Rents are 11% below what Wilmington's 10-year trend predicts — a better deal than its own history suggests.
Rent by unit size
These are HUD Fair Market Rents, the payment standard for a Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8). They often differ from the $1,690 market median above, and that is expected: FMR is the 40th percentile of standard-quality units and counts gross rent, so it includes essential utilities such as electricity, water, gas, sewer, and trash. The market median is asking rent, which usually excludes utilities. HUD sets FMR once a year; market rent here updates monthly.
Source: HUD Small Area Fair Market Rents. Read the methodology →
12-month history
Last updated: August 17, 2026
Is your rent fair?
Compare your rent to the local median.
Who lives here
Wilmington, NC is roughly split between renters and owners, skews toward younger working-age adults, 46.8% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates
How Wilmington, NC has changed in 5 years
Rent in Wilmington, NC has climbed 31.7% since 2021, going from about $1,283 per month to roughly $1,690 today. Local incomes tracked alongside that move, going from a median of $54,066 in 2021 to $66,738 more recently. Rent outpaced income growth by roughly 8.3 percentage points, which means renters are spending a larger slice of each paycheck on housing than they did in 2021. Headcount in the area went from 115,976 to 120,805 between 2021 and 2024, a 4.2% change. Educational attainment has shifted as well, with the share of adults holding a bachelor's degree or higher climbed from 43.6% to 46.8%. These shifts give renters and would-be renters a longer baseline for sizing up today's listings against the Wilmington, NC market of 2021.
Discussions about Wilmington
No discussions yet. Start the conversation.
Can you afford rent in Wilmington on your salary?
At $1,690/mo, how Wilmington rent compares to typical pay (30% rule).
Wilmington rent by bedroom count
Median rent for each apartment size in Wilmington. Click any size for full breakdown.
Tips for renters in Wilmington
Last updated: August 17, 2026
The median rent in Wilmington is $1,690/mo as of August 2026. A studio apartment averages $1,125/mo while a 2-bedroom runs $1,643/mo. One-bedroom apartments average $1,480/mo and 3-bedroom units go for $2,170/mo.
At 30% of local median household income ($66,738/yr), Wilmington ranks as moderate compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 2.1% over the past year.
Frequently asked questions
Is Wilmington an affordable city for renters?
How much income do you need to rent in Wilmington?
Is rent going up or down in Wilmington?
Which Wilmington neighborhoods have the lowest rent?
How does Wilmington rent compare to other cities in North Carolina?
What percentage of Wilmington residents rent vs. own?
How does Wilmington rent compare to the national average?
At $1,690/mo, rent takes ~30% of Wilmington's median household income ($66,738/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%.
How does this area stack up?
Pick another city or ZIP to compare.
Estimated from ZIP-level data
Be the first to submit your rent for Wilmington.
No discussions yet.
