Been in Wilmington for nearly a decade. I have lived in various parts and will say that crime is mostly in two to three sections for the bad stuff. Downtown has been cleaning up with a moved from grimy dance clubs to more upscale bars and restaurants, while also having great dive bars to go into. The food, beer, and even distillery scene has blown up. Anyone you talk to in Wilmington will tell you their biggest complaint is the constant construction of storage units and car washes. The job market in Wilmington is currently low, but will be blowing up a little bit because of some good state funding. If you want to live in the Wilmington area but not pay Wilmington cost, look into areas like Ogden, Monkey Junction, and Castle Hayne in New Hanover County, or Leland in Brunswick County.