Town · Duplin County, North Carolina

Wallace, North Carolina

Wallace is a town in Duplin County, North Carolina, part of the Wilmington, NC metro area. It has 3,457 residents. Wallace, North Carolina has a quality-of-life score of 10 out of 100 (very low), ranking #14,152 of 15,651 US cities and towns. Within North Carolina it ranks #426 of 458 cities and towns. It ranks best on grocery stores (high), comfortable days (high) and income inequality (Gini index) (low). It ranks worst on access to exercise opportunities (low), traffic deaths (high) and primary care shortage (high).

10Very low

Quality-of-life score: #14,152 of 15,651 cities and towns
North Carolina: #426 of 458 in NC
Population: 3,457 (2020-2024)
Land area: 3 mi²
Density: 1,082.5 /mi²
FIPS code: 3770720

Percentile-based score (100 is the best in the country) from 73 of 80 indicators, with the default “Explorer” weights.

Open in the map

Scores by category

Each category averages its indicators' percentile scores among US cities and towns.

Safety13#13,601/15,637
Economy13#13,548/15,631
Housing51#7,322/14,977
Health22#12,201/15,609
Healthcare3#15,191/15,650
Environment42#8,911/15,453
Education5#14,866/15,649
Infrastructure22#12,207/15,650
Community43#8,933/15,651
Leisure & amenities28#11,224/15,651

Strengths · Weaknesses

Indicators where Wallace, North Carolina ranks highest and lowest among US cities and towns (score = percentile, 100 = best). Values marked “Duplin County value” are the county’s: the source publishes no figure for this city or town, and the county holding most of its residents stands in.

Strengths

Grocery stores · high2.3 /10k
84/100North Carolina 1.8 /10kUnited States 1.7 /10k2025U.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsDuplin County value
Comfortable days · high31.1%
83/100North Carolina 30.0%United States 26.8%2016-2025NOAA National Centers for Environmental InformationDuplin County value
Income inequality (Gini index) · low0.356
81/100North Carolina 0.477United States 0.4832020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B19083
Average commute time · low18.4 min
81/100North Carolina 25.1 minUnited States 26.4 min2020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B08013
Public libraries · high1.2 /10k
80/100North Carolina 0.4 /10kUnited States 0.5 /10k2024Institute of Museum and Library ServicesDuplin County value
Social associations · high11.9 /10k
76/100North Carolina 11.2 /10kUnited States 9.1 /10k2023University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteDuplin County value

Weaknesses

Access to exercise opportunities · low27.2%
2/100North Carolina 78.0%United States 84.5%2022 & 2024University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteDuplin County value
Traffic deaths · high42.5 /100k
3/100North Carolina 15.0 /100kUnited States 12.3 /100k2020-2024National Highway Traffic Safety AdministrationProvisional dataDuplin County value
Primary care shortage · high18.0
5/100North Carolina 9.9United States 6.2Oct 2026Health Resources and Services AdministrationDuplin County value
Drought exposure · high91%
6/100North Carolina 79%United States 43%Oct 2025–Sep 2026National Drought Mitigation Center (University of Nebraska–Lincoln), USDA and NOAADuplin County value
Dental care shortage · high18.0
6/100North Carolina 11.5United States 5.7Oct 2026Health Resources and Services AdministrationDuplin County value
Average weekly wage · low$916
7/100North Carolina $1,376United States $1,5142025U.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsDuplin County value

Trends

The largest changes over about five years, next to the country's over the same periods.

PopulationFalling
3,891 (2015-2019) → 3,457 (2020-2024)
−11%5 yearsCensus table B01003US 328,329,953 → 340,003,797
Child poverty rateWorsening
5.8% (2015-2019) → 53.0% (2020-2024)
+47 pts5 yearsCensus table B17001US 16.8% → 15.5%
Poverty rateWorsening
9.7% (2015-2019) → 30.4% (2020-2024)
+21 pts5 yearsCensus table B17001US 12.3% → 12.1%
Broadband subscriptionsImproving
66.4% (2015-2019) → 86.7% (2020-2024)
+20 pts5 yearsCensus table B28002US 82.7% → 91.0%
Rent-burdened householdsWorsening
33.3% (2015-2019) → 52.5% (2020-2024)
+19 pts5 yearsCensus table B25070US 49.6% → 51.1%
Median household incomeImproving
$35,321 (2015-2019) → $51,250 (2020-2024)
+45%5 yearsCensus table B19013US $65,712 → $81,604

What changed in five years

How each measure moved between two periods about five years apart, read against whether more or less is better, the published margin of error and the same change in other places.

Over about five years, Wallace, North Carolina improved on 2 of 13 measures with a comparison and declined on 1. 10 moved within the margin of error and 0 barely changed.

Earlier (2015-2019)
Latest (2020-2024)
Lower standingHigher standing

Position is the place's standing among cities and towns: further right is better, whichever way the measure counts.

Improved2

Broadband+20 points66.4% → 86.7%
Household income+45%$35,321 → $51,250

Declined1

Poverty+21 points9.7% → 30.4%

All 13 measures

Change of every measure of Wallace, North Carolina between two periods about five years apart
Measure	Before	After	Change	Reading	Favourable vs peers
Average commute time	20.2 min2015-2019	18.4 min2020-2024	−1.8 min	Within the margin of error	69%
Bachelor's degree or higher	13.1%2015-2019	11.5%2020-2024	−1.5 points	Within the margin of error	18%
Broadband subscriptions	66.4%2015-2019	86.7%2020-2024	+20 points	Improved	91%
Effective property tax rate	0.89%2015-2019	0.66%2020-2024	−0.2 points	Within the margin of error	63%
High school diploma or higher	78.1%2015-2019	73.6%2020-2024	−4.5 points	Within the margin of error	7%
Home price to income ratio	3.0×2015-2019	3.5×2020-2024	+0.5×	Within the margin of error	49%
Income inequality (Gini index)	0.4362015-2019	0.3562020-2024	−0.080	Within the margin of error	93%
Median household income	$35,3212015-2019	$51,2502020-2024	+45%	Improved	80%
Poverty rate	9.7%2015-2019	30.4%2020-2024	+21 points	Declined	0%
Public transit commuters	0.0%2015-2019	0.0%2020-2024	0 points	Within the margin of error	60%
Rent as share of income	24.9%2015-2019	31.0%2020-2024	+6.1 points	Within the margin of error	18%
Rent-burdened households	33.3%2015-2019	52.5%2020-2024	+19 points	Within the margin of error	9%
Uninsured residents (under 65)	14.9%2015-2019	17.4%2020-2024	+2.5 points	Within the margin of error	21%

“Against peers” compares the change with the same change in the 14640 cities and towns that have the same two periods. It describes how common a change is, not why it happened.

Sources: American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates. Values are the latest and the one five years earlier of the same publisher dataset; datasets that changed publisher in between are never compared.

Survey estimates (American Community Survey) compare the two most recent 5-year windows that do not share years, so the margin of error of the difference holds. The 2015-2019 window predates the pandemic and 2020-2024 includes it.
A change counts only when it is larger than 1.645 times the square root of the two standard errors squared, summed (a 90% margin). Measures published without a margin must change by at least 5% to count.
“Against peers” compares the change with the same change in the 15651 cities and towns that have the same two periods. It describes how common a change is, not why it happened.
Standing is a percentile among the same places: 0 is the lowest value on the measure (or the worst when lower is better), 100 the best.

Cities and towns like Wallace, North Carolina five years ago that improved

The places whose measures looked most like those of Wallace, North Carolina in the earlier period, ranked by how many measures improved beyond the margin of error, minus how many declined. A comparison of published data, not a forecast and not advice.

For comparison, Wallace, North Carolina itself moved −0.7 points in standing on average over the same 10 measures (standings of all places average about zero).

How the ranking works

Similarity is the root-mean-square difference of standings in the earlier period over the measures most places have. Places are ranked by measures that improved beyond the margin of error minus those that declined (a count that estimation noise in small places cannot inflate), then by the mean change of standing over the measures a place has in both periods. Only places with more improvements than declines and a rise in standing are listed. Standings are relative, so a place can improve in absolute terms and still lose standing.

Who lives here

Age, race and education of residents, from the American Community Survey. Shares are of all residents (age), residents of every origin (race) or adults 25 and over (education).

Age and sex

3,457 residents (±17)

Men
Women

80 and over†
70–79†
60–69†
50–59†
40–49†
30–39†
20–29†
10–19†
Under 10†

Share of all residents, each sex

Biggest shift since 2015–2019: 30–39 women (+8.2 points).

† Wide margin of error (more than 30% of the estimate): read with care.

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B01001View table on data.census.gov

Race and Hispanic origin

3,457 residents (±17)

Wallace, North Carolina
North Carolina share

White41%1,422
Black27%†942
Hispanic or Latino24%†836

Education

2,367 residents (±336)

Wallace, North Carolina
North Carolina share

No high school diploma26%†626
High school or GED38%†893
Some college18%

Counts are survey estimates, each with a margin of error. The grouping into ranges is ours; every count is the Census Bureau's.

Income

How household income is spread, not just the middle: each bar is the share of households in that income range.

Household income

1,697 households (±249)

Wallace, North Carolina
North Carolina share

Under $25k25%†427
$25k–50k24%†401
$50k–75k28%†471
$75k–100k13%†225
$100k–150k8.0%†136
$150k–200k1.2%†21
$200k or more0.9%†16

Biggest shift since 2015–2019: $50k–75k (+15.4 points).

† Wide margin of error (more than 30% of the estimate): read with care.

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B19001View table on data.census.gov

Counts are survey estimates, each with a margin of error. The grouping into ranges is ours; every count is the Census Bureau's.

Homes

Who owns and who rents, what homes cost, and what the housing stock looks like.

Owners and renters

1,697 households (±249)

Wallace, North Carolina
North Carolina share

Own58%976
Rent42%721

No change since 2015–2019 is larger than the margin of error.

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B25003View table on data.census.gov

Rent paid

714 households (±192)

Wallace, North Carolina
North Carolina share

Under $75042%†297
$750–1,00029%†208
$1,000–1,50027%†190

Home values

976 homes (±256)

Wallace, North Carolina
North Carolina share

Under $150k33%†324
$150k–250k32%†314
$250k–400k25%†243

Age of homes

1,822 homes (±282)

Wallace, North Carolina
North Carolina share

2010 or later15%†271
2000–20093.1%†57
1980–199929%†522

Size of homes

1,822 homes (±282)

Wallace, North Carolina
North Carolina share

Studio0.0%0
1 bedroom10%†186
2 bedrooms29%†524

Counts are survey estimates, each with a margin of error. The grouping into ranges is ours; every count is the Census Bureau's.

Getting to work

How workers travel to their job and how long it takes them.

How people get to work

1,431 workers (±301)

Wallace, North Carolina
North Carolina share

Drive alone80%1,143
Carpool11%†154
Public transit0.0%0
Walk2.2%†32
Bike0.0%0
Work from home7.1%†102
Other0.0%0

Biggest shift since 2015–2019: Drive alone (−11.6 points).

† Wide margin of error (more than 30% of the estimate): read with care.

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B08301View table on data.census.gov

Time to get to work

1,329 workers (±277)

Wallace, North Carolina
North Carolina share

Under 15 min55%†727
15–29 min18%†234
30–44 min12%†

Counts are survey estimates, each with a margin of error. The grouping into ranges is ours; every count is the Census Bureau's.

Jobs and pay

What the largest occupations here pay, from the Bureau of Labor Statistics' Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes pay by metro area, not by county or city. The metro area page lists its largest occupations and lets you look up any job.

Pay in the Wilmington, NC

Local businesses

Employer businesses and sole proprietors by industry, per resident and against the state and the nation. Counts of businesses next to counts of people, not a measure of demand.

The Census Bureau publishes business counts by county, not by city, so these are the figures of Duplin County, the county holding most of Wallace's residents.

Duplin County has 870 employer establishments, 174 for every 10,000 residents (0.70× the US rate of 248; 0.73× North Carolina's), with 14,132 paid employees at an average annual pay of $42,002. The Census Bureau also counts 3,774 nonemployer businesses, mostly sole proprietors.

Establishments: 870; 3,774 nonemployers
Per 10,000 residents: 174; US 248 · North Carolina 237
Paid employees: 14,132
Average annual pay: $42,002; US $68,342

Employer establishments, employees, average pay and nonemployers of Duplin County by industry, with the density per resident against the nation

Ambulatory health care services	73	14.6	0.70×Fewer than typical	744	$54,883	82
Specialty trade contractors	65	13	0.84×About typical	388	$49,729	523
Restaurants and other eating places	64	12.8	0.70×Fewer than typical	1,099	$17,719	20
Religious organizations	56	11.2	2.02×More than typical	172	$19,570	—
Building equipment contractors	36	7.2	1.20×About typical	245	$53,792	96
Limited-service restaurants	36	7.2	0.90×About typical	782	$17,752	13
Gasoline stations	31	6.2	1.91×More than typical	245	$25,849	3
Truck transportation	30	6	1.19×About typical	450	$47,944	218
Full-service restaurants	26	5.2	0.68×Fewer than typical	316	$17,620	6
General merchandise stores	25	5	2.83×More than typical	381	$27,866	24
Construction of buildings	24	4.8	0.64×Fewer than typical	77	$36,481	198
Lessors of real estate	23	4.6	0.37×Fewer than typical	42	$29,048	187

Rank places for an industry Open Duplin County

County Business Patterns (2023); Nonemployer Statistics (2024)

Per-resident figures divide by the population estimate of 2023: 49,942 residents here, 336,755,052 in the United States. County Business Patterns counts establishments in 2023; the Nonemployer Statistics count businesses in 2024.
“More than typical” is a density at least 1.25 times the nation's per resident, “fewer” at most 0.8 times, with at least 10 establishments. It compares counts of businesses with counts of people: it says nothing about demand, incomes, size, quality or profit, and visitors and commuters are not residents.
The Census Bureau adds noise to employment and payroll to protect confidentiality, and withholds some figures: an industry with few establishments can show employees or pay as unavailable.
Industries overlap: a narrower industry (full-service restaurants) is part of a broader one (restaurants), so the rows do not add up.
Industries follow the North American Industry Classification System; the two surveys use different editions (NAICS 2017 and 2022), which this page matches industry by industry.

Federal contracts performed here

In FY2026, an estimated $0 of federal contract obligations were for work performed in Wallace, North Carolina: $0 per resident (US $1,995).

Obligations: $0
Per resident: $0; US $1,995
Sole-source: —; US 30%
Single offer: —; US 8.8%

A signal is a reason to look closer, not evidence of wrongdoing: most sole-source awards are lawful and justified.

Top buying agencies

Top recipients

Spending by fiscal year

9.8KFY2018
6.3KFY2019
6.7KFY2020
23.3KFY2021
21.3KFY2022
19.3KFY2023
39.3KFY2024

What was bought

Source: Federal contract transactions (Federal Procurement Data System) (U.S. Department of the Treasury, USAspending.gov), data current to Oct 6, 2026, loaded Oct 6, 2026.

How this is estimated

Agencies report each contract action's place of performance as a county and a ZIP code. A ZIP code's money is split among the cities it covers by the share of its land inside each (Census 2020 ZIP code tabulation areas); the part outside city limits stays with the county.

The place of performance is what the contracting agency reports, often the contractor's office rather than where the work happens.
Shares are of land, not of people or businesses: a ZIP code that is mostly rural land but has its offices in town gives the town less than it should.
ZIP codes that are not mapped areas (post office boxes, the unique ZIP codes of large federal sites and companies) stay with their county, unless one city covers nearly all of it.
Counts of actions and awards include those only partly in Wallace, North Carolina, so they do not add up across cities.

Wallace, North Carolina's figures are part of those of Duplin County, NC and Pender County, NC ($7.4M in FY2026), never added to them: 0.0% of that total.

Grants and other federal assistance are counted by county here, not split among cities: Wallace is mostly in Duplin County.

See federal money in Duplin County

Representation in Congress

Members serving today, with their record in the current Congress (party-unity votes cast with their caucus, roll calls missed). Not a grade.

Wallace, North Carolina is split between congressional districts: each representative is shown with the share of its residents in their district (current boundaries).