Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Fishers, IN
VS
Wilmington, NC
🏆 Fishers leads 13 of 23 categories
Fishers
Indiana
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
94.6 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$126,548 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
19 ✓ Safer
Population
99,041
Wilmington
North Carolina
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
97.1
Median Household Income
$58,908
Violent Crime Index
127⚠ High
Population
116,933 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Fishers, IN
Pros
Households earn $67,640 more per year on average
85% less violent crime than Wilmington
Stronger job market — unemployment is 2.4 pts lower (2.5%)
Violent crime is well below the national average (72.9 vs 380/100k)
More college-educated — 65.7% hold a bachelor's or higher
Living costs sit below the national average (index 94.6)
Cons
Higher rents — median is $1,478/mo
Pricier housing — median home is $339,000
Wilmington, NC
Pros
Rent averages $265/mo less ($1,213 vs $1,478)
Commutes run 8 min shorter each way
Milder winters — January highs near 57°F vs 35°F
Homes cost $20k less ($318,600 vs $339,000)
Smaller class sizes — 15.2:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Fishers by $67,640/yr
Violent crime (482.8/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (3514.8/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher unemployment (4.9% vs 2.5%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Fishers
Cost of Living
3% cheaper
COL index 94.6 vs 97.1 (100 = US avg)
Fishers
Median Income
$67,640
$126,548 vs $58,908/yr
Fishers
Violent Crime
85% lower
72.9 vs 482.8 per 100k
Fishers
Unemployment
2.4 pp lower
2.5% vs 4.9% unemployment
Wilmington
Median Home Value
$20k less
$318,600 vs $339,000
Wilmington
Summer Heat
5.6°F warmer
July avg high 90.0°F vs 84.4°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Fishers, IN | Wilmington, NC |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 94.6 ✓ Cheaper | 97.1 |
| Median Home Value | $339,000⚠ High | $318,600⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,478⚠ High | $1,213 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $126,548 ✓ Higher | $58,908 |
| Unemployment Rate | 2.5% ✓ Lower | 4.9%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 26.3 min | 18.6 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 18.8% ✓ Higher | 14.7% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 24 ✓ Safer | 143⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 19 ✓ Safer | 127⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 31 ✓ Safer | 167⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A (118) ✓ Better | B+ (109) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 17.5:1 | 15.2:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 65.7% ✓ Higher | 43.6% |
| High School or Higher | 98.0% ✓ Higher | 93.3% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Hamilton Southeastern Schools | New Hanover County Schools |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 34.5°F | 57.2°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 84.4°F | 90.0°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 45.9" ✓ Drier | 60.1" |
| Annual Snowfall | 26.7" | 0.9" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 99,041 | 116,933 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 37.1 | 37.6 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 77.1% ✓ Higher | 45.9% |
| Under 18 | 27.4% ✓ More | 16.8% |
| Over 65 | 10.7% | 17.7% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Fishers's cost of living index is 94.6 vs Wilmington's 97.1 (US average = 100).
Fishers is 2% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Fishers leads 13 of 23 categories. Fishers wins 13 and Wilmington wins 10. The right choice depends on your priorities — use the Pros & Cons and full table above to weigh what matters to you.
Whether you're moving from Fishers to Wilmington or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($339,000 vs $318,600 median home), income ($126,548 vs $58,908), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Fishers, IN and Wilmington, NC are about 597 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.