Best In North Carolina Real Estate™: Wilmington

Wilmington, NC ranks #13 of 15 North Carolina metros on 12-month change in the metropolitan unemployment rate (August 2026), according to ALEX Intelligence. While the region saw a modest -0.5% decline in unemployment, it trails faster-improving metros like Asheville and Rocky Mount. This stability may reflect a mature labor market—but it also hints at slower workforce absorption. Unlike those markets, Wilmington isn’t seeing rapid job growth, but it’s avoiding overheating. The data is from ALEX Intelligence’s October 25, 2026 report: https://alex-companies.com/data/2026-10-25-wilmington-lab-bls-unemp-rate-chg-12m-msa. 12-month change in the metropolitan unemployment rate (August 2026), top 10 (ALEX Intelligence — U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics 2026) #1 Asheville, NC — -1.1% #2 Rocky Mount, NC — -0.8% #3 Fayetteville, NC — -0.6% #4 Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC — -0.6% #5 Pinehurst-Southern Pines, NC — -0.6% #6 Jacksonville, NC — -0.5% #7 Goldsboro, NC — -0.5% #8 Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC — -0.5% #9 Raleigh-Cary, NC — -0.5% #13 Wilmington, NC — -0.5% Photos via Wikimedia Commons: Slide 1: DiscoA340 (CC BY-SA 4.0) https://commons.wikimedia.org/?curid=125047823; Slide 2: Idawriter (CC BY-SA 3.0) https://commons.wikimedia.org/?curid=53836860; Slide 3: DiscoA340 (CC BY-SA 4.0) https://commons.wikimedia.org/?curid=125048309; Slide 4: Edward Orde (CC BY-SA 4.0) https://commons.wikimedia.org/?curid=53170017 Source: https://alex-companies.com/data/2026-10-25-wilmington-lab-bls-unemp-rate-chg-12m-msa 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