SOUTHEAST N.C. — The numbers are in and once again Southeast North Carolina continues to be one of the fastest growing regions in the state according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
Brunswick County is once again the fastest growing county in the state, according to the report, between 2010 and July 2017 Brunswick County’s population increased by 21.8 percent, or by 23,466 people.
Pender County took the fourth-place spot with a 16.7 percent increase in the same length of time. New Hanover County ranked 12th, with a 12 percent increase in population from 2010-2017.
According to the Census Bureau report, “There were 10.3 million people in North Carolina as of July 1, 2017. North Carolina remains the 9th largest state in the nation and experienced the 5th largest numeric change between April 1, 2010 and July 1, 2017.”
In the United States, Brunswick County’s metro area, which includes Myrtle Beach and Conway, was the second fastest growing area in the country. According to a recent study, the growth in Brunswick County is made up of predominantly non-native residents, meaning they have moved to North Carolina from another state or country.
Despite having some of the fastest growing populations, Southeastern N.C. counties are relatively less populated than other counties in the state.
Both Wake County and Mecklenburg County have populations of more than 1 million, while Brunswick, New Hanover, and Pender together remain less than 500,000.
