Brunswick County ranks #1
SOUTHEASTERN N.C. — Growth has been on a steady uptick in Brunswick County in the last decade, as locals have seen firsthand by the amount of new developments popping up region-wide. Now, one nationwide media company that ranks and analyzes consumer behavior has solidified the coastal area’s popularity in a new report.
Last month, U.S. News and World Report published its “2025 Relocation Map: America’s Most Desirable Cities, States and Counties to Move to.” It looked at online searches and ratio trends of people moving in and out of states to inform its data.
Brunswick County came in as the top choice for the highest desirable location, with the South featured across the board as a top destination to relocate. North Carolina counties ranked 11 out of the top 50; four were in the top 10, with New Hanover County tracking at #24.
Florida had eight counties on the list and Texas came in with seven. The state of North Carolina, overall, was fourth as the most sought-after to move to, with South Carolina ticking up to #1.
The report explains the region’s mild climate, affordability and retirement friendliness makes North Carolina’s coastal areas appealing. Also, there are more outdoor activities available year-round that generate better well-being.
The first and third place cities on the list are located less than 100 miles away — just across the border in Conway and Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, respectively. However, locally, some of the region’s most desired cities also were highlighted in the U.S. News and World Report.
New Hanover County’s Wilmington landed at #24 and Brunswick County’s largest city, Leland, was #12. After a 17% tax increase two years ago, the town of Leland announced Friday it is looking to decrease its property tax rate by 7% this year, adding to its affordability appeal. If approved, it would go from 27 to 25 cents per $100 of value — so a property owner with the average home price of $375,000 would pay $937 annually instead of $1,012.
The high cost of living in the report’s bottom-tier states — including Connecticut, Maryland, New York, New Jersey and Massachusetts — are among the drivers of population shifts to the South. Housing affordability is particularly burdensome in areas like Washington D.C. with double the home price’s national average — currently, anywhere between $400,000 to $415,000, according to the National Association of Realtors.
The U.S. News and World Report also points to states like California having high income tax rates, at 13.3%, making cost of living more difficult. The state income tax in North Carolina dropped to 3.99% in January 2026.
The report’s findings likely won’t come as a surprise to many who live in the region, as Wilmington and surrounding areas have trended on similar migration lists for years. Brunswick County remains the fastest growing in North Carolina, according to the state Office of State Budget and Management, and between April 2020 and July 2024 experienced a population growth of 24%.
*This excerpt was published by www.portcitydaily.com. Data source U.S. News and World Report.