Wilmington, NC

Census Place

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2023 Population

118,578

1.41% 1-year growth

US Senator

Thom Tillis

Republican Party

US Senator

Ted Budd

Republican Party

2023 Median Age

37.5

0.266% 1-year decrease

2023 Median Property Value

$350,300

9.95% 1-year growth

2023 Employed Population

61,983

2.62% 1-year growth

About

In 2023, Wilmington, NC had a population of 119k people with a median age of 37.5 and a median household income of N/A. Between 2022 and 2023 the population of Wilmington, NC grew from 116,933 to 118,578, a 1.41% increase and its median household income N/A from N/A to N/A, a N/A% N/A.

N/A

None of the households in Wilmington, 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.

96.8% of the residents in Wilmington, NC are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Wilmington, 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 2023, the median property value in Wilmington, NC was $350,300, and the homeownership rate was 46.8%.

Most people in Wilmington, NC drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 18.5 minutes. The average car ownership in Wilmington, NC was 2 cars per household.

United States North Carolina New Hanover County, NC Wilmington, NC Pender & New Hanover (North) Counties PUMA, NC New Hanover County (South)--Wilmington City PUMA, NC

Population & Diversity

Wilmington, NC is home to a population of 119k people, from which 96.8% are citizens. As of 2023, 5.67% of Wilmington, NC residents were born outside of the country (6.73k people).

In N/A, there were N/A times more N/A residents (N/A people) in Wilmington, NC than any other race or ethnicity. There were N/A N/A and N/A N/A residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

96.8%

2023 Citizenship

97.3%

2022 Citizenship

As of 2023, 96.8% of Wilmington, NC residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.4%. In 2022, the percentage of US citizens in Wilmington, NC was 97.3%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been decreasing.

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

Foreign-Born Population

5.67%

2023 Foreign-Born Population

6.73k people

4.99%

2022 Foreign-Born Population

5.83k people

As of 2023, 5.67% of Wilmington, NC residents (6.73k 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 Wilmington, NC was 4.99%, meaning that the rate has been increasing.

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

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Vietnam
1,677 ± 261
Gulf War (2001-)
1,508 ± 368
Gulf War (1990s)
819 ± 197

Wilmington, NC has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 1.11 times greater than any other conflict.

Economy

The economy of Wilmington, NC employs 62k people. The largest industries in Wilmington, NC are Health Care & Social Assistance (8,512 people), Retail Trade (7,569 people), and Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services (7,143 people), and the highest paying industries are Utilities ($83,636), Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services ($72,420), and Wholesale Trade ($63,375).

Employment

Occupations

62k

2023 Value

± 2,324

2.62%

1 Year growth

± 5.3%

From 2022 to 2023, employment in Wilmington, NC grew at a rate of 2.62%, from 60.4k employees to 62k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Wilmington, NC, are Management Occupations (8,605 people), Sales & Related Occupations (6,623 people), and Food Preparation & Serving Related Occupations (5,237 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Wilmington, 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

62k

2023 Value

± 2,324

2.62%

1 Year growth

± 5.3%

From 2022 to 2023, employment in Wilmington, NC grew at a rate of 2.62%, from 60.4k employees to 62k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Wilmington, NC, are Health Care & Social Assistance (8,512 people), Retail Trade (7,569 people), and Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services (7,143 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Wilmington, NC, though some of these residents may live in Wilmington, NC and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

Median Earnings by Industry

$46,998

Median earning men ± $1,885

$36,336

Median earning women ± $2,579

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2023 are Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing & Hunting, & Mining ($136,058), Wholesale Trade ($82,500), and Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($71,539).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2023 are Information ($52,113), Professional, Scientific, & Management, & Administrative & Waste Management Services ($48,850), and Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($48,810).

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.

Education

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

Most students graduating from Universities in Wilmington, NC are White (5,901 and 74.7%), followed by 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 Wilmington, 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 Wilmington, 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 in Wilmington, NC 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 Wilmington, 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.

Enrollments by Gender and Races

Universities

In 2023 there were 32,412 students enrolled in Wilmington, 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.

Completions

Concentrations

Most Common

Registered Nursing
789 degrees awarded
General Business Administration & Management
754 degrees awarded
General Psychology
261 degrees awarded

In 2023, the most common concentation for Bachelors Degree recipients in Wilmington, NC was Registered Nursing with 789 degrees awarded.

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

Universities

Gender

Race

Largest Universities by degrees awarded

University of North Carolina Wilmington
5,291 degrees awarded
Cape Fear Community College
2,303 degrees awarded
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.

Student Diversity

University

In 2023, 2,768 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Wilmington, 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.

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 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.

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 Wilmington, NC was $350,300 in 2023, which is 1.15 times larger than the national average of $303,400. Between 2022 and 2023 the median property value increased from $318,600 to $350,300, a 9.95% increase. The homeownership rate in Wilmington, NC is 46.8%, which is approximately the same as the national average of 65%.

People in Wilmington, NC have an average commute time of 18.5 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Wilmington, NC is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

Median household income in Wilmington, NC is N/A. In 2023, the place with the highest median household income in Wilmington, NC was Census Tract 117.03 with a value of $163,712, followed by Census Tract 120.04 and Census Tract 123, with respective values of $136,375 and $125,849.

Housing

Property

$350,300

Median Property Value 2023

±$10,273

$25,823

Median Property Taxes

±$1,303

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 Wilmington, NC the largest share of households pay taxes in the $3k+ range.

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

Rent vs Own

46.8%

Homeownership

2023

64.2%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2023

In 2023, 46.8% of the housing units in Wilmington, NC were occupied by their owner. This percentage grew from the previous year's rate of 45.9%.

This chart shows the percentage of owner in Wilmington, 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 117.03
Census Tract 120.04
Census Tract 123

In 2023, the place with the highest Median Household Income (Total) in Wilmington, NC was Census Tract 117.03 with a value of $163,712, followed by Census Tract 120.04 and Census Tract 123, with respective values of $136,375 and $125,849.

The following map shows all of the places in Wilmington, 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.

N/A

Median Household Income

± N/A

55.1k

Number of Households

± 2,171

In N/A, the median household income of the 55.1k households in Wilmington, NC N/A N/A from the previous year's value of N/A.

The following chart displays the households in Wilmington, 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 Wilmington, 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 (70.9%)
Worked At Home (17.7%)
Carpooled (7.04%)

In 2023, 70.9% of workers in Wilmington, NC drove alone to work, followed by those who worked at home (17.7%) and those who carpooled to work (7.04%).

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

18.5 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Wilmington, NC have a shorter commute time (18.5 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.6 minutes). Additionally, 1.55% of the workforce in Wilmington, NC have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

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

Car Ownership

2 cars

Average Number

The following chart displays the households in Wilmington, NC distributed between a series of car ownership buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households in Wilmington, NC have 2 cars.

Poverty

Poverty & Diversity

N/A% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Wilmington, NC (N/A out of N/A people) live below the poverty line, a number that is approximately the same as the national average of 12.4%. 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 Wilmington, 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.

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

88.4% of the population of Wilmington, NC has health coverage, with 44.1% on employee plans, 12.9% on Medicaid, 12.9% on Medicare, 17% on non-group plans, and 1.44% on military or VA plans.

Coverage

Health Care Diversity

In 2023, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 18.9% under 18 years, 28.1% between 18 and 34 years, 35.4% between 35 and 64 years, and 17.6% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 44.8% were men and 55.2% were women.

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

Uninsured People

11.6%

Uninsured

44.1%

Employer Coverage

12.9%

Medicaid

12.9%

Medicare

17%

Non-Group

1.44%

Military or VA

Between 2022 and 2023, the percent of uninsured citizens in Wilmington, NC grew by 1.1% from 11.5% to 11.6%.

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

Keep Exploring

North Carolina

State

New Hanover County, NC