The Town FilesBrunswick, North Carolina
Town in Columbus County · population 973 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $82,500
- Household income
- $22,500
- Jan low / Jul high
- 32° / 90°
- Snow a year
- 1 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 15
- Median age
- 38.7
Brunswick is a town of 973 people in Columbus County, North Carolina. The median home is worth $82,500, below the typical North Carolina town ($228,900). It ranks easier by car than 99% of North Carolina towns, better for young professionals than 88% of North Carolina towns, better for first-time buyers than 76% of North Carolina towns.
How Brunswick ranks
Percentile among North Carolina towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of North Carolina towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Brunswick is worth $82,500, below the typical North Carolina town ($228,900). Homes cost about 3.7 times the median household income of $22,500, which is more affordable than 52% of North Carolina towns. Median rent is $789 a month. 40.0% of households own their home.
| Housing | Brunswick | Typical North Carolina town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $82,500 | $228,900 |
| Median rent | $789 | $969 |
| Median household income | $22,500 | $60,458 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.7× | 3.7× |
| Homeownership | 40.0% | 69.5% |
| Median year built | 1976 | 1984 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Brunswick
| People | Brunswick | Typical North Carolina town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 38.7 | 41.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 6.9% | 19.0% |
| Under 18 | 11.1% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 5.3% | 24.5% |
| Below the poverty line | 64.5% | 14.3% |
| Veterans | 2.4% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.0% | — |
| Work from home | 10.5% | 9.8% |
| Average commute | 15.6 min | 24.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 88.1% | 89.5% |
Weather in Brunswick
July highs average 90.1°F and January lows 31.9°F. About 50.9 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 1.1 inches of snow (typical North Carolina town: 2.2 in). Expect about 62 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 59 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
15 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Brunswick since 1950, compared with 13 for the typical North Carolina town. 4 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on March 28, 1984 about 2.1 miles from the town center. The most recent was on December 24, 2020.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 41 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on April 28, 2011.
Severe weather in Columbus County since 1996
Columbus County has been included in 29 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for drought, hurricane, snowstorm.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| January 24, 2026 | Winter Storm | EM-3637: Severe Winter Storm |
| September 26, 2024 | Tropical Storm | EM-3617: Hurricane Helene |
| August 6, 2024 | Tropical Storm | EM-3608: Tropical Storm Debby |
| October 1, 2022 | Hurricane | EM-3586: Hurricane Ian |
| October 14, 2020 | Hurricane | DR-4568: Hurricane Isaias |
Jobs and pay in Columbus County
Columbus County had 14,466 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $47,896 a year. Unemployment was 4% in 2023; in Brunswick itself the ACS puts it at 33.6%.
Towns near Brunswick
- Whiteville, NC3.7 mi · 4,766 people · home $187,500
- Chadbourn, NC6.9 mi · 1,574 people · home $135,400
- Lake Waccamaw, NC12.1 mi · 1,296 people · home $305,900
- Tabor City, NC12.4 mi · 3,781 people · home $115,900
- Clarkton, NC14.9 mi · 614 people · home $140,100
- Loris, SC18.1 mi · 2,449 people · home $214,300
- Fair Bluff, NC18.2 mi · 709 people · home $101,400
- Bolton, NC18.3 mi · 519 people · home $146,700
Brunswick questions
Is Brunswick, North Carolina a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Brunswick scores better for retirees than 10% of North Carolina towns and quieter than 19%. 6.9% of residents are 65 or older (median age 38.7).
How much does a house cost in Brunswick?
The median owner-occupied home in Brunswick is valued at $82,500 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $22,500, so homes cost about 3.7 times income. Median rent is $789 a month.
What is the weather like in Brunswick?
July highs average 90.1°F and January lows 31.9°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 50.9 inches of precipitation a year and 1.1 inches of snow.
Does Brunswick get tornadoes?
15 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Brunswick since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on March 28, 1984. The typical North Carolina town has had 13.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)