Is Wilmington, NC Safe? (2021 Crime Rates And Crime Stats) - Van Life Wanderer (2024)

If you are thinking about visiting Wilmington and have some qualms about the safety of the city, we got you covered.

Lets deep dive into the some crime stats and crime rates and see how safe or dangerous Wilmington really is.

Is Wilmington, NC safe?

Statistically speaking, Wilmington, NC is a safe city. It’s crime rate of 515.96 per 100,000 residents is slightly higher than the national average, but it doesn’t enter the ‘unsafe’ territory. It’s crime rate is on par with cities like Austin, New York and Colorado Springs.

Also, it’s property crime rate is slightly elevated but still not precarious.

What is Wilmington, NC Crime Rate?

In 2021 Wilmington reported 654 violent crimes and had a crime rate of 515.96 per 100,000 residents. Wilmington’s crime rate is 1.3x times greater than the national average.

Does Wilmington, NC have a high crime rate?

Wilmington does not have a high violent crime rate. It’s violent crime rate is a tad higher than the national average, but well below the crime rate of an unsafe city.

Here’s a scale to give you some perspective on Wilmington’s violent crime rate:

Wilmington, NC Crime Rate Breakdown

Violent Crime Rate

In 2021, Wilmington reported 654 violent crime: 15 homicides, 91 rapes, 104 robberies and 444 aggravated assaults.

Year over year violent crimes has decreased 17%.

You have a 1 in 194 chance of becoming a victim of violent crime in Wilmington.

Here’s a graph showing you how violent crime has trended in Wilmington over a 12 year period. Violent crime peaked in 2015 and has decreased 26% since then.

*Violent crimes include; homicides, rape, robbery and aggravated assaults.

Murder Rate

In 2021, Wilmington reported 15 murders and had a murder rate of 11.85 per 100,000 residents. Wilmington’s murder rate is 1.8 times greater than the national average.

Year over year murders has decreased 29%.

You have a 1 in 8,437 chance of becoming a victim of murder in Wilmington.

Here’s a graph showing you how murders have trended over the last 12 years in Wilmington. Murders in Wilmington peaked in 2020.

Property Crime Rate

In 2021 Wilmington reported 3,401 property crimes and had a property crime rate of 2,687.37 per 100,000 residents. Wilmington’s property crime rate is 1.4 times greater the national average.

Year over year property crime has decreased 6%.

You have a 1 in 37 chance of becoming a victim of property crime in Wilmington.

Here’s a graph showing you how property crime has trended in Wilmington over a 12 year period. Property crimes peaked in 2012 and has been steadily decreasing since then.

*Property crimes include; burglary, larceny-theft, motor vehicle theft, and arson

Wilmington’s crime rate vs other cities in North Carolina (2020)

Here’s how Wilmington’s violent crime rate compared to other cities in North Carolina. Wilmington had the 7th highest crime rate of all the cities listed.

Wilmington, NC Crime Rate Comparison

Here’s a list of the top 20 most dangerous cities in the United States ranked by crime rates. Wilmington’s crime rate is 5.7 times less than Monroe, the most dangerous city in the U.S.

How are Wilmington’s crime rates calculated?

Crime rate is calculated by dividing the number of reported crimes by the total population; the result is multiplied by 100,000.

For example, in 2021 there were 15 murders in Wilmington and the population was 126,755. This equals a murder rate of 11.85 per 100,000 residents.

Wilmington, NC Crime Stats

Here’s a breakdown of all the crimes in the city for 2020 and 2021

**All data is from the Wilmington Police Department**

How much has crime increased in Wilmington, NC?

In 2021, Wilmington reported 4,055 total crimes, which is a 1% increase over 2020.

In 2021, Wilmington reported 654 violent crimes, which is a 17% decrease over 2020.

In 2021, Wilmington reported 15 murders, which is a 29% decrease over 2020.

In 2021, Wilmington reported 3,401 property crimes, which is a 6% increase over 2020.

Is Downtown Wilmington Safe?

Although Downtown has a spotty reputation among residents, it is generally a safe area during the day time. At night you want to stay where the crowds are, which is in the Riverfront and Historic District.

Is the public transportation in Wilmington safe?

The public transportation system in Wilmington is handled by WAVE and it offers many routes that interweave throughout the entire city.

The public transit in Wilmington are generally safe options to use during normal commuting hours (7am – 8pm), however we recommend that you use a taxi or ride sharing service outside of those hours. At night there are less people using the metro or buses and it can get sketchy.

You might encounter some weird and erratic passengers, but if you just ignore them and keep your distance, then you should be fine.

Download the WAVE transit app, it tracks the trains to let you know when it’s coming and if its late.

Is Wilmington, NC safe from hurricanes?

Wilmington is susceptible to hurricanes due to its location on the coast. Wilmington average once direct hurricane hit every 5.96 years.

The last major hurricane to hit Wilmington was Hurricane Florence in 2018. Initially a category 4 hurricane, it weakened to a category 1 by the time it landed in North Carolina

The city recorded more rain from Hurricane Florence than any other single weather event in the city’s history with more than 102 inches of rainfall.

Hurricane season in Wilmington officially runs from June 1 to Nov. 30. The peak of hurricane season is mid-August to mid-October.

It should be noted that hurricane season does not mean a hurricanes will occur. They are still rare events and it just means that it is highly unusual for any hurricane to occur OUTSIDE of hurricane season.

Is it safe to visit Wilmington during hurricane season?

It is safe to visit Wilmington during hurricane season, as long as you don’t visit when a hurricane is about to hit! Fortunately there is usually adequate warning when a hurricane is brewing in the area.

Check out https://www.nhc.noaa.gov before you visit. This is your best resource for tracking and monitoring storms. Another great website to check out is https://spaghettimodels.com.

What do residents of Wilmington say about it’s safety?

1. "Most of the violent crimes in Wilmy is gang related. As long as you are not in a gang or involved with drug dealing, you should be good."
2. " Wilmington is not Gotham City, but you need to be cautious and alert wherever you go."
3. "I live downtown, walk to the bars, walk home from the bars. It’s not that bad."
4. "I have lived in Wilmington for 16+ years and it is a wonderful place to live. Never had any bad experiences with crime."
5. "I have lived in Wilmington my entire life and it is a wonderful place and I have never felt unsafe while living here."
6. "The drug/homeless is contained downtown for the most part."
7. "The two neighborhoods you should avoid are Hill Crest and Houston Moore. Don’t even think about going there at night."
8. "Wilmington is not bad. Not even comparable to Los Angeles or Chicago."
9. "Wilmington is super safe. If you aren’t up to no good, the chances of random violence are slim to none."
10. "The majority of Wilmington area is safe, including the historic district and at the beaches. There are some shadier areas in downtown, but its pretty obvious when you enter these areas."

Tips to stay safe while visiting Wilmington

• Research the city before you arrive. Figure out which parts of the city is safe and which part are sketchy. Plan your trip accordingly.
• Always be aware of your surrounding. This means to stay off your phone and don’t wear headphones while walking around the city. Always be perceptive of the things going on around you.
• Walk with confidence and purpose. Always look like you know where you are going, even when you don’t. Criminals like to prey on people who look meek, are lost and unsure of themselves.
• Mind your own business. Don’t look directly at people involved in sketchy or criminal activity. If you pay it attention, you are going to end up involved whether you want to or not.
• Avoid walking through desolate and sketchy looking areas at night. Also stay away from alleys.
• Don’t take your wallet out or count cash in public.
• If you’re uncomfortable with your surroundings, leave. Your intuition is often more aware of things than you think. If something inside you is telling you to go, listen to it.

Facts about Wilmington, NC

• The population of Wilmington in 2021 is 126,755.
• The city covers a land area of 51.41 square miles.
• The median age of the city is 35 years old.
• The median income for a household in the city was $51,137. The per capita income for the city was $5,329.
• 19.2% of the population live below the poverty line.
• 93.0% of residents 25 and older is a high school graduate. 43.9% of residents 25 and older has a bachelors degree or higher.
• The median home price in Wilmington is $350,000 in 2022.
• In 2022, the average rent for a Wilmington 2-bedroom apartment is $1,450.