolina, breaking ties alphabetically. See the methodology page for the full source-to-figure lineage.

96thIncome percentile
8thSafety percentile

96th percentile nationally for median household income · 8th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Wrightsville Beach's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Wrightsville Beach'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 41 Avg. percentile National median
Wrightsville Beach'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 Wrightsville Beach's home value compares nationally

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

$1,041,800 3rd percentile more affordable than 3% 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%). Below this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). This entry sits in this band. Wrightsville Beach $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 - Wrightsville Beach, NC Wrightsville Beach, NC's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Wrightsville Beach, 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 Wrightsville Beach, NC median $167,273/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%
Wrightsville Beach, 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 Wrightsville Beach, NC. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 71.6%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 0.0%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 56.2%

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

Population
2,679
Median Income
$167,273
Median Home Value
$1,041,800
Median Age
56.1
Poverty Rate
0.0%
Labor force participation
56.2%
Bachelor's Degree+
71.6%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
3866.9
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
207.9
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
3659.0
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.

Schools

Total Schools
1
Public schools in this city

Population Change

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

See the fastest-growing cities →
2,350 residents2,400 residents2,450 residents2,500 residents 202020212022202320242025 2,468 residents 2,397 residents ▼ -2.9%
Wrightsville Beach's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

🏗️ Stable
Total Permits (2024)
11
housing units authorized
Single-Family
11
detached homes
Multifamily
0
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
4.1
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 11
2020 11
2021 19
2022 13
2023 11
2024 11

Permit volume increased 0% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
69.9%
Carpool
3.3%
Public Transit
0.0%
Walk
1.5%
Work from Home
24.8%

Based on 1,376 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 Wrightsville Beach 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

Liberty
2,678 people
Rockwell
2,688 people
Wentworth
2,670 people
La Grange
2,692 people
Cajah's Mountain
2,696 people
Grifton
2,661 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Wrightsville Beach's 2,679 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Mount Morris, IL
2,679 people
Kalona, IA
2,679 people
Owens Cross Roads, AL
2,678 people
Central Heights-Midland, AZ
2,678 people
White Mountain Lake, AZ
2,678 people
Albion, IN
2,680 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Wrightsville Beach's $167,273 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Orange, OH
$167,148 median income
Cedar Mill, OR
$167,037 median income
Greenwich CDP (Warren County), NJ
$166,977 median income
Silverado Resort, CA
$167,596 median income
Norwich, VT
$167,625 median income
North Star, DE
$167,664 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Wrightsville Beach, 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 Wrightsville Beach, NC - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 94.3% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 3.0% White 94.3% Black or African American 1.3% Asian 0.5% American Indian 0.0% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 0.0% Two or more races 4.0% 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 Wrightsville Beach 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
Wrightsville Beach (this city) 2,679 $167,273
Liberty 2,678 $39,293
Rockwell 2,688 $64,141
Wentworth 2,670 $67,455
Census ACS 5-year FIPS NC FBI UCR NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Wrightsville Beach, NC?

What is the population of Wrightsville Beach, NC? +

The population of Wrightsville Beach, NC stands at 2,679 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Wrightsville Beach, NC? +

Wrightsville Beach households earn a median of $167,273 annually, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Wrightsville Beach? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Wrightsville Beach; 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 Wrightsville Beach, NC safe? +

Wrightsville Beach has a total crime rate of 3866.9 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 Wrightsville Beach, NC? +

A typical home in Wrightsville Beach is worth $1,041,800, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, 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 Editorial

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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.