Wilmington receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal
Wilmington
Opportunity
80 · Top 11%
vs74 · Top 17%
Growth
77 · Top 10%
vs81 · Top 5%
Climate
73 · Top 28%
vs83 · Top 3%
Physical resilience
15 · Bottom 6%
vs25 · Bottom 13%
Housing affordability
65 · Bottom 9%
vs72 · Bottom 14%
Access
85 · Top 33%
vs97 · Top 12%
Economic stability
43 · Bottom 39%
vs49 · Bottom 48%
Measured values
| Metric | Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal | Wilmington | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 227,455 | 453,347 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $83,304 | $76,471 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $51,125 | $46,500 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 185/sq mi | 237/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $439,500 | $362,400 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,573 | $1,389 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 76.1% | 72.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.1% | 3.5% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 1.9% | -0.6% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 43.1% | 39.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 10.8% | 10.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 2,626 | 8,147 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 11.5 | 18.0 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -24.5% | -0.9% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 92°F | 90°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 40°F | 36°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 45.0" | 60.1" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 28 mi | 8 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 26.1 min | 25.1 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 47.7 | 45.4 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane, earthquake, coastal flooding.
Wilmington
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal
62
Your Score
62
Area Score
Wilmington
69
Your Score
67
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal, SC Metro Area · Wilmington, NC Metro Area · How this is calculated: methodology