Best ZIP Codes for Cash Flow in Wilmington, NC (2026)
Ranked by cap rate — the annual return on the purchase price before financing. ZIPs that also clear the 1% rule are marked.
| # | ZIP | City | Home value | Rent | Cap rate | 5-yr growth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 28429 | Castle Hayne, NC | $371,575 | $1,949 | 4.09% | 5.8% |
| 2 | 28447 | Harrells, NC | $170,967 | $882 | 4.02% | 2.6% |
| 3 | 28401 | Wilmington, NC | $332,931 | $1,647 | 3.86% | 6.1% |
| 4 | 28409 | Wilmington, NC | $518,337 | $2,389 | 3.59% | 6.8% |
| 5 | 28405 | Wilmington, NC | $376,659 | $1,696 | 3.51% | 6.2% |
| 6 | 28403 | Wilmington, NC | $399,701 | $1,746 | 3.41% | 6.7% |
| 7 | 28428 | Carolina Beach, NC | $607,537 | $2,563 | 3.29% | 5.4% |
| 8 | 28466 | Wallace, NC | $218,440 | $882 | 3.15% | 7.5% |
| 9 | 28443 | Hampstead, NC | $496,025 | $1,990 | 3.13% | 5.1% |
| 10 | 28421 | Atkinson, NC | $221,547 | $882 | 3.11% | 4.4% |
| 11 | 28478 | Willard, NC | $226,605 | $882 | 3.04% | 6.7% |
| 12 | 28412 | Wilmington, NC | $395,636 | $1,538 | 3.03% | 5.9% |
| 13 | 28411 | Wilmington, NC | $468,601 | $1,815 | 3.02% | 6.4% |
| 14 | 28435 | Currie, NC | $251,206 | $972 | 3.02% | 3.0% |
| 15 | 28425 | Burgaw, NC | $289,794 | $909 | 2.45% | 6.5% |
| 16 | 28457 | Rocky Point, NC | $376,736 | $891 | 1.84% | 5.2% |
| 17 | 28480 | Wrightsville Beach, NC | $1,748,209 | $3,838 | 1.71% | 8.5% |
| 18 | 28449 | Kure Beach, NC | $753,563 | $1,584 | 1.64% | 5.1% |
Ranked from Repit’s own ZIP-level data — Zillow home values and rents, HUD fair-market rents where Zillow has no coverage, and U.S. Census vacancy. Cap rate is gross: annual rent over purchase price, before financing and expenses. Every ZIP above links to its full free page. How we calculate this →
Same metro, different strategy
Appreciation in Wilmington, NC · Affordable in Wilmington, NC
Or see the full Wilmington, NC metro profile.