Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina Demographics & Population 2026

Population Overview

Wrightsville Beach is a small community located in North Carolina, within New Hanover County. The total population is 2,665. It ranks as the 288th most populous out of 772 Census-designated places in North Carolina.

Age Demographics

The median age in Wrightsville Beach is 58.0 years. This is 48% higher than the state median of 39.1 years. Only 12.7% of residents are under 18, indicating fewer families with children.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Wrightsville Beach is $151,563. This is 109% higher than the state median of $72,388. It is also 88% higher than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 4.0%. This is 69% lower than the state poverty rate of 13.0%. This exceptionally low poverty rate indicates strong economic prosperity across the community. The unemployment rate is 0.4%. This is 90% lower than the state rate of 4.7%. The median home value is $1,168,700. Housing costs are 305% higher than the state median of $288,900. The home-value-to-income ratio of 7.7x suggests that housing affordability is a significant concern for many residents. 80.8% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 21% higher than the state average of 66.6%.

Race & Ethnicity

Wrightsville Beach has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 96.3% of all residents. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 2.7%. The White (non-Hispanic) population is significantly higher than the state average (96.3% vs 60.0%). The Black or African American population (0.5%) is well below the state average of 20.0%. The Hispanic or Latino population (2.7%) is well below the state average of 11.3%. The Asian population (0.3%) is well below the state average of 3.3%.

Education

72.5% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This places Wrightsville Beach in the top 10% of all cities in the state for educational attainment. This is 103% higher than the state rate of 35.6%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. No surveyed resident aged 25 or older reported leaving school before earning a high school diploma, though a rate of exactly 100% reflects the limits of a small sample. Notably, 25.5% of adults hold a graduate or professional degree, indicating a highly educated workforce.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates. The ACS collects data from approximately 3.5 million households annually and pools five years of responses so that even small communities can be measured, though the margin of error widens as the population falls. Comparisons are made against North Carolina state averages and national averages calculated from the same dataset. Rankings reflect the city's position among all 772 Census-designated places in North Carolina. Read more about how these figures are produced on our methodology page, or visit data.census.gov for official data.