New Hanover County · North Carolina · South · 121k residents
Wilmington, NC: economy, jobs & business costs
The site-selection read on Wilmington: labor costs, talent, corporate tax, energy, and business activity, with the North Carolina median as the yardstick. Compare it live against any of 3,000 US cities.
Data coverage: Curated city row; coverage varies by fact.
Average weekly wages in the surrounding labor market run $1,257/wk. North Carolina's corporate income tax rate is 2.25%. Commercial electricity averages 10.6¢/kWh.
Compare Wilmington side by side
Avg. weekly wage
$1,257/wk
Corporate income tax
2.25%
Bachelor's degree or higher
46.8%
Commercial electricity
10.6¢/kWh
Economic momentum
How fast Wilmington's economy is moving, ranked against the US cities we track.
70/100
Heating
Ranks Wilmington's jobs growth against the US cities we cover. The label is relative pace, not a direction, so a market can rank low while some figures still rise. A higher score moves faster, it is not cheaper or better. This is economic activity, not commercial lease rates or vacancy. Not investment or relocation advice.
| Median home value | $420,000 |
| Price per sq. ft. | $260 |
| Property tax rate | 0.75% |
| 1-bedroom rent | $1,450/mo |
| 2-bedroom rent | $1,650/mo |
| State & local income tax | 3.15% |
| Sales tax | 7% |
| Corporate income tax | 2.25% |
| Avg. weekly wage | $1,257/wk |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 46.8% |
| Commercial electricity | 10.6¢/kWh |
| Businesses per 1k residents | 47.6/1k |
| Wage: Software developer | $123,730 |
| Wage: Registered nurse | $80,970 |
| Wage: General manager | $90,270 |
| Wage: Customer service | $38,100 |
| Wage: Warehouse worker | $35,300 |
| Wage: Heavy truck driver | $48,850 |
| Wage: Electrician | $54,080 |
| Wage: Retail salesperson | $30,790 |
| Cost of living index | 100 |
| Groceries index | 101 |
| Utilities | $150/mo |
| Transit pass | $40/mo |
| Gas price | $3.10/gal |
| Healthcare index | 101 |
| Childcare (per child) | $1,150/mo |
| Median household income | $60,000 |
| Unemployment rate | 3.7% |
| Population | 121k |
| Crime index | 47/100 |
| School rating | 6.0/10 |
| Walkability | 33/100 |
| Disaster risk | 96/100 |
| Avg. commute | 21 min |
| Sunny days / year | 215 days |
| July high | 90°F |
| January low | 36°F |
| Annual snowfall | 1 in |
| Home price YoY | -1.1% |
| Home price MoM | 0.0% |
| Rent YoY | +2.3% |
| Rent MoM | +0.3% |
| Employment (jobs) YoY | +0.9% |
| Building permits YoY | — |
| Ocean coast | 8 mi |
| Big lake | 161 mi |
| Mountains | 254 mi |
| Major airport | 124 mi |
| Ski resort | 258 mi |
Popular comparisons
Nearby
- Murraysville, NC · 16k
- Leland, NC · 30k
- Jacksonville, NC · 71k
- Lumberton, NC · 19k
- Kinston, NC · 20k
Similar size
- High Point, NC · 116k
- Concord, NC · 109k
- Asheville, NC · 95k
- Greenville, NC · 93k
- Gastonia, NC · 83k
Real listings in Wilmington
LoopNet ↗Crexi ↗CommercialCafe ↗
Links open third-party listing searches. WhereToHQ has no paid relationship with these sites.
- Is Wilmington a good place to run a business?
- North Carolina's corporate income tax rate is 2.25%; average weekly wages in the surrounding labor market run $1,257/wk; commercial electricity averages 10.6¢/kWh. Weigh these against your own priorities in the business comparison tool.
- What is the cost of living in Wilmington, NC?
- Wilmington indexes at 100 for day-to-day costs against a national baseline of 100, with a typical two-bedroom renting for $1,650/mo and a median home value of $420,000.
- How much does a house cost in Wilmington?
- The median home value in Wilmington is $420,000 (compiled estimate; individual listings vary).
- How much is rent in Wilmington?
- A two-bedroom in Wilmington rents for about $1,650/mo.