The numbers behind an Onslow County project
Labor, wage, demographic, utility, and tax data for site selectors and developers evaluating Onslow County — sourced, dated, and ready to drop into your analysis.
Quick facts
The figures we get asked for most. Every number is attributed — if a source is dated or estimated, we say so rather than round it in our favor.
Labor & Wages
- Onslow County labor force
- 125,300
- Average annual pay, all industries
- $46,885
- Candidates per job opening (region)
- 4:1
- Service members transitioning to civilian careers annually
- 5,000+
- Military and civilian personnel at Camp Lejeune & MCAS New River
- 40,000+
NC Commerce LEAD
BLS QCEW, 2024
NCWorks / Onslow Coastal Alliance (OCA) analysis
Camp Lejeune / MCAS New River
USMC
Tax & Cost Structure
- NC corporate income tax rate
- 2.5%
- Manufacturing machinery & equipment sales tax
- Exempt
- Right-to-work state
- Yes
- Foreign-Trade Zone
- FTZ #214
NC Dept. of Revenue
NC Dept. of Revenue
N.C.G.S. § 95-78
U.S. FTZ Board
Market & Visitor Economy
- Visitor spending, Onslow County (2025)
- $414.7M
- Tourism-supported jobs
- 2,413
- Tourism-generated local tax revenue
- $14.8M
- Consumers within a two-day drive
- 200M+
N.C. Dept. of Commerce / Visit NC
N.C. Dept. of Commerce / Visit NC
N.C. Dept. of Commerce / Visit NC
North Carolina's Southeast
Infrastructure
- Primary highways
- US Highway 17, NC 24 (to I-40 / I-95)
- Commercial air service
- Albert J. Ellis Airport (OAJ)
- Deepwater ports
- Morehead City (45 mi), Wilmington (70 mi)
- Electric providers
- Duke Energy, JOEMC
- Water & sewer
- City of Jacksonville, ONWASA
NCDOT
OAJ
NC Ports
Utility filings
Utility filings
Report library
Reports, studies & official data sources
Marked plainly: available to download now, available on request, or in development. Anything on request comes back within two business days.
Organization & Strategy
How Onslow Coastal Alliance is organized and what we are working toward.
Onslow Coastal Alliance (OCA) Strategic Plan
Available nowOur five-year plan for business recruitment, existing industry retention, workforce development, and economic diversification.
Download PDFAnnual Report & Investor Summary
Available nowProject activity, jobs and investment announced, and program outcomes for FY 2027. Publishing October 2026 — the nine measures we report are already defined and published.
ViewResults & Accountability Scorecard
Available nowThe nine measures we report every year, the county baseline behind them, and documented project outcomes with public sources.
ViewGovernance, Funding & IRS Filings
Available now501(c)(6) status and EIN, board and staff, funding sources, financial summaries, and Form 990 filings for both entities.
ViewLabor Market & Workforce
Employment, wage, and talent supply data for the Onslow labor shed.
Labor Shed Study — 30/45/60 minute drive times
In developmentPopulation, labor force participation, commuting patterns, and occupational supply by drive-time ring.
Ask us for the latestWage & Benefits Benchmarks
On requestOccupational wages by industry for Onslow County, benchmarked against peer coastal markets.
Ask us for the latestBLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages — Onslow County
Available nowOfficial federal employment and average-wage data by industry, updated quarterly.
Open sourceNC Commerce LEAD — county labor market profile
Available nowLabor force, unemployment, industry employment, and projections from the state's official source.
Open sourceCoastal Carolina Community College program completions
Available nowAnnual graduates by program — welding, machining, diesel, aviation, electronics, health sciences.
Open sourceDemographics & Housing
Population, income, education, and housing supply data for the county and each municipality.
Community profiles — all six municipalities
Available nowPopulation, median income, housing, retail, and workforce detail for Jacksonville, Swansboro, Richlands, Holly Ridge, North Topsail Beach, and Surf City.
ViewU.S. Census QuickFacts — Onslow County
Available nowPopulation, age, income, education, and housing estimates from the American Community Survey.
Open sourceNCSE County Demographics — Onslow County
Available nowPopulation, age, income, education, labor force, and housing metrics for Onslow County in a side-by-side regional comparison, compiled by North Carolina's Southeast.
Open sourceHousing Supply & Affordability Assessment
In developmentInventory, permitting activity, price points, and rental supply relative to projected job growth.
Ask us for the latestSites, Buildings & Utilities
Property-level detail for the parcels and buildings we can put in front of a project team.
Industrial site datasheets
Available nowAcreage, zoning, utilities, access, and ownership for Camp Davis III, Lots 14 & 17 and the US Highway 17 outparcel at Camp Davis II, and Jacksonville Business Park.
ViewAvailable buildings inventory
In developmentExisting industrial, office, and flex space with square footage, clear height, dock doors, power, and lease terms.
Ask us for the latestUtility rate & capacity summary
On requestDuke Energy and JOEMC industrial rate schedules, water and sewer capacity in MGD, natural gas line size, and fiber providers by site.
Ask us for the latestPermitting timelines by jurisdiction
In developmentTypical review and approval windows for site plan, building permit, and utility connection in each municipality and the county.
Ask us for the latestIncentives & Tax
What a project can qualify for at the local, state, and federal level.
Incentives overview
Available nowJDIG, One NC Fund, Building Reuse, customized training, local performance-based packages, and FTZ #214.
ViewOpportunity Zone detail
Available nowDesignated tracts in Onslow County and how the federal capital gains deferral works for qualifying investment.
ViewProject-specific incentive model
On requestA side-by-side estimate built for your job count, wage level, capital investment, and timeline.
Ask us for the latestCost-of-doing-business comparison
In developmentOnslow County benchmarked against Wilmington, Hampton Roads, and Charleston on wages, power, land, and taxes.
Ask us for the latestNeed something that isn't here?
Send us the requirement — square footage, power load, headcount, wage target, timeline — and we will build the data set around it: labor availability for your specific occupations, utility capacity at candidate sites, an incentive model, and a permitting timeline. Confidential, and typically back to you within 48 hours.