New Bern vs Wilmington
New Bern, North Carolina versus Wilmington, North Carolina: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
New Bern and Wilmington score about the same overall (46 vs 45 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | New Bern | Wilmington |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $56k | $59k |
| Cost of Living | $51k | $51k |
| Home Value | $203k | $319k |
| Monthly Rent | $1k | $1k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $1k | $2k |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.79% | 0.77% |
| Income Tax | 4.50% | 4.50% |
| Sales Tax | 7.00% | 7.00% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 9.67% | 10.97% |
| Unemployment | 4.5% | 4.9% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 45°F | 47°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 81°F | 81°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 57.4 in | 65.1 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 1.1 in | 0.9 in |
| Sunny Days | 260 days | 223 days |
| Summer Humidity | 72°F | 72°F |
| Comfortable Days | 85 days | 92 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 92.5 | 82.5 |
| Air Quality | 33 AQI | 48 AQI |
| School Quality | 36.3 | 47.4 |
| Violent Crime | 1737/100k | 1799/100k |
| Property Crime | 2050/100k | 2876/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 31,373 | 116,933 |
| Median Age | 40.4 | 37.6 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.59 | 0.42 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.88 | 0.88 |
| Political Leaning | R+19 | Even |
| White (%) | 54.0% | 71.5% |
| Black (%) | 30.6% | 16.1% |
| Hispanic (%) | 6.4% | 7.0% |
| Asian (%) | 5.1% | 1.3% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 4.0% | 4.1% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 18 min | 19 min |
| Walkability | 8.3/20 | 11.1/20 |
| Airport Distance | 111 mi | 127 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 81.0% | 88.7% |
| Amenities Nearby | 40.16 | 17.10 |
| Park & Nature Access | Moderate | Excellent |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US places: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.
Frequently asked questions
- Is New Bern or Wilmington more affordable?
- Wilmington has the lower cost of living: its index is $51k, compared with New Bern's $51k and Wilmington's $51k. Median rent is $1k in New Bern versus $1k in Wilmington.
- Is New Bern or Wilmington safer?
- New Bern has the lower violent crime rate. New Bern reports 1737/100k and Wilmington reports 1799/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in New Bern or Wilmington?
- The median home value is $203k in New Bern and $319k in Wilmington, so homes are more affordable in New Bern.