NAICS 53

Real Estate and Rental and Leasing in Wilmington, NC

Metro Market Score 41.9 (Moderate), ranked #161 of 330 metros. 1,165 establishments, 4,415 jobs.

Metro Market Score 41.9

Favorable 0-35

Moderate 35-48

Challenging 48-60

Difficult 60+

Moderate

ⓘ Lower is better. Relative to national real estate and rental and leasing average.

🏭Industry Hub📈Rapid Growth

Wilmington is a specialized hub for real estate and rental and leasing, with a location quotient of 1.53 and industry concentration in the upper half. Higher-than-average firm density means more competition for talent and customers, but also a deeper local supply chain and client pool.

Industry Concentration

96.1

LQ: 1.53

Rank #317 of 330 metros

Wage Competitiveness

60.6

$58,166 avg wage

Growth Trend

↑ 98.8

Employment growth index

Rank #5 of 330 metros

Wage Pressure

12.0

YoY wage change index

1,165 Real Estate and Rental and Leasing Firms in Wilmington

1,165

Establishments

+31.9% YoY

4,415

Total Employment

+23.8% YoY

$58,166

Average Annual Wage

-0.2% YoY

1.53

Location Quotient

Above national avg

Within North Carolina

#8 of 15

real estate and rental and leasing metros in state

North Carolina state rank

#23 of 51

for real estate and rental and leasing entry risk

vs State Median

0.0

matches median (41.9)

Wilmington vs North Carolina Statewide

How this metro's real estate and rental and leasing market compares to North Carolina overall. The state ranks #23/51 for entry risk.

Measure	Wilmington	NC Statewide
Overall Score	41.9 Moderate	38.1 Moderate
Score Type	Metro Market Score	Entry Risk Score
Rank	#161 of 330 metros	#23 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 Finance and Insurance 39.7 Healthcare and Social Assistance 40.0 Retail Trade 42.4 Accommodation and Food Services 50.4 Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services 61.5

Real Estate and Rental and Leasing in Other North Carolina Metros

Goldsboro 29.8 #66/330 Burlington 31.2 #76/330 Rocky Mount 33.1 #86/330 Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton 38.4 #120/330 Winston-Salem 39.9 #135/330 Pinehurst-Southern Pines 40.1 #137/330 Durham-Chapel Hill 40.8 #149/330 Greenville 47.9 #201/330 Fayetteville 52.5 #235/330 Jacksonville 53.0 #239/330

+ 4 more metros. View all in North Carolina →

Real Estate and Rental and Leasing Metros With Similar Conditions

Metros within 5 points of Wilmington's 41.9 score. Useful when comparing markets with comparable entry profiles.

Lincoln, NE 41.9 #160/330 Lawton, OK 41.8 #158/330 Gulfport-Biloxi, MS 41.8 #159/330 Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR 42.1 #162/330 Visalia, CA 41.8 #157/330 Greeley, CO 41.6 #156/330 Grand Island, NE 42.3 #163/330 Columbia, MO 42.4 #164/330 Chattanooga, TN 41.4 #155/330 Dubuque, IA 41.3 #154/330

Real Estate and Rental and Leasing in States Bordering North Carolina

State-level entry risk for real estate and rental and leasing in adjacent states. Use this to weigh cross-border options.

Virginia 35.6 #17/51 Tennessee 37.2 #18/51 South Carolina 44.9 #36/51 Georgia 51.6 #43/51

Browse Real Estate and Rental and Leasing in Other States

State-level entry risk reports for real estate and rental and leasing across all 51 markets, sorted by rank.

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 real estate and rental and leasing sector, the industry concentration component (96.1) 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

Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW), Bureau of Labor Statistics. MSA-level establishment counts, employment, wages, and location quotients for the Wilmington, NC MSA area.

Data period: 2024. Last updated: April 2026.

Metro Market Assessment