(The Center Square) – Brunswick County along the coast is North Carolina’s fastest growing county since the outset of COVID-19, according to an October report from the Office of State Budget and Management.
Bordered by the Atlantic Ocean, South Carolina, and the trio of New Hanover, Columbus and Pender counties, Brunswick grew by 33,000 in the analyzation of measurements from April 1, 2020, to July 1, 2024 – the latest time period available. Since 2004, the county has doubled in size, going from 84,000 to 169,000.
Coastal counties are big gainers this decade. Currituck (15.8%), Pender (14.2%) and New Hanover (8.5%) were also significant gainers along the water. Others across the state with significant percentage increases were Franklin (17.4%), Johnston (14.5%), Union (11.9%), Iredell (11.3%), Lincoln (10.8%) and Moore (10.2%).
North Carolina is the nation’s ninth largest state at an estimated 11.1 million. The population was 10.4 million in April 2020. The state is regularly on lists showing growth through migration, usually behind Florida and Texas, respectively.
Seventy-two of 100 counties grew between April 2020 and July 2024.
Wake (1.2 million), Mecklenburg (1.1 million), Guilford (555,000), Forsyth (399,000), Durham (343,000) and Cumberland (341,000) are the leading half dozen counties in population. The top 10 is rounded out by Buncombe (279,000), Union (266,000), Johnston (247,000) and Cabarrus (246,000).
Tyrrell is the smallest at 3,477. Also below 10,000 are Hyde (4,626), Graham (7,966), Jones (9,317) and Gates (9,982).
Hertford County along the Virginia border in the northeastern part of the state had the largest percentage decline in the time measured. The county lost nearly 2,400 residents to roughly 19,000, a drop of 11.1%. Next largest percentage decrease was neighboring Bertie County (6.4% decline, to 16,670).
