ZIP 28401
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Bedroom estimates are gross rents that include essential utilities (electricity, water, gas, sewer, trash).
12-month history
Last updated: October 17, 2026
What the numbers show
February. Asking rents in ZIP 28401 usually run 0.8% below trend in February and 0.9% above it in May, about $30 a month apart at today's median. Based on 11 years of data.
Rent in ZIP 28401 is at its highest level since Zillow's records here began in September 2015.
Rent in ZIP 28401 changed +7.8% over the year to September 2026. Across the 190 North Carolina ZIP codes Zillow tracks, the typical change was +2.6%.
From 2019 to 2024, rent in ZIP 28401 rose 50.9% while median household income rose 71.8% ($33,741 to $57,968). Income kept ahead of rent.
Rent in ZIP 28401 is 55.4% higher than in March 2020. Across the US, rent is up 37.3% over the same stretch.
Rent has risen 7 months in a row, and rose in 11 of the last 12 months.
30% of the median household income ($57,968) is $1,449 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 2-bedroom ($1,430); a 3-bedroom is $1,880.
4th cheapest of 6 ZIP codes in Wilmington.
ZIP 28412, 9 miles away, rents for 10% less ($1,562/mo), about $2,100 a year in savings.
From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for ZIP 28401. The seasonal pattern compares Zillow’s seasonally adjusted and unadjusted series. Income is the Census median household income (5-year estimates). Fair Market Rents are HUD’s, which include utilities.
Who lives here
ZIP 28401 (Wilmington, NC) is majority renter-occupied, has a large retiree population, has a median income below the national average, 33.3% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates
How ZIP 28401 in Wilmington, NC has changed in 5 years
Since 2021, the typical rent in ZIP 28401 in Wilmington, NC has climbed from $1,263 to $1,741, a 37.8% change over five years. Local incomes tracked alongside that move, going from a median of $40,555 in 2021 to $57,968 more recently. On paper, paychecks moved up faster than rent, which softens the affordability squeeze versus the 2021 baseline. Renters now make up 58.9% of households, compared with 62.4% five years ago. College-educated residents now make up 33.3% of adults here, versus 29.1% in 2021. These shifts give renters and would-be renters a longer baseline for sizing up today's listings against the ZIP 28401 in Wilmington, NC market of 2021.
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Tips for renters in ZIP 28401
Last updated: October 17, 2026
ZIP code 28401 covers Wilmington, NC. The median rent here is $1,741/mo as of October 2026. A 1-bedroom rents for a median of $1,300/mo. A 2-bedroom rents for a median of $1,430/mo.
At 36% of local median household income ($57,968/yr), ZIP 28401 ranks as moderate compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 7.8% over the past year.
Frequently asked questions
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How does ZIP 28401 compare to other ZIPs in North Carolina?
How does ZIP 28401 compare to the rest of Wilmington?
At $1,741/mo, rent takes ~36% of ZIP 28401's median household income ($57,968/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%.
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