HousingPermits

Metro area in North Carolina

Wilmington, NC

The Wilmington metro area authorized 7,622 new housing units in 2025, the largest total of the 85 metro areas of 250,000 to 499,999 residents. Relative to population, the rate was 20.1 units per 1,000 residents a year in 2021–2025, the third-highest rate of the 387 US metro areas. Its busiest year since 2004 was 2023, with 10,628 units; 2025 came to 72% of that.

03,0006,0009,00012k2004: 8,332 units (6,861 single-family, 279 in 2–4 unit, 1,192 in 5+ unit buildings)2005: 9,206 units (7,685 single-family, 396 in 2–4 unit, 1,125 in 5+ unit buildings)2006: 7,107 units (6,205 single-family, 106 in 2–4 unit, 796 in 5+ unit buildings)2007: 6,229 units (4,998 single-family, 84 in 2–4 unit, 1,147 in 5+ unit buildings)2008: 3,662 units (2,971 single-family, 32 in 2–4 unit, 659 in 5+ unit buildings)2009: 1,813 units (1,527 single-family, 6 in 2–4 unit, 280 in 5+ unit buildings)2010: 1,830 units (1,495 single-family, 16 in 2–4 unit, 319 in 5+ unit buildings)2011: 1,831 units (1,545 single-family, 4 in 2–4 unit, 282 in 5+ unit buildings)2012: 3,063 units (2,045 single-family, 14 in 2–4 unit, 1,004 in 5+ unit buildings)2013: 4,057 units (3,141 single-family, 29 in 2–4 unit, 887 in 5+ unit buildings)2014: 4,181 units (3,328 single-family, 30 in 2–4 unit, 823 in 5+ unit buildings)2015: 4,683 units (3,831 single-family, 172 in 2–4 unit, 680 in 5+ unit buildings)2016: 5,375 units (4,154 single-family, 52 in 2–4 unit, 1,169 in 5+ unit buildings)2017: 6,104 units (5,005 single-family, 116 in 2–4 unit, 983 in 5+ unit buildings)2018: 5,376 units (4,480 single-family, 56 in 2–4 unit, 840 in 5+ unit buildings)2019: 6,927 units (4,551 single-family, 35 in 2–4 unit, 2,341 in 5+ unit buildings)2020: 7,577 units (5,426 single-family, 126 in 2–4 unit, 2,025 in 5+ unit buildings)2021: 9,667 units (7,000 single-family, 285 in 2–4 unit, 2,382 in 5+ unit buildings)2022: 9,350 units (7,065 single-family, 185 in 2–4 unit, 2,100 in 5+ unit buildings)2023: 10,628 units (7,100 single-family, 333 in 2–4 unit, 3,195 in 5+ unit buildings)2024: 9,618 units (7,263 single-family, 180 in 2–4 unit, 2,175 in 5+ unit buildings)2025: 7,622 units (6,378 single-family, 118 in 2–4 unit, 1,126 in 5+ unit buildings)200420072010201320162019202220252023 high · 10,6282009 low · 1,81304,0008,00012k2004: 8,332 units (6,861 single-family, 279 in 2–4 unit, 1,192 in 5+ unit buildings)2005: 9,206 units (7,685 single-family, 396 in 2–4 unit, 1,125 in 5+ unit buildings)2006: 7,107 units (6,205 single-family, 106 in 2–4 unit, 796 in 5+ unit buildings)2007: 6,229 units (4,998 single-family, 84 in 2–4 unit, 1,147 in 5+ unit buildings)2008: 3,662 units (2,971 single-family, 32 in 2–4 unit, 659 in 5+ unit buildings)2009: 1,813 units (1,527 single-family, 6 in 2–4 unit, 280 in 5+ unit buildings)2010: 1,830 units (1,495 single-family, 16 in 2–4 unit, 319 in 5+ unit buildings)2011: 1,831 units (1,545 single-family, 4 in 2–4 unit, 282 in 5+ unit buildings)2012: 3,063 units (2,045 single-family, 14 in 2–4 unit, 1,004 in 5+ unit buildings)2013: 4,057 units (3,141 single-family, 29 in 2–4 unit, 887 in 5+ unit buildings)2014: 4,181 units (3,328 single-family, 30 in 2–4 unit, 823 in 5+ unit buildings)2015: 4,683 units (3,831 single-family, 172 in 2–4 unit, 680 in 5+ unit buildings)2016: 5,375 units (4,154 single-family, 52 in 2–4 unit, 1,169 in 5+ unit buildings)2017: 6,104 units (5,005 single-family, 116 in 2–4 unit, 983 in 5+ unit buildings)2018: 5,376 units (4,480 single-family, 56 in 2–4 unit, 840 in 5+ unit buildings)2019: 6,927 units (4,551 single-family, 35 in 2–4 unit, 2,341 in 5+ unit buildings)2020: 7,577 units (5,426 single-family, 126 in 2–4 unit, 2,025 in 5+ unit buildings)2021: 9,667 units (7,000 single-family, 285 in 2–4 unit, 2,382 in 5+ unit buildings)2022: 9,350 units (7,065 single-family, 185 in 2–4 unit, 2,100 in 5+ unit buildings)2023: 10,628 units (7,100 single-family, 333 in 2–4 unit, 3,195 in 5+ unit buildings)2024: 9,618 units (7,263 single-family, 180 in 2–4 unit, 2,175 in 5+ unit buildings)2025: 7,622 units (6,378 single-family, 118 in 2–4 unit, 1,126 in 5+ unit buildings)2004200820122016202020252023 high · 10,628

Single-family2–4 units5+ units

Its population grew 16% between 2020 and 2025, the seventh-fastest growth among the 387 US metro areas.

Busiest permit offices

Across the metro area, 29 permit offices authorized new housing in 2021–2025. The busiest was New Hanover County (unincorporated), with 13,886 units or 30% of the total, followed by Brunswick County (unincorporated) with 13,510. Among the three largest, New Hanover County (unincorporated) put 51% of its units in five-plus buildings, Brunswick County (unincorporated) 10%.

  • New Hanover County (unincorporated)30% (13,886 units)
  • Brunswick County (unincorporated)29% (13,510 units)
  • Leland town13% (6,066 units)
  • Pender County (unincorporated)7.8% (3,662 units)
  • Oak Island town3% (1,385 units)
  • Surf City town2.5% (1,151 units)
  • Sunset Beach town2.1% (976 units)
  • Calabash town2% (946 units)

Share of the units authorized in the metro area, 2021–2025.

Houses or apartments

In Wilmington, 74% of the units authorized in 2021–2025 were single-family houses and 23% were in buildings of five or more units, against 34% nationally. The closest match in building mix among the 386 other metro areas is Casper (23% in five-plus buildings). That share has risen sharply since 2004–2006, when it stood at 13%. Units in five-plus buildings peaked in 2023 (3,195), single-family houses in 2005 (7,685).

2021–202574.2%74%2.3%23.4%23%2004–200684.2%84%3.2%12.6%13%US, 2021–202562.6%63%3.5%34.0%34%2021–202574.2%74%2.3%23.4%23%2004–200684.2%84%3.2%12.6%US, 2021–202562.6%63%3.5%34.0%34%

Where in the metro

Brunswick County accounted for 58% of the metro area's units in 2021–2025, New Hanover County for 31%.

  • Brunswick County58% (4,457 in 2025)
  • New Hanover County31% (2,332 in 2025)
  • Pender County11% (833 in 2025)

Boom, bust and since

Its peak year is shared by 8 other metro areas, among them Durham, Waco, Burlington, NC. Annual permits fell from 9,206 during the mid-2000s boom to 1,813 in 2009, a drop of 80%. The nearest bust profile in the South Atlantic states was Winchester's (81%). The 2021–2025 pace of 9,377 units a year is 14% above the 2004–2006 pace. Permits rose 8 years in a row up to 2017. From 2024 to 2025 the count fell 21%.

Similar in size

Metro area2004–20252025 unitsPer 1,000 a year5+ share
Springfield, MO1,7614.320%
Wilmington, NC7,62220.123%
Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA1,6904.150%
Visalia, CA1,7903.519%
Lansing-East Lansing, MI8611.841%

Rates and shares: 2021–2025.

Put Wilmington beside Santa Rosa

Every yearly figure behind the chart, split by building size: yearly-units.csv. State view: North Carolina. Counting rules.