When a community gets national recognition as one of the most desirable places to live, the conversation usually turns to beaches, weather, and lifestyle. Brunswick County has earned plenty of that kind of attention lately. But for site selectors and business owners weighing where to plant their next facility, those same rankings mean something different: they’re a signal about where the market is headed.
The same qualities that pull in new residents by the thousands are also building a strong case for companies looking to relocate, expand, or invest here. Brunswick County has managed something a lot of regions struggle with — growth that actually works in favor of both the people living here and the businesses trying to serve them.
Growth Creates Its Own Momentum
There’s an old truism in economic development: businesses tend to do well where people want to live. It sounds obvious, but it plays out in very concrete ways — more consumer spending, a deeper labor pool, new housing, better infrastructure, and rising demand for everything from restaurants to specialty services.
Brunswick County is hitting all of those marks. According to a study by U.S. News & World Report, Brunswick County ranks No. 1 on a list of the most desired counties to call home. Families, remote workers, retirees, and young professionals keep showing up, drawn by the lifestyle, the lower cost of living, and easy access to bigger metro markets.
For employers, that growth is easy to see day to day — a wider pool of applicants, more money moving through the local economy, and a housing and commercial market that keeps building. Look past the numbers on a dashboard, and what you’re really looking at is tomorrow’s customers and tomorrow’s hires.
A Place People Already Want to Move To
Here’s a shift that’s changed how companies recruit: a lot of workers decide where they want to live first, then look for a job that fits.
That works in Brunswick County’s favor. Candidates get coastal living near some of the state’s best beaches, mild weather most of the year, and easy access to boating, fishing, golf, and hiking. Add in solid schools, a lower cost of living than a lot of comparable coastal markets, and quick trips to Wilmington, Myrtle Beach, or Raleigh, and recruiting conversations get a lot easier. Instead of talking someone into an unfamiliar city, companies get to offer a place candidates were already considering.
North Carolina’s Business Climate Backs It Up
Brunswick County isn’t operating in a vacuum. It benefits from being part of a state that keeps landing near the top of national business rankings. CNBC has named North Carolina the #1 Best State for Business, and executives evaluating relocation sites consistently rate it highly for its tax policy, workforce pipeline, infrastructure spending, and pro-business leadership.
Companies that set up in Brunswick County get the benefit of a strong local market layered on top of statewide policy that’s built to support long-term investment.
Costs That Make Room for Growth
Growth is only sustainable if operating costs stay in check. North Carolina’s corporate income tax rate already sits at 2.5%, one of the lowest in the country, and current legislation has it phasing down toward zero over time.
Paired with Brunswick County’s development opportunities and lower costs relative to bigger metro areas, that tax environment tends to free up capital for the things that actually grow a business — expanding a facility, buying equipment, hiring, training, or investing in R&D.
Infrastructure That Keeps Things Moving
Lifestyle gets people to move here. Infrastructure is what lets a business actually run once it’s arrived. Brunswick County has quick access to the Port of Wilmington and the CSX rail line, plus major highway routes like US 17, 74/76, and NC 87. Add in several commercial, regional, and private airports, along with industrial land, megasites, and utilities already set up for development, and the logistics case gets pretty compelling.
For manufacturers and distributors, that adds up to fewer headaches moving goods, reaching suppliers, and serving customers across the Southeast — all without giving up the coastal lifestyle that helps attract talent in the first place.
A Workforce Pipeline Built for What’s Next
Hiring is usually the first worry for any company thinking about expansion. Brunswick County has been working to head that off through partnerships with regional colleges and workforce development programs. The surrounding labor market runs more than 200,000 workers deep, with training pipelines running through Brunswick Community College, Cape Fear Community College, Southeastern Community College, and nearby universities.
It’s less about a company going in alone to find talent and more about tapping into a system that’s already being built with industry needs in mind.
Growth That Reaches Every Industry
Brunswick County’s reputation has largely been built on residential growth, but that expansion ripples outward into nearly every sector. Manufacturers benefit from better logistics and a deeper labor pool. Healthcare providers see a growing patient base. Professional services firms find more businesses and residents to serve. Tech companies find a community that appeals to remote and hybrid employees. Construction stays busy keeping up with demand, and retailers and restaurants benefit as more people move in and spend locally.
Population growth, in other words, doesn’t just fill neighborhoods — it diversifies the local economy.
Working With Brunswick BID
Relocating or expanding a business takes more than finding an available lot. It takes local knowledge, workforce connections, infrastructure guidance, and someone who can help cut through the red tape.
That’s the role Brunswick Business & Industry Development plays. Our team works directly with companies through the site selection process — helping identify properties, connect with state and local resources, coordinate workforce solutions, and simplify the planning that comes with any relocation.
If you’re weighing options for your next expansion or relocation, this is a good time to take a closer look at Brunswick County. Reach out to us today to set up a free consultation.