This data is based on 6 ZIP codes, which covers Wilmington and Wrightsville Beach.
The U.S. Census reports business data by ZIP code, not city boundaries. All numbers reflect the combined 6 ZIP codes area shared across these towns.
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Wilmington ZIP Area Economy · 2023
Wages +5% vs. avg. New Hanover Co. town
Wilmington's ZIP area supports 112,788 jobs across 7,941 businesses, with workers earning an average of $59K per year, 5% above the New Hanover County average. The economy is well-diversified (0.89 index), led by retail trade and professional services. 85.2% of businesses have fewer than 20 employees, and each business employs an average of 14.2 people. Jobs grew 5.7% from the prior year while business count grew 2.7%.
Where Businesses Clusteri
Larger blocks have more businesses.
Local Specialization vs. New Hanover Avg.i
Industries sorted by relative concentration in this ZIP area.
Business Size Distributioni
7,941 businesses by employee count. 85.2% are small businesses (under 20 employees).
Micro (<5)
Small (5-9)
Small (10-19)
Medium (20-49)
Medium (50-99)
Large (100-249)
Major (250-499)
Major (500-999)
Economic Densityi
0.93
jobs per resident
14.2
employees per business
County avg: 13.6+4%
$55K
payroll per resident
$836K
payroll per business
Wilmington ZIP Area vs. Avg. New Hanover Co. Towni
All Industries in ZIP Areai
| Sector | Wilmington ZIP | Avg. New Hanover Co. | Spec. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Retail Trade | 1,032 | 382 | 0.9x |
| Professional Services | 1,000 | 354 | 1.0x |
| Healthcare | 870 | 310 | 1.0x |
| Construction | 836 | 276 | 1.0x |
| Food & Accommodation | 687 | 280 | 0.8x |
| Other Services | 673 | 234 | 1.0x |
| Real Estate | 620 | 228 | 0.9x |
| Admin Services | 458 | 151 | 1.0x |
| Finance & Insurance | 448 | 169 | 0.9x |
| Wholesale Trade | 329 | 103 | 1.1x |
| Manufacturing | 182 | 56 | 1.1x |
| Arts & Entertainment | 163 | 56 | 1.0x |
| Transportation | 154 | 44 | 1.2x |
| Information | 126 | 42 | 1.0x |
| Education | 96 | 34 | 1.0x |
| Management | 37 | 12 | 1.1x |
| Utilities | 7 | 3 | 0.8x |