Higher Education in the Wilmington, NC Metro Area

Wilmington, NC Metro Area can be considered to have a highly-educated population, with 28.2 percent of the population over 25 years old having received at least a Bachelors Degree, according to the American Community Survey of 2005. The Wilmington MSA was reported to have a higher percent of the population with at least a Bachelors than the State of North Carolina's proportion of 25.2 percent and a higher percent than the national average of 27.2 percent.

In the Wilmington, NC Metro Area as reported in the 2005 American Community Survey, 31 percent of the White Alone, 13.8 percent of Black or African American, . percent of the Asian alone and 12.8 percent of the Hispanic or Latino population, over the age 25, has achieved at least a Bachelors Degree.

Since 2000, the Wilmington metro area has increased in the population percent with a Bachelors of Higher. This population percent has grown by 2.2 percent to a total of 28.2 percent in 2005. The American Community Survey reports that the proportion of the 2005 population that is highly educated is greater than the 2005 State of North Carolina percent of 25.2 and greater than the US percent of 27.2.

In 2005, the American Community Survey reported that in the Wilmington, NC Metro Area, many men in the area have reached the Bachelors Degree or Higher category, with 30.8 percent obtaining this level of education. The women in the Wilmington metro area have attainment on average a lower level of higher education (Bachelors Degree or Higher) than the male population-- 30.8 percent (Men) versus 26 percent (Women). The most common level of education for women in the area is Some College or Associates Degree category, with 34.2 percent of the areas female population attaining this level of education.

Between 2000 and 2005, the percent of the male population that can be understood as highly educated has increased by 2.8 percent. As reported in 2005, 30.8 percent of total male population (over 25), in this area, held at least a Bachelors Degree. At the same time, the percent of women (over 25) holding a BA or higher has increased by a total of 1.6 percent. By 2005, a total of 26 percent of the total female population achieved this high level of education.

Datasource: U.S. Bureau of the Census. 2000 Decennial Census. 2005 American Community Survey.

Demographic Profile for Wilmington, NC

The Wilmington metropolitan statistical area (MSA) has a population base that is comprised of 79 percent White, 15.7 percent African American, 0.7 percent Asian, and 3.2 percent Hispanic. This area can be considered to have a high level of diversity, with 19.6 percent minorities. This is less than the State of North Carolina percent of 29.6. Since 2000, Wilmington has decreased the percent of minority population when 20.3 percent of the population were minorities.

The Wilmington metro area had a population of 315,144 in the year 2005. The population has increased sharply, from the population in the year 2000 of 275,709. This growth represents an increase of 14.3 percent. Wilmington ranks 3 of 14 MSAs when calculating total change in population for North Carolina and the metro area ranks 68 of 361 metro areas by growth in MSA population in the United States.

Since the year 2000, a medium-high number of individuals migrated into the Wilmington metro area, with 2,562 people migrating in internationally. The migration from outside the US into Wilmington accounts for 1.6 percent of the total migration into the State of North Carolina. This amount of international migration is medium-high when comparing levels of immigration per population in 2005.

When measuring the total land area, the Wilmington metro area spans a total of 1924 square miles. The MSA has a medium-low density of 164 persons per square mile, in 2005. Similar metro areas, in terms of density, in the US include: -- more densely populated -- Salisbury (165 per sq. mile ), Davenport-Moline-Rock Island (166 per sq. mile ), Athens-Clarke County (170 per sq. mile ), -- less densely populated -- Huntington-Ashland (164 per sq. mile ), Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News (163 per sq. mile ), Burlington-South Burlington (163 per sq. mile ).

In 2005, the Census Bureau estimated the median age in the Wilmington metro area to be 37.6 years of age. The median age in Wilmington is greater than the median age in the State of North Carolina of 36.2. From 2000, the area has seen a decline in the median age, when it was 38.0 years old. With 34.7 percent of the 2005 population being comprised of individuals under the age of 18, Wilmington can be described as being made up of a medium-high proportion of youths. The 18 to 64 years old population group has a medium-high representation within the estimated 2005 area population, making up 62.6 percent of the population within the age category. People 65 years old and older make up 13 percent of the population in the area. When compared to other metro areas throughout the United States, this represents a medium-low percent of the population base.

Datasource: Population Estimates Program, U.S. Bureau of the Census.