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Nitrogen (N) and water irrigation are two vital factors influencing the agriculture sustainability in various regions across the world, such as the North China Plain (NCP). Exploring optimal N application and water-efficient irrigation methods are needed for achieving greater crop productivity benefits and increasing the efficiency of inputs (N and water) in winter wheat (<i>Triticum aestivum</i> L.) production in the NCP. For this reason, we conducted a two-year field experiment with four N application rates interacting with three irrigation methods to examine the effects of N fertilization and water-efficient irrigation on grain yield, biomass production, economic benefits, and N- and water-use efficiencies of winter wheat in the NCP. The optimal N fertilization rate was ≈200 kg N ha⁻¹, achieving a high grain yield of winter wheat (≈6000 kg ha⁻¹). At this N dose, the highest net economic benefit was also achieved by the local farmer due to the increased grain yield, which was accompanied by more water-efficient irrigation. N recovery efficiency, agronomy efficiency, and the partial factor productivity of wheat decreased sharply with the N application rate. Water-use efficiency was significantly increased through drip irrigation and sprinkler irrigation. Considering the wheat productivity, input (N and water) efficiencies, and economic performance, water-efficient irrigation accompanied with an N application rate of 200 kg N ha⁻¹ is optimal for achieving high economic returns for local farmers in the NCP.