New Hanover County, NC

County

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2024 Population
235,229
US Senator
Thom Tillis
Republican Party
US Senator
Ted Budd
Republican Party
2024 Median Age
39.9
0.499% 1-year decrease
2024 Poverty Rate
12.3%
0.623% 1-year decrease
2024 Median Household Income
$75,166
3.12% 1-year growth
2024 Median Property Value
$387,800
9.64% 1-year growth
2024 Employed Population
123,647
3.79% 1-year growth

About

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.

96.4% 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 (5,291 degrees awarded in 2023), Cape Fear Community College (2,303 degrees), and Miller-Motte College-Wilmington (347 degrees).

In 2024, the median property value in New Hanover County, NC was $387,800, and the homeownership rate was 61.4%.

Most people in New Hanover County, NC drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 20.6 minutes. The average car ownership in New Hanover County, NC was 2 cars per household.

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

United StatesNorth CarolinaWilmington, NC

Population & Diversity

New Hanover County, NC is home to a population of 235k people, from which 96.4% are citizens. As of 2024, 5.93% of New Hanover County, NC residents were born outside of the country (14k people).

In 2024, there were 6.96 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (176k people) in New Hanover County, NC than any other race or ethnicity. There were 25.3k Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) and 8.08k Two Races Excluding Other, & Three or More Races (Non-Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

96.4%
2024 Citizenship
96.5%
2023 Citizenship

As of 2024, 96.4% of New Hanover County, NC residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.2%. In 2023, the percentage of US citizens in New Hanover County, NC was 96.5%, 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.

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Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in New Hanover County, NC
  1. White (Non-Hispanic)
    176k ± 858
  2. Black or African American (Non-Hispanic)
    25.3k ± 977
  3. Two Races Excluding Other, & Three or More Races (Non-Hispanic)
    8.08k ± 977
7.88%
Hispanic Population
18.5k people

In 2024, there were 6.96 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (176k people) in New Hanover County, NC than any other race or ethnicity. There were 25.3k Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) and 8.08k Two Races Excluding Other, & Three or More Races (Non-Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

7.88% of the people in New Hanover County, NC are hispanic (18.5k people).

The following chart shows the 8 races represented in New Hanover County, NC as a share of the total population.

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Global Diversity

The PUMS dataset is not available at the County level, so we are showing data for North Carolina.
Most Common Origin
  1. Mexico
    224,963 ± 11,520 people
  2. India
    83,219 ± 7,055 people
  3. Honduras
    48,247 ± 5,380 people

In 2023, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of North Carolina was Mexico, the natal country of 224,963 North Carolina residents, followed by India with 83,219 and Honduras with 48,247.

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Foreign-Born Population

5.93%
2024 Foreign-Born Population
14k people
6.07%
2023 Foreign-Born Population
14k people

As of 2024, 5.93% of New Hanover County, NC residents (14k people) were born outside of the United States, which is approximately the same as the national average of 14%. In 2023, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in New Hanover County, NC was 6.07%, meaning that the rate has been decreasing.

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.

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Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period
  1. Vietnam
    4,157 ± 461
  2. Gulf War (2001-)
    3,907 ± 711
  3. Gulf War (1990s)
    2,084 ± 363

New Hanover County, NC has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 1.06 times greater than any other conflict.

The chart shows the distribution of veterans by conflict in New Hanover County, NC.

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Economy

The economy of New Hanover County, NC employs 124k people. In 2024, the largest industries in New Hanover County, NC were Health Care & Social Assistance (17,578 people), Retail Trade (13,936 people), and Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services (12,934 people), and the highest paying industries were Management of Companies & Enterprises ($95,735), Utilities ($86,111), and Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services ($77,011).

Employment

Occupations

124k
2024 Value
± 3,338
3.79%
1 Year growth
± 3.73%

From 2023 to 2024, employment in New Hanover County, NC grew at a rate of 3.79%, from 119k employees to 124k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in New Hanover County, NC, are Management Occupations (17,153 people), Sales & Related Occupations (14,128 people), and Office & Administrative Support Occupations (11,799 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of New Hanover County, NC.

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Unemployment Insurance Claims

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

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

124k
2024 Value
± 3,338
3.79%
1 Year growth
± 3.73%

From 2023 to 2024, employment in New Hanover County, NC grew at a rate of 3.79%, from 119k employees to 124k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in New Hanover County, NC, are Health Care & Social Assistance (17,578 people), Retail Trade (13,936 people), and Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services (12,934 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.

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Median Earnings by Industry

$53,400
Median earning men ± $2,457
$40,022
Median earning women ± $2,454

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2024 are Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($84,628), Information ($78,833), and Manufacturing ($75,489).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2024 are Manufacturing ($65,982), Public Administration ($61,065), and Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($53,329).

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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.

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Establishments by Size

The industries with the most establishments
  1. 786
    Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services
  2. 574
    Construction
  3. 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.

The visualization shows the number of establishments and its share across establishment sizes.

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Payroll by Industry Sector

The industries with the highest total annual payroll
  1. $1.36M
    Health Care and Social Assistance
  2. $722k
    Management of Companies and Enterprises
  3. $660k
    Manufacturing

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

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Education

In 2023, universities in New Hanover County, NC awarded 8,007 degrees. The student population of New Hanover County, NC in 2023 is skewed towards women, with 12,888 male students and 19,524 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in New Hanover County, NC are White (5,901 and 74.7%), Hispanic or Latino (656 and 8.3%), Black or African American (650 and 8.23%), and Two or More Races (277 and 3.51%).

The largest universities in New Hanover County, NC by number of degrees awarded are University of North Carolina Wilmington (5,291 and 66.1%), Cape Fear Community College (2,303 and 28.8%), and Miller-Motte College-Wilmington (347 and 4.33%).

The most popular majors in New Hanover County, NC are General Business Administration & Management (1,153 and 14.4%), Registered Nursing (858 and 10.7%), and Liberal Arts & Sciences (794 and 9.92%).

The median tuition cost for a public four year colleges is $4,443 for in-state students and $20,111 for out-of-state students.

Admissions & Enrollments

Applicants, Admissions & Enrolled

University
Measure

In 2023 in New Hanover County, NC, the percentage of applicants admitted was 74%, while the percentage of admitted who enrolled was 21%. The number of students enrolled in 2023 was 32,412 (39.8% men and 60.2% 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.

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Enrollments by Gender and Races

Universities

In 2023 there were 32,412 students enrolled in New Hanover County, NC, 39.8% men and 60.2% women.

By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in White with 23,259 records, of which 59.5% were women and 40.5% men.

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Completions

Concentrations

Most Common
  1. Registered Nursing
    789 degrees awarded
  2. General Business Administration & Management
    754 degrees awarded
  3. General Psychology
    261 degrees awarded

In 2023, the most common concentation for Bachelors Degree recipients in New Hanover County, NC was Registered Nursing with 789 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.

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Universities

Gender
Race
Largest Universities by degrees awarded
  1. University of North Carolina Wilmington
    5,291 degrees awarded
  2. Cape Fear Community College
    2,303 degrees awarded
  3. Miller-Motte College-Wilmington
    347 degrees awarded

In 2023, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was University of North Carolina Wilmington with 5,291 degrees awarded.

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Student Diversity

University

In 2023, 2,768 men were awarded degrees from institutions in New Hanover County, NC, which is 0.528 times less than the 5,239 female students who received degrees in the same year.

In 2023, the most common race/ethnicity group awarded degrees at institutions was White students. These 5,901 degrees mean that there were 9 times more degrees awarded to White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Hispanic or Latino, with 656 degrees awarded.

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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.

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Tuition

Average Net Price by Sector

Universities

Public, 4-year or above ($4,443) is the sector with the highest median state tuition in 2023.

Public, 4-year or above ($2,874) is the sector with the highest median state fee in 2023.

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.

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Housing & Living

The median property value in New Hanover County, NC was $387,800 in 2024, which is 1.17 times larger than the national average of $332,700. Between 2023 and 2024 the median property value increased from $353,700 to $387,800, a 9.64% increase. The homeownership rate in New Hanover County, NC is 61.4%, which is lower than the national average of 65.2%.

People in New Hanover County, NC have an average commute time of 20.6 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 2 cars per household.

In 2025, 17.2% of the population was living with severe housing problems in New Hanover County, NC. From 2014 to 2025, the indicator declined 2.86%.

Housing

Property

$387,800
Median Property Value 2024
±$7,095
$64,383
Median Property Taxes
±$2,183

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 $3k+ range.

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

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Rent vs Own

61.4%
Homeownership
2024
65%
Homeowners with Mortgage
2024

In 2024, 61.4% of the housing units in New Hanover County, NC were occupied by their owner. This percentage grew from the previous year's rate of 60.7%.

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

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Equity

Household Income

Please note that the buckets used in this visualization were not evenly distributed by ACS when publishing the data.
$75,166
Median Household Income
± $2,054
105k
Number of Households
± 2,949

In 2024, the median household income of the 105k households in New Hanover County, NC grew to $75,166 from the previous year's value of $72,892.

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.

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Wage Distribution

The closest comparable wage GINI for New Hanover County, NC is from North Carolina.
0.467
2023 Wage GINI in North Carolina
0.47
2022 Wage GINI in North Carolina

In 2023, the income inequality in North Carolina was 0.467 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.639% decline from 2022 to 2023, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat more even. The GINI for North Carolina was lower than than the national average of 0.476. 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.

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Transportation

Commuter Transportation

Most Common Commute in 2024
  1. Drove Alone (70.8%)
  2. Worked At Home (19.4%)
  3. Carpooled (6.13%)

In 2024, 70.8% of workers in New Hanover County, NC drove alone to work, followed by those who worked at home (19.4%) and those who carpooled to work (6.13%).

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.

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Commute Time

20.6 minutes
Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in New Hanover County, NC have a shorter commute time (20.6 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.4 minutes). Additionally, 1.88% 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.

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Car Ownership

2 cars
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 2 cars.

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Poverty

Severe Housing Problems

In 2025, 17.2% of the population was living with severe housing problems in New Hanover County, NC. From 2014 to 2025, the indicator declined 2.86%.

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

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Poverty & Diversity

12.3% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in New Hanover County, NC (28.2k out of 230k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is lower than the national average of 12.5%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 18 - 24, followed by Males 18 - 24 and then Females 35 - 44.

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.

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Children in Poverty

In 2025, 15.5% of the children was living in poverty in New Hanover County, NC. From 2014 to 2025, the indicator declined 6.8%.

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

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Security

Crimes & Accidents

Indicator

In 2022, the number of reported violent crimes offenses per 100,000 population was 447 in New Hanover County, NC. From 2014 to 2022, the indicator declined 22.1 per 100,000 population.

The graph shows the trend in the number of reported violent crimes offenses per 100,000 population.

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Health

90.4% of the population of New Hanover County, NC has health coverage, with 45.4% on employee plans, 10.8% on Medicaid, 14% on Medicare, 18.4% on non-group plans, and 1.77% on military or VA plans.

Primary care physicians in New Hanover County, NC see 1,085 patients per year on average, which represents a 0% change from the previous year (1,085 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 1205 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 169 patients per year.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 47.4% were men and 52.6% were women.

Coverage

Patient to Clinician Ratios

1,085 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 1,085 patients per year. This represents a 0% change from the previous year (1,085 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.

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Health Care Diversity

In 2024, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 19.5% under 18 years, 23.9% between 18 and 34 years, 37.7% between 35 and 64 years, and 18.9% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 47.4% were men and 52.6% were women.

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

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Uninsured People

9.63%
Uninsured
45.4%
Employer Coverage
10.8%
Medicaid
14%
Medicare
18.4%
Non-Group
1.77%
Military or VA

Between 2023 and 2024, the percent of uninsured citizens in New Hanover County, NC declined by 8.9% from 10.6% to 9.63%.

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.

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Health Indicators

Health Outcomes

Indicator

In 2025, the number of deaths among residents under age 18 per 100,000 population was 45.5 in New Hanover County, NC.

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

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Health Behaviors

Indicator

In 2025, 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 32.4% in New Hanover County, NC.

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

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Clinical Care

Indicator

In 2025, the percentage of population under age 65 without health insurance was 10.9% in New Hanover County, NC.

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

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