Silver Lake is a census-designated place in New Hanover County, North Carolina, United States.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 6.6 square miles (17 km2), of which 6.6 square miles (17.0 km2) is land and 0.15% is water.

As of the census[4] of 2000, there were 5,788 people, 2,280 households, and 1,566 families residing in the CDP.

There were 2,449 housing units at an average density of 373.2 per square mile (144.1/km2).

21.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 3.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.