New Hanover County, North Carolina
Among the top 3% of US counties for lifestyle & connectivity.
AffordabilityAffordability: grade D, better than 24% of US counties
WeatherWeather: grade B, better than 59% of US counties
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade F, better than 8% of US counties
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade B+, better than 84% of US counties
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade A+, better than 97% of US counties
- top 6% for walkability
- top 7% for park & nature access
- bottom 4% for natural disaster risk
New Hanover County is a county in North Carolina with about 228,000 residents. It grades A+ for lifestyle & connectivity and F for safety & wellbeing. Standout strengths include walkability, park & nature access, and broadband access. It rates lower on monthly rent and natural disaster risk.
Official websitenhcgov.com (opens in new tab)
Climate
Hot, humid summers · Cool winters · Wet
cool
comfortable
warm
hot
warm
comf.
cool
68%59%clearovercast
Precipitation 6.9 in3.7 in
oppressive 94%dry
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$68k69th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$51kbetter than 18% of US counties
Home Value$320k90th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$1kbetter than 11% of US counties
Monthly Owner Costs$2kbetter than 16% of US counties
Property Tax Rate0.62%better than 73% of US counties
Income Tax4.50%better than 62% of US counties
Sales Tax7.00%better than 61% of US counties
Estimated total tax burden9.77%better than 44% of US counties
Unemployment4.8%better than 49% of US counties
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)47°F82nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)81°F75th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation61.1 in96th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall0.8 inbetter than 78% of US counties
Sunny Days223 daysbetter than 35% of US counties
Summer Humidity72°Fbetter than 11% of US counties
Comfortable Days92 daysbetter than 82% of US counties
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk96.1better than 4% of US counties
Air Quality44 AQIbetter than 41% of US counties
School Quality46.5better than 31% of US counties
Violent Crime1345/100kbetter than 20% of US counties
Property Crime2131/100kbetter than 12% of US counties
Community
Population228,13491st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age40.238th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.3661st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio0.927th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningEven16th percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)76.7%43rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)11.9%79th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)6.1%58th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)1.3%75th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)4.1%66th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time20 minbetter than 78% of US counties
Walkability10.6/20better than 94% of US counties
Airport Distance130 mibetter than 33% of US counties
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access90.9%better than 92% of US counties
Amenities Nearby4.30better than 63% of US counties
Park & Nature AccessExcellentbetter than 93% of US counties
Frequently asked questions
- Is New Hanover County an affordable place to live?
- New Hanover County is relatively expensive. Its cost-of-living index is $51k, better than 18% of comparable areas.
- What is the median home value in New Hanover County?
- The median home value in New Hanover County is $320k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- What is the median household income in New Hanover County?
- Median household income in New Hanover County is $68k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- How much is rent in New Hanover County?
- Median gross rent in New Hanover County is $1k a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Is New Hanover County safe?
- New Hanover County is higher-crime than most comparable areas, with a violent crime rate of 1345/100k (better than 20%). Property crime is 2131/100k.
- What is the weather like in New Hanover County?
- New Hanover County averages 81°F in July and 47°F in January, with 61.1 in of annual precipitation and about 223 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in New Hanover County?
- Public-school quality in New Hanover County is below average, scoring better than 31% of comparable areas on a composite of graduation rates, spending, and student-teacher ratio.
- How long is the commute in New Hanover County?
- The average one-way commute in New Hanover County is 20 min.
Other counties in North Carolina
Explore North Carolina
Data sources
- EPA Air Quality (AQI)
- EPA Smart Location Database
- EPI Family Budget Calculator
- FAA airport enplanements
- FBI Uniform Crime Reports
- FEMA National Risk Index
- MIT Election Data Lab (2020)
- NCES School Finance Survey
- NOAA Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA nClimGrid
- OpenStreetMap
- Tax Foundation + state revenue depts
- U.S. Census ACS (5-Year)
- USGS Protected Areas (PAD-US)