What 26 active adult communities across New Hanover, Brunswick, Pender, and Duplin counties actually cost per month — HOA fees, county property tax, and the coastal insurance line item inland buyers usually miss.
Have questions about what you're reading? A specialist can walk you through real costs, honest comparisons, and what's actually available right now — free, no obligation.
Talk to a Specialist →Wilmington’s 55+ market isn’t one price point — it spans four counties and everything from value-tier resale neighborhoods to golf-and-marina master plans. Monthly HOA dues run from about $130/mo at Carolina Shores near Calabash up to $280/mo at Landfall, a gated luxury community on the Wilmington side. Home prices span roughly $275K entry-level resales at Carolina Shores or Silver Creek Plantation up to $1.5M+ at St. James Plantation and $3M+ at Landfall. The table below pulls real figures from a representative cross-section of the market so you can see how location, builder, and amenity level change the math.
| Community | County | Price Range | HOA/mo | County Tax Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Del Webb at Riverlights (Wilmington, resale) | New Hanover | $400K–$700K | $250 | ~0.60% |
| Del Webb at Mallory Creek (Leland, new construction) | Brunswick | $350K–$600K | $240 | ~0.50% |
| St. James Plantation (Southport, 4 golf courses) | Brunswick | $350K–$1.5M+ | $165 | ~0.50% |
| Brunswick Forest (Leland, town center) | Brunswick | $350K–$700K | $155 | ~0.50% |
| Compass Pointe (Leland, gated) | Brunswick | $350K–$650K | $200 | ~0.50% |
| Landfall (Wilmington, luxury/gated) | New Hanover | $600K–$3M+ | $280 | ~0.60% |
| Village at Mott’s Landing (Wilmington, gated) | New Hanover | $350K–$575K | $220 | ~0.60% |
| Magnolia Greens (Leland, 27-hole golf) | Brunswick | $300K–$550K | $155 | ~0.50% |
| Wyndwater (Hampstead, near Topsail Beach) | Pender | $375K–$575K | $145 | ~0.55% |
| Carolina Shores (Calabash, value tier) | Brunswick | $275K–$475K | $130 | ~0.50% |
Notice the pattern: the lowest HOA dues and lowest entry prices cluster in Brunswick County’s Leland and South Coast corridors, while the New Hanover County communities with a Wilmington city address — Riverlights, Landfall, Mott’s Landing — carry higher dues and a higher county tax rate in exchange for shorter drives to downtown Wilmington and NHRMC hospital access. Neither is “better” — it’s a trade-off between location premium and monthly carrying cost.
We connect buyers with agents who know this market from the inside — real cost math, honest comparisons, and what's actually happening right now. Every agent is personally vetted by the Nova55Living founder. No scripts, no pressure.
Your county determines your property tax bill more than almost any other single decision in this market. Brunswick County’s effective rate (~0.50%) is meaningfully lower than New Hanover County’s (~0.60%), with Pender County (~0.55%) in between. On identical home values, that spread adds up:
| County | Rate | Example Annual Tax | Monthly Equivalent |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brunswick (most communities) | ~0.50% | ~$2,500/yr on a $500K home | ~$208/mo |
| New Hanover (Wilmington city address) | ~0.60% | ~$3,000/yr on a $500K home | ~$250/mo |
| Pender (Hampstead / Topsail corridor) | ~0.55% | ~$2,475/yr on a $450K home | ~$206/mo |
That’s a $42/month gap ($504/year) between Brunswick and New Hanover on the same $500K home — about $10,080 over a 20-year retirement. Most Wilmington-area 55+ communities sit in Brunswick County; the New Hanover communities offset the higher rate with the Wilmington address and shorter drive to NHRMC hospitals.
The bigger number most inland buyers underestimate isn’t property tax — it’s homeowners insurance. Coastal NC insurance in Brunswick and New Hanover counties runs roughly $2,400–$5,000+/year, or about $200–$420/month, which is 2–4x what the same coverage would cost in Charlotte, Raleigh, or most other retirement markets. Wind/hail deductibles, flood zone status, and roof age all move that number, so it belongs in every community comparison before you tour. North Carolina also applies a flat statewide income tax rate to most retirement income (verify the current-year rate, as it has stepped down in recent years), and residents who qualify under the state’s Bailey Act protection — generally vested state, local, or federal government employees, including many military retirees — pay no NC income tax on that pension income. That statewide rule applies in Wilmington the same as anywhere else in North Carolina.
Property tax rates, HOA dues, and insurance premiums change, and each county reassesses property values on its own schedule. Confirm current rates with the New Hanover, Brunswick, or Pender County tax assessor, get a live quote from a coastal NC insurance carrier before assuming any figure above, and confirm the current NC income tax rate and Bailey Act eligibility with a CPA or the NC Department of Revenue before finalizing a relocation budget.
Three decisions move your all-in monthly number more than anything else. First, county: choosing Brunswick over New Hanover saves roughly $42/month in property tax on a comparable home, and Brunswick also holds most of the market’s lower-HOA, lower-entry-price communities like Carolina Shores and Silver Creek Plantation. Second, resale versus new construction: an established resale community like Del Webb at Riverlights carries different cost dynamics than new-construction Del Webb at Mallory Creek — new construction often means a builder warranty and newer systems, while resale can mean a lower entry price and an already-mature landscape. Third, amenity tier: golf, marina, and beach-club communities such as St. James Plantation and Landfall carry either a higher HOA, a higher purchase price, or both, to fund those amenities, while value-tier communities on the market’s outer edge keep dues and prices lower by offering a smaller amenity package.
Insurance is the wildcard that doesn’t show up in most HOA disclosures — get a live quote for any specific property before you assume a number, since flood zone, distance from the coast, and roof age can swing that line item significantly. For the full list of all 26 Wilmington-area communities with individual HOA, price, and tax detail, start at the market hub below.
Wilmington 55+ Hub Get Help Finding a CommunityConnect with a specialist who knows this market from the inside — real cost math, honest community comparisons, and what's actually happening right now. Every agent is personally vetted by the Nova55Living founder.
Connect with a Specialist →