Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Urban Honolulu, HI
VS
Wilmington, NC
🏆 Urban Honolulu leads 12 of 22 categories
Urban Honolulu
Hawaii
12
wins
Cost of Living Index
106.8⚠ High
Median Household Income
$82,772 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
49 ✓ Safer
Population
348,547 ✓ Larger
Wilmington
North Carolina
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
97.1 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$58,908
Violent Crime Index
127⚠ High
Population
116,933
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Urban Honolulu, HI
Pros
62% less violent crime than Wilmington
Households earn $23,864 more per year on average
Violent crime is well below the national average (185.2 vs 380/100k)
Milder winters — January highs near 76°F vs 57°F
Cooler summers — July highs near 79°F vs 90°F
Smaller class sizes — 13.7:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $805,500
Higher rents — median is $1,734/mo
Cost of living runs 10% higher than Wilmington
Wilmington, NC
Pros
Homes cost $487k less ($318,600 vs $805,500)
Rent averages $521/mo less ($1,213 vs $1,734)
Commutes run 4 min shorter each way
10% cheaper overall cost of living than Urban Honolulu
More college-educated — 43.6% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cons
Median income trails Urban Honolulu by $23,864/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
Key Differences at a Glance
Urban Honolulu
Median Income
$23,864
$82,772 vs $58,908/yr
Urban Honolulu
Violent Crime
62% lower
185.2 vs 482.8 per 100k
Wilmington
Cost of Living
10% cheaper
COL index 97.1 vs 106.8 (100 = US avg)
Wilmington
Median Home Value
$487k less
$318,600 vs $805,500
Wilmington
Summer Heat
11.0°F warmer
July avg high 90.0°F vs 79.0°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Urban Honolulu, HI | Wilmington, NC |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 106.8⚠ High | 97.1 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $805,500⚠ High | $318,600⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,734⚠ High | $1,213 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $82,772 ✓ Higher | $58,908 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.1%⚠ High | 4.9%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 22.5 min | 18.6 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 7.7% | 14.7% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 63 ✓ Safer | 143⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 49 ✓ Safer | 127⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 85 ✓ Safer | 167⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B+ (108) | B+ (109) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 13.7:1 ✓ Smaller | 15.2:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 39.2% | 43.6% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 90.5% | 93.3% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Hawaii Department of Education | New Hanover County Schools |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 76.0°F ✓ Warmer | 57.2°F |
| Avg High — July | 79.0°F | 90.0°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 31.2" ✓ Drier | 60.1" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 0.9" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 348,547 ✓ Larger | 116,933 |
| Median Age | 42.5 ✓ Older | 37.6 |
| Homeownership Rate | 48.0% ✓ Higher | 45.9% |
| Under 18 | 16.8% | 16.8% |
| Over 65 | 21.3% ✓ More | 17.7% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Urban Honolulu's cost of living index is 106.8 vs Wilmington's 97.1 (US average = 100).
Wilmington is 10% less expensive overall.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, Urban Honolulu leads 12 of 22 categories. Urban Honolulu wins 12 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 Urban Honolulu to Wilmington or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($805,500 vs $318,600 median home), income ($82,772 vs $58,908), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Urban Honolulu, HI and Wilmington, NC are about 4,850 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.