How much is rent in Wilmington, NC?

The median 2-bedroom in Wilmington rents for $1,658 a month with utilities, $95 more than the US median. A 1-bedroom runs $1,484 and a 3-bedroom $1,728.

By Sol Lakein, founder of Slower Sundays. Updated November 2026.

$1,6582-bedroom¹US: $1,563
$1,4841-bedroom¹US: $1,362
$66,320Income for a 2-bed at 30%²A year
23%Share of typical income³For a 2-bedroom

Rent in Wilmington by number of bedrooms

Median rent, utilities included, next to the US median.¹

Studio$1,272/mo
Wilmington
$1,272
US
$1,365
Income to keep it at 30%: $50,880²
1 bedroom$1,484/mo
Wilmington
$1,484
US
$1,362
Income to keep it at 30%: $59,360²
2 bedrooms$1,658/mo
Wilmington
$1,658
US
$1,563
Income to keep it at 30%: $66,320²
3 bedrooms$1,728/mo
Wilmington
$1,728
US
$1,760
Income to keep it at 30%: $69,120²
4 bedrooms$2,146/mo
Wilmington
$2,146
US
$2,153
Income to keep it at 30%: $85,840²

Work out what rent you can afford · Full cost of living in Wilmington

Where rent costs less than Wilmington

38 of the cities we cover have a lower median 2-bedroom rent. The cheapest and the closest:¹

City	2-bedroom rent	Less than Wilmington
Paducah, KY	$886	$772/mo
Terre Haute, IN	$901	$757/mo
Muncie, IN	$919	$739/mo
Daytona Beach, FL	$1,638	$20/mo
Jacksonville, FL	$1,642	$16/mo
Boise, ID	$1,652	$6/mo

Rent in Wilmington: questions people ask

How much is rent in Wilmington?

Median rent with utilities, all units: $1,625 a month. By size: studio $1,272, 1 bedroom $1,484, 2 bedrooms $1,658, 3 bedrooms $1,728, 4 bedrooms $2,146 (Census ACS, 2025).

How much do you need to make to afford rent in Wilmington?

To keep a 2-bedroom at 30% of income, about $66,320 a year. For a 1-bedroom, $59,360.

What share of income goes to rent in Wilmington?

A year of median 2-bedroom rent equals 23% of the median household income of $84,837 (Census ACS, 2025).

Where is rent cheaper than Wilmington?

Of the cities we cover, Paducah, KY ($886), Terre Haute, IN ($901), Muncie, IN ($919) have the lowest median 2-bedroom rent.

Rent elsewhere in North Carolina

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Notes on the numbers

1Rent: Census ACS 2025 1-year, table B25031, median gross rent by number of bedrooms (rent plus utilities the renter pays), 2025. Covers all renters, including long-time tenants, so new leases often cost more. $3,500+ is the highest figure the Census publishes. Census table
2Income to keep rent at 30%: a year of rent divided by 0.3, the common rule of thumb. Our arithmetic.
3Household income: Census ACS 2025 1-year, table B19013, median household income, 2025. Census table

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