Question 1

Is Raleigh, NC or Wilmington, NC cheaper to buy in?

Accepted Answer

Wilmington, NC is cheaper. The median home price in Raleigh, NC is approximately $838,600 and in Wilmington, NC it is approximately $219,700 — a difference of $618,900.

Question 2

Is Raleigh, NC or Wilmington, NC safer?

Accepted Answer

Wilmington, NC scores higher on safety. Raleigh, NC has violent crime rated High and property crime rated Moderate. Wilmington, NC has violent crime rated Moderate and property crime rated Moderate.

Question 3

Is Raleigh, NC or Wilmington, NC more walkable?

Accepted Answer

Raleigh, NC is more walkable. Raleigh, NC has a Walk Score of 25/100 and Wilmington, NC has a Walk Score of N/A/100.

Question 4

Which has better schools, Raleigh, NC or Wilmington, NC?

Accepted Answer

Raleigh, NC has higher-rated schools. Raleigh, NC has a school rating of 7.2/10 and Wilmington, NC has a rating of 6.5/10.

Question 5

Should I live in Raleigh, NC or Wilmington, NC?

Accepted Answer

Both neighborhoods have distinct trade-offs — review the data above to find your best fit.

Category	Raleigh, NC	Wilmington, NC
Housing
Verdict	Think twice	Think twice
Median Price	$839K	$220K ✓ Lower price
Median Rent	$1K	$1K ✓ Lower rent
Median Income	$148K ✓ Higher income	$47K
Price Volatility	High	Moderate ✓ More stable
Getting Around
Walk Score	25/100 ✓ More walkable	Car-dependent
Transit Score	33/100 ✓ Better transit	Minimal transit
Bike Score	25/100 ✓ More bikeable	N/A
Commute	7 min	N/A
Safety & Environment
Safety Grade	F	D+ ✓ Safer
Violent Crime	High	Moderate ✓ Lower risk
Property Crime	Moderate	Moderate
Flood Risk	Low ✓ Lower risk	High
Air Quality	Moderate	Moderate
Community
Schools	7.2/10 ✓ Better schools	6.5/10
Best for	High income professionalsFamilies seeking good schoolsRemote workers who can work from home	Boating familiesWater‑sport enthusiastsAffordable starter‑home buyers

Raleigh, NC vs Wilmington, NC

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