New Hanover County, NC

County

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2023 Population

231,214

1.35% 1-year growth

US Senator

Thom Tillis

Republican Party

US Senator

Ted Budd

Republican Party

2023 Median Age

40.1

0.249% 1-year decrease

2023 Poverty Rate

12.4%

2.6% 1-year decrease

2023 Median Household Income

$72,892

7.96% 1-year growth

2023 Median Property Value

$353,700

10.5% 1-year growth

2023 Employed Population

119,132

1.81% 1-year growth

About

In 2023, New Hanover County, NC had a population of 231k people with a median age of 40.1 and a median household income of $72,892. Between 2022 and 2023 the population of New Hanover County, NC grew from 228,134 to 231,214, a 1.35% increase and its median household income grew from $67,515 to $72,892, a 7.96% increase.

The 5 largest ethnic groups in New Hanover County, NC are White (Non-Hispanic) (75.1%), Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) (11.1%), Two+ (Non-Hispanic) (4.02%), Other (Hispanic) (3.23%), and White (Hispanic) (2.31%).

None of the households in New Hanover County, NC reported speaking a non-English language at home as their primary shared language. This does not consider the potential multi-lingual nature of households, but only the primary self-reported language spoken by all members of the household.

96.5% of the residents in New Hanover County, NC are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in New Hanover County, NC are University of North Carolina Wilmington (5,218 degrees awarded in 2022), Cape Fear Community College (2,074 degrees), and Miller-Motte College-Wilmington (500 degrees).

In 2023, the median property value in New Hanover County, NC was $353,700, and the homeownership rate was 60.7%.

Most people in New Hanover County, NC drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 20.5 minutes. The average car ownership in New Hanover County, NC was N/A per household.

New Hanover County, NC borders Brunswick County, NC and Pender County, NC.

United States North Carolina Wilmington, NC

Population & Diversity

New Hanover County, NC is home to a population of 231k people, from which 96.5% are citizens. As of 2023, 6.07% of New Hanover County, NC residents were born outside of the country (14k people).

In 2023, there were 6.76 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (174k people) in New Hanover County, NC than any other race or ethnicity. There were 25.7k Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) and 9.29k Two+ (Non-Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

96.5%

2023 Citizenship

97.2%

2022 Citizenship

As of 2023, 96.5% of New Hanover County, NC residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.4%. In 2022, the percentage of US citizens in New Hanover County, NC was 97.2%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been decreasing.

The following chart shows US citizenship percentages in New Hanover County, NC compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in New Hanover County, NC

White (Non-Hispanic)
174k ± 803
Black or African American (Non-Hispanic)
25.7k ± 890
Two+ (Non-Hispanic)
9.29k ± 1.12k

7.64%

Hispanic Population

17.7k people

7.64% of the people in New Hanover County, NC are hispanic (17.7k people).

The following chart shows the 7 races represented in New Hanover County, NC as a share of the total population.

Global Diversity

The PUMS dataset is not available at the County level, so we are showing data for North Carolina.

Most Common Origin

Mexico
214,508 ± 11,254 people
India
79,868 ± 6,912 people
Honduras
39,759 ± 4,886 people

In 2022, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of North Carolina was Mexico, the natal country of 214,508 North Carolina residents, followed by India with 79,868 and Honduras with 39,759.

Foreign-Born Population

6.07%

2023 Foreign-Born Population

14k people

5.29%

2022 Foreign-Born Population

12.1k people

As of 2023, 6.07% of New Hanover County, NC residents (14k people) were born outside of the United States, which is lower than the national average of 13.8%. In 2022, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in New Hanover County, NC was 5.29%, meaning that the rate has been increasing.

The following chart shows the percentage of foreign-born residents in New Hanover County, NC compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Vietnam
4,308 ± 474
Gulf War (2001-)
3,483 ± 661
Gulf War (1990s)
1,844 ± 325

New Hanover County, NC has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 1.24 times greater than any other conflict.

Economy

The economy of New Hanover County, NC employs 119k people. The largest industries in New Hanover County, NC are Health Care & Social Assistance (16,924 people), Retail Trade (13,993 people), and Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services (12,170 people), and the highest paying industries are Mining, Quarrying, & Oil & Gas Extraction ($250,001), Management of Companies & Enterprises ($105,770), and Utilities ($83,897).

Males in North Carolina have an average income that is 1.31 times higher than the average income of females, which is $57,464. The income inequality in North Carolina (measured using the Gini index) is 0.47, which is lower than than the national average.

Employment

Occupations

119k

2023 Value

± 3,301

1.81%

1 Year growth

± 3.91%

From 2022 to 2023, employment in New Hanover County, NC grew at a rate of 1.81%, from 117k employees to 119k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in New Hanover County, NC, are Management Occupations (16,265 people), Sales & Related Occupations (13,660 people), and Office & Administrative Support Occupations (10,814 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of New Hanover County, NC.

Unemployment Insurance Claims

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for false.

This chart shows weekly unemployment insurance claims in North Carolina (not-seasonally adjusted) compared with the four states with the most similar impact.

The most recent data point uses Advance State Claims data, which can be revised in subsequent weeks.

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Industries

Employment by Industries

119k

2023 Value

± 3,301

1.81%

1 Year growth

± 3.91%

From 2022 to 2023, employment in New Hanover County, NC grew at a rate of 1.81%, from 117k employees to 119k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in New Hanover County, NC, are Health Care & Social Assistance (16,924 people), Retail Trade (13,993 people), and Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services (12,170 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of New Hanover County, NC, though some of these residents may live in New Hanover County, NC and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

Median Earnings by Industry

$50,197

Median earning men ± $2,348

$40,179

Median earning women ± $2,149

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2023 are Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($78,218), Information ($75,382), and Manufacturing ($67,849).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2023 are Manufacturing ($61,856), Public Administration ($60,250), and Information ($52,759).

Employment by Industry Sector

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for North Carolina.

Y-Axis

3.04%

Year-over-year growth

Employment change between February 2022 and February 2023

As of February 2023, there are 4.86M people employed in North Carolina. This represents a 3.04% increase in employment when compared to February 2022.

Right after the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, during April 2020, a general dip can be seen across industry sectors, resulting in an overall decline in employment by 10.9%.

The following chart shows monthly employment numbers for each industry sector in North Carolina.

Establishments by Size

The industries with the most establishments

786
Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services
574
Construction
544
Real Estate and Rental and Leasing

The visualization shows the distribution of establishments by industry and by size according to the number of employees.

Depending on the option selected, the visualization shows the number of employees or number of establishments and its share across establishment sizes.

Payroll by Industry Sector

The industries with the highest total annual payroll

$1.36M
Health Care and Social Assistance
$722k
Management of Companies and Enterprises
$660k
Manufacturing

The chart shows the total annual payroll and the average annual payroll by industry.

Education

In 2022, universities in New Hanover County, NC awarded 7,862 degrees. The student population of New Hanover County, NC in 2022 is skewed towards women, with 13,138 male students and 19,544 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in New Hanover County, NC are White (5,789 and 74.5%), followed by Black or African American (718 and 9.24%), Hispanic or Latino (588 and 7.57%), and Two or More Races (308 and 3.97%).

The largest universities in New Hanover County, NC by number of degrees awarded are University of North Carolina Wilmington (5,218 and 66.4%), Cape Fear Community College (2,074 and 26.4%), and Miller-Motte College-Wilmington (500 and 6.36%).

The most popular majors in New Hanover County, NC are General Business Administration & Management (1,075 and 13.7%), Liberal Arts & Sciences (822 and 10.5%), and Registered Nursing (814 and 10.4%).

The median tuition cost in New Hanover County, NC for a public four year colleges is $4,443 for in-state students and $19,063 for out-of-state students.

Admissions & Enrollments

Applicants, Admissions & Enrolled

University

Measure

In 2022 in New Hanover County, NC, the percentage of applicants admitted was 68.8%, while the percentage of admitted who enrolled was 20.4%. The number of students enrolled in 2022 was 32,682 (40.2% men and 59.8% women).

The line chart shows the evolution of the percentage of applicants admitted, admitted who enrolled or the number of students enrolled according to the option selected in the upper button.

Enrollments by Gender and Races

Universities

In 2022 there were 32,682 students enrolled in New Hanover County, NC, 40.2% men and 59.8% women.

By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in White with 23,531 records, of which 58.9% were women and 41.1% men.

Completions

Concentrations

Most Common

Registered Nursing
739 degrees awarded
General Business Administration & Management
674 degrees awarded
General Psychology
208 degrees awarded

In 2022, the most common concentation for Bachelors Degree recipients in New Hanover County, NC was Registered Nursing with 739 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of students graduating with a Bachelors Degree from schools in New Hanover County, NC according to their major.

Universities

Gender

Race

Largest Universities by degrees awarded

University of North Carolina Wilmington
5,218 degrees awarded
Cape Fear Community College
2,074 degrees awarded
Miller-Motte College-Wilmington
500 degrees awarded

In 2022, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was University of North Carolina Wilmington with 5,218 degrees awarded.

Student Diversity

University

In 2022, 2,645 men were awarded degrees from institutions in New Hanover County, NC, which is 0.507 times less than the 5,217 female students who received degrees in the same year.

In 2022 the most common race/ethnicity group awarded degrees at institutions was White students. These 5,789 degrees mean that there were 8.06 times more degrees awarded to White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Black or African American, with 718 degrees awarded.

Awarded Degrees over Time

The graph shows the evolution of awarded degrees by degrees. Under the paragraphs, the average number of awarded degrees by university in each degree is shown.

Tuition

Average Net Price by Sector

Universities

Public, 4-year or above ($4,443) is the sector with the highest median state tuition in 2022.

Public, 4-year or above ($2,795) is the sector with the highest median state fee in 2022.

Public, 2-year ($1,600) is the sector with the highest average net price of books and supplies.

The graph shows the average net price by sector and year.

Working Population

Educational Pyramid

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for North Carolina.

Measure

In 2022, 0.944% of men over 25 years of age had not completed any academic degree (no schooling), while 0.805% of women were in the same situation.

This visualization shows the gender distribution of the population according to the academic level reached.

Educational Attainment

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for North Carolina.

Race

The most common educational levels obtained by the working population in 2022 were High School or Equivalent (2.16M), Some college (1.84M), and Bachelors Degree (1.63M).

This visualization illustrates the percentage distribution of the population according to the highest educational level reached. You can filter the data by race by using the selector above.

Housing & Living

The median property value in New Hanover County, NC was $353,700 in 2023, which is 1.17 times larger than the national average of $303,400. Between 2022 and 2023 the median property value increased from $320,000 to $353,700, a 10.5% increase. The homeownership rate in New Hanover County, NC is 60.7%, which is approximately the same as the national average of 65%.

People in New Hanover County, NC have an average commute time of 20.5 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in New Hanover County, NC is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of N/A per household.

Median household income in New Hanover County, NC is $72,892. In 2023, the tract with the highest Median Household Income in New Hanover County, NC was Census Tract 118 with a value of $165,682, followed by Census Tract 117.03 and Census Tract 120.04, with respective values of $163,712 and $136,375.

In 2023, 17.9% of the population was living with severe housing problems in New Hanover County, NC. From 2014 to 2023, the indicator declined 2.15%.

Housing

Property

$353,700

Median Property Value 2023

±$6,528

$62,143

Median Property Taxes

±$2,101

The following chart display owner-occupied housing units distributed between a series of property tax buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In New Hanover County, NC the largest share of households pay taxes in the $800 - $1,499 range.

The chart underneath the paragraph shows the property taxes in New Hanover County, NC compared to it's parent and neighbor geographies.

Rent vs Own

60.7%

Homeownership

2023

65.3%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2023

In 2023, 60.7% of the housing units in New Hanover County, NC were occupied by their owner. This percentage grew from the previous year's rate of 59.5%.

This chart shows the percentage of owner in New Hanover County, NC compared it's parent and neighboring geographies.

Equity

Income by Location

Use the dropdown to filter by race/ethnicity.

Race/Ethnicity

Highest Median Household Income (Total)

Census Tract 118
Census Tract 117.03
Census Tract 120.04

In 2023, the tract with the highest Median Household Income (Total) in New Hanover County, NC was Census Tract 118 with a value of $165,682, followed by Census Tract 117.03 and Census Tract 120.04, with respective values of $163,712 and $136,375.

The following map shows all of the tracts in New Hanover County, NC colored by their Median Household Income (Total).

Household Income

Please note that the buckets used in this visualization were not evenly distributed by ACS when publishing the data.

$72,892

Median Household Income

± $1,510

102k

Number of Households

± 2,918

In 2023, the median household income of the 102k households in New Hanover County, NC grew to $72,892 from the previous year's value of $67,515.

The following chart displays the households in New Hanover County, NC distributed between a series of income buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households have an income in the $75k - $100k range.

Wage Distribution

The closest comparable wage GINI for New Hanover County, NC is from North Carolina.

0.47

2022 Wage GINI in North Carolina

0.47

2021 Wage GINI in North Carolina

In 2022, the income inequality in North Carolina was 0.47 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.0732% decline from 2021 to 2022, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat more even. The GINI for North Carolina was lower than than the national average of 0.478. In other words, wages are distributed more evenly in North Carolina in comparison to the national average.

This chart shows the number of workers in North Carolina across various wage buckets compared to the national average.

Transportation

Commuter Transportation

Most Common Commute in 2023

Drove Alone (72.4%)
Worked At Home (17.8%)
Carpooled (6.81%)

In 2023, 72.4% of workers in New Hanover County, NC drove alone to work, followed by those who worked at home (17.8%) and those who carpooled to work (6.81%).

The following chart shows the number of households using each mode of transportation over time, using a logarithmic scale on the y-axis to help better show variations in the smaller means of commuting.

Commute Time

20.5 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in New Hanover County, NC have a shorter commute time (20.5 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.6 minutes). Additionally, 1.67% of the workforce in New Hanover County, NC have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

The chart below shows how the median household income in New Hanover County, NC compares to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Car Ownership

N/A

Average Number

The following chart displays the households in New Hanover County, NC distributed between a series of car ownership buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households in New Hanover County, NC have N/A.

Poverty

Severe Housing Problems

In 2023, 17.9% of the population was living with severe housing problems in New Hanover County, NC. From 2014 to 2023, the indicator declined 2.15%.

The graph shows the trend of the percentage of the population living with severe housing problems.

Poverty & Diversity

12.4% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in New Hanover County, NC (27.9k out of 225k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is approximately the same as the national average of N/A%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 18 - 24, followed by Males 18 - 24 and then Females 55 - 64.

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in New Hanover County, NC is White, followed by Black and Hispanic.

The Census Bureau uses a set of money income thresholds that vary by family size and composition to determine who classifies as impoverished. If a family's total income is less than the family's threshold than that family and every individual in it is considered to be living in poverty.

Children in Poverty

In 2023, 13.2% of the children was living in poverty in New Hanover County, NC. From 2014 to 2023, the indicator declined 9.1%.

The graph shows the trend of the percentage of the children living in poverty.

Social Needs

Data only available at the state level.

Most prevalent states

California
35,798 individuals
New York
5,087 individuals
Florida
4,915 individuals

In 2017, California had the highest estimated number of chronically homeless individuals in the nation, at 35,798. New York has the second highest (5,087), followed by Florida (4,915).

The following map shows the estimated number of chronically homeless individuals by state over multiple years.

Health

89.4% of the population of New Hanover County, NC has health coverage, with 46.1% on employee plans, 10.4% on Medicaid, 13.6% on Medicare, 17.8% on non-group plans, and 1.57% on military or VA plans.

Primary care physicians in New Hanover County, NC see 1106 patients per year on average, which represents a 1.84% increase from the previous year (1086 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 1218 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 189 patients per year.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 46.1% were men and 53.9% were women.

Coverage

Patient to Clinician Ratios

1,106 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in New Hanover County, NC

Primary care physicians in New Hanover County, NC see an average of 1,106 patients per year. This represents a 1.84% increase from the previous year (1,086 patients).

The following chart shows how the number of patients seen by primary care physicians has been changing over time in New Hanover County, NC in comparison to its neighboring geographies.

Health Care Diversity

In 2023, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 19.9% under 18 years, 23.5% between 18 and 34 years, 38% between 35 and 64 years, and 18.5% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 46.1% were men and 53.9% were women.

The following chart shows the number of people with health coverage by gender.

Uninsured People

10.6%

Uninsured

46.1%

Employer Coverage

10.4%

Medicaid

13.6%

Medicare

17.8%

Non-Group

1.57%

Military or VA

Between 2022 and 2023, the percent of uninsured citizens in New Hanover County, NC grew by 0.255% from 10.5% to 10.6%.

The following chart shows how the percent of uninsured individuals in New Hanover County, NC changed over time compared with the percent of individuals enrolled in various types of health insurance.

Health Indicators

Health Outcomes

Indicator

In 2023, the number of deaths among residents under age 18 per 100,000 population was 43.4 in New Hanover County, NC.

The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in New Hanover County, NC.

Health Behaviors

Indicator

In 2023, the percentage of the adult population (age 18 and older) that reports a body mass index (BMI) greater than or equal to 30 kg/m2 (age-adjusted) was 27.7% in New Hanover County, NC.

The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in New Hanover County, NC.