ZIP 28403
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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
January. Asking rents in ZIP 28403 usually run 1.7% below trend in January and 1.9% above it in July, about $62 a month apart at today's median. Based on 8 years of data.
Rent in ZIP 28403 is at its highest level since Zillow's records here began in October 2018.
Rent in ZIP 28403 changed +5.0% 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 28403 rose 44.5% while median household income rose 37.2% ($39,744 to $54,547). Rent outpaced income.
Rent in ZIP 28403 is 47.6% 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 8 of the last 12 months.
30% of the median household income ($54,547) is $1,364 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a studio ($1,140); a 1-bedroom is $1,510.
2nd cheapest of 6 ZIP codes in Wilmington.
From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for ZIP 28403. 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 28403 (Wilmington, NC) is majority renter-occupied, skews toward younger working-age adults, has a median income below the national average, 48.1% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates
How ZIP 28403 in Wilmington, NC has changed in 5 years
Compared with 2021, rent in ZIP 28403 in Wilmington, NC has climbed by $444 per month, settling near $1,715 after starting the period at $1,271. Census figures show median household income at $54,547 today, compared with $47,422 five years earlier. Rent outpaced income growth by roughly 19.9 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 39,745 to 40,319 between 2021 and 2024, a 1.4% change. The combined trend lines point to a market that has changed measurably from where it stood in early 2021.
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Tips for renters in ZIP 28403
Last updated: October 17, 2026
ZIP code 28403 covers Wilmington, NC. The median rent here is $1,715/mo as of October 2026. A 1-bedroom rents for a median of $1,510/mo. A 2-bedroom rents for a median of $1,650/mo.
At 38% of local median household income ($54,547/yr), ZIP 28403 ranks as moderate compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 5.0% over the past year.
Frequently asked questions
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How does ZIP 28403 compare to other ZIPs in North Carolina?
How does ZIP 28403 compare to the rest of Wilmington?
At $1,715/mo, rent takes ~38% of ZIP 28403's median household income ($54,547/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%.
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