Home Insurance in Wilmington, North Carolina
Homes in Wilmington carry a median value of $383,800 - close to the New Hanover County median.
The typical home in Wilmington was built around 1989. About 21% of homes were built before 1960, about 7 points above New Hanover County's 14%. Aging wiring, roofing and plumbing in older homes can push up the cost to insure or rebuild them.
The housing stock in Wilmington is 56% single-family homes, 31% apartments in buildings with 5+ units and 2% mobile or manufactured homes. The rest are 2-4 unit or other housing types.
About 66% of owner-occupied homes in Wilmington have a mortgage. Lenders require hazard (homeowners) insurance on any home carrying a mortgage.
The vacancy rate is 10%; vacant or unoccupied homes typically need a different coverage form than an owner-occupied policy. About 48% of occupied homes in Wilmington are owner-occupied.
Most homes in Wilmington - 84% - are primarily heated with electricity.
FEMA rates New Hanover County's overall risk as Relatively High, led by hurricane (Very High). New Hanover County had 17,097 active NFIP flood policies as of September 2026. See the full New Hanover County home insurance overview for all FEMA hazard ratings and flood coverage details.
According to the NAIC homeowners insurance report (2023 data), a standard HO-3 homeowners policy in North Carolina carries a statewide average premium of $1,852 per year.
Key figures
| Median home value | $383,800 |
|---|---|
| Median year built | 1989 |
| Owner-occupied share | 48% |
| Share of owner-occupied homes with a mortgage | 66% |
| Top county hazard | Hurricane (Very High) |
| Active NFIP policies in New Hanover County | 17,097 |
| Home insurance premium | $1,852 - statewide average (NAIC, 2023 data) |
Nearby towns
Sources
Data last updated: 2026-09-29
- U.S. Census Bureau Gazetteer Files (2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-Year Estimates (2024)
- FEMA National Risk Index (December 2025)
- FEMA OpenFEMA NFIP Redacted Policies v3 (2026)
- NAIC Dwelling Fire, Homeowners Owner-Occupied, and Homeowners Tenant and Condominium/Cooperative Unit Owners Insurance: Data for 2023 (published 2026) (2023)