Living between the Cape Fear River and the Atlantic Ocean
Nestled on the southeastern shores of North Carolina is Wilmington, a diverse historic port city that’s shifting from being a hidden gem to a discovered jewel. Its population has grown nearly 20% in the past decade alone, drawing retirees, college students and young families for its outdoor recreation, lively downtown and quiet suburbs. “There’s a good energy about Wilmington,” says Mary-Katherine Smith, a broker with Keller Williams Realty Innovate who’s lived in the area for over a decade. “Not only does downtown have an incredible amount of culture, bustling with interesting and fun things to do, but less than 15 minutes away is the beautiful Wrightsville Beach, and Carolina Beach is only 20 minutes away.”
Beginning as a settlement in 1739, Wilmington is steeped in history. It served as Gen. Charles Cornwallis' headquarters before his Yorktown surrender in 1781 and was a key port for the Confederacy during the Civil War. Wilmington became the nation’s first World War II Heritage City in 2020, recognizing its contributions during the conflict, most notably producing warships and training Women’s Airforce Service Pilots. Its connection to the war is most evident along the Cape Fear River, where the iconic USS North Carolina battleship rests in view of downtown.
More of Wilmington’s rich past is detailed at institutions such as the Cape Fear Museum of History and Science and dedicated spaces like the 1898 Memorial Park, commemorating the nation’s only coup d’état. Ushering in the Jim Crow era, the violent overthrowing of the city’s biracial government by a white mob on November 10, 1898, killed an unconfirmed number of Black residents and led to hundreds of Black citizens fleeing the city. The 1898 Wilmington Race Riot Commission, established in 2000, would later detail the event's long-lasting impact on Black residents. Today, groups such as the African American Business Council, Support the Port and the North Carolina Black Alliance are working to uplift Wilmington’s Black community and provide resources to business owners.
Novant New Hanover Regional Medical Center, the University of North Carolina Wilmington and New Hanover County Schools are the city’s top employers. The hospital is a Level II Trauma Center with over 7,000 employees. The city is also home to the headquarters of Pharmaceutical Product Development, a contract research organization, and nCino, a financial technology firm. General Electric Aerospace operates a manufacturing facility north of the city. The Port of Wilmington remains a key player in North Carolina’s economy, receiving over 4 million tons of cargo each year, bringing in nearly $16 billion for the state. “One thing people don’t realize is if you're not retired, a student or moving here with a job in place, it’s not easy to find work in Wilmington,” Smith says. “There’s a lot of competition, as a lot of people want to come to Wilmington.”
Nestled on the southeastern shores of North Carolina is Wilmington.
The USS North Carolina battleship rests in view of Wilmington along the Cape Fear River.
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19th-century architecture and a competitive market
Wilmington home values have been on the rise lately, and the resulting seller's market means there are more people eager to snag a home in Wilmington than there are properties available. The median listing price is around $510,000, slightly above the national median of roughly $420,000. Homes sell after around 42 days on the market, on par with the national average of 44 days. New construction continues to be a trend in the Wilmington metro, with more than 10,000 homes built in 2023.
Wilmington’s 70-plus neighborhoods include gated communities along the Intracoastal Waterway that boast golf courses and water views, friendly suburban tree-lined enclaves in midtown, and walkable downtown boroughs. As the city’s oldest communities along the riverfront, Old Wilmington and the Historic District feature Victorian and Italianate homes near towering condo buildings along brick-lined streets. Charleston-style homes sit among the ancient oaks in Airlie, while newly built townhouses, cottages and custom homes are filling out the new Riverlights development.
Wilmington and the Historic District feature Victorian and Italianate homes.
Bungalow style homes sell for roughly $546,000 in Wilmington, nearby the Riverwalk.
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The Wilmington Riverwalk and an up-and-coming food scene
Wilmington is a destination for boutique shopping, antiquing and Southern-style coastal cuisine. The Wilmington Riverwalk strings from the community's marina past fresh seafood joints and cozy cafes that offer outdoor seating with views of the Cape Fear River. A block inland is Front Street, where tourists and residents pour in and out of bars, breweries, restaurants and shops. The atmosphere is often compared to New Orleans’ lively Bourbon Street. Trendy spots with fewer tourists are found in the Brooklyn Arts District, the Castle Street District, the Cargo District and the SoFro District. Wilmington’s food scene is gaining prominence as decorated chefs open eateries around town, including Vivan Howard and Keith Rhodes, and local talent gets recognized by publications like Southern Living. One of Wilmington’s best-known restaurants is Manna, the city’s only eatery with a AAA Four Diamond rating.
In Wimington along Front Street, tourists and residents pour in and out of bars, breweries.
Southern-style coastal cuisine at Bourbon Street Restaurant Bar, in Wilmington.
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Arts in the “Hollywood of the East”
Creativity is alive and well in Wilmington. Street art adorns boroughs, such as the Brooklyn Arts District and the Castle Street District, which feature various galleries and venues. Local creators and artisans are highlighted during Fourth Friday Gallery Nights and at the annual Downtown Wilmington Art Walk & Street Fair, held each September. The Cameron Art Museum and Thalian Hall Center for the Performing Arts are two of Wilmington’s acclaimed art institutions. “Thalian Hall is one of the oldest theaters in the country,” says Jan Brewington, a Wilmington native and owner of Dram Tree Realty. “It dates to 1858 and features two stages for live performances and films.”
Well known as the main filming locations for “Dawson's Creek” and “One Tree Hill,” Wilmington has long been a movie and television hub, earning the moniker “The Hollywood of the East.” Its private Figure Eight Island has hosted A-list celebrities visiting the city for film projects. “For a while, the industry here was in a lull, but it’s coming back,” Brewington says. “Two movies are in preproduction right now, and one has just wrapped up.”
Wilmington’s art, culture and history are celebrated during the North Carolina Azalea Festival. Held each April as pink azaleas bloom across the city, the five-day event draws hundreds of thousands of people for concerts, home and garden tours, and street fairs.
A colorful mural welcomes residents of Wilmington to Panacea Brewing Company.
the Brooklyn Arts District in Wilmington features various galleries and art venues.
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A city for those who love the outdoors
From the manicured grounds of the New Hanover County Arboretum to the moss-strung trees of Airlie Gardens, Wilmington offers plenty of outdoor spaces to enjoy. With over 40 public parks and more than 30 miles of trails, 35% of residents live within a 10-minute walk of a park. Residents often lead active lives kayaking around Greenfield Lake, fishing along the Cape Fear River, cycling down the Cross City Trail and sailing along the Intracoastal Waterway. With Wrightsville Beach and Carolina Beach a short drive from the city, there are miles of shoreline close by for sunbathing, swimming and surfing. Golfing is a nearly year-round sport here, with amateurs and professionals teeing off at courses around the city.
Green spaces also serve as entertainment destinations. Downtown’s Riverfront Park features the Live Oak Bank Pavilion for outdoor concerts and festivals, while Greenfield Lake Amphitheater is known for hosting performances by Cape Fear Shakespeare. The Wilmington Sharks, a collegiate summer baseball team in the Coastal Plain League, plays at Buck Hardee Field at Legion Stadium. The Sharks became Petitt Cup Champions in 2024.
Wilmington is improving its green spaces based on feedback from the community. Future projects include adding 10 miles of greenway, renovating parks that haven’t seen significant investment in over a decade and making parks more accessible.
Wilmington experiences all four seasons, though winters are mild, and snowfalls are rare. A cool breeze from the Atlantic Ocean offers respite in the afternoons during the hot and humid summers. Hurricanes and tropical storms are also a reality. “Homes have hurricane shutters, hurricane-resistant glass, and some new homes come with generators,” Smith says, adding, “A lot of people don’t know that most of the damage comes from wind-driven rain, and there’s a separate insurance policy aside from flood insurance.” She also notes that storms and climate change are leading to beach erosion. “A lot of our taxes go to beach renourishment.”
Wilmington features the Live Oak Bank Pavilion for outdoor concerts and festivals.
Wilmington offers plenty of outdoor spaces, with over 40 public parks & 30+ miles of trails.
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Multiple ways to get around the city
Several major thoroughfares snake through the community. U.S. Route 421 connects downtown to Carolina Beach, while U.S. Route 17 hugs midtown before heading northeast out of the city to neighboring coastal communities, such as Hampstead. From the west, U.S. Route 74 crosses the Cape Fear River into Wilmington before continuing on to Wrightsville Beach. U.S. Route 117 slices through midtown and connects to Interstate 40 near Wilmington International Airport, which rests a few miles north of downtown. The city boasts an average commuting time of 18 minutes, faster than the national average of 26 minutes. However, traffic can get heavy near UNCW during peak commute times and south on Route 421 near Carolina Beach during tourist season. Although most residents drive their own cars to work, Wave Transit buses are available throughout the city, and there’s a free downtown trolley.
New Hanover County Schools is highly rated
Earning an A-minus rating from Niche, New Hanover County Schools serves more than 25,000 students. Most of the system’s schools have an A or B grade, and the district is seeing recent success, with several low-performing schools meeting and exceeding growth for the first time in 10 years in the 2023-2024 school year. The district features four nontraditional high schools and several specialty high school programs, including a Marine Science Academy and a STEM program. Wilmington is also home to an array of quality private schools, such as the unrated Friends School of Wilmington and the A-plus-rated Cape Fear Academy.
There are a handful of public and private colleges in the area. The University of North Carolina Wilmington is the city’s largest university, with nearly 18,000 students. UNCW is known worldwide for its marine biology program and the nation’s first coastal engineering program. The smaller Cape Fear Community College is popular for its nursing, property management and liberal arts and humanities majors.
Roland-Grise Middle School is a school located in New Hanover County in Wilmington.
John T. Hoggard High School in Wilmington has a student to teacher ratio of 19:1.
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A look at crime and what’s to come
The Wilmington Police Department is tracking a rise in property crime across the city. Crime data released by the department shows property crime increased more than 25% from 2022 to 2023. Violent crime is trending downward, dropping by nearly 5% in that time. Wilmington Police noted that crime rates also dropped within public housing communities, which saw a 100% decrease in robberies.
This outdoorsy and creative city is projected to grow by nearly 60,000 people over the next quarter century. The Create Wilmington Comprehensive Plan focuses on making a diverse, inclusive and family-friendly community. It includes policies to convert already developed areas into walkable mixed-use spaces, improving pedestrian and bike-friendly infrastructure and transforming vacant lots into new affordable and mixed-income housing.
I am a licensed North Carolina real estate broker with over 35 years experience in the real estate and mortgage financing arena. I concentrate most specifically on the coastal areas of Brunswick, Pender and New Hanover counties in North Carolina. With full access to the MLS and years of expertise--I am happy to guide you in your next real estate transaction!
Disclaimer: Certain information contained herein is derived from information provided by parties other than Homes.com. Our sources include: Accuweather, Public Records and Neustar. All information provided is deemed reliable, but is not guaranteed to be accurate and should be independently verified.
