NAICS 52

Finance and Insurance in Wilmington, NC

Metro Market Score 39.7 (Moderate), ranked #102 of 331 metros. 882 establishments, 4,766 jobs.

Metro Market Assessment

Metro Market Score 39.7
Favorable 0-35
Moderate 35-48
Challenging 48-60
Difficult 60+
Moderate

ⓘ Lower is better. Relative to national finance and insurance average.

💰High-Cost Market📈Rapid Growth

Wilmington ranks in the upper half for finance and insurance market conditions, driven by above-average employment growth. With a market score of 39.7, conditions are relatively favorable compared to most metros.

Industry Concentration
54.1
LQ: 0.63
Rank #179 of 331 metros
Wage Competitiveness
76.7
$105,247 avg wage
Growth Trend
↑ 98.5
Employment growth index
Rank #6 of 331 metros
Wage Pressure
32.9
YoY wage change index

882 Finance and Insurance Firms in Wilmington

882
Establishments
+33.6% YoY
4,766
Total Employment
+15.8% YoY
$105,247
Average Annual Wage
+1.1% YoY
0.63
Location Quotient
Below national avg

Wilmington vs North Carolina Statewide

How this metro's finance and insurance market compares to North Carolina overall. The state ranks #17/51 for entry risk.

Measure Wilmington NC Statewide
Overall Score 39.7 Moderate 48.4 Elevated
Score Type Metro Market Score Entry Risk Score
Rank #102 of 331 metros #17 of 51 states

Metro and state scores use different methodologies (metro has 4 QCEW-based metrics; state adds BDS survival and momentum data). Direct score comparisons are approximate.

Other Industries in Wilmington

Construction 35.6 Other Services 38.6 Healthcare and Social Assistance 40.0 Real Estate and Rental and Leasing 41.9 Retail Trade 42.4 Accommodation and Food Services 50.4 Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services 61.5

Finance and Insurance in Other North Carolina Metros

Jacksonville 24.0 #17/331 Rocky Mount 25.5 #22/331 Goldsboro 27.5 #29/331 Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton 33.1 #64/331 Greenville 39.1 #97/331 Pinehurst-Southern Pines 41.8 #116/331 Fayetteville 43.0 #127/331 Asheville 59.2 #240/331 Burlington 61.4 #252/331 Durham-Chapel Hill 62.0 #259/331

+ 4 more metros. View all in North Carolina →

About Metro Market Score: A weighted composite of industry concentration (25%), wage competitiveness (25%), wage pressure (20%), and employment growth trend (30%). Lower scores indicate more favorable conditions. For Wilmington's finance and insurance sector, the wage competitiveness component (76.7) has the strongest pull on the composite. Metro scores use QCEW data only (no BDS survival data at metro level). Read full methodology →

Data Sources

Data period: 2024. Last updated: April 2026.