Wilmington, North Carolina Population 2023

120,695

Wilmington is a city located in New Hanover County North Carolina. Wilmington has a 2023 population of 120,695. It is also the county seat of New Hanover County.Wilmington is currently growing at a rate of 1.29% annually and its population has increased by 3.92% since the most recent census, which recorded a population of 116,146 in 2020.

The average household income in Wilmington is $83,853 with a poverty rate of 18.75%. The median rental costs in recent years comes to - per month, and the median house value is -. The median age in Wilmington is 37.4 years, 36.9 years for males, and 38.2 years for females.

Wilmington serves as the county seat for New Hanover County. Wilmington is a significant port city and has been designated as a “Coast Guard City.”

Wilmington Population Statistics

Just over 47% of the population has a religious affiliation. Most of the people that do practice a religion observe Christianity. Baptists and Methodists make up the largest portion of the religious population.

Wilmington Population Growth

The population of Wilmington, for the most part, has grown every ten years when the census is taken. There have been brief periods where the population declined, but the number shows that Wilmington has always bounced back. The city has seen significant growth since the 1990s. A population of over 55,000 in 1990 had increased by 36.6% in 2000. It grew again in 2010 by over 40% to exceed 100,000. Recent estimates show that the population has grown by over 10% since the last census. It’s likely that this city will continue to see continued growth based on these trends in recent years.

Giovanni da Verrazano was the first European to spot the current location of Wilmington during the early 16th century. The city before European settlement was inhabited by multiple indigenous tribes for thousands of years. However, the area wasn’t settled by the Europeans until the 1720s. An area along the Cape Fear River was originally named New Carthage. The name was later changed to New Liverpool, before becoming known as New Town or Newton. It was in 1739 or 1740 when the city took on the name of Wilmington.

People from other regions in North Carolina, as well as Virginia and South Carolina settled in Wilmington. The majority of the settlers came from the British Isles, the West Indies, and British colonies. Indentured servants made up quite a bit of the early population. As the demand for labor increased in the region, slaves were brought from Africa, making up about 62% of the region’s total population in 1767.

In its earliest years, the economy was fueled by naval stores and the lumber industry. It was also an essential major port. With the arrival of the 1800s came the need for railroad transportation. Plans were created to build a railroad from Raleigh to Wilmington, but plans fell through when there wasn’t enough money raised for the project. The terminus was then changed to Weldon. Later in the century, the Wilmington Gas Light Company was established, and gas-powered street lights were installed. Soon after that, a new City Hall was built. The city over the next few years also opened its first public school and an opera house.

Wilmington’s port served as a base for the Confederates during the Civil War. The city was captured by the Union in 1865, although battles took place some distance away so that homes and buildings were preserved within Wilmington. At the end of the decade, free and emancipated blacks created a community within Wilmington. This eventually led to the Wilmington Insurrection of 1898.

Today, the city still holds its position as one of the most important port cities in the United States. The city has many historic buildings still intact, bringing in tourists. There are also nearby beaches, the downtown Riverwalk that has been named one of the best in the country, museums and other attractions that appeal to visitors and residents.

Wilmington Demographics

According to the most recent ACS, the racial composition of Wilmington was:

  • White: 74.44%
  • Black or African American: 17.16%
  • Two or more races: 3.62%
  • Other race: 3.07%
  • Asian: 1.25%
  • Native American: 0.3%
  • Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander: 0.15%
Land Area (mi²)
51.4 sq mi
Density (mi²)
2,348.0/sq mi
Growth Rate
1.29% (1,536)
Growth Since 2020
3.92% (4,549)
The current population of Wilmington, North Carolina is 120,695 based on our projections of the latest US Census estimates.The last official US Census in 2020 recorded the population at 116,146.

Wilmington, North Carolina Population 2023

Population by Race

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White

Black or African American

Two or more races

Other race

Asian

Native American

Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander

Wilmington Population by Race

Wilmington Population Pyramid 2023

Wilmington Median Age

37.4

Total

36.9

Male

38.2

Female

Wilmington Adults

There are 96,262 adults, (20,258 of whom are seniors) in Wilmington.

Wilmington Age Dependency

52.6

Age Dependency Ratio

26.7

Old Age Dependency Ratio

25.9

Child Dependency Ratio

Wilmington Sex Ratio

Female62,30053.72%
Male53,67646.28%

Wilmington Population by Age

Wilmington Renter vs Owner Occupied by Household Type

2.9

Average Family Size

2.1

Average Household Size

46.2%

Rate of Home Ownership

Married

Male

Female

NonFamily

owner

renter

Wilmington Households and Families

Male

Female

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Less Than 9th Grade

9th to 12th Grade

High School Graduate

Some College

Associates Degree

Bachelors Degree

Graduate Degree

Wilmington Educational Attainment by Sex (over 25)

Wilmington Educational Attainment by Race

High School Graduation Rate

Bachelors Rate

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The highest rate of high school graduation is among white people with a rate of 75.73%.

The highest rate of bachelors degrees is among asian people with a rate of 43.81%.

Wilmington Educational Attainment by Race

All

Male

Female

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$40,949

Average Earnings

$45,994

Average Male

$35,929

Average Female

Wilmington Earnings by Educational Attainment

Wilmington Language by Age

Only English

Spanish

Other Indo-European Languages

Asian and Pacific Island Languages

Other Languages

Wilmington Language

92.21% of Wilmington residents speak only English, while 7.79% speak other languages. The non-English language spoken by the largest group is Spanish, which is spoken by 5.01% of the population.

Wilmington Language

Wilmington Poverty by Race

rate

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18.75%

Overall Poverty Rate

15.65%

Male Poverty Rate

21.46%

Female Poverty Rate

Poverty in Wilmington

The race most likely to be in poverty in Wilmington is Islander, with 211.25% below the poverty level.

The race least likely to be in poverty in Wilmington is Other, with 9.47% below the poverty level.

The poverty rate among those that worked full-time for the past 12 months was 3.93%. Among those working part-time, it was 28.68%, and for those that did not work, the poverty rate was 26.46%.

Wilmington Poverty

rate

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Wilmington Poverty Rate by Education

rate

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Wilmington Poverty Rate by Employment Status and Sex

Wilmington Income by Household Type

Households

Families

MarriedFamilies

NonFamilies

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mean

median

Income by Household Type

Wilmington Marital Status

Married

Widowed

Divorced

Separated

NeverMarried

Marriage Rates

39.1%

Overall Marriage Rate

42.9%

Male Marriage Rate

35.9%

Female Marriage Rate

Wilmington Married by Age and Sex

male

female

Wilmington Marriage

The age group where males are most likely to be married is Over 65, while the female age group most likely to be married is 45-54.

Wilmington Marital Status by Race

Married

Widowed

Divorced

Separated

NeverMarried

Wilmington Marital Status

Second Gulf War

First Gulf War

Vietnam

Korea

World War II

5,725

Number of Veterans

5,071

Male Veterans

654

Female Veterans

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Wilmington Veterans by War

count

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Wilmington Veterans by Age

count

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Wilmington Veterans by Race

Wilmington Veterans by Education

Less Than 9th Grade

High School Graduate

Some College

Bachelors or Greater

6.41%

Veteran Poverty Rate

28%

Veteran Disability Rate

Wilmington Veterans by Education

LaborForceParticipation

63.5%

Labor Force Participation

59.9%

Employment Rate

5.3%

Unemployment Rate

Wilmington Employment by Age

LaborForceParticipation

Wilmington Employment by Race

LaborForceParticipation

Wilmington Employment by Education

Origin of Non-Citizens

Europe

Asia

Africa

Oceania

Latin America

North America

Non citizens include legal permanent residents (green card holders), international students, temporary workers, humanitarian migrants, and illegal immigrants.

Origin of Naturalized Citizens

Europe

Asia

Africa

Oceania

Latin America

North America

50.26%

Born in Wilmington

93.95%

Native Born

4.63%

Foreign Born

2.52%

Non Citizen

2.11%

Naturalized

Place of Birth

93.95% of Wilmington residents were born in the United States, with 50.26% having been born in North Carolina. 2.52% of residents are not US citizens. Of those not born in the United States, the largest percentage are from Latin America.

Wilmington Place of Birth

Note: data after 2021 is projected based on recent change

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Wilmington Population by Year