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I've been here for close to two months. Previous to this I lived in SW FL and a couple years in MD...The mild climate was a big draw for me as well as being close to the water. I chose to live in the downtown area so that I could meet people easier. There are some nice restaurants in all price ranges,a farmers market on sat.,and the Riverwalk is quite attractive...nice wine shops and bars/pubs for all tastes. I have met some very friendly people on my walks around town....generally nice people. Tonight I'm going to wine tasting where I will meet more nice folks. The Cape Fear Community College is a great and affordable resource that I may take advantage of...after one has "in state" status after living in NC a year then tuition is nominal. Most of initial visits to the area, spent most of my time on Wrightsville beach and made a few visits to the city of Wilmington. Like I've said, I've met nice people in both places. Living in Wilmington, makes beach access easy. I have taken some lovely paddles in my kayak spur of the moment and loaded up and was at the ramp in WB in no time. The milder climate has availed me a longer growing season and if you like gardening as a hobby...the climate here is great. I planted a small container garden and it is taking off. I have rented a 1200 sq. ft place,the lower floor of an historic home,and my rent is $850...I'd call it a neighborhood in transition.. I find the grocery stores like the Harris Teeter,Lowes chain to be nice and not overpriced. I find this to be a pretty clean city overall,and I have some good things to say about the area.
Now for the bad.....traffic can be a bear particularly is season when combined with tourist beach traffic and it is true that the existing framework has a hard time handling the increased load of people that have moved here...there is no beltway that surrounds the city to expedite the traffic. just because the light is green ..proceed with caution...folks like to run red lights. I've seen worse traffic and don't think it is that bad but sometimes it can take awhile to go a short distance. Yes the beach is close but parking is not abundant and in most cases not free on WB. WB is not the only game in town as there are other beaches to the North and the South. If you are a boater and plan on keeping your boat at a marina ...plan on this being expensive and paying a sizable lump sum up front...There are also not many marinas and there are also not many ramps. Have a plan as far as the job goes before you get here. I am having a hard time finding something that pays anything....lots of service businesses...not a lot of large companies...and thanks to the cheap labor pool provided by the college students..wages are quite low....HAVE A PLAN. As one can see with the good there is a little bad...now for the ugly.
There is a healthy measure of crime that goes on here. The first night i spent here, I heard gunfire. I have heard this several times and most recently...last Friday night around 2 am....and it was quite close. Wilmington has a drug problem as do most cities. There is a dark side to this town. I feel safe during the day but things change at night. There are prostitutes and homeless people and drug pushers. Had I known what I do now, i would not have lived downtown...No matter what neighborhood you are in down in the city here...it is definately a block by block scenario and you'll never go more than a couple blocks before it gets a bit shady. There is plenty that keeps the Wilmington Police Dept. busy along with the new helicopter they bought.
Am I happy i moved here?....too early to tell...I've learned a lot about myself at age 37 so far...although access to bars and dining is fun in a city environment.....I'd rather mix a drink at home and grill out in a quiet neighborhood as the city is not my bag of tricks....I miss the rural environs where I once was and I'll take the sounds of the crickets over gunfire any day! So there you have it...the good..the bad...and the ugly about the Port City! Take it with a grain of salt.- Captain Steve
Thank you for sharing your input on Wilmington. You describe things in great detail and rather accurate but the bad part is what you have experience has been Wilmington life the good and bad for the last 30 years . I use to spend my summers there and always remember the only 2 or 3 cars only able to make the left turn light and all the sketchy areas that surround the place. I was often able to get employment as a extra for either a movie or Matlock series but the pay was mediocre and opprutunities was spotty.
The Parking at the beach is limited I do agree so I often would go to Fort Fisher and park there away from all the tourist traffic just make sure to stay in the water far from the left side where all the rocks are if you venture to this location.
I can only think of civic groups with cooperation with city goverment and police in working out the issues that plaque the area because I would be a bd thing if the city turns into the enviroment that surrounds New Orleans.
It probably needs to be done on section by section to not strain or become over zealous in ambitions.
Wilmington is a beautiful city and has the best location of all the coastal communities of the state. The society problems can be solved if a large group of people are willing to make the change for the better life.
Excellent analysis, all around and I think you nailed the positives and negatives. I don't see the traffic nightmare getting any better, unfortunately, as there really isn't anywhere to build a loop around the city, and for those who think I-140 is the answer, they're wrong. It was built to keep people from having to go through Wilmington if they're traveling from Raleigh to Myrtle Beach, for example. Job situation is very spotty and you are dead on with why wages are low.
I lived there for five years and still visit quite often as my parents still live there. I miss it sometimes, but for me, and my family, the negatives outweighed the positives. I didn't like having to drive through Creekwood to pick my son up from school. One day there was a drive-by shooting in there an hour before I picked him up.
This morning I heard a gunshot and it was 6:30...might have even been a shotgun as it was quite louder than what I've heard before....I've had enough ...the gunfire,the homelessness,the crack whores,if it's not police siren ..it's an ambulance sounding off....I am out of here....The Port City should be renamed **** City. I have been here a short time,2 months, and have heard gunfire several times....I hear the city is turning around...I will not be here to find out.
I've lived in Wilmington for 10 years..never encountered any crime, thankfully..but I also don't rent in the obvious crime sections. They are easy to determine. Downtown is often not separated as the "downtown area" and the "historic district" when rentals/home sales are listed, but when you drive around, you can quickly determine the difference. The historic district Water-5th are fine..millionaires live in many of those homes..we go downtown every weekend and I eat lunch down there often on my break. If you live out towards Greenfield and upwards of 8th, things get more shady quickly. This is based on the news reports that I hear..not assumed by demographics at all. 10th St. is always on the news for something. There's govt. housing around those areas, and unfortunately for those who are hard working and wonderful people, everyone in those situations is not the same..as anywhere, that's where the largest source of crime is. Drugs..etc. Shootings are 90% of the time about drugs. If you're renting downtown within ear shot of gunfire, something tells me you're closer to that part of "downtown". There are historic houses all throughout, but..some are not in as safe of an area as others. There are many great things about Wilmington, and I'm sad that my husband has accepted a position in another state and we'll likely be moving soon, which is why I'm even on the forums. But...with all of the great, there is the traffic situation, which, naturally, as long as people keep moving here, is only going to get worse. I get sick of people moving here and then complaining about traffic. If it's like that when someone visits, why do they think it will be different when they move here? Wilmington has become overcrowded, and that affects every area of the good, the bad, and the ugly. The mix of people here make up the good, the bad, and the ugly.
Its too bad evey place we think will be so nice ends us soundling like it has nice things about it, but it has to much of what we are trying to get away from maybe on a smaller scale but yeah crime is everywhere as we keep hearing. Sounds like Wilmington has its share of it.
Hi Wilmy Girl, my neighborhood is very safe during the day....at night the criminal element spills out into my area sometimes....I bet if you took a drive around your block late at night....you'd be surprised at what you'd see....Downtown is charming in spots and fun but by no means should anybody be lulled into some state of complacency no matter how nice your block is....I made a decision to move out of downtown after hearing a gun go off mother's day morning around 6:30 am. I'm not a city person, and am looking to move to ogden or maybe hampstead area-S
We were in Wilmington last weekend looking for homes to buy, as my husband has accepted a position there.
My first impression - say as many bad things as you can about Wilmington area so others don't move there! HAHA. I loved it. I loved the kind folks, the food, the reasonably priced homes (relative to NY), and yes, even the traffic. So, there is some traffic, but it is all relative. To us, most recently from NY, the traffic delay was very minor.
The noise from traffic (i.e., 17 and Military Cut-Off areas) was, however loud. There were some areas we had to rule out as the traffic noise was too obnoxious in the back yard of the properties we were viewing. Too bad, as some of the homes were otherwise perfect!
I am originally an Iowa gal, and am really looking forward to getting the heck out of NY and becoming a transplant of Wilmington, NC!
I too am considering moving to Wilmington in the fall, and have many questions as well. How is the public transportation there?I do not drive and depend on buses/trains to get around. Also, i am wondering about the downtown area, is it pleasant? I want a smaller town with a good community, but also some of the amenities and conveniences that a larger city provides. Will I find this here, or any suggestions on nearby areas? Coming from NJ/ Philadelphia area, the cost of living, as far as I've researched, seems exceptional. The job market is a concern, though, as I am in sales too and would need at least a 30k salary. My fiance is a blue collar worker, does anyone know if there is an availability of mechanic/factory jobs and such? Thanks...
Hi Wilmy Girl, my neighborhood is very safe during the day....at night the criminal element spills out into my area sometimes....I bet if you took a drive around your block late at night....you'd be surprised at what you'd see....Downtown is charming in spots and fun but by no means should anybody be lulled into some state of complacency no matter how nice your block is....I made a decision to move out of downtown after hearing a gun go off mother's day morning around 6:30 am. I'm not a city person, and am looking to move to ogden or maybe hampstead area-S
I live in the Ogden area! Traffic is the worst part of our end.
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Moving out of Downtown Wilmington!
