Wilmington, NC Metro Area
The Wilmington, NC metro area is made up of 3 counties in North Carolina: New Hanover, Brunswick, and Pender, largest first. About 492,772 people lived there on July 1, 2025 (Census estimate), 16.6% more than in April 2020.
- Population, July 2025
- 492,772 16.6% more than in April 2020
- Type
- Metropolitan statistical area
- Counties
- 3: 2 central, 1 outlying
- Land area
- 1,913 sq mi (4,955 km²)
- Time zone
- Eastern TimeUTC-05:00 in January; UTC-04:00 in July
- State
- North Carolina
- CBSA code
- 48900
Counties in the Wilmington, NC metro area, largest first
| County | Role | Population, July 2025 | Share of the area |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Hanover County | Central | 245,959 | 49.9% |
| Brunswick County | Central | 174,702 | 35.5% |
| Pender County | Outlying | 72,111 | 14.6% |
A central county holds the area’s core, an urban area of at least 50,000 people. An outlying county is in the area because of commuting: at least a quarter of its workers have jobs in the central counties, or at least a quarter of the people working there live in them. A county belongs to one metro or micro area at most, and it counts whole, countryside included.
Principal city
- Wilmington120,805 people
OMB names the area after its largest principal cities. A principal city is the area’s largest city, plus any other city that is very large or a big job center, and smaller ones with at least as many jobs as working residents (2020 Census and commuting figures). People counts are American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates.
Bordering metro and micro areas, nearest first
Areas with a county on this area’s edge. Distances are straight lines between the areas’ largest cities.
- Jacksonville, NC Metro Area46 mi northeast
- Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach, SC Metro Area67 mi southwest
Before using this answer on a form
A metro or micro area is a statistical area that OMB draws for federal statistics. It is not a city, a local government or a mailing address, and it is not a measure of urban and rural: whole counties count, rural parts included. Programs that use metro areas, such as housing income limits or wage rates, can use their own version of these lists; check the program’s own list for an address.
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