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Leland is located in northeastern Brunswick County immediately across the Cape Fear and Brunswick rivers from Wilmington. The broader region has a long human history that predates European colonization, with Indigenous peoples relying on southeastern North Carolina's rivers, wetlands, forests, and coastal resources. European settlement brought plantations, farms, timber operations, and river commerce to the Cape Fear region. For much of its early history, the land around modern Leland remained rural and sparsely developed compared with Wilmington, which emerged as the area's principal port and commercial center.

Agriculture, forestry, and transportation-related activity shaped the early economy of the Leland area. Farms occupied portions of the surrounding countryside, while the vast pine forests of Brunswick County supported lumber and naval-stores production. The proximity of Wilmington provided an important market for agricultural goods, timber, and other products. Communities west of the Cape Fear River benefited economically from their relationship with the port city even when river crossings made travel more difficult than it is today. Small settlements, churches, farms, and transportation routes gradually formed the foundation for what would eventually become modern Leland.

Few developments affected Leland as profoundly as improvements to transportation across the Cape Fear River. Bridges and highway projects made travel between Brunswick County and Wilmington dramatically easier, reducing the geographic separation that had historically limited development west of the river. U.S. Highway 17 became a major coastal corridor, while Interstate 140 and other regional roadway improvements further strengthened connections around the Wilmington metropolitan area. These projects helped turn Leland into a highly accessible suburban community for residents working, studying, shopping, or seeking healthcare in Wilmington.

Leland's transformation accelerated dramatically during the late twentieth and early twenty-first centuries. The town was incorporated in 1989, and subsequent decades brought substantial population growth, new residential communities, retail centers, professional services, and public infrastructure. Master-planned developments and golf communities became prominent parts of the local housing market, while new subdivisions expanded across land that had previously been wooded or agricultural. This rapid growth fundamentally changed Leland from a small rural crossroads into one of the principal communities of the greater Wilmington region.

Despite rapid development, Leland retains strong connections to the natural environment of the lower Cape Fear region. Wetlands, creeks, forests, and nearby waterways remain prominent features of the landscape. Parks and recreational amenities have expanded as the population has grown, while community programs and local events have helped create a stronger civic identity among longtime residents and newcomers. The town's location also provides convenient access to both inland Brunswick County and coastal destinations such as Southport, Oak Island, and the Brunswick Islands.

Today, Leland is one of southeastern North Carolina's most prominent growth communities. Homeowners are attracted by its proximity to Wilmington, expanding shopping and dining options, newer residential neighborhoods, golf communities, and access to coastal recreation. The local housing stock includes established residences, townhomes, large planned communities, and extensive new construction. Leland's combination of metropolitan convenience and Brunswick County living has positioned it as a major residential destination within the rapidly evolving Cape Fear region.