DMA code
550
WILMINGTON · DMA 550
Explore ZIP codes in the WILMINGTON TV market — covering NC — 56 ZIP codes — 538,955 residents. Population, income, and housing at a glance.
ZIP codes
56
Population
538,955
States
NC
Median household income (avg.)
$67,288
Average home value
$256,267
Where is the WILMINGTON market?
WILMINGTON (DMA 550) groups 56 indexable ZIP codes on US5 across NC, with a combined ZIP-area population of about 538,955.
Larger population clusters inside this TV market include Wilmington, NC, Leland, NC, Murraysville, NC, Hampstead, NC, and Boiling Spring Lakes, NC. Open any ZIP below for full demographics, housing, schools, and nearby services.
The most populous ZIP currently listed for this market is 28451 (about 44,262 residents).
Income and housing in WILMINGTON
Across ZIPs with income data in WILMINGTON, the average median household income is about $67,288 — about 10% below the U.S. median ($75,149).
Average median home value across those ZIPs is about $256,267.
On this page’s income ranking, ZIP 28480 is near the top at about $165,682.
What is a Designated Market Area (DMA)?
A Designated Market Area (DMA) is a Nielsen media-market geography used to group U.S. counties into TV / advertising markets. Each market has a three-digit DMA code — for example 550 for WILMINGTON.
DMAs are not the same as metro statistical areas, area codes, or ZIP boundaries. A single DMA can span multiple states, and large metros may dominate a market while nearby counties still belong to the same advertising footprint.
How to use this WILMINGTON page
US5 joins published ZIP profiles to DMA codes so you can browse the market as a list of postal codes with population, income, and housing at a glance — then drill into any ZIP for maps, schools, commute, and climate context.
This is a place-based research view for media markets, not a live TV schedule, ratings feed, or advertising buy tool. Counts can change when geography publishes update.
ZIP codes in WILMINGTON
Frequently asked questions
What is DMA 550?
WILMINGTON (DMA 550) is a Nielsen Designated Market Area — a TV / media market that groups places for advertising and audience measurement. On US5 it is linked to ZIP codes in NC, covering about 538,955 combined ZIP-area residents across 56 codes.
How many ZIP codes are in the WILMINGTON DMA?
US5 currently lists 56 indexable ZIP codes for DMA 550 (WILMINGTON). Counts can change as geography publishes update.
What is the average income in the WILMINGTON market?
The average of ZIP median household incomes in WILMINGTON is about $67,288 (about 10% below the U.S. median ($75,149)). Individual neighborhoods vary — sort the ZIP table by income to compare.
Is a DMA the same as a metro area or area code?
No. DMAs are Nielsen media markets built mainly from county groupings for TV advertising. Metro statistical areas, telephone area codes, and ZIP codes use different boundaries. The same city can sit in one DMA, multiple area codes, and many ZIP codes.
How does US5 map ZIPs to DMA 550?
US5 joins each published ZIP profile to a DMA code from the spatial dictionary (Nielsen market membership summarized onto ZIP geography). This page lists indexable ZIPs with that code so you can move from the market overview into local demographics.
What cities are in the WILMINGTON DMA?
Larger population clusters on US5 for WILMINGTON include Wilmington, NC, Leland, NC, Murraysville, NC, Hampstead, NC, and Boiling Spring Lakes, NC. Open linked ZIP pages for neighborhood-level demographics.