The Town FilesWilmington, North Carolina
City in New Hanover County · population 115,451 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $383,800
- Household income
- $66,738
- Jan low / Jul high
- 36° / 90°
- Snow a year
- 1 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 37
- Median age
- 37.1
Wilmington is a city of 115,451 people in New Hanover County, North Carolina. The median home is worth $383,800, above the typical North Carolina town ($228,900). It ranks more vibrant than 99% of North Carolina towns, more walkable than 97% of North Carolina towns, better for young professionals than 97% of North Carolina towns.
How Wilmington ranks
Percentile among North Carolina towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of North Carolina towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Wilmington is worth $383,800, above the typical North Carolina town ($228,900). Homes cost about 5.8 times the median household income of $66,738, which is more affordable than 8% of North Carolina towns. Median rent is $1,395 a month. 47.6% of households own their home.
| Housing | Wilmington | Typical North Carolina town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $383,800 | $228,900 |
| Median rent | $1,395 | $969 |
| Median household income | $66,738 | $60,458 |
| Home value ÷ income | 5.8× | 3.7× |
| Homeownership | 47.6% | 69.5% |
| Median year built | 1989 | 1984 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 2.3% | — |
Who lives in Wilmington
| People | Wilmington | Typical North Carolina town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 37.1 | 41.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 18.2% | 19.0% |
| Under 18 | 16.4% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 46.8% | 24.5% |
| Below the poverty line | 16.0% | 14.3% |
| Veterans | 5.4% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 5.7% | — |
| Work from home | 19.2% | 9.8% |
| Average commute | 18.5 min | 24.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 91.3% | 89.5% |
Weather in Wilmington
July highs average 90.0°F and January lows 36.3°F. About 60.1 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.9 inches of snow (typical North Carolina town: 2.2 in). Expect about 45 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 37 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
37 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Wilmington since 1950, compared with 13 for the typical North Carolina town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on June 13, 1962 about 9.1 miles from the town center. The most recent was on July 6, 2025.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 62 times; the largest was 2.50 inches on June 16, 1971.
Severe weather in New Hanover County since 1996
New Hanover County has been included in 32 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for hurricane, snowstorm, biological.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| January 24, 2026 | Winter Storm | EM-3637: Severe Winter Storm |
| October 19, 2024 | Tropical Storm | DR-4837: Potential Tropical Cyclone Eight |
| September 26, 2024 | Tropical Storm | EM-3617: Hurricane Helene |
| August 6, 2024 | Tropical Storm | EM-3608: Tropical Storm Debby |
| October 1, 2022 | Hurricane | EM-3586: Hurricane Ian |
Jobs and pay in New Hanover County
New Hanover County had 130,464 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $61,611 a year. Unemployment was 3.1% in 2023; in Wilmington itself the ACS puts it at 4.3%.
Public schools in Wilmington
44 public schools with 24,961 students, about 15.0 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Emsley A Laney High | 9-12 | 2,248 | 20.1 |
| John T Hoggard High | 9-12 | 2,178 | 19.4 |
| Eugene Ashley High | 9-12 | 1,899 | 19.6 |
| New Hanover High | 9-12 | 1,515 | 15.6 |
| Charles P Murray Middle | 6-8 | 899 | 17.3 |
| American Leadership Academy-Coastal (charter) | K-10 | 862 | 17.2 |
| Roland-Grise Middle | 6-8 | 848 | 16.3 |
| Williston Middle | 6-8 | 661 | 13.0 |
| Porters Neck Elementary | K-5 | 655 | 16.0 |
| Emma B Trask Middle | 6-8 | 651 | 15.1 |
| M C S Noble Middle | 6-8 | 647 | 16.2 |
| Edwin A Anderson Elementary | K-5 | 610 | 14.5 |
Towns near Wilmington
- Kings Grant, NC4.2 mi · 8,466 people · home $300,700
- Silver Lake, NC4.8 mi · 6,500 people · home $325,500
- Wrightsville Beach, NC5.0 mi · 2,473 people · home $1,168,700
- Hightsville, NC5.1 mi · 710 people · home $228,000
- Myrtle Grove, NC5.7 mi · 11,476 people · home $439,100
- Wrightsboro, NC6.0 mi · 5,526 people · home $255,700
- Murraysville, NC6.2 mi · 16,582 people · home $320,700
- Belville, NC6.5 mi · 2,406 people · home $282,600
Wilmington questions
Is Wilmington, North Carolina a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Wilmington scores better for retirees than 33% of North Carolina towns and quieter than 4%. 18.2% of residents are 65 or older (median age 37.1).
How much does a house cost in Wilmington?
The median owner-occupied home in Wilmington is valued at $383,800 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $66,738, so homes cost about 5.8 times income. Median rent is $1,395 a month.
What is the weather like in Wilmington?
July highs average 90.0°F and January lows 36.3°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 60.1 inches of precipitation a year and 0.9 inches of snow.
Does Wilmington get tornadoes?
37 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Wilmington since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on June 13, 1962. The typical North Carolina town has had 13.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)