Moving from Charlotte to Wilmington
Your paycheck buys about the same in Wilmington as in Charlotte. Compare taxes, rent, home prices and the cost of the move.
Equal salary in Wilmington: $84,100
Compare any two of 149 U.S. metro areas. All cities
To keep the same lifestyle, you need about $84,100 in Wilmington, NC to match $85,000 in Charlotte, NC ($900 less), after 2026 taxes and local prices.
Single filer, W-2 salary. Both are in North Carolina, so state income tax is the same; neither city levies a resident income tax.
Prices and housing cover the metro area; taxes use North Carolina, its principal state. A metro can span several states; living in its other state can change the tax result.
Charlotte vs Wilmington: key facts
- Median rent
- $1,594 → $1,578/mo
- Median home value
- $400,400 → $397,300
- Median household income
- $85,938 → $78,890
- Price level (U.S. = 100)
- 97.3 → 96.4
- FEMA county-score mean
- Very high county-score mean (89.2 → 94.7 of 100)
Charlotte vs Wilmington cost of living
The vertical line marks the U.S. average (100).
| Measure | Charlotte, NC | Wilmington, NC |
|---|---|---|
| Overall price level (U.S. = 100) | 97.3 | 96.4 |
| Median rent | $1,594 | $1,578 |
| Income to rent affordably (30%) | $63,760 | $63,120 |
| Median home value | $400,400 | $397,300 |
| Monthly cost to own (20% down) | $2,508 | $2,454 |
| Income needed to buy | $107,502 | $105,189 |
| Median property tax | $2,552 | $2,107 |
| State income tax on $85,000 | $2,883 | $2,883 |
| Metro population | 2,883,370 | 480,522 |
Metro-area figures (Census ACS 2024, BEA 2024). The fixed tax rows above use an illustrative single-earner salary of $85,000, rounded from Charlotte's median household income. Household income can include multiple earners; it is not a typical individual wage. Taxes use each metro's principal state. A metro can span several states; residence in its other state can change the tax result.
Your yearly budget: Charlotte vs Wilmington
This fixed budget example uses $85,000, single filing and residence inside the principal city tax areas. It does not change with the calculator above.
On an $85,000 salary, taxes, gross rent including basic utilities, one car and health insurance for one adult come to $48,609 a year in Charlotte and $48,417 in Wilmington if you rent: $192 less after the move. If you buy the median home, those selected costs use mortgage, property tax, homeowners insurance and electricity instead of gross rent; they come to $61,336 and $60,688 ($648 less).
Your yearly budget, before vs after
| Yearly cost | CharlotteBefore | WilmingtonAfter | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Income and payroll taxes on $85,000, single filer | $19,255 | $19,255 | $0 |
| Car insurance one car, state average | $925 | $925 | $0 |
| Gas 12,000 miles at 25 mpg | $1,645 | $1,645 | $0 |
| Health insurance one adult, age 40, own plan before subsidies | $7,656 | $7,656 | $0 |
| If you rent | |||
| Rent and basic utilities ACS median gross rent, 12 months | $19,128 | $18,936 | -$192 |
| Total if you rent | $48,609 | $48,417 | -$192 |
| If you buy the median home (20% down) | |||
| Mortgage payment median home, 20% down, 7.24% | $26,196 | $25,993 | -$203 |
| Property tax median home | $2,552 | $2,107 | -$445 |
| Homeowners insurance state median, with a mortgage | $1,353 | $1,353 | $0 |
| Electricity state average bill | $1,754 | $1,754 | $0 |
| Total if you buy | $61,336 | $60,688 | -$648 |
Taxes: 2026 federal and state rules, plus the principal city's resident income tax where it has one, standard deduction. Rent, home value and property tax: Census ACS 2024 metro-area medians. Gross rent includes tenant-paid electricity, gas, water/sewer and fuels; those basic utilities are not added again. Mortgage: Freddie Mac 30-year average (7.24%, week of October 29, 2026).
State figures for the principal state: EIA 2025 average residential power bill (buyers only), NAIC 2023 auto insurance (average per car), Census ACS 2024 homeowners insurance (median for owners with a mortgage; premiums have risen since), AAA regular gas on October 29, 2026, and the KFF 2026 benchmark silver Marketplace premium. Job-based health coverage usually costs you less, and in 2026 incomes between 100% and 400% of the federal poverty level can get a premium tax credit.
Not included: sales tax (combined state and local rates are not in our data yet), food, car payments and other spending.
Child care is not in the totals. Full-time center care for one infant averages $13,916 a year in Charlotte and $13,916 in Wilmington (Child Care Aware of America, 2025 (2024 fallback for Colorado, Washington, DC and South Carolina) state averages).
Who moves from Charlotte to Wilmington
About 1,065 households (1,755 people) moved from the Charlotte metro area to the Wilmington metro area in 2022–2023, making Wilmington the #6 destination for people leaving Charlotte among the 149 metro areas we cover. 688 households moved the other way. Their average adjusted gross income was $99,208.
Cost to move from Charlotte to Wilmington
| Moving method (2–3 bedrooms) | Typical range |
|---|---|
| Rental truck (DIY) | $310–$630 |
| Moving container | $1,090–$2,050 |
| Full-service movers | $1,840–$4,920 |
Natural hazard risk: Charlotte vs Wilmington
RelocateMath's population-weighted means of FEMA county risk scores are 89.2 for the Charlotte area and 94.7 for the Wilmington area, on the county-score scale of 0–100. These means are not official FEMA metro ratings or national metro percentiles. Modeled expected yearly losses from natural hazards average $326 vs $1,132 per resident; individual properties can differ.
The vertical line marks county-score scale midpoint (50).
The vertical line marks county-score scale midpoint (50).
Frequently asked questions
Is Wilmington cheaper than Charlotte?
Overall prices in the Wilmington area are 0.9% lower than in Charlotte (BEA Regional Price Parities 2024). Median rent is $1,578 vs $1,594 a month, and the median home is $397,300 vs $400,400.
What salary do I need in Wilmington to match $100,000 in Charlotte?
About $98,900 in a fixed single-filer W-2 example assuming residence inside both principal cities. It accounts for 2026 federal and principal-state taxes, modeled resident local taxes where applicable, and metro prices. Both are in North Carolina, so state income tax is the same. This illustration stays fixed when calculator inputs change.
How much does it cost to move from Charlotte to Wilmington?
For a 2–3 bedroom home over about 210 miles: roughly $310–$630 with a rental truck, $1,090–$2,050 with a container, or $1,840–$4,920 with full-service movers.
How many people move from Charlotte to Wilmington?
IRS county migration data for 2022–2023 show about 1,065 households (1,755 people) moved from the Charlotte metro area to the Wilmington metro area, and 688 moved the other way.
Related
Where people from Charlotte move
- Charlotte to Raleigh 1,789 households
- Charlotte to Winston-Salem 1,710 households
- Charlotte to Columbia 1,411 households
- Charlotte to New York 1,320 households
- Charlotte to Greensboro 1,066 households
- Charlotte to Atlanta 1,034 households
- Charleston 865 households
- Greenville 813 households
State-agency links identify the responsible tax office; they do not verify every modeled rule. Use forms and guidance for the year you are filing.