18 cities
| City | Rank | 2025 Pop. ↓ | 2020 Pop. | Annual Change | Density | Area (mi²) | Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wilmington | 1 | 127,633 | 115,887 | 1.87% | 2,482 | 51 | City |
| Murraysville | 2 | 17,286 | 16,174 | 1.19% | 2,007 | 9 | CDP |
| Myrtle Grove | 3 | 12,897 | 11,921 | 2.12% | 1,923 | 7 | CDP |
| Ogden | 4 | 9,182 | 9,071 | 1.78% | 2,029 | 5 | CDP |
| Kings Grant | 5 | 8,673 | 8,596 | 0.43% | 1,910 | 5 | CDP |
| Porters Neck | 6 | 7,405 | 7,693 | 1.09% | 1,369 | 5 | CDP |
| Carolina Beach | 7 | 6,940 | 6,559 | 1.11% | 2,830 | 2 | Town |
| Northchase | 8 | 5,992 | 4,987 | 2.57% | 3,484 | 2 | CDP |
| Silver Lake | 9 | 5,923 | 6,146 | 0.37% | 2,402 | 2 | CDP |
| Wrightsboro | 10 | 4,871 | 4,788 | -0.04% | 438 | 11 | CDP |
| Skippers Corner | 11 | 3,803 | 3,250 | 1.82% | 543 | 7 | CDP |
| Bayshore | 12 | 2,984 | 3,776 | -0.93% | 1,267 | 2 | CDP |
| Wrightsville Beach | 13 | 2,397 | 2,466 | -0.58% | 1,718 | 1 | Town |
| Kure Beach | 14 | 2,146 | 2,183 | -0.37% | 2,439 | 1 | Town |
| Sea Breeze | 15 | 1,424 | 1,646 | -2.47% | 764 | 2 | CDP |
| Castle Hayne | 16 | 912 | 993 | -2.04% | 191 | 5 | CDP |
| Hightsville | 17 | 753 | 823 | 0.13% | 516 | 1 | CDP |
| Blue Clay Farms | 18 | 155 | 52 | 6.9% | 64 | 2 | CDP |
Wilmington is the largest city in New Hanover County, with a population of 127,633.
Blue Clay Farms is the smallest city in New Hanover County, with a population of 155.
There are 18 cities in New Hanover County, North Carolina.