Metro area profile · North Carolina
Wilmington, NC metro area market data
How the Wilmington metro area compares with other metro areas for 56 business types: competitors, household spending, official counts and growth.
- Population, 2025
- 492,772
- +15.9% since 2020
- Households
- 199,271
- Median household income
- $76,471
- Median home value
- $362,400
- Jobs located here
- 180,798
- Highest market score
- 81
- Insurance agencies, #34 of 387 scored metro areas
A site report maps the competitors on map listings around any address in the Wilmington metro area by name and distance, and the households and spending within reach. Or open the report at the center of the Wilmington metro area. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
Free10 actions over 3 days, no cardSurvey estimates 2020–2024 · population estimates 2025 · official business counts 2023 · map listings September 2026 · Data credits · How we measure
What this means
The Wilmington metro area has an estimated 492,772 people and 199,271 households. Between 2020 and 2025, the population of the Wilmington metro area grew 15.9%, faster than the U.S. (+3.1%). Median household income in the Wilmington metro area is $76,471, 5% below the U.S. median of $80,734.
Relative to the U.S., household spending in the Wilmington metro area runs highest on vehicle insurance (an index of 128, where 100 is the U.S. average) and lowest on memberships, classes and admissions (77).
Of the business types scored in the Wilmington metro area, insurance agencies (81), gas stations (79) and funeral homes (75) have the highest Groundwork market scores. For insurance agencies, that ranks #34 of 387 scored metro areas.
The Wilmington metro area takes in 3 counties: New Hanover County, Brunswick County and Pender County. Against the U.S., map listings per household run highest for pest control companies (93% above the U.S. rate) and lowest for dry cleaners (46% below the U.S. rate).
All 56 business types in the Wilmington metro area
Highest Groundwork market score first. Each score compares the Wilmington metro area with other metro areas for that business type, from 0 to 100. Spending per listing divides a whole spending line (all vehicle repairs, all eating out) by one type’s listings: the demand for each competitor, not a business’s revenue. Compare it across markets with its index, where 100 is the U.S. figure for the same type; the real estate types, whose line is all housing costs, show the index only. How the score works.
| Business type | Score | Rank among metro areas | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Spending per listing vs. U.S. (100) | Official establishments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Insurance agencies | 81 | #34 of 387 | 264 | 13.2 | $1.9M | 151 | 180 |
| Gas stations | 79 | #21 of 387 | 184 | 9.2 | $3.2M | 134 | 155 |
| Funeral homes | 75 | #48 of 377 | 36 | 1.8 | $830K | 122 | 18 |
| Child care and preschools | 73 | #41 of 387 | 90 | 4.5 | $1M | 104 | 92 |
| Laundromats | 72 | #51 of 364 | 20 | 1.0 | $19.1M | 153 | 13 |
| Dry cleaners | 69 | #32 of 272 | 13 | 0.7 | $29.4M | 188 | 24 |
| Barbershops | 69 | #60 of 387 | 79 | 4.0 | $2.3M | 122 | 8 |
| Collision repair and body shops | 69 | #66 of 381 | 46 | 2.3 | $4M | 130 | 47 |
| Pizza | 62 | #105 of 387 | 148 | 7.4 | $5.2M | 102 | 407 |
| Convenience stores | 61 | #124 of 387 | 201 | 10.1 | $6.1M | 77 | 29 |
| Auto repair shops | 60 | #110 of 387 | 401 | 20.1 | $458K | 103 | 198 |
| Auto repair and car care | 60 | #125 of 387 | 692 | 34.7 | $265K | 99 | 277 |
| Primary care and pediatrics | 57 | #142 of 387 | 130 | 6.5 | $1.7M | 97 | 264 |
| Oil change and quick lube | 56 | #124 of 290 | 23 | 1.2 | $8M | 58 | 9 |
| Tire shops | 56 | #166 of 386 | 80 | 4.0 | $2.3M | 92 | 31 |
| Urgent care and walk-in clinics | 55 | #78 of 197 | 8 | 0.4 | $28.1M | 115 | 22 |
| Veterinarians | 55 | #163 of 384 | 79 | 4.0 | $2.3M | 85 | 61 |
| Grocery and convenience stores | 55 | #172 of 387 | 438 | 22.0 | $2.8M | 82 | 119 |
| Fast food and sandwich shops | 53 | #182 of 387 | 312 | 15.7 | $2.5M | 81 | 407 |
| Nail salons | 52 | #178 of 387 | 140 | 7.0 | $1.3M | 78 | 24 |
| Landscaping and lawn care | 51 | #182 of 385 | 141 | 7.1 | $2.1M | 72 | 257 |
| Grocery stores | 51 | #201 of 387 | 134 | 6.7 | $9.1M | 98 | 90 |
| Car washes and detailing | 49 | #206 of 387 | 90 | 4.5 | $2M | 81 | 33 |
| Dentists and orthodontists | 48 | #202 of 387 | 233 | 11.7 | $966K | 98 | 188 |
| House cleaning | 48 | #211 of 375 | 69 | 3.5 | $4.3M | 68 | 144 |
| Doctors, dentists and clinics | 47 | #215 of 387 | 1,686 | 84.6 | $134K | 88 | 686 |
| Pest control | 46 | #205 of 345 | 54 | 2.7 | $5.5M | 54 | 35 |
| Lawn, cleaning and pest control | 46 | #209 of 387 | 264 | 13.2 | $1.1M | 68 | 436 |
| Electricians | 46 | #227 of 383 | 63 | 3.2 | $9.3M | 77 | 211 |
| HVAC and plumbing | 46 | #231 of 387 | 156 | 7.8 | $3.7M | 79 | 232 |
| Hair salons | 45 | #241 of 387 | 494 | 24.8 | $368K | 86 | 124 |
| Clothing, shoes and laundry | 45 | #242 of 387 | 479 | 24.0 | $798K | 91 | 243 |
| Chiropractors | 44 | #232 of 386 | 111 | 5.6 | $2M | 85 | 71 |
| Clothing and shoe stores | 44 | #238 of 387 | 364 | 18.3 | $1M | 83 | 206 |
| Roofing and gutters | 44 | #245 of 381 | 137 | 6.9 | $4.3M | 50 | 47 |
| Pet businesses | 44 | #247 of 387 | 284 | 14.3 | $644K | 73 | 140 |
| Salons, barbers and spas | 44 | #265 of 387 | 1,014 | 50.9 | $179K | 84 | 229 |
| Home inspectors | 43 | #160 of 243 | 18 | 0.9 | Index only | 65 | 22 |
| Optometrists and eye care | 43 | #268 of 386 | 91 | 4.6 | $2.5M | 79 | 34 |
| Pet stores | 42 | #257 of 382 | 55 | 2.8 | $3.3M | 74 | 24 |
| Sit-down restaurants | 42 | #262 of 387 | 1,244 | 62.4 | $617K | 93 | 521 |
| Pet grooming and boarding | 42 | #268 of 386 | 114 | 5.7 | $1.6M | 63 | 55 |
| Martial arts and dance studios | 42 | #269 of 387 | 97 | 4.9 | $1.5M | 77 | 55 |
| Bakeries and dessert shops | 41 | #275 of 387 | 225 | 11.3 | $3.4M | 82 | 193 |
| Property management | 40 | #271 of 374 | 77 | 3.9 | Index only | 71 | 161 |
| Coffee shops and cafes | 40 | #278 of 387 | 270 | 13.5 | $2.8M | 77 | 176 |
| Home repair trades | 40 | #279 of 387 | 356 | 17.9 | $1.6M | 67 | 490 |
| Gyms | 40 | #289 of 387 | 183 | 9.2 | $821K | 63 | 63 |
| Restaurants and cafes | 39 | #270 of 387 | 2,409 | 120.9 | $319K | 86 | 1,114 |
| Yoga, Pilates and fitness studios | 37 | #297 of 347 | 83 | 4.2 | $1.8M | 45 | 63 |
| Gyms, studios and classes | 36 | #320 of 387 | 363 | 18.2 | $414K | 63 | 118 |
| Mortgage brokers and lenders | 34 | #330 of 373 | 133 | 6.7 | Index only | 59 | 66 |
| Real estate | 34 | #351 of 387 | 1,174 | 58.9 | Index only | 60 | 844 |
| Physical therapy | 33 | #325 of 386 | 139 | 7.0 | $1.6M | 67 | 107 |
| Spas and skin care | 33 | #351 of 387 | 286 | 14.4 | $636K | 73 | 69 |
| Real estate agents and brokers | 33 | #356 of 387 | 946 | 47.5 | Index only | 59 | 519 |
Household spending in the Wilmington metro area
What households here spend in a year on each line, in total and per household, with the index against the U.S. average (100).
| Spending line | A year, all households | Per household | Index vs. U.S. (100) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vehicle maintenance and repairs | $183.7M | $922 | 96 |
| Gasoline and other fuels | $585.8M | $2,940 | 113 |
| Food away from home | $767.4M | $3,851 | 95 |
| Groceries | $1.2B | $6,103 | 97 |
| Personal care products and services | $182M | $913 | 91 |
| Child care and other personal services | $93.6M | $470 | 81 |
| Memberships, classes and admissions | $150.2M | $754 | 77 |
| Medical and dental services | $225.2M | $1,130 | 88 |
| Pets | $183M | $918 | 101 |
| Clothing, shoes and related services | $382M | $1,917 | 93 |
| Vehicle insurance | $499.5M | $2,507 | 128 |
| Home repairs, maintenance and insurance | $583.5M | $2,928 | 97 |
| Lawn care, cleaning and other household services | $299.3M | $1,502 | 106 |
| Rent and homeowner costs | $3.1B | $15,336 | 92 |
Household spending is estimated from the incomes of the households in each neighborhood, using what households at each income spent nationally in 2024, adjusted for the region. It counts what residents spend, wherever they spend it.
Population and households in the Wilmington metro area
- Population, 2025 estimate
- 492,772+15.9% since 2020
- Households
- 199,271
- Median age
- 45.1
- Homes lived in by their owners
- 72%
- Vehicles per household
- 1.9
- Land area
- 1,913 sq. mi.
- People per square mile
- 237
- Median household income
- $76,471
- Average household income
- $104,427
- Median home value
- $362,400
- Jobs located here
- 180,798
- Daytime population
- 448,307Residents who don’t work, plus everyone whose job is here
Looking at a specific site in the Wilmington metro area?
These figures cover the whole metro area. A site report draws rings around one address and counts what’s inside them: households, spending, jobs, and the competitors on map listings by name and distance, for any of the 56 business types.
Or open the report at the center of the Wilmington metro area. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
Free10 actions over 3 days, no cardRelated markets
Counties in the Wilmington metro area 3
- New Hanover County, NC235,229 people
- Brunswick County, NC152,568 people
- Pender County, NC65,550 people
Other markets based in North Carolina 12
- Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC metro area2,768,407 people
- Raleigh-Cary, NC metro area1,487,302 people
- Greensboro-High Point, NC metro area786,419 people
- Winston-Salem, NC metro area689,766 people
- Durham-Chapel Hill, NC metro area601,724 people
- Asheville, NC metro area414,711 people
- Fayetteville, NC metro area392,380 people
- Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC metro area368,316 people
- Jacksonville, NC metro area207,906 people
- Greenville, NC metro area177,193 people
- Burlington, NC metro area176,893 people
- Rocky Mount, NC metro area144,952 people
Questions
How fast is the Wilmington, NC metro area growing?
Population estimates put the Wilmington metro area at 492,772 people in 2025, up 15.9% since 2020, faster than the U.S. (+3.1%). It has 199,271 households.
How much do households in the Wilmington, NC metro area spend?
Households in the Wilmington metro area spend about $3.1B a year on rent and homeowner costs, $1.2B on groceries and $767.4M on food away from home. Set against the U.S., households in the Wilmington metro area spend the most on vehicle insurance (an index of 128, where 100 is the U.S. average) and the least on memberships, classes and admissions (77).
Which business types have the highest market scores in the Wilmington, NC metro area?
The highest Groundwork market scores in the Wilmington metro area are for insurance agencies (81), gas stations (79) and funeral homes (75). The Wilmington metro area ranks #34 of 387 scored metro areas for insurance agencies.
How does the Wilmington, NC metro area compare with the U.S.?
The median household income in the Wilmington metro area is $76,471 a year, 5% below the U.S. median of $80,734. The population rose 15.9% from 2020 to 2025, against +3.1% for the U.S. The median home value is $362,400, against $332,700 for the U.S. For its number of households, the Wilmington metro area has the most map listings, relative to the U.S., for pest control companies (93% above the U.S. rate) and the fewest for dry cleaners (46% below the U.S. rate).
What is the Groundwork market score?
The Groundwork market score runs from 0 to 100 and compares a market with others of its kind for one business type: states with states, metro areas with metro areas, small-town markets and counties with their own. It weighs household spending per competitor (35%), households per business with payroll (25%), population growth (20%) and spending power (20%), each ranked against those peers. A higher score means that, taken together, the market has more household spending and more households for each business already there, faster population growth and more spending per household than similar markets. It describes a market, not any one site or deal. All 56 business types have a score in the Wilmington metro area, each ranked against other metro areas.
How can I see the market around a specific site?
Run a Groundwork site report on an address in the Wilmington metro area. It maps the competitors on map listings near the site and sizes the households and spending within the distance you choose. New accounts get 10 actions over 3 days, no card.
All markets in North Carolina · Every U.S. market · How we measure
Screening a site or an acquisition in the Wilmington metro area?
A site report maps the competitors on map listings near an address and sizes the households and spending around it.
The button opens the report at the center of the Wilmington metro area. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.
Figures are estimates for research only. Not investment or real estate advice.