Best In North Carolina Real Estate™: Wilmington

Wilmington’s new housing market is not spreading — it’s stacking. According to ALEX Intelligence’s latest analysis of 2024 American Community Survey data, 61.8% of all post-2020 homes in the Wilmington metro were built in just three cities: Wilmington, Leland, and St. James. This level of concentration is unmatched in North Carolina’s coastal region. The data reveals a growing bifurcation — development is no longer broad-based but hyper-localized in high-activity corridors. For real estate professionals, this means location is no longer just about geography; it’s about being in the right development cluster. The market’s future isn’t spread across the region — it’s being built in three specific places. This report draws from: https://alex-companies.com/data/2026-10-20-wilmington-concentration-new-homes-place Share of the Market's Post-2020 Homes in Its Top Three Cities, top 10 (ALEX Intelligence — U.S. Census Bureau 2024) #1 Wilmington — 2,364 #2 Leland — 1,746 #3 St. James — 492 #4 Oak Island — 421 #5 Hampstead — 349 #6 Murraysville — 314 #7 Myrtle Grove — 305 #8 Boiling Spring Lakes — 268 #9 Kings Grant — 266 #10 Wrightsboro — 246 Photos via Wikimedia Commons: Slide 1: DiscoA340 (CC BY-SA 4.0) https://commons.wikimedia.org/?curid=141451891; Slide 2: DiscoA340 (CC BY-SA 4.0) https://commons.wikimedia.org/?curid=136385192; Slide 3: Donald (Donnie) Pardue from Sanford, North Carolina, USA (CC BY 2.0) https://commons.wikimedia.org/?curid=15725695; Slide 4: Asylum7830 (CC BY-SA 4.0) https://commons.wikimedia.org/?curid=110709703 Source: https://alex-companies.com/data/2026-10-20-wilmington-concentration-new-homes-place View and join any or all of our communities — AI, quantum, and real estate: https://alex-companies.com/reports/linkedin-groups If there's an AI, quantum, or real estate community you'd like to see us convene, tell us — this portfolio grows by request. Real Estate Strategy & Intelligence Leader. Democratized Blue Ocean Strategist & Operator. Diane Hart Alexander, MBA, MHA Chair & CEO, ALEX Companies Designated Broker, Alexander Tiffany Southwest, LLC dba ALEX.realestate, et.al. Texas License #574877-B · Broker License #565194-BB [email protected] · +1 713.591.9902