WID Demographics and Economy

Our region has become a regional leader in commerce and industry. Home to a diverse economy, New Hanover and Pender counties, as well as the Town of Wallace contain a variety of industry. From fiber optics and aircraft engines to pharmaceutical testing and plastics, Wilmington Industrial Development offers an industrial base that is geared for the future.

The International Port of Wilmington , Wilmington International Airport , the University of North Carolina at Wilmington , and Cape Fear Community College combine to create a pro-active business climate. This along with a strong work force, a responsive public education system, and an abundance of industrial sites make Greater Wilmington a prime business location.

Construction Cost Index

The Greater Wilmington region’s predominantly flat topography often makes construction less complicated and much less expensive.

Location

Construction Cost Index

% of National Average

Wilmington, NC

132.8

78.4%

Raleigh, NC

137.0

80.9%

Charlotte, NC

137.5

81.1%

Savannah, GA

143.2

84.5%

Biloxi, MS

143.8

84.9%

Charleston, SC

143.8

84.8%

Jacksonville, FL

144.6

85.3%

Mobile, AL

145.8

86.1%

Dallas, TX

146.6

86.5%

Sioux City, IA

149.5

88.2%

Nashville, TN

149.7

88.3%

Birmingham, AL

152.4

89.9%

Norfolk, VA

152.5

90.0%

Phoenix, AZ

153.7

90.7%

Atlanta, GA

155.2

91.6%

Denver, CO

164.1

96.8%

Green Bay, WI

167.2

98.7%

Detroit, MI

178.2

105.1%

Trenton, NJ

187.4

110.6%

Minneapolis, MN

192.0

113.3%

Philadelphia, PA

198.0

116.8%

White Plains, NY

199.4

117.7%

San Jose, CA

202.4

119.4%

San Francisco, CA

213.3

125.9%

Source:
Means Construction Cost Indexes, Volume 34, Number2, April 2008

 

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Building Permits

2007 Calendar Year
New Hanover – Residential – 724 permits / Commercial – 321 permits.
Pender County - Residential – 628 permits / Commercial – 85 permits.
Duplin County – Residential – 110 permits / Commercial – 192 permits
Sources: New Hanover County Inspection Office, Pender County Inspections Office, Duplin Co. Inspections Office.

Greater Wilmington Total Gross Retail Sales FY 2007-2008

    Gross Collections   Taxable Sales

NEW HANOVER 		$ 121,873,067   $ 2,850,749,201
1% Tax   15,328   (10,518,985)
2% and 3% Tax   783,494   31,137,734
Apparel   4,580,781   107,355,041
Automotive   6,196,949   144,802,024
Food   28,189,446   655,004,785
Furniture   6,065,343   141,597,536
General merchandise   32,053,419   749,997,050
Lumber and building material   20,062,196   470,825,167
Unclassified   23,926,112   560,548,849

PENDER $ 10,294,680 $ 241,845,086
1% Tax   176   5,161
2% and 3% Tax   105,824   4,313,961
Apparel   186,385   4,267,163
Automotive   499,080   11,559,107
Food   3,155,118   73,466,702
Furniture   216,452   4,995,350
General merchandise   2,419,610   56,405,264
Lumber and building material   1,979,663   46,476,256
Unclassified   1,732,373   40,356,122

DUPLIN $ 9,974,983 $ 235,488,371
1% Tax   6,853   171,047
2% and 3% Tax   106,099   5,249,841
Apparel   177,323   4,122,758
Automotive   1,707,124   39,810,318
Food   3,143,517   73,250,351
Furniture   355,369   8,283,986
General merchandise   2,610,401   61,058,664
Lumber and building material   688,230   16,144,469
Unclassified   1,180,068   27,396,937
 

Tourism Industry - 2007

  New Hanover Pender Duplin
Travel Related Expenses (millions) $426.08 $66.29 $33.29
Jobs related to tourism 5,670 690 210
Annual payroll of tourism workers (millions) $99.17 $11.78 $4.02
Local tax receipts (millions) $16.69 $4.73 $1.04
Source: Cape Fear Coast Convention and Visitors Bureau, Pender Tourism, Duplin Co. Tourism, NC Department of Commerce

Population

  Population
(2007) est.		 Population
(2000)		 Population
(1990)		 Population change
1990-2000
City of Wilmington 95,944 233,450 171,269 36.3%
New Hanover County 190,432 160,307 120,284 33.3%
Pender County 49,865 41,082 28,855 42.4%
Brunswick County 99,214 73,143 50,985 43.5%
Duplin County 52,979 49,063 39,995 22.7%
       
  Total Labor Force (9/08) Unemployment Rate (9/08)
New Hanover County 105,365 5.4%
Pender County 24,379 6.4%
Brunswick County 48,559 6.9%
Duplin County 25,363 5.9%

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Tourism Industry - 2006

  New Hanover Pender Duplin
Travel Related Expenses (millions) $388.31 $66.88 $33.4
Jobs related to tourism 5,440 730 220
Annual payroll of tourism workers (millions) $93.54 $12.30 $4.14
Local tax receipts (millions) $15.26 $4.79 $1.04
Source:Cape Fear Coast Convention and Visitors Bureau, Pender Tourism, Duplin Co. Tourism,
NC Department of Commerce http://www.nccommerce.com/en/TourismServices/

For Additional Information:
www.visitnc.com
www.capefearcoast.com
www.visitpender.com
www.wallacechamber.com

Population

 

Population
(2007) est.

Population
(2000)

Population
(1990)

Population change
1990-2000

City of Wilmington

95,944

233,450

171,269

36.3%

New Hanover County

190,432

160,307

120,284

33.3%

Pender County

49,865

41,082

28,855

42.4%

Brunswick County

99,214

73,143

50,985

43.5%

Duplin County

52,979

49,063

39,995

22.7%

 

 

 

 

 

Total Labor Force (5/08)

Unemployment Rate (5/08)

New Hanover County

105,110

4.7%

Pender County

24,233

5.4%

Brunswick County

48,261

5.8%

Duplin County

24,972

5.3%

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Income Data

Region

Personal Per Capita

Median Household

2005

Rank

2005

Rank

New Hanover County

32,607

13

44,444

16

Pender County

24,218

73

39,029

35

Brunswick County

26,866

41

37,921

40

Duplin County

23,857

78

31,248

84

North Carolina (2006)

32,234

-

-

-

Source: NC Department of Commerce county profiles

Major Industrial Sectors

New Hanover Directory
Pender Directory
Brunswick Directory
Wallace Directory


Ten Largest Taxpayers


NEW HANOVER COUNTY'S TEN LARGEST TAXPAYERS (2007)

Company

Type of Business

Tax Levy

Progress Energy (Carolina Power & Light)

Utility

1,122,494

Corning

Manufacturer

805,230

General Electric Aircraft / Nuclear

Manufacturer

775,920

UDRT of North Carolina
AT&T (BellSouth)

Real Estate
Utility

373,621
342,237

Fortron Industries
River Ventures LLC (PPD)

Chemical Manufacturer
Real Estate

218,348
218,319

Centro Independence LLC ( Mall)
PPD Aeronautics LLC (Aircraft)

Real Estate
Pharmaceutical

203,530
175,140

 

 

 

Elementis Chromium

Chemical Manufacturer

158,117

 

 

 

Source: New Hanover County Tax Office

 

 

PENDER COUNTY'S TEN LARGEST TAXPAYERS (2007)

 
Company Type of Business Tax Levy

LL Building Products, LLC

Manufacturing

161,085

DEL Laboratories Inc.

Manufacturing

156,822

Red Mountain Timber Co. LLC

Timber Production

150,305

S&R Grandview LLC

Land Development

122,853

Lowe’s Home Centers Inc.

Retail Commercial

54,083

Ashley Turner Building Co. Inc.

Builder / Contractor

52,822

TP Inc. a North Carolina Corp.

Real Estate Holdings

52,671

Briggs Construction Equipment

Equipment Rental

50,616

Time Warner Entertainment Advance Newhouse Partnership

Cable Company

42,532

Lanier Family LTD PTNRP

Campground/ Real Estate Holdings

37,162


Source: Pender County Office Tax Administrator

DUPLIN COUNTY’S TEN LARGEST TAXPAYERS (2007)

Company Type of Business   Tax Levy
Carolina Turkey  Turkey Processing Plant 763,631
Murphy Farms Swine Production 408,565
Guilford Mills Textiles 401,806
Duplin Land Development Real Estate, Hospitality 388,355
Nash Johnson & Sons Turkey / Poultry Integrator 298,690
Carroll’s Foods Swine Production /Poultry 286,091
House of Raeford Poultry Production 272,384
Progress Energy Utility 228,194
Murfam Real Estate/ Hospitality 164,333
Four County EMC Utility 146,461 

 

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Top Employers

TOP EMPLOYERS IN NEW HANOVER COUNTY
Company Product/Service Employees
New Hanover Regional Medical Center Hospital 4,887
New Hanover County Schools Education 4,129
General Electric Nuclear Energy Production / Aircraft Engines 3,000
UNC Wilmington Higher Education 1,809
PPD, Inc. Pharmaceutical Product Testing 1,800
New Hanover County Government 1,673
Cape Fear Community College Education 1,256
Verizon Wireless Telecommunications 1,200
City of Wilmington Government 1,200
Corning, Inc. Optical Fiber 1,000
AAI Pharmaceutical Product Testing 915
Invista Plastics / Inorganic chemicals 425
TOP EMPLOYERS IN PENDER COUNTY
Company Product/Services Employees
Pender County Board of Education Education 1,400
Del Labs Health & Beauty Products 1,000
State of NC Department of Corrections Incarceration 350
Pender County Government 300
LL Building Products Home Building Products 300
Pender Memorial Hospital

Hospital

280

Genlyte Thomas Group (Chloride Systems)

Emergency Lighting/Standby Power Products

147

Four County EMC

Utility

95

Cardinal Metal Works Fabricated Sheet Metal/Electronic Calibrated Metals

60

W.R. Rayson

Disposable Paper Goods for the Medical, Dental and Beauty Industries

40

TOP EMPLOYERS IN DUPLIN CO.

Employer

Product

Employees

Murphy-Brown's Company, Inc.

Pork and Poultry Production
Feed Preparation

2,400

Carolina Turkeys

Turkey Processing

2,100

House of Raeford

Poultry Processing

1,400

Duplin County Schools

K-12 Public Education

1,300

Guilford Mills, Inc.

Warp Knitting, Dyeing, Finishing;
Automotive Textiles

1,040

Dean Pickle & Specialty Products Company Pickles and Relishes

600

Nash Johnson & Sons Farms

Poultry Production
Feed Preparation

570

James Sprunt Community College

College

550

Duplin County Local Government

Local Government

453

Duplin General Hospital

Local Healthcare Facility

438

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