Living in Leland, NC
Leland's name has an unusually personal origin story. In the mid-1890s, what's now Leland was an unnamed settlement at the crossroads of Village Road and the Wilmington, Columbia, and Augusta Railroad. In 1897, local store owner Joseph W. Gay petitioned the U.S. Post Office for a local post office, and the name chosen — Leland — belonged to Gay's nephew, Leland Adams. The post office opened in 1898, but the town itself wasn't incorporated until September 12, 1989, when residents voted 472–42 in favor after rejecting the idea a decade earlier.
That late incorporation makes Leland a genuinely young town by North Carolina standards, and its growth since has been dramatic — from around 1,200 residents in 1989 to more than 35,000 today. Leland is now the largest municipality in Brunswick County, which itself was recently identified as North Carolina's fastest-growing county. Sitting just across the Cape Fear Memorial Bridge from downtown Wilmington, Leland offers small-town roots with genuinely fast-growing, master-planned-community scale.
Homes & Neighborhoods
Leland's housing stock is dominated by large master-planned communities, each with a distinct identity.
Brunswick Forest, at roughly 4,500 acres, is the biggest and most wide-ranging — a mix of townhomes, patio homes, and single-family homes built around a wellness center, golf course, and a town-center commercial village, often described as functioning like a small town of its own. Compass Pointe leans into gated, resort-style living, with a golf course, a lazy river, and indoor and outdoor pools, and has been ranked among the top 100 places to live in the U.S. Waterford of the Carolinas is built around lakes, creeks, and canals for buyers who want water access from their backyard, while Magnolia Greens offers an established golf-community alternative. On the more attainable end, Mallory Creek Plantation and Grayson Park offer newer, energy-efficient construction at more accessible price points, including Del Webb's 55+ section within Mallory Creek.
Because Leland's growth is so recent, the overwhelming majority of its housing stock is new or newer construction inside these planned communities, rather than older, standalone neighborhoods.
Location & Convenience
Commute: Leland sits just across the Cape Fear Memorial Bridge from downtown Wilmington — about 10 minutes away — and roughly 20 minutes from Wilmington International Airport (ILM).
Medical care: Novant Health Brunswick Medical Center in nearby Bolivia is the area's primary hospital; Novant Health has also been expanding services closer to Leland itself, including a planned Leland-area hospital and an ambulatory surgery center currently under construction.
Schools: Leland is served by Brunswick County Schools, with several elementary, middle, and high schools located directly in town.
Property taxes: Leland residents pay a municipal rate on top of the Brunswick County rate. The Brunswick County Tax Office is the most reliable source for a current estimate.
Getting settled: For town services, permits, and utilities, the Town of Leland's official site is the best starting point. For festivals, art shows, and events, see the Leland Cultural Arts Center's programs and events page.
Leland Market Trend
Leland's market reflects its identity as Brunswick County's growth engine — strong, sustained demand driven by new-construction inventory across its master-planned communities, with pricing generally undercutting comparable homes in Wilmington proper while still offering resort-level amenities.
For current listing data and pricing, use the search above — figures shown reflect live MLS data.
Why People Move to Leland
Leland has been repeatedly named among North Carolina's fastest-growing towns, and the draw is straightforward: new construction, resort-style amenities, and a lower cost of living than Wilmington, all within a 10-minute drive of downtown and roughly 30 minutes of multiple area beaches.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, particularly for buyers who want new construction and amenity-rich master-planned living — Leland offers some of the region's newest inventory at prices that generally undercut comparable homes across the river in Wilmington.
Leland is known as Brunswick County's largest and fastest-growing town, home to large master-planned communities like Brunswick Forest and Compass Pointe, sitting just minutes from downtown Wilmington across the Cape Fear Memorial Bridge.
Leland generally offers newer construction and lower prices than Wilmington, with a more suburban, planned-community feel rather than Wilmington's historic downtown core — while still putting the city within a 10-minute commute.
Both. Leland's master-planned communities span the spectrum, from Del Webb's 55+ section within Mallory Creek to family-oriented neighborhoods like Grayson Park, with several communities offering amenities aimed at both groups.
Reporting by Dana Blanks, Founder & Principal Broker of Dana Blanks Real Estate™, licensed in NC, SC, and GA.
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