The Town Files

Brunswick County, North Carolina

152,568 people. The median home is worth $349,800 (typical North Carolina town: $228,900) and the median household earns $77,024.

Towns in Brunswick County

Towns in Brunswick County

TownPeopleMedian homeIncomeMedian age
Leland22,908$398,900$91,97747.3
Oak Island8,396$456,500$85,87262.3
St. James6,529$636,800$116,38368.0
Boiling Spring Lakes5,943$292,300$62,67647.1
Carolina Shores4,588$288,600$76,08765.3
Shallotte4,185$349,500$88,36745.5
Sunset Beach4,175$410,900$81,97669.1
Southport3,971$437,700$87,64164.2
Belville2,406$282,600$81,94432.9
Calabash2,011$253,200$65,31056.0
Navassa1,367$187,100$62,00033.5
Holden Beach921$658,900$116,25064.4
Ocean Isle Beach867$835,500$96,78667.3
Northwest703$225,900$53,21451.5
Varnamtown525$293,800$54,84450.3

People and housing

Brunswick CountyTypical North Carolina town
Median home value$349,800$228,900
Median rent$1,351$969
Median household income$77,024$60,458
Median age56.441.1
Bachelor's degree or higher34.7%24.5%
Below the poverty line9.2%14.3%

Jobs and pay

41,268 jobs in 2024, average pay $51,701 a year.

Largest industries in Brunswick CountyRetail6,624 jobs · $32,812Hotels & restaurants6,289 jobs · $25,227Health care & social assistan…4,901 jobs · $60,594Construction3,150 jobs · $64,079Administrative & support2,005 jobs · $45,808Arts & recreation1,844 jobs · $29,674
BLS QCEW 2024.
Unemployment rate in Brunswick County0%4%8%12%2000200420082012201620202023 4.2%
BLS LAUS via USDA ERS, annual averages.

Storms since 1996

NOAA recorded 526 storm events in Brunswick County from 1996 to 2026, with 22 deaths.

Storm events in Brunswick County by type since 1996Hail123Heat7Flood40Tornado34Lightning30Heavy Rain24Flash Flood96Rip Current14Strong Wind5Winter Storm12
NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database.

Federal disaster declarations

Brunswick County has been included in 35 FEMA declarations since 1953.

DeclaredIncidentDeclaration
January 24, 2026Winter StormEM-3637: Severe Winter Storm
May 3, 2025FireFM-5582: Sunset Drive Fire
October 19, 2024Tropical StormDR-4837: Potential Tropical Cyclone Eight
September 26, 2024Tropical StormEM-3617: Hurricane Helene
August 6, 2024Tropical StormEM-3608: Tropical Storm Debby
October 1, 2022HurricaneEM-3586: Hurricane Ian
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024; BLS QCEW and LAUS; NOAA Storm Events; FEMA OpenFEMA (not endorsed by FEMA).