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Data from U.S. Census Bureau · 2026 · Methodology
CitySpend

Wilmington, NC

Population: 116,933 (2022) · Mid-Size Cities (100K–250K)

A
90/100

Excellent fiscal health — strong reserves, low debt, well-funded pensions

Total Spending
$1.6B
Per Capita
$13,444
Total Revenue
$2.6B
Total Debt
$0

Spending Breakdown

Other
37.1%$583.6M
Housing & Community Development
25.1%$395.2M
Hospitals
8.9%$139.8M
Utilities
8.3%$130.8M
Parks & Recreation
7.2%$112.9M
Public Welfare
6.0%$94.8M
Interest on Debt
2.4%$37.4M
Fire Protection
2.3%$35.7M
Highways & Roads
2.0%$31.4M
Sewerage
0.7%$10.3M

Spending data sourced from the Census Bureau's Annual Survey of State & Local Government Finances. Per-capita comparisons use the Lincoln Institute's Fiscally Standardized Cities methodology for fair cross-city benchmarking.

Revenue Sources

Sales Tax
3.1%$80.6M
Intergovernmental
9.2%$239.8M
Other
5.4%$140.4M

Per Capita Spending by Department

Fire Protection$305/person
Highways & Roads$269/person
Parks & Recreation$966/person

Score Breakdown

Budget Balance & Reserves (25%)100/100
Debt Burden (20%)100/100
Pension Funding (20%)76/100
Spending Efficiency (15%)100/100
Revenue Diversity (10%)100/100
Trend Direction (10%)50/100

Compare Cities

See how Wilmington stacks up against another city.

vs Charlotte, NCvs Raleigh, NCvs Greensboro, NC
Data source: U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances (2023). Population from American Community Survey.

Other Cities in North Carolina

Charlotte, NC

Pop. 875K

C
Total Spending
$13.9B
Per Capita
$15,854

Raleigh, NC

Pop. 466K

B
Total Spending
$6.5B
Per Capita
$13,911

Greensboro, NC

Pop. 297K

C
Total Spending
$5.8B
Per Capita
$19,352

Durham, NC

Pop. 284K

B
Total Spending
$8.9B
Per Capita
$31,264

Compare Wilmington With

Charlotte, NC

Spending: $15,854/person · Grade: C

Raleigh, NC

Spending: $13,911/person · Grade: B

Greensboro, NC

Spending: $19,352/person · Grade: C

Durham, NC

Spending: $31,264/person · Grade: B

Frequently Asked Questions

Wilmington, NC spends $13,444 per resident, based on total expenditures of $1.6B for a population of 116,933. The city has a Fiscal Health Score of A (90/100).

Wilmington, NC has total expenditures of $1.6B and total revenue of $2.6B. The city carries $0 in total debt, based on Census Bureau data from 2023.

Wilmington, NC employs 0 government workers, of which 0 are full-time. The average government salary is $0, with 0.0 employees per 10,000 residents.

Wilmington, NC has a Fiscal Health Score of A (90/100). This score evaluates budget balance, debt burden, pension funding, spending efficiency, revenue diversity, and 3-year fiscal trajectory compared to peer cities of similar population.

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