Wilmington's 5 Wealthiest North Carolina Neighborhoods To Visit, According To Real Estate Pros

Planning to visit Wilmington, North Carolina, soon and interested in checking out some high-end real estate? Good choice, as this southerly destination is not just the home of the University of North Carolina, Wilmington, but is also a beachy and popular portside gem that was recently voted North Carolina's cleanest city. 

To help you plan your visit — whatever its purpose may be — we've compiled a list of the most exclusive Wilmington neighborhoods. These five suburbs were ranked by the real estate research pros at Redfin (via Stacker), who found the wealthiest spots in the Wilmington metro area based on the median home sale price. Additionally, we consulted home listings and the websites of local experts for more information on these neighborhoods, including architectural styles, things to do, restaurants and hotels, and other appealing aspects for visitors and prospective residents.

The most expensive neighborhood in Wilmington is Wrightsville Sound, where the median sale price for a home in October 2025 was a lofty $1,212,500. Less than 10 miles from Wilmington International Airport and across the Intracoastal Waterway from much-loved Wrightsville Beach, one of North Carolina's top seaside towns, the neighborhood contains a mix of architectural styles from grand estates to coastal cottages and is perched right on the Intracoastal Waterway. 

The distinguishing feature of this neighborhood is its waterfront location and its 67-acre colorful paradise, Airlie Gardens. Ranked one of the top things to do in Wilmington on Tripadvisor, the gardens are home to deep-pink azaleas, lavender hyacinths, white and red camellias, and many other flowers bloom in season, attracting pollinators and dozens of species of birds. In summer, Airlie Gardens hosts live music, which fosters a sense of community among neighbors. On Homes.com, one local realtor described these lively events: "Everyone brings a blanket and food, and we sit out under the big oak trees. Bands are playing, and people are socializing; it's just lovely." 

Wrightsville Sound is also home to Lumina Station, a shopping center with high-end boutiques and several restaurants, including American, French, Greek, and Japanese options. There's also waterfront dining nearby, such as The Bridge Tender. If you're staying in the area, there's a convenient Hampton Inn & Suites, rated 4.6 stars on Tripadvisor. If you prefer an oceanfront accommodation, head 2 miles over to the beach, where you'll find a range of hotels to suit any budget.

According to the Redfin analysis, the second-most expensive neighborhood in Wilmington is the 2,200-acreLandfall housing development, with a median sale price of $1,185,000. Also less than 10 miles from the airport, this area of around 2,000 homesites is also on the Intracoastal Waterway, just northeast of the Wrightsville Sound community. Local realtor Jacki Hedgecock describes the community in a YouTube video as being "like a whole other town" that's made up of more than a dozen different sub-regions.

This highly secure residential community is designed for people of all ages and backgrounds. Three gates allow access to the community's 29 miles of private roads, which are further secured by a 24-hour community patrol. Landfall residents can enjoy amenities like nature trails, several serene gardens, ponds and a lake, a playground, sports fields, a state-of-the-art health and fitness complex, and Pete Dye and Jack Nicklaus golf courses.

Inside the gated community, the exquisite Country Club of Landfall welcomes members of all ages and boasts a number of dining and drinking establishments, including formal, casual, adult-only, and family-friendly venues. Within the gated community itself, you won't find other restaurants or amenities like shopping malls and accommodations. But the aforementioned Hampton Inn and the Lumina Station shopping and dining options are only a few miles south.

The Waterstone neighborhood had the third most expensive homes in Wilmington, with single-family and patio homes starting in the upper $900,000s and a median home sale price of $1,038,500. Around 12 miles from the airport and 10 miles northeast of downtown, Waterstone enjoys a peaceful residential location and is also the farthest north of the five neighborhoods discussed here.

This is another community located near the Intracoastal Waterway, with picturesque views, a day dock, and kayak and paddleboard racks. Community amenities include a pickleball court, luxurious pool, and 1.5 miles of multi-purpose trails. For entertainment and leisure purposes, residents can relax in the shaded pavilion or socialize around the community fire pits. In a YouTube video about the community, Hedgecock states, "One of the perks of living in Waterstone is that you can join Porter's Neck Country Club." The club features an aquatic and fitness center, tennis, dining, and a four-star Tom Fazio course.

The development itself lacks restaurants and shops, but plenty of these can be found less than 2 miles away along U.S. Highway 17. The Cape Fear Seafood Company is rated 4.6 stars on Google, with one reviewer exclaiming, "The food? It was delicious. My wife had the fried flounder, and I had shrimp and grits. Both items were magnificent!" The closest hotel to Waterstone — a Holiday Inn Express with 4.8 stars on Tripadvisor — is adjacent to the Porter's Neck Center. 

Next on the list is the historic neighborhood of Masonboro Sound, with a median sale price of $690,890. Homes here can sell for significantly more, of course. According to locals at the David Benford Group, "Homes for sale off Masonboro Sound Road in Wilmington range in price, but if your property of interest is on the Intracoastal Waterway then the asking price is likely at least three million dollars or more." Around 11 miles from the airport and across from the Masonboro Island Reserve, a protected natural area that also happens to be the largest, undeveloped barrier island in this part of North Carolina. Of the five neighborhoods covered in this article, Masonboro Sound is the farthest south. 

Massive, 300-year-old live oak trees drape over stately homes in this part of the city; some of these houses were constructed before the Civil War. Architectural styles cover the whole gamut in Masonboro Sound, from elegant 19th-century mansions and charming cottages to neo-coastal and Southern-style homes like those in the newer East & Mason development. 

The neighborhood is dotted with highly rated restaurants like The Cardinal Restaurant and The Keg and Egg, which one Google reviewer said serves the "best brunch in town." Fast food and shops are plentiful on South College Road, which traces the community's western edge. As an added bonus, the community boasts the Masonboro Yacht Club, if you need a slip for your vessel. 

Finally, the fifth-most expensive Wilmington neighborhood turned out to be Rogersville (which is also referred to as Rogersville-Bradley Creek due to its proximity to the creek), with a median home sale price of $685,000. It's less than 10 miles from the airport and borders the western side of Wrightsville Sound, the first enclave on our list. 

What people like about this neighborhood is that it's centrally located and close to everything, but you can still find large, wooded lots. Local realtor Glenda Newell said (via Homes.com), "I just love it here ... There are so many things to do and so many interesting people to meet. It's growing rapidly, but I have my acre with my woods, my birds, and my dogs." Rogersville is a very diverse area in terms of architectural styles, where you can find both single-family homes and townhomes, newer homes alongside homes dating back to the 1970s, small and large homes, wooden and brick homes, and a mix of styles. 

Amenities are abundant and close at hand in this part of the city — one of the perks of being closer to the center. Some homes in Rogersville sit right on Bradley Creek, with water views and private docks (and higher flood insurance)! Airlie Gardens, Wrightsville Beach, and Lumina Station (all mentioned previously) are conveniently nearby, as is the mix of hotels on Wrightsville Beach.  

Redfin's original analysis was compiled in October 2025 and published on Stacker. Further details and information for this article came from other real estate websites, such as local brokerages and the listing site Homes.com. We also gathered additional information on each neighborhood from sources like community and local venue web pages, along with Google reviews and Tripadvisor.

If you're looking for a neighborhood that's more affordable than those on this list but still an urban hotspot with golf, parks, food, and trendy shops, check out Midtown Wilmington.