Housing data for Wrightsville Beach, NC
Wrightsville Beach, NC has an estimated 2,665 residents and 2,886 homes (US Census Bureau, 2020–2024 American Community Survey).
It is a town in New Hanover County.
19.2% of households rent.
The median gross rent is $2,336 a month.
Figures last updated on .
- Residents
- 2,665 (±411)
- Housing units
- 2,886 (±258)
- Households that rent
- 19.2%
- Median gross rent
- $2,336
- Residents since 2015–2019
- +3.9%
What stands out in Wrightsville Beach
Rental vacancy rate: 38.0% (±17.5 points) in Wrightsville Beach, higher than in New Hanover County (7.4%).
Median home value: $1,168,700 (±$163,753) in Wrightsville Beach, higher than in New Hanover County ($387,800).
Median real estate taxes: $5,781 (±$932) in Wrightsville Beach, higher than in New Hanover County ($2,105).
Median gross rent: $2,336 (±$773) in Wrightsville Beach, higher than in New Hanover County ($1,417).
- Home values in Wrightsville Beach
- Property taxes in Wrightsville Beach
- Median rent in Wrightsville Beach
Housing in Wrightsville Beach at a glance
- Median rent: $2,336 median gross rent a month
- Rent by bedrooms: $1,659 median gross rent, 2 bedrooms
- Rent burden: 39.4% of renters pay 30% or more of income (Small sample: wide margin of error)
- Renters and owners: 19.2% of households rent
- Income and affordability: $151,563 median household income (Small sample: wide margin of error)
- Home values: $1,168,700 median home value
- Homeowner costs: $4,000 or more median monthly cost with a mortgage
- Property taxes: $5,781 median real estate taxes a year
- Types of homes: 22.2% of homes are in buildings of 5 or more units
- Bedrooms: 76.4% of homes have 3 or more bedrooms
- Age of homes: 53.8% of homes were built before 1980
- Vacancy rate: 38.0% rental vacancy rate (Small sample: wide margin of error)
- Heating fuel: 92.5% heat with electricity
- Commute and cars: 17.7 minutes average trip to work
- Crime reported to police: 292 violent crimes per 100,000 residents
- Growth: +3.9% residents since 2015–2019
- How long people stay: 10.5% moved in since 2020 (Small sample: wide margin of error)
- Crowding and facilities: 0.0% of homes have more than 1 person per room (Small sample: wide margin of error)
Wrightsville Beach against New Hanover County, its state and the nation
| Wrightsville Beach | New Hanover County | North Carolina | United States | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residents | 2,665 (±411) | 235,229 (exact) | 10,730,404 (exact) | 334,922,499 |
| Housing units | 2,886 (±258) | 120,050 (±78) | 4,895,668 (±642) | 143,775,355 |
| Households that rent | 19.2% (±7.0 points) | 38.6% (±1.2 points) | 33.4% (±0.2 points) | 34.8% |
| Median gross rent | $2,336 (±$773) | $1,417 (±$32) | $1,228 (±$5) | $1,413 |
| Median household income | $151,563 (±$78,972) | $75,166 (±$2,054) | $72,388 (±$324) | $80,734 |
| Median home value | $1,168,700 (±$163,753) | $387,800 (±$7,095) | $288,900 (±$1,086) | $332,700 |
| Median real estate taxes (a year) | $5,781 (±$932) | $2,105 (±$68) | $1,896 (±$8) | $3,119 |
| Built before 1980 | 53.8% (±9.4 points) | 30.6% (±1.4 points) | 33.9% (±0.2 points) | 49.7% |
| Average commute | 17.7 minutes (±2.4) | 20.6 minutes (±0.6) | 25.1 minutes (±0.1) | 26.4 minutes |
| Households with broadband | 96.3% (±3.2 points) | 93.3% (±0.8 points) | 90.1% (±0.2 points) | 91.0% |
| Median age of residents | 58.0 years (±5.4) | 39.9 years (±0.4) | 39.1 years (±0.2) | 38.9 years |
Wrightsville Beach covers 1.4 square miles of land, about 1,912 residents per square mile (Census Bureau Gazetteer).
How Wrightsville Beach has changed since 2015–2019
| 2015–2019 | 2020–2024 | Amount of change | Verdict | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residents | 2,565 (±22) | 2,665 (±411) | +3.9% | Not a measurable change |
| Housing units | 2,855 (±149) | 2,886 (±258) | +1.1% | Not a measurable change |
| Median gross rent | $1,655 (±$204) | $2,336 (±$773) | +41.1% | No measurable change after inflation |
| Median home value | $798,700 (±$68,889) | $1,168,700 (±$163,753) | +46.3% | Up after inflation |
| Median household income | $109,013 (±$12,480) | $151,563 (±$78,972) | +39.0% | No measurable change after inflation |
| Median real estate taxes | $4,857 (±$352) | $5,781 (±$932) | +19.0% | No measurable change after inflation |
| Households that rent | 30.5% (±6.2 points) | 19.2% (±7.0 points) | −11.3 percentage points | Measurable decrease |
| Rental vacancy rate | 15.2% (±9.7 points) | 38.0% (±17.5 points) | +22.8 percentage points | Measurable increase |
The Census Bureau publishes 2015–2019 dollars in 2019 dollars and 2020–2024 dollars in 2024 dollars.
Prices (the CPI-U, US Bureau of Labor Statistics) rose 22.7% between 2019 and 2024, so a dollar figure’s verdict compares the two after raising the earlier one by that much, using the Census Bureau’s test for a difference.
The two periods do not overlap, as the Census Bureau recommends for 5-year estimates.
Crime reported to police in Wrightsville Beach
In 2025, the Wrightsville Beach Police Department reported 292 violent and 3,087 property crimes per 100,000 residents to the FBI.
Across New Hanover County, the departments that report recorded 306 violent and 2,060 property crimes per 100,000 residents that year.
ZIP codes in Wrightsville Beach
| ZIP code | Share of the ZIP’s land in this place | Residents | Median gross rent | Median home value | Median household income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 28480 | 35% | 2,776 | $2,336 | $1,131,800 | $172,500 |
A ZIP code is a mail route rather than a boundary, so the Census Bureau publishes figures for ZIP Code Tabulation Areas built from census blocks; the share column says how much of each one’s land lies in this place.
Places near Wrightsville Beach
| Place | Distance | Median gross rent | Median home value | Households that rent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ogden | 3.5 mi | $2,867 | $463,700 | 11.4% |
| Wilmington | 5.0 mi | $1,395 | $383,800 | 52.4% |
| Kings Grant | 5.1 mi | $1,292 | $300,700 | 35.7% |
| Bayshore | 5.2 mi | $1,532 | $525,800 | 16.1% |
| Porters Neck | 5.8 mi | $1,503 | $569,700 | 17.4% |
| Murraysville | 6.0 mi | $1,777 | $320,700 | 22.7% |
| Myrtle Grove | 7.9 mi | $1,463 | $439,100 | 16.4% |
| Northchase | 8.0 mi | $1,365 | $318,400 | 57.5% |
Places in North Carolina most like Wrightsville Beach
| Place | Median gross rent | Median home value | Median household income | Households that rent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blowing Rock | $1,278 | $705,000 | $120,938 | 16.7% |
| Davidson | $1,652 | $687,700 | $166,556 | 20.0% |
| Cary | $1,738 | $580,200 | $134,905 | 33.4% |
| Weaverville | $1,783 | $463,700 | $88,221 | 27.5% |
| Kill Devil Hills | $1,626 | $442,200 | $89,773 | 26.1% |
| Carolina Beach | $1,513 | $566,200 | $94,398 | 15.6% |
Matched on rent, home value, income, the share who rent, the age of the homes, the share in apartment buildings and the commute, each measured against the spread across North Carolina.
HUD Fair Market Rent for Wrightsville Beach, fiscal year 2027
| Studio | 1 bedroom | 2 bedrooms | 3 bedrooms | 4 bedrooms |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $1,187 | $1,566 | $1,705 | $2,238 | $2,241 |
HUD income limits for Wrightsville Beach, fiscal year 2026
| Household size | Extremely low (30%) | Very low (50%) | Low (80%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 person | $22,950 | $38,250 | $61,150 |
| 2 people | $26,200 | $43,700 | $69,900 |
| 3 people | $29,500 | $49,150 | $78,650 |
| 4 people | $33,000 | $54,600 | $87,350 |
| 5 people | $38,680 | $59,000 | $94,350 |
| 6 people | $44,360 | $63,350 | $101,350 |
| 7 people | $50,040 | $67,750 | $108,350 |
| 8 people | $55,720 | $72,100 | $115,350 |
These are the limits HUD sets for its housing programs in the Wilmington, NC HUD Metro FMR Area, where HUD’s median family income for fiscal year 2026 is $109,200.
A program can use its own limits; tax-credit and local programs often do.
Survey years: 2020–2024 (American Community Survey 5-year estimates), compared with 2015–2019.
Margins of error are at the 90% confidence level.
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Questions about Wrightsville Beach
What is the average rent in Wrightsville Beach, NC?
The Census Bureau publishes the median rather than the average: the median gross rent in Wrightsville Beach is $2,336 (±$773) a month (2020–2024 American Community Survey), so half of renting households pay less and half pay more.
How much is a one-bedroom apartment in Wrightsville Beach?
The median gross rent for a one-bedroom home in Wrightsville Beach, NC is $868 (±$830) a month (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
How many renters are there in Wrightsville Beach?
Wrightsville Beach has an estimated 251 (±107) renting households, 19.2% of its occupied homes (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
What is the average home value in Wrightsville Beach, NC?
The Census Bureau publishes the median: $1,168,700 (±$163,753) for owner-occupied homes in Wrightsville Beach (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
What is the average mortgage payment in Wrightsville Beach?
The Census Bureau publishes total owner costs rather than the mortgage alone: the median for owners with a mortgage in Wrightsville Beach, NC is $4,000 or more a month, including taxes, insurance and utilities.
How much are property taxes in Wrightsville Beach?
The median real estate tax paid by homeowners in Wrightsville Beach, NC is $5,781 (±$932) a year (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
Is Wrightsville Beach growing?
In Wrightsville Beach, the number of residents went from 2,565 in 2015–2019 to 2,665 in 2020–2024 (+3.9%), not a measurable change.
What ZIP codes are in Wrightsville Beach?
The ZIP code that covers Wrightsville Beach is 28480.
What is the median rent in ZIP code 28480?
The median gross rent in ZIP Code Tabulation Area 28480 is $2,336 (±$773) a month (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
Sources
- Demographic and Housing Estimates (DP05), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — Wrightsville Beach town, North Carolina
- Selected Housing Characteristics (DP04), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — Wrightsville Beach town, North Carolina
- Selected Economic Characteristics (DP03), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — Wrightsville Beach town, North Carolina
- Median Real Estate Taxes Paid by Mortgage Status (B25103), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — Wrightsville Beach town, North Carolina
- Selected Social Characteristics (DP02), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — Wrightsville Beach town, North Carolina
- Total Population (B01003), 2015–2019 ACS 5-year estimates — Wrightsville Beach town, North Carolina
- Median Gross Rent (B25064), 2015–2019 ACS 5-year estimates — Wrightsville Beach town, North Carolina
- HUD Fair Market Rents, fiscal year 2027: Wilmington, NC HUD Metro FMR Area
- HUD Income Limits, fiscal year 2026: Wilmington, NC HUD Metro FMR Area
- US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates for ZIP Code Tabulation Areas
- FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program, Crime Data Explorer: Wrightsville Beach Police Department (ORI NC0650300)
- FBI: Uniform Crime Reporting statistics and their proper use
- Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U), US city average, all items, US Bureau of Labor Statistics: annual averages 2019 and 2024
- US Census Bureau, 2024 Gazetteer Files
To check these figures in the Census Bureau’s own API, request the variables below from the 2024 ACS 5-year data profile (acs/acs5/profile) for Wrightsville Beach town, North Carolina (place:75820, in state:37).
Each estimate (E or PE) has a margin of error beside it (M or PM).
The 2015–2019 figures are B01003_001E, B01003_001M, B25064_001E, B25064_001M from the 2019 release.
The API needs a free key.
DP05_0001E, DP05_0001M, DP04_0001E, DP04_0001M, DP04_0047PE, DP04_0047PM, DP04_0134E, DP04_0134M, DP03_0062E, DP03_0062M, DP04_0089E, DP04_0089M
This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.
Figures are published by the US Census Bureau, HUD, the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the FBI; Seayora reproduces them and does not adjust them, except where a sentence says it compares dollar figures after inflation. They describe the whole place, not any one building or street, and are not an appraisal, a rent determination, a tax bill, a safety rating or legal advice.
Figures last updated on .