Cape Fear (region)#Metropolitan Statistical Area

{{For|the Philadelphia–Camden–Wilmington metropolitan area|Delaware Valley}}

{{Infobox settlement

| name = Wilmington Metropolitan Area

| official_name = Wilmington, NC Metropolitan Statistical Area

| settlement_type = Metropolitan Statistical Area

| image_skyline covh it = WilmingtonAerialViewCoastGuard.jpg

| image_alt =

| imagesize = 300px

| image_caption = Wilmington with Cape Fear Memorial Bridge
in foreground

| image_map = {{maplink|frame=yes|plain=yes|frame-align=center|frame-width=290|frame-height=240|zoom=7|frame-coord={{coord|34.6000|-77.7000}}

}}

| map_alt = Map of Wilmington, N.C.

| map_caption = Interactive Map of Wilmington, NC MSA

| subdivision_type = Country

| subdivision_name = File:Flag of United States.svg United States

| subdivision_type1 = State

| subdivision_name1 = File:Flag of North Carolina.svg North Carolina

| subdivision_type2 = Largest city

| subdivision_name2 = Wilmington

| subdivision_type3 = Other cities

| subdivision_name3 =

| unit_pref =

| area_footnotes =

| area_total_km2 =

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| area_land_km2 = 4957

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| population_total = 453722

| population_as_of = 2022

| population_metro =

| demographics_type2 = GDP

| demographics2_footnotes = {{Cite web|title=Total Gross Domestic Product for Wilmington, NC (MSA) |url=https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/NGMP48900|work=Federal Reserve Economic Data |publisher=Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis}}

|demographics2_title1 = Total

|demographics2_info1 = $20.127 billion (2022)

| timezone = EST

| utc_offset = −5

| timezone_DST = EDT

| utc_offset_DST = −4

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Cape Fear is a coastal plain and Tidewater region of North Carolina centered about the city of Wilmington.{{Cite web |url=http://www.latimerhouse.org/ |title=Lower Cape Fear Historical Society |access-date=2009-08-13 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090813074228/http://www.latimerhouse.org/ |archive-date=2009-08-13 |url-status=dead }} The region takes its name from the adjacent Cape Fear headland, as does the Cape Fear River which flows through the region and empties into the Atlantic Ocean near the cape. Much of the region's populated areas are found along the Atlantic beaches and the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway, while the rural areas are dominated by farms and swampland like that of the Green Swamp. The general area can be also identified by the titles "Lower Cape Fear", "Wilmington, NC Metropolitan Statistical Area", "Southeastern North Carolina", and "Azalea Coast". The latter name is derived from the North Carolina Azalea Festival held annually in Wilmington. Municipalities in the area belong to the Cape Fear Council of Governments.

The region is home to the Port of Wilmington, the busiest port in North Carolina, operated by the North Carolina State Ports Authority. It is also the location of Military Ocean Terminal Sunny Point, the largest ammunition port in the nation, and the U.S. Army's primary East Coast deep-water port.

Geography

The Cape Fear region is situated on the Atlantic Coastal Plain. A large portion of the region is low-lying wetlands, most notably the Green Swamp, which is one of the rare habitats of the Venus flytrap.{{Cite journal |last=GAMBLE |first=DOUGLAS |date=2019 |title=Wilmington, North Carolina and the Cape Fear Region |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/26760890 |journal=Southeastern Geographer |volume=59 |issue=3 |pages=201–205 |jstor=26760890 |issn=0038-366X}}{{Cite web |title=Green Swamp Preserve |url=https://www.nature.org/en-us/get-involved/how-to-help/places-we-protect/green-swamp-preserve/ |access-date=2023-01-08 |website=The Nature Conservancy |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |title=Venus flytraps: Carnivorous plants only found around southeast N.C. |url=https://spectrumlocalnews.com/nc/charlotte/environment/2021/07/07/venus-flytraps--these-carnivorous-plants-are-only-found-around-southeast-n-c- |access-date=2023-01-08 |website=spectrumlocalnews.com |language=en}} The Cape Fear River and the Northeast Cape Fear River are the deeper prominent rivers that flow through the region, with minor rivers like the Lockwood Folly River, Brunswick River, and Shallotte River providing access for small watercraft of small communities.{{Cite web |title=Our State Geography in a Snap: Bodies of Water {{!}} NCpedia |url=https://www.ncpedia.org/our-state-geography-snap-bodies#:~:text=Major%20rivers,,%20Yadkin%20Pee-Dee%20River. |access-date=2023-01-08 |website=www.ncpedia.org}}

Counties

Three counties form the core of the Cape Fear region: Brunswick County, New Hanover County, and Pender County. At the 2020 census, the population of the three counties was 440,353.{{cite web | url = https://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_SF1/G001/0500000US37019 | title = Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Census Summary File 1: Brunswick County, North Carolina | work = American Factfinder | publisher = United States Census Bureau, Population Division | access-date = April 9, 2018 | archive-url = https://archive.today/20200213040908/https://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_SF1/G001/0500000US37019 | archive-date = February 13, 2020 | url-status = dead }}{{cite web | url = https://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_SF1/G001/0500000US37129 | title = Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Census Summary File 1: New Hanover County, North Carolina | work = American Factfinder | publisher = United States Census Bureau, Population Division | access-date = April 9, 2018 | archive-url = https://archive.today/20200213040617/https://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_SF1/G001/0500000US37129 | archive-date = February 13, 2020 | url-status = dead }}{{cite web | url = https://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_SF1/G001/0500000US37141 | title = Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Census Summary File 1: Pender County, North Carolina | work = American Factfinder | publisher = United States Census Bureau, Population Division | access-date = April 9, 2018 | archive-url = https://archive.today/20200213040631/https://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_SF1/G001/0500000US37141 | archive-date = February 13, 2020 | url-status = dead }}{{Cite web |date=July 21, 2023 |title=OMB Bulletin No. 23-01: Revised Delineations of Metropolitan Statistical Areas, Micropolitan Statistical Areas, and Combined Statistical Areas, and Guidance on Uses of the Delineations of These Areas |url=https://bidenwhitehouse.archives.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/OMB-Bulletin-23-01.pdf |access-date=August 10, 2023 |website=United States Office of Management and Budget}} The coastal counties boast a large, seasonal tourism industry leading to much higher populations in the summer months and lower populations in the winter months.

Two additional counties, Bladen and Columbus, are occasionally included as part of the Cape Fear region. Some broader definitions also include Duplin, Onslow, and Sampson counties.

Communities

Communities found in the Wilmington, NC Metropolitan Statistical Area:

=Cities=

=Towns=

==Former towns==

=Villages=

Bald Head Island

=Census-designated places=

=Unincorporated places=

Demographics

As of the census{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov |publisher=United States Census Bureau |access-date=2008-01-31 |title=U.S. Census website }} of 2000, there were 274,532 people, 114,675 households, and 75,347 families residing within the metropolitan statistical area (MSA). The racial makeup of the MSA was 79.47% White, 17.27% African American, 0.48% Native American, 0.58% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 1.12% from other races, and 1.02% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.45% of the population.

The median income for a household in the MSA was $37,321, and the median income for a family was $44,844. Males had a median income of $32,454 versus $22,998 for females. The per capita income for the MSA was $20,287.

References

External links

[http://www.wmpo.org/ Wilmington Urban Area Metropolitan Planning Organization]
[http://www.capefearcog.org/ Cape Fear Council of Governments]
[http://wilmington.insiderinfo.us/ InsiderInfo Guide to Wilmington]
[https://web.archive.org/web/20110827162010/http://southport.insiderinfo.us/ InsiderInfo Guide to Southport]
[http://wilmington.insiderinfo.us/ InsiderInfo Guide to Topsail]

Category:Coastal plains

Category:Geography of Brunswick County, North Carolina

Category:Geography of New Hanover County, North Carolina

Category:Geography of Pender County, North Carolina

Category:Regions of North Carolina