Wilmington, NC Cost Of Living
Cost Of Living In Wilmington, NC Summary
Cost of living in Wilmington research summary. The cost of living index is set to 100 for the average place in the United States. A cost of living index above 100 means Wilmington is expensive. An index value below 100 means the city is a relatively cheap place to live.
On a city-by-city basis in North Carolina, home prices and rent have the biggest impact on the cost of living. Here are the key takeaways based on Saturday Night Science:
The cost of living index in Wilmington is 110, with 100 being the average.
The cost of living index in Wilmington is 1.1x higher than the national average.
Wilmington ranks as the #114 cheapest in North Carolina out of 157.
Wilmington ranks as the #3,657 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.
The median home value in Wilmington is $412,376.
The median income in Wilmington is $63,900.
Table Of Contents
Wilmington's Overall Cost Of Living
Higher Than The National Average
What is the cost of living in Wilmington, NC?
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Wilmington has an overall cost of living index of 110, which is 1.1x higher than the national index of 100.
Compared to North Carolina, Wilmington has a cost of living index that's 1.2x higher than North Carolina's index of 92.
The standard of living in Wilmington ranks as #114 most affordable out of the 157 places we measured in North Carolina. By definition, that implies Wilmington ranks as the #43 most expensive place in the Tar Heel State.
For more reading on life in Wilmington, check out:
In North Carolina
In America
Wilmington Cost Of Living Vs. North Carolina
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Wilmington. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:
The Services index in Wilmington is 97.
The Groceries index in Wilmington is 97.
The Health index in Wilmington is 111.
The Housing index in Wilmington is 131.
The Transportation index in Wilmington is 95.
The Utilities index in Wilmington is 99.
| Living Expense | Wilmington | North Carolina | National Average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 110 | 92 | 100 | |
| Services | 97 | 100 | 100 | |
| Groceries | 97 | 99 | 100 | |
| Health | 111 | 106 | 100 | |
| Housing | 131 | 86 | 100 | |
| Transportation | 95 | 93 | 100 | |
| Utilities | 99 | 95 | 100 | |
Wilmington, NC Housing Cost Breakdown
Housing swings affordability the most between places in North Carolina, so we broke down housing costs into more detail. Home and income data comes from the most recent US Census ACS 2019-2023. The key points are:
The Median Home Value in Wilmington is $412,376.
The Median Rent in Wilmington is $1,311.
The Median Income in Wilmington is $63,900.
The Home Value To Income in Wilmington is 6.5x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Wilmington is 0.25x.
| Statistic | Wilmington | North Carolina | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $412,376 | $332,681 | $303,400 |
| Median Rent | $1,311 | $1,162 | $1,348 |
| Median Income | $63,900 | $69,904 | $78,538 |
| Home Value To Income | 6.5x | 4.8x | 3.9x |
| Rent To Monthly Income | 0.25x | 0.2x | 0.21x |
Median Home Value
Median Rent
Median Income
Wilmington, NC Costs By Category
Detailed Wilmington Services Costs Vs. North Carolina
| Item | Wilmington | North Carolina |
|---|---|---|
| Shampoo | $1.09 | $1.28 |
| Movie | $10.27 | $12.13 |
| Bowling | $11.0 | $18 |
| Haircut | $19.0 | $24.26 |
| Beauty Salon | $29.58 | $45.56 |
Detailed Wilmington Groceries Costs Vs. North Carolina
| Item | Wilmington | North Carolina |
|---|---|---|
| Ground Beef | $5.93 | $5.84 |
| Fried Chicken | $1.59 | $1.57 |
| Milk | $4.57 | $4.67 |
| Potatoes | $5.18 | $4.93 |
| Pizza | $10.47 | $12.09 |
| Beer | $10.29 | $10.41 |
| Toothpaste | $3.65 | $3.7 |
Detailed Wilmington Health Costs Vs. North Carolina
| Item | Wilmington | North Carolina |
|---|---|---|
| Optometrist | $141.56 | $125.68 |
| Doctor | $136.38 | $135.78 |
| Dentist | $100.17 | $113.29 |
Detailed Wilmington Transportation Costs Vs. North Carolina
| Item | Wilmington | North Carolina |
|---|---|---|
| Gasoline | $3.45 | $3.46 |
| Tire Balancing | $63.55 | $59.92 |
Detailed Wilmington Utilities Costs Vs. North Carolina
| Item | Wilmington | North Carolina |
|---|---|---|
| All Electricity | $201.14 | $193.99 |
| Phone | $187.32 | $192.25 |
Wilmington SnackAbility
/10
Cost Of Living In Cities Around Wilmington
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Wilmington. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:
Leland, NC has a cost of living index of 111, 1.0x Wilmington.
Murraysville, NC has a cost of living index of 104, 0.9x Wilmington.
Myrtle Grove, NC has a cost of living index of 115, 1.0x Wilmington.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. Wilmington |
|---|---|---|---|
| Leland, NC | 26,307 | 111 | 1.0x |
| Murraysville, NC | 17,307 | 104 | 0.9x |
| Myrtle Grove, NC | 12,404 | 115 | 1.0x |
| Kings Grant, NC | 9,061 | 101 | 0.9x |
| Ogden, NC | 8,363 | 120 | 1.1x |
| Porters Neck, NC | 7,102 | 126 | 1.1x |
| Carolina Beach, NC | 6,665 | 122 | 1.1x |
| Silver Lake, NC | 6,242 | 99 | 0.9x |
| Boiling Spring Lakes, NC | 6,206 | 101 | 0.9x |
