Wilmington

Wilmington is a port city in and the county seat of New Hanover County in coastal southeastern North Carolina, United States. With a population of 115,451 at the 2020 census, it is the eighth most populous city in the state. Its historic downtown has a 1.75-mile (2.82 km) Riverwalk, developed as a tourist attraction in the late 20th century. In 2014, Wilmington's riverfront was ranked as the "Best American Riverfront" by readers of USA Today. In 2003 the city was designated by the U.S. Congress as a "Coast Guard City" and was the home port for the USCGC Diligence, a United States Coast Guard medium endurance cutter until 2020. On September 2, 2020, then-President Trump officially declared Wilmington as the first World War II Heritage City in the country. Wilmington is also the home of EUE/Screen Gems Studios, the largest domestic television and movie production facility outside California. After the studio's opening in 1984, Wilmington became a major center of American film and television production. Numerous movies in a range of genres and several television series have been produced here, including Iron Man 3, Super Mario Bros., The Conjuring, The Crow, We're the Millers, Fox's Sleepy Hollow, One Tree Hill, Dawson's Creek, and NBC's Revolution. The city was founded in the 1730s, and after going through a series of different names (New Carthage, New London, Newton), its name became Wilmington in 1740.

History

Wilmington is the primary city name, but also Cape Fear are acceptable city names or spellings, Wilm on the other hand no longer accepted or obsolete and are no longer used as a designation. The official name is City of Wilmington. The city was founded in the 1730s, and after going through a series of different names (New Carthage, New London, Newton), its name became Wilmington in 1740. Many of the early settlers were indentured servants from Northern Europe. By 1767, African slaves accounted for more than 62% of the population of the Lower Cape Fear region. Wilmington's commercial importance as a major port, it had a critical role in opposition to the British in the years leading up to the American Revolution. The city had outspoken political leaders who influenced and led the resistance movement in North Carolina. In 1765, several hundred townspeople gathered in protest of the new law, burned an effigy of one town resident who favored the act, and toasted to "Liberty, Property, and No Stamp Duty." On October 31, another crowd gathered in a symbolic funeral of "liberty" But before the effigY was buried, Liberty was found to have a pulse, and celebration ensued. In the early 16th century, Italian explorer Giovanni da Verrazzano commissioned by the king of France with a French crew was reportedly the first European to see this area. The area along the river had been inhabited by various successive cultures of indigenous peoples for thousands of years. In September 1732, a community was founded on land owned by John Watson on the Cape Fear River, at the confluence of its northwest and northeast branches. It gradually took on the name "New Town" or "Newton" Governor Gabriel Johnston soon after established his government there for North Carolina colony.

Geography

Wilmington is located at 34°1324N 77°5444W. It is the eastern terminus of Interstate 40, an east-west freeway that ends 2,554 miles away at Barstow, California. The city has a humid subtropical climate (Köppen Cfa), with the following characteristics:Winters are generally mild with January highs in the mid-50s °F (~12 °C) and lows in theMid-30s °C (~1 °C). Snowfall does not occur in most years, and when it does, is generally light. April is the driest month, with just over 3 inches (76 mm) of rain on average, and August and September are the wettest months, with over 8 inches (200 mm) each, on average. In an average year, the July to September period delivers nearly 40% of annual rainfall. The hottest month in recorded history was July 2012, averaging 84.7 °F (29.3 °C), and July 1993 had a hotter average maximum of 94.0°F (34.4°C) The coldest month in record was January 1977, averaging 35.7 °F  (2.1 °C), while January 1981 had a colder average minimum of 25.8 °F (3.4 °C.) The average annual precipitation is 60.15 inches (1530 mm), ranging from 27.68 in (703 mm) in 1909 to 102.02 inches (2,601 mm) in 2018.

Cityscape

Wilmington boasts a large historic district encompassing nearly 300 blocks. Abandoned warehouses on downtown's northern end have been recently demolished making room for multimillion dollar projects. The tallest building in Wilmington at 228 feet, a state-of-the-art convention center, Live Oak Bank Pavilion, Pier 33 Apartments, and The Strands houseboat community in Port City Marina are among the projects in the pipeline for the area. The city is home to the U.S. Navy's 7th Fleet, which has been based in Wilmington since the early 1900s. It is the largest naval base in the United States and one of the oldest naval bases in the world. Wilmington is also the home of the World Headquarters of Pharmaceutical Product Development (now Thermo Fisher Scientific), which was the world's tallest building at the time. It was built in the 1930s and is located in the heart of the city's historic downtown area, on the banks of the Delaware River. The harbor is also home to a large marina, the Strands, which was built to house houseboat communities in the 1950s and 1960s. The town has a population of more than 100,000 people, making it the second largest city in the state after Wilmington, New Jersey, and the third largest in New Jersey. It also has a large number of historic buildings, including the National World War II Memorial, which dates back to the late 1800s and was the site of Wilmington's first post-World War II hospital.

Crime

Between 2006 and 2008, crime rates decreased in 6 of the 8 reported categories. Wilmington has an increasing problem with gang violence. The city council approved $142,000 in funding for a gang investigative unit. The WPD and NHC sheriff's department created a joint task force to combat gang violence on October 15, 2013. The task force will work with the Wilmington Police Department and the NHC Sheriff's Department to fight gang violence in the city. The group will be based in Wilmington and will be able to work with other law enforcement agencies in the state. It will also have the ability to conduct its own investigations into gang-related crimes. It is the first time the task force has been formed in Wilmington since the early 1990s. It was created to combat the growing problem of gang-based crime in the area. It's the first task force of its kind to be created in Wilmington in more than a decade. It has the potential to be a model for other police departments in the U.S. and around the world. It could help combat the problem of crime in other parts of the country, as well as in the United States.

Demographics

Wilmington has a population of 115,451 as of the 2020 U.S. census. In 2013, there were 112,067 people and 47,003 households in the city. The racial composition of the city was: 73.5% White, 19.9% Black or African American, 6.1% Hispanic or Latino American, 1.2% Asian American, 0.5  Native American, and 0.1  Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander. Less than half of Wilmington's population is religiously affiliated (47.30%) The two largest Christian denominations in Wilmington are Baptists (14.66%) and Methodists (8.29%), followed by Roman Catholics (7.42%) and Lutherans (1.32%). Other Christian denominations make up 7.02%, and the Latter-Day Saints have 0.90%. Much smaller is the proportion of residents who follow Islam (0.46%), and Judaism (0.25%). A small percentage of people practice Eastern religions (0,04%).Wilmington have significant historical religious buildings, such as the Basilica Shrine of St. Mary and the Temple of Israel. The median income for a household in theCity was $31,099, and the median incomes for a family was $41,891. About 13.3% of families and 19.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 25.9 of those under age 18 and 12.0% of those age 65 or over.

Transportation

The Wilmington International Airport (ILM) serves the area with commercial air service provided by American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, United Airlines and Avelo Airlines. Public transit in the area is provided by the Cape Fear Public Transportation Authority, which operates fixed bus routes, shuttles, and a free downtown trolley. The city's Union Station last had passenger train service in 1968 with the Seaboard Coast Line's predecessor version of the Palmetto. Taxicab services are available from several vendors, however, the City's Taxi Commission keeps meter rates artificially low. The Gary Shell Cross-City Trail is primarily a multi-use trail that provides bicycle and pedestrian access to numerous recreational, cultural and educational destinations in Wilmington. The NCDOT Cape Fear Run bicycle route connects Apex to Wilmington and closely parallels the RUSA 600 km brevet route. Wilmington is also served by Amtrak Thruway bus connections to Wilson, North Carolina where connections can be made with Amtrak's Carolinian and Palmet to. The City of Wilmington offers transient docking facilities in the center of Downtown Wilmington along the Cape fear River approximately 12.5 miles (20 km) from the Intracoastal Waterway. The river depth in the run up from the ICW is in excess of 40 feet (12 m) and the river depth at the drawbridge is over 40ft (12 metres) The city is home to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the North Carolina Army National Guard.

Economy

Wilmington's industrial base includes electrical, medical, electronic and telecommunications equipment; clothing and apparel; food processing; paper products; nuclear fuel; and pharmaceuticals. The city is home to the Greater Wilmington Chamber of Commerce, the oldest Chamber in North Carolina, organized in 1853. Companies with their headquarters in Wilmington include Live Oak Bank and HomeInsurance.com. Wilmington is part of North Carolina's Research coast, adjacent to the Research Triangle Park in Durham, NC. Also important to Wilmington's economy is tourism due to its close proximity to the ocean and vibrant nightlife.Located on the Cape Fear River, which flows into the Atlantic Ocean, Wilmington is a sizable seaport, including private marine terminals and the North Carolina State Ports Authority's Port of Wilmington. According to the City's 2014 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the top employers in the city are: The city's top employers are: Live Oak bank, HomeIns Insurance.com, and North Carolina Power and Light Company, which has its headquarters in the town of Wilmington, N.C. The top employer in the state is the University of North Carolina at Wilmington, with more than 1,000 people working in its business and technology fields. The state's top employer is North Carolina State Ports Agency, with over 1,200 people working at the Port of Wrightsville and the city's largest employer is the University of North Cleveland with more than 500 people.

Government

Wilmington adopted a councilmanager form of government in 1941. The councilmanager government was replaced by a mayor-council government in 1994. The current mayor is David Hockney, who was first elected to the post in 2000. He was re-elected in 2010 and is now in his third term as mayor of the city. He is the first mayor to be elected to a four-year term since the councilmanager system was introduced. He has been in office since 2001 and is the current mayor of Wilmington since 2008. He took office as mayor in 2000 and is currently in his fourth term. He became mayor in 2010. The city's first councilmanager mayor was elected in 2001 and was inaugurated in 2004. The first council manager was elected to office in 2004 and was sworn in as mayor on April 1, 2006. The last councilmanager Mayor was appointed in 2007 and served until 2011. The mayor is now the city's second-in-command, following in the footsteps of his predecessor, David Hinkney, since 2010. In 2011, the council adopted a new council-manager system of government with a mayor in charge of the day-to-day running of the town. The new mayor was appointed by the council in 2012 and took office in 2013. The town's council has a mayor and a council manager for the first time since the end of the council manager system in 2001. It is the only councilmanager-led government in the UK.

Education

Public schools in Wilmington are operated by the New Hanover County School System. Universities and colleges are run by the University of North Carolina at Wilmington and Cape Fear Community College. Academies and alternate schools are run through the Cape Fear Academy and the Lyceum Academy. High schools include: Eugene Ashley High School, John T. Hoggard High School and Emsley A. Laney High School. Middle schools include Holly Shelter Middle School and Mary C. Williams Middle School. Elementary schools include Masonboro Elementary School, New Horizons Elementary School (private) and Pine Valley Elementary School. Public high schools are: St. Mark Catholic School (Wilmington, North Carolina) and St. Mary Catholic Church (Wrightsville, North North Carolina). Public middle schools include Myrtle Grove Middle and Roland-Grise Middle Schools and Williston Middle School, among others. Public elementary schools are also: Masonboro Elementary, Murrayville Elementary and New Horizons Elementary Schools (private). Public high school is: New Hanover High School; Egden High; McLennan High; and Wrightsboro High;. Public middle and high school schools: Holly Shelter Middle; Murray Middle School;  Lake Forest Academy; Mary C Williams Middle; and  McKennan High. The city's public high school system is: "Wilmington High"; Wattersboro High School is the largest high school.

Air Quality, Water Quality, Superfund Sites & UV Index

The Air Quality index is in Wilmington, Brunswick County, North Carolina = 86.8. These Air Quality index is based on annual reports from the EPA. Higher values are better (100=best). The number of ozone alert days is used as an indicator of air quality, as are the amounts of seven pollutants including particulates, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, lead, and volatile organic chemicals. The Water Quality Index is 67. A measure of the quality of an area’s water supply as rated by the EPA. Higher values are better (100=best). The EPA has a complex method of measuring the watershed quality, using 15 indicators such as pollutants, turbidity, sediments, and toxic discharges. The Superfund Sites Index is 20. Higher is better (100=best). Based upon the number and impact of EPA Superfund pollution sites in the county, including spending on the cleanup efforts. The UV Index in Wilmington = 4.6 and is a measure of an area's exposure to the sun's ultraviolet rays. This is most often a combination of sunny weather, altitude, and latitude. The UV Index has been defined by the WHO (www.who.int/news-room/questions-and-answers/item/radiation-the-ultraviolet-(uv)-index) and is uniform worldwide.

Employed

The most recent city population of 115,955 individuals with a median age of 35.8 age the population grows by 15.51% in Wilmington, Brunswick County, North Carolina population since 2000 and are distributed over a density of 2,245.91 residents per square mile of area (867.15/km²). There are average 2.04 people per household in the 41,007 households with an average household income of $36,879 a year. The unemployment rate in Alabama is of the available work force and has dropped -4.25% over the most recent 12-month period and the projected change in job supply over the next decade based on migration patterns, economic growth, and other factors will increase by 23.10%. The number of physicians in Wilmington per 100,000 population = 328.7.

Weather

The annual rainfall in Wilmington = 57.4 inches and the annual snowfall = 1.9 inches. The annual number of days with measurable precipitation (over .01 inch) = 117. The average number of days per year that are predominantly sunny = 216. 90 degrees Fahrenheit is the average daily high temperature for the month of July and 32.8 degrees Fahrenheit is the average daily low temperature for the month of January. The Comfort Index (higher=better) is 32, where higher values mean a more pleasant climate. The Comfort Index measure recognizes that humidity by itself isn't the problem. (Have you noticed nobody ever complains about the weather being 'cold and humid?) It's in the summertime that we notice the humidity the most, when it's hot and muggy. Our Comfort Index uses a combination of afternoon summer temperature and humidity to closely predict the effect that the humidity will have on people.

Median Home Cost

The percentage of housing units in Wilmington, Brunswick County, North Carolina which are owned by the occupant = 43.82%. A housing unit is a house, apartment, mobile home, or room occupied as separate living quarters. The average age of homes = 26 years with median home cost = $161,470 and home appreciation of -10.91%. This is the value of the years most recent home sales data. Its important to note that this is not the average (or arithmetic mean). The median home price is the middle value when you arrange all the sales prices of homes from lowest to highest. This is a better indicator than the average, because the median is not changed as much by a few unusually high or low values. The property tax rate of $7.02 shown here is the rate per $1,000 of home value. If for simplification for example the tax rate is $14.00 and the home value is $250,000, the property tax would be $14.00 x ($250,000/1000), or $3500. This is the 'effective' tax rate.

Study

The local school district spends $4,550 per student. There are 15.8 students for each teacher in the school, 637 students for each Librarian and 356 students for each Counselor. 7.31% of the area’s population over the age of 25 with an Associate Degree or other 2-year college degree, 22.89% with a master’s degree, Ph.D. or other advanced college degree and 8.78% with high school diplomas or high school equivalency degrees (GEDs).