Commercial Real Estate Market in Wilmington, NC
Updated monthly: sale, lease, property records, location trend, and more… · Last update: August 31
748 active listings and 5,898 off-market properties in Wilmington, NC. Commercial property asks $271/SF to buy and $54.09/SF/Yr to lease.
Market Trends
Wilmington, NC spans 154.5 square miles in New Hanover County, North Carolina. Figures below refresh monthly; last updated 31 August 2026.
Office
Office vacancy in Wilmington, NC runs 20.2% across the South region in 2025, up from 14.4% in 2019.
Vacancy Rate % in South region
Retail
Retail vacancy in Wilmington, NC runs 5.4% across the South region in 2025, down from 7% in 2020.
Vacancy Rate % in South region
Industrial
Industrial vacancy in Wilmington, NC runs 7.9% across the South region in 2025, up from 6% in 2019. Nearly 2.3x the 2022 low of 3.5%.
Vacancy Rate % in South region
Multifamily
Multifamily vacancy in Wilmington, NC runs 11.3% across the South region in 2025, up from 8.5% in 2022.
Vacancy Rate % in South region
Zoning & Land Use
Land Use Mix share of zoned land by category
- Residential 59.7%
- Mixed use 12.1%
- Industrial 10.5%
- Commercial 9.2%
- Civic 7.7%
- Open space 0.1%
Largest Zones share of zoned land by district
Moderate Density Single Dwelling
Residential
Office And Institutional
High Density Multiple Dwelling Residential District
Industrial
Wilmington, NC zones 34,004 acres across 25 districts. Commercial zoning covers 9.2% of zoned land, residential 59.7%, open space 0.1% and industrial 10.5%. The largest single district is Moderate Density Single Dwelling at 30.5%. For commercial buyers the practical constraint is that only 19.8% of land carries a commercial or industrial designation.
Residential (R-20)
ATIONS Sec. 18-173. - Introduction. Sec. 18-174. - Exceptions to area and height standards. Sec. 18-175. - Zoning affects use of land and structures. Sec. 18-176. - Number of principal buildings on a lot. Sec. 18-177. - R-20, Residential District. Sec. 18-178. - R-15, Residential District. Sec. 18-179. - R-10, Residential District. Sec. 18-180. - R-7, Reside…
Market overview
Demographics & Economy
Wilmington, NC has 207,386 residents in 103,017 households. Density runs 1,343 people per square mile. Median household income here is $74,531 and median gross rent $1,402 a month.
207,386
Population
103,017
Households
2
Avg Household Size
40
Median Age
45%
College-Educated
94%
High-School Grad
154.5 sq mi
ZIP Area
1,343
Density / Sq Mi
$74,531
Median Household Income
$42,180
Median Earnings
$1,402
Median Rent
$342,871
Median Home Value
Tools
Nearby Markets
| Market | Average Sale Price, $/SF | Average Lease Price, $/SF/Yr |
|---|---|---|
| Navassa | — | — |
| Cape Fear | — | — |
| Willow Ridge | — | — |
| Belville | — | — |
Commercial property in Wilmington, NC asks $271/SF.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average price per square foot for commercial property in Wilmington?
Commercial property in Wilmington, NC asks an average of $271 per square foot. The 7 most recent recorded sales traded at a median of $369/SF.
How much does it cost to lease commercial space in Wilmington?
Asking lease rates in Wilmington, NC average $54.09 per square foot per year.
What zoning applies to commercial property in Wilmington?
Wilmington, NC zones 34,004 acres across 25 districts, of which 9.2% is commercial and 10.5% industrial. The largest single district is Moderate Density Single Dwelling at 30.5% of zoned land. Residential zoning covers 59.7% and open space 0.1%.
Where does Realmo's Wilmington market data come from?
Realmo compiles Wilmington, NC figures from 7 recent recorded sales, 604 active sale listings, 144 active lease listings, 5,898 tracked off-market properties, the current Wilmington zoning release. Sale and lease figures refresh monthly; vacancy annually. Last updated 31 August 2026.
Methodology & data sources
- Asking prices and averages
- Computed from 604 active for-sale and 144 active for-lease listings in Wilmington, NC. These are ASKING figures from live listings, not closed-transaction prices, and a segment carried by a handful of listings reads as indicative rather than an average.
- Vacancy rates
- Published per-sector market series, taken at the metro level where one exists and otherwise at the Census-region level — a chart reading "in <region> region" is a regional number, not this city's.
- Zoning and land use
- The current municipal zoning release: 34,004 zoned acres across 25 districts. Shares are of zoned land, so parcels the release leaves unclassified are excluded from the mix.
- Refresh
- The monthly aggregates close at the end of the previous month, so 31 August 2026 — not today — is the honest last update.
- Known limitations
- office vacancy is reported at South region level, retail vacancy is reported at South region level and industrial vacancy is reported at South region level.
- Coverage
- Metrics below the 10-observation threshold fall back one geographic level. The geography used is named on each figure.
Compiled by the Realmo Data team · reviewed 31 August 2026 · report a data issue
