Wilmington, NC

Census Place

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2024 Population

120,805

US Senator

Thom Tillis

Republican Party

US Senator

Ted Budd

Republican Party

2024 Median Age

37.1

1.07% 1-year decrease

2024 Poverty Rate

16%

1.84% 1-year decrease

2024 Median Household Income

$66,738

4.44% 1-year growth

2024 Median Property Value

$383,800

9.56% 1-year growth

2024 Employed Population

65,608

5.85% 1-year growth

About

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.

96.6% of the residents in Wilmington, NC are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Wilmington, NC are University of North Carolina Wilmington (5,239 degrees awarded in 2024), Cape Fear Community College (1,938 degrees), and College of Wilmington (112 degrees).

In 2024, the median property value in Wilmington, NC was $383,800, and the homeownership rate was 47.6%.

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 121k people, from which 96.6% are citizens. As of 2024, 5.73% of Wilmington, NC residents were born outside of the country (6.92k people).

In 2024, there were 4.85 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (84.5k people) in Wilmington, NC than any other race or ethnicity. There were 17.4k Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) and 4.5k Other (Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

96.6%

2024 Citizenship

96.8%

2023 Citizenship

As of 2024, 96.6% of Wilmington, NC residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.2%. In 2023, the percentage of US citizens in Wilmington, NC was 96.8%, 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.

Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Wilmington, NC

White (Non-Hispanic)
84.5k ± 1.85k
Black or African American (Non-Hispanic)
17.4k ± 1.41k
Other (Hispanic)
4.5k ± 1.19k

8.78%

Hispanic Population

10.6k people

8.78% of the people in Wilmington, NC are hispanic (10.6k people).

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

Global Diversity

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

Most Common Origin

Mexico
228,441 ± 11,609 people
India
90,815 ± 7,367 people
Honduras
52,061 ± 5,588 people

In 2024, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of North Carolina was Mexico, the natal country of 228,441 North Carolina residents, followed by India with 90,815 and Honduras with 52,061.

Foreign-Born Population

5.73%

2024 Foreign-Born Population

6.92k people

5.67%

2023 Foreign-Born Population

6.73k people

As of 2024, 5.73% of Wilmington, NC residents (6.92k 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 Wilmington, NC was 5.67%, 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
1,728 ± 294
Gulf War (2001-)
1,566 ± 418
Gulf War (1990s)
699 ± 194

Wilmington, NC has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 1.1 times greater than any other conflict.

The chart shows the distribution of veterans by conflict in Wilmington, NC.

Health

89.1% of the population of Wilmington, NC has health coverage, with 43.5% on employee plans, 13.1% on Medicaid, 13.1% on Medicare, 17.8% on non-group plans, and 1.63% on military or VA plans.

Primary care physicians in North Carolina see 1,413 patients per year on average, which represents a 0% change from the previous year (1,413 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 1634 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 299 patients per year.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 46.5% were men and 53.5% were women.

Coverage

Health Care Diversity

In 2024, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 18.1% under 18 years, 29% between 18 and 34 years, 34.8% between 35 and 64 years, and 18.1% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 46.5% were men and 53.5% were women.

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

Uninsured People

10.9%

Uninsured

43.5%

Employer Coverage

13.1%

Medicaid

13.1%

Medicare

17.8%

Non-Group

1.63%

Military or VA

Between 2023 and 2024, the percent of uninsured citizens in Wilmington, NC declined by 6.36% from 11.6% to 10.9%.

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.

Economy

The economy of Wilmington, NC employs 65.6k people. In 2024, the largest industries in Wilmington, NC were Health Care & Social Assistance (8,912 people), Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services (7,800 people), and Retail Trade (7,526 people), and the highest paying industries were Utilities ($86,250), Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services ($75,437), and Wholesale Trade ($65,430).

Employment

Occupations

65.6k

2024 Value

± 2,522

5.85%

1 Year growth

± 5.07%

From 2023 to 2024, employment in Wilmington, NC grew at a rate of 5.85%, from 62k employees to 65.6k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Wilmington, NC, are Management Occupations (8,889 people), Sales & Related Occupations (6,969 people), and Food Preparation & Serving Related Occupations (5,976 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 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.

Industries

Employment by Industries

65.6k

2024 Value

± 2,522

5.85%

1 Year growth

± 5.07%

From 2023 to 2024, employment in Wilmington, NC grew at a rate of 5.85%, from 62k employees to 65.6k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Wilmington, NC, are Health Care & Social Assistance (8,912 people), Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services (7,800 people), and Retail Trade (7,526 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

$49,706

Median earning men ± $3,026

$35,946

Median earning women ± $2,008

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2024 are Wholesale Trade ($85,284), Information ($85,125), and Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($72,552).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2024 are Public Administration ($52,000), Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($51,898), and Information ($51,837).

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.

Civics

In the 2024 presidential election, the popular vote in North Carolina went to Donald J. Trump with 50.9% of the vote. The runner-up was Kamala Harris (47.6%), followed by Other (0.675%).

Thom Tillis and Ted Budd are the senators currently representing the state of North Carolina. In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

North Carolina is currently represented by 14 members in the U.S. house, and members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms.

Presidential Elections

Presidential Popular Vote Over Time

Voting results are not available for Wilmington, NC. Showing the available data for North Carolina.

2024 Election Results

Donald J. Trump (50.9%)
Republican Party
Kamala Harris (47.6%)
Democratic Party
Other (0.675%)
Other Party

In the 2024 presidential election, the popular vote in North Carolina went to Donald J. Trump with 50.9% of the vote. The runner-up was Kamala Harris (47.6%), followed by Other (0.675%).

The following chart shows the popular vote results in North Carolina for each registered party from 1976 to 2024.

Senator Elections

US Senators from North Carolina

Senatorial voting results are only available at the state level. Showing data for North Carolina.

Thom Tillis

Senator from North Carolina

Assumed office on January 3, 2015

Ted Budd

Senator from North Carolina

Assumed office on January 3, 2023

Thom Tillis and Ted Budd are the senators currently representing North Carolina.

In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

The following chart shows elected senators in North Carolina over time, excluding special elections, colored by their political party.

Education

In 2024, universities in Wilmington, NC awarded 7,376 degrees. The student population of Wilmington, NC in 2024 is skewed towards women, with 13,285 male students and 19,823 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Wilmington, NC are White (5,473 and 75.3%), Hispanic or Latino (610 and 8.4%), Black or African American (567 and 7.8%), and Two or More Races (234 and 3.22%).

The largest universities in Wilmington, NC by number of degrees awarded are University of North Carolina Wilmington (5,239 and 71%), Cape Fear Community College (1,938 and 26.3%), and College of Wilmington (112 and 1.52%).

The most popular majors in Wilmington, NC are Registered Nursing (875 and 11.9%), General Business Administration & Management (754 and 10.2%), and Liberal Arts & Sciences (749 and 10.2%).

The median tuition cost for a public four year colleges is $4,443 for in-state students and $21,318 for out-of-state students.

Admissions & Enrollments

Applicants, Admissions & Enrolled

University

Measure

In 2024 in Wilmington, NC, the percentage of applicants admitted was 64.2%, while the percentage of admitted who enrolled was 21%. The number of students enrolled in 2024 was 33,108 (40.1% men and 59.9% 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 2024 there were 33,108 students enrolled in Wilmington, NC, 40.1% men and 59.9% women.

By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in White with 23,478 records, of which 59.4% were women and 40.6% men.

Completions

Concentrations

Most Common

Registered Nursing
775 degrees awarded
General Business Administration & Management
675 degrees awarded
General Psychology
302 degrees awarded

In 2024, the most common concentation for Bachelors Degree recipients in Wilmington, NC was Registered Nursing with 775 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
5,239 degrees awarded
Cape Fear Community College
1,938 degrees awarded
College of Wilmington
112 degrees awarded

In 2024, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was University of North Carolina Wilmington with 5,239 degrees awarded.

Student Diversity

University

In 2024, 2,387 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Wilmington, NC, which is 0.478 times less than the 4,989 female students who received degrees in the same year.

In 2024, the most common race/ethnicity group awarded degrees at institutions was White students. These 5,473 degrees mean that there were 8.97 times more degrees awarded to White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Hispanic or Latino, with 610 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 2024.

Public, 4-year or above ($2,834) is the sector with the highest median state fee in 2024.

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.

Housing & Living

The median property value in Wilmington, NC was $383,800 in 2024, which is 1.15 times larger than the national average of $332,700. Between 2023 and 2024 the median property value increased from $350,300 to $383,800, a 9.56% increase. The homeownership rate in Wilmington, NC is 47.6%, which is lower than the national average of 65.2%.

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.

Housing

Property

$383,800

Median Property Value 2024

±$11,075

$26,972

Median Property Taxes

±$1,385

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

47.6%

Homeownership

2024

64.4%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2024

In 2024, 47.6% of the housing units in Wilmington, NC were occupied by their owner. This percentage grew from the previous year's rate of 46.8%.

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

Equity

Household Income

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

$66,738

Median Household Income

± $2,914

56.6k

Number of Households

± 2,164

In 2024, the median household income of the 56.6k households in Wilmington, NC grew to $66,738 from the previous year's value of $63,900.

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.

0.466

2024 Wage GINI in North Carolina

0.467

2023 Wage GINI in North Carolina

In 2024, the income inequality in North Carolina was 0.466 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.16% decline from 2023 to 2024, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat more even. The GINI for North Carolina was lower than than the national average of 0.474. 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 2024

Drove Alone (69.6%)
Worked At Home (19.2%)
Carpooled (5.99%)

In 2024, 69.6% of workers in Wilmington, NC drove alone to work, followed by those who worked at home (19.2%) and those who carpooled to work (5.99%).

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 (26.4 minutes). Additionally, 1.61% 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

16% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Wilmington, NC (18.7k out of 117k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is higher 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 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.