For years, people considering a move to North Carolina have focused on places like Raleigh, Charlotte, and Wilmington. But lately, one of the biggest growth stories in the state has been unfolding farther down the coast in Brunswick County.
Located between Wilmington and the booming Myrtle Beach area, our county, Brunswick County, offers a combination that’s increasingly hard to overlook: beach towns, new homes, waterfront communities, access to two growing metro areas, and a lifestyle that feels decidedly more relaxed than life in a major city. If you’re researching homes in North Carolina near the beach, there’s plenty of data supporting why this corner of the state deserves a closer look.
Brunswick County Is One of North Carolina’s Biggest Growth Stories
This isn’t just a case of people discovering a nice vacation spot. They’re moving here in serious numbers. According to the North Carolina Office of State Budget and Management, Brunswick County’s population increased 24% between 2020 and 2024, making it the fastest-growing county in North Carolina during that period. The county added nearly 33,000 residents, growing from about 136,700 people in 2020 to more than 169,400 in 2024. From 2023 to 2024 alone, the population grew another 5.1%.
Home construction has been moving right along with it. Brunswick County’s housing stock increased 25% between 2020 and 2024, ranking third among counties nationwide for percentage housing growth, according to state analysis of U.S. Census Bureau data.
Growth Is Happening on Both Sides of the County
Brunswick County also happens to sit between two coastal markets experiencing major growth of their own. The U.S. Census Bureau’s latest metro estimates ranked Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach as the second-fastest-growing metro area in the United States from 2024 to 2025, increasing 3.2% in a single year. Wilmington ranked No. 7 nationally, growing 2.6%.
That puts communities such as Calabash and Sunset Beach in an interesting position. You can live in coastal North Carolina while still having Wilmington to the north and North Myrtle Beach, Myrtle Beach, and the greater Grand Strand to the south.
Why Are People Moving to Coastal North Carolina?
There’s no single answer, which is probably part of the appeal. Brunswick County works for people at very different stages of life, from professionals and families to empty nesters and those finally getting serious about living closer to the water.
A few factors continue to make the area stand out:
- Easy beach access: Sunset Beach, Ocean Isle Beach, Holden Beach and Oak Island put miles of coastline within reach without requiring you to live directly on the ocean.
- Access to two growing markets: Wilmington and Myrtle Beach expand the options for dining, entertainment, healthcare, employment, shopping, and events.
- More new construction: Continued development gives buyers more opportunities to find new homes in North Carolina with modern layouts, flex spaces, home offices, and outdoor living areas.
- Airport access: Wilmington International Airport and Myrtle Beach International Airport provide two options for residents who travel for work, family or a weekend away.
- A lifestyle built around the outdoors: Boating, kayaking, fishing, golf, beaches, waterways and parks make it pretty easy to find an excuse to get outside.
There’s also evidence that interest in this broader region remains strong. MoveBuddha’s 2025 migration analysis ranked Myrtle Beach first nationally for inbound moving interest, with 328 searches for moves into the area for every 100 searches out. Wilmington ranked seventh with 197 inbound searches for every 100 outbound.
What Makes Southern Brunswick County Different?
You Don’t Have to Choose Between North Carolina and Myrtle Beach
Calabash sits just a few miles from the South Carolina line, which gives residents access to the best parts of both areas without necessarily feeling like they live in the middle of either one.
A typical Saturday could include breakfast or seafood along the Calabash waterfront, an afternoon at Sunset Beach and dinner or a show in North Myrtle Beach. Head north instead, and Wilmington opens up another full menu of restaurants, concerts, shopping, historic attractions and events.
For people moving from larger metro areas, that flexibility can be a big part of the draw. Life can feel slower at home without requiring you to give up the conveniences, airports, and entertainment that come with larger cities.
Coastal Living Isn’t Limited to Vacation Homes
The definition of a “beach home” is changing, too. Plenty of people looking at homes in North Carolina near the beach aren’t searching for a small seasonal cottage. They’re looking for a full-time home that happens to put the coast within easy reach.
New construction throughout Brunswick County has helped meet that demand. Today’s buyers can find communities with home offices for remote work, bonus rooms for visiting family, first-floor primary suites, outdoor living spaces and neighborhood amenities designed for everyday use rather than just a week at the beach.
At Kingfish Bay in Calabash, for example, residents get the coastal location while living in a gated community along the Calabash River. The community is positioned near Sunset Beach and North Myrtle Beach and includes amenities such as a Riverfront Park and private oceanfront clubhouse at Sunset Beach. It’s a good example of why buyers don’t necessarily have to choose between a neighborhood setting and access to the water.
Is Brunswick County One of the Best Places to Live in NC Near the Beach?
There are plenty of beautiful places along the North Carolina coast, so “best” will always depend on what you’re looking for. Brunswick County’s advantage is the number of boxes it can check at once.
It offers established beach towns without putting every resident directly in the middle of tourist traffic. It has smaller communities while sitting between two growing metro areas. There are opportunities for waterfront living, gated communities, new construction homes in North Carolina, and neighborhoods just a short drive from the beach.
The growth numbers also suggest this isn’t a temporary bump. Brunswick County has more than doubled in population over the past two decades, while Wilmington and Myrtle Beach continue to rank among the country’s fastest-growing coastal markets.
If you’re moving to North Carolina and the coast is part of the dream, Brunswick County deserves more than a quick glance at the map. Spend some time in Calabash, explore Sunset Beach, head north toward Wilmington and south toward the Grand Strand. You may find that the real appeal of this part of the Carolinas is just how much is within reach.
