Pedestrian flow posts 78/100 (1% below the mean), guiding how much budget you reserve for paid acquisition.
Best Business Location in Wilmington
Wilmington offers 300,000 metro customers, $62,000 average income, and moderate commercial activity—ideal conditions for data-led site selection.
A 0.3M-person metro with $62K average household earnings.
Find the Best Location in Wilmington
Interactive map analysis for Wilmington. Click any area to reveal foot traffic patterns, competitor density, and demographic insights for your business.
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Wilmington, United States
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Wilmington Business Environment
Market Insights
- A 0.3M-person metro with $62K average household earnings.
- $62,000 income vs $26/sqft rent = 2.0x economic ratio.
- $26/sqft gets you 78/100 foot traffic. Calculate your customer acquisition cost.
- Metro size (0.3M) combined with 78 traffic index shapes accessibility.
- Market expanding (Very High). Competition intensity: Moderate.
- Low rent: $26/sqft. More room to experiment with format.
- Tourism and Film Production anchor the economy. Workers earn $62K.
- Located in North Carolina, United States with USD currency
Top Industries
Navigate Wilmington's Opportunities
With $62K average incomes, Wilmington has spending power. We'll pinpoint where it concentrates.
Wilmington Neighborhood Analysis
Discover the best neighborhoods for your business type in Wilmington
Wilmington offers a mix of commercial settings including the central business district, neighborhood retail corridors, and emerging development areas—each with unique rent-to-traffic dynamics
Successful Wilmington businesses match their location strategy to target demographics—downtown for office crowds, residential areas for neighborhood regulars, suburban for family-oriented services
Extended metro area provides 2.4x population reach beyond city limits, supporting suburban expansion strategies
Downtown/City Center
- • Highest foot traffic density
- • Premium rental costs
- • Best for retail & restaurants
- • Excellent public transport access
Business Districts
- • High concentration of offices
- • Ideal for B2B services
- • Strong weekday traffic
- • Growing food & beverage demand
Suburban Areas
- • Lower rental costs
- • Family-oriented demographics
- • Ample parking availability
- • Good for service businesses
Emerging Areas
- • High growth potential
- • Lower competition density
- • Opportunity for early movers
- • Rising property values
Wilmington Business Readiness Score
Data-driven viability assessment
Best Business Types for Wilmington
Find location-specific insights for different business types in Wilmington
Restaurant in Wilmington
Analyze foot traffic patterns, demographics, and competition for restaurants
Retail Store in Wilmington
Find high-traffic retail locations with ideal customer demographics
Coffee Shop in Wilmington
Locate areas with morning traffic and office worker density
Industry Synergy Opportunities in Wilmington
Top industries creating demand for specific business types
Tourism
Tourist traffic creates demand for dining, shopping, and hospitality
Best Business Types:
Healthcare
Healthcare clusters attract patients and create medical service demand
Best Business Types:
Cost of Operations in Wilmington
Financial breakdown for a 1,500 sq ft location
Startup Investment
Monthly Operating
Cost Insights
Wilmington Market Entry Timing
Data-driven signals for optimal business launch timing
Strong market conditions support entry. Develop detailed business plan and secure financing within next 3-6 months.
Entry Timing Factors
Business Performance in Wilmington
Market dynamics and success indicators
Solid middle-class income base ($62,000) generates consistent consumer demand across service categories
Above-average pedestrian flow (78 index) supports healthy walk-in business, particularly in core commercial districts
Wilmington Insights That Guide Expansion
Each metric is generated for this city so every page tells a different story about demand, rents, and timing.
The metro catchment is 2.4x larger than city limits (300,000 vs 125,000), opening suburban roll-out paths once the core site is stable.
Tourism, Film Production, Healthcare employers anchor daytime demand, making B2B partnerships a reliable lever.
With 78/100 foot traffic and moderate competition, Wilmington offers balanced risk-reward for new concepts.
1,050 sq ft of space at $26/sq ft loads 5.3x the average salary onto COGS, keeping efficiency front and center.
Frequently Asked Questions About Wilmington
Answers refresh based on Wilmington's live data so there's no duplicate copy across cities.
What growth trajectory is Wilmington on?
Wilmington carries a very high growth potential rating, which shapes whether you sprint into multi-unit rollout or pace hiring.
How expensive is retail space relative to incomes in Wilmington?
A 1,050-sq-ft footprint at $26/sq ft runs roughly 5.3x the local average income ($62,000). Layer in menu engineering or ticket-size plays to offset the rent load.
Can I rely on organic foot traffic in Wilmington?
Yes—pedestrian flow scores 78/100, about 1% below the cross-market average, so plan signage and staffing around steady discovery.
How far can I scale within the Wilmington metro?
The metro area pulls 2.4x the population of city proper, so once the flagship location performs you can replicate into surrounding districts without leaving the DMA.
How crowded is the Wilmington market?
Moderate competition across Wilmington's 300,000 population means your marketing must be targeted. Blanket approaches won't cut through the noise.
Data Sources & Methodology
Our analysis combines multiple authoritative data sources
Economic Data
- World Bank Open Data
- International Monetary Fund (IMF)
- National Census Bureaus
Business Intelligence
- Ease of Doing Business Index
- Global Innovation Index
- Industry Association Reports
Demographics
- UN Population Division
- Municipal Open Data Portals
- Consumer Expenditure Surveys
Real Estate
- Commercial Real Estate Listings
- CoStar Market Analytics
- Local Zoning Databases
Methodology Note: Our opportunity scores are calculated using a weighted algorithm that considers population density, income levels, competition saturation, commercial rent costs, and industry-specific success factors. Data is refreshed quarterly from authoritative sources. Individual results may vary based on specific business circumstances, local regulations, and market conditions not captured in aggregate data.
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