The City of Wilmington boasts a population of around 122,600 people. That’s a U.S. Census Bureau estimate for 2018. But the largest municipality in New Hanover County is still expected to grow over the next quarter century, and planning officials project a population spike of about 57,000 more people by 2040. That’s only 21 years out. In New Hanover County, the current population is 237,689. By 2038 – 315,475. That’s county growth of about 33%.