https://www.reddit.com/r/NorthCarolina/comments/1j82bjg/new_bern_vs_wilmington/
created by zingbow on 10/03/2025 at 16:12 UTC
3 upvotes, 11 top-level comments (showing 11)
Hi all! any advice is appreciate. I am a 23 yr old looking to move with my 22 yr old partner for our next chapter. i have 2 entry level job opportunities, one at 18/hr in wilmington and 22/hr in new bern. my partner is looking for a job in outdoor recreation and will likely try to take on some seasonal work wherever we go. we are very low maintenance people, but looking for pros and cons of both cities. i know new bern is far smaller, but im wondering about the youthfulness of both places. we want to make friends, we are fairly artsy and like to be outside. i like a bit more nightlife than he does and know ill have to drive to raleigh for things like edm shows. basically, i need some input! can we make young friends? do either places have any kind of music or arts scene? any thrift stores? please let me know what you think!
Comment by Laura27282 at 10/03/2025 at 16:26 UTC
12 upvotes, 1 direct replies
Wilmington is a college city, so it's going to be more youthful. Wilmington would be great for seasonal work.
But a $4/hr difference is nothing to ignore. Which job has the best long-term prospects?
Comment by Boomslang505 at 10/03/2025 at 16:43 UTC
8 upvotes, 1 direct replies
Do you like Marines?
Comment by wndsofchng06 at 10/03/2025 at 16:40 UTC
6 upvotes, 0 direct replies
Hello, welcome to Eastern, NC. With your youthful ages, Wilmington will certainly have far more activities to enjoy. I lived in Wilmington for a few years while at UNCW. I currently live in New Bern. New Bern is a high percentage of retirees and a town of only 30k. I am 42 and I get bored quickly here. Things close early, selection of food and activities is small, and good medical care is hard to find. We do have some places that are steady with live music and a few bars have really started pulling the younger crowd out at night, so there's some hope for the nightlife. New Bern is very MAGA focused if that matters to you. You didn't mention your gender identity or your partner's but if you're in the LGBTQ+ group, Wilmington is the far better choice. New Bern has a small pride organization with a couple events here and there, but you'd be hard pressed to see a rainbow flag downtown. New Bern seems tolerant overall, but not super accepting. Wilmington will have far more traffic and more crime, but those generally come when an area has more people and more things to do. Wilmington is in the 120k population range and is a bit closer to the beach (wrightsville or carolina) where New Bern is about an hour from the beach. Both places are tourist-based economies, but New Bern is nicely located between Camp Lejune and Cherry Point with lots of civilian federal jobs (for now). Wilmington has the university, the state port, the hospital system, and some industrial as their largest employers. For seasonal work, Wilmington will have more opportunities be it service industry, parks, tourism, etc. Lastly, Wilmington has some public transit (buses) where New Bern has none. If you have specific questions, feel free to let me know!
Comment by kombustive at 10/03/2025 at 16:47 UTC
3 upvotes, 0 direct replies
There's a small but thriving artsy and EDM scene in Wilmington.
Comment by thrillhouse416 at 10/03/2025 at 17:21 UTC
3 upvotes, 0 direct replies
More money in a cheaper place is a good argument for New Bern but this town(I live here) is filled with retirees and young families. the young adult social scene will be much, much better in Wilmington if that's what you really want.
Comment by AVLLaw at 10/03/2025 at 16:38 UTC
3 upvotes, 0 direct replies
Rent and traffic should both be better in New Bern. Traffic in Wilmington can be a nightmare, especially from May - August. I'd probably go to New Bern, and make the occasional trek to see music in bigger cities.
Comment by asdcatmama at 10/03/2025 at 19:08 UTC
1 upvotes, 0 direct replies
New Bern! Hands down. Wilmington used to be one of my favorite places, but the epidemic hit hard. We don’t go anymore.
Comment by DjangoUnflamed at 10/03/2025 at 19:50 UTC
1 upvotes, 0 direct replies
You’ll hate New Bern, you’ll love Wilmington. New Bern is old retirees.
Comment by Nineteen-ninety-3 at 10/03/2025 at 20:56 UTC
1 upvotes, 0 direct replies
Wilmington is more interesting, but you’ll live more comfortably in New Bern
Comment by Except_Youre_Wrong at 10/03/2025 at 16:33 UTC
1 upvotes, 0 direct replies
Ticketmaster has been kind of fucking up the scene a bit in Wilmington, but there's no shortage of local bands and such that you should go see. Same with art venues, always support local. Wilmington has a few parks and the boardwalk and the nightlife is okay certainly nothing to write home about. Stay away from Ibiza though. That place blows and for a place that touts itself as a gay bar, it's almoat always more cis straights than anything else which is sad, but that's what you get when you get a gay bar ran by a log cabin republican, I suppose. Oh yeah, the city's water hasn't been properly drinkable since 1980 so uh, have fun with that if you come here lol We're really close to the beach though! I know nothing of New Bern, but a lot of things about Wilmington since I lived there for a minute
Comment by Automatic-Arm-532 at 10/03/2025 at 17:05 UTC
1 upvotes, 0 direct replies
I'd go with the higher pay in less expensive city. Plus, Pepsi was created there, yeah booiiiiii!