This data is based on ZIP codes 28467, 28468, which covers Calabash and Carolina Shores and Ocean Isle Beach and Sunset Beach.
The U.S. Census reports business data by ZIP code, not city boundaries. All numbers reflect the combined ZIP codes 28467, 28468 area shared across these towns.
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Calabash ZIP Area Economy · 2023
Wages -27% vs. avg. Brunswick Co. town
Calabash's ZIP area supports 2,816 jobs across 280 businesses, with workers earning an average of $34K per year, 27% below the Brunswick County average. The economy is well-diversified (0.90 index), led by retail trade and construction. 87.1% of businesses have fewer than 20 employees, and each business employs an average of 10.1 people. Jobs grew 1% from the prior year while business count grew 1.4%.
Where Businesses Clusteri
Larger blocks have more businesses.
Local Specialization vs. Brunswick Avg.i
Industries sorted by relative concentration in this ZIP area.
Business Size Distributioni
280 businesses by employee count. 87.1% are small businesses (under 20 employees).
Micro (<5)
Small (5-9)
Small (10-19)
Medium (20-49)
Medium (50-99)
Economic Densityi
1.18
jobs per resident
10.1
employees per business
County avg: 11.2-10%
$40K
payroll per resident
$343K
payroll per business
Calabash ZIP Area vs. Avg. Brunswick Co. Towni
All Industries in ZIP Areai
| Sector | Calabash ZIP | Avg. Brunswick Co. | Spec. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Retail Trade | 48 | 99 | 1.0x |
| Construction | 42 | 92 | 1.0x |
| Food & Accommodation | 38 | 69 | 1.2x |
| Real Estate | 32 | 47 | 1.5x |
| Professional Services | 25 | 55 | 1.0x |
| Other Services | 20 | 47 | 0.9x |
| Healthcare | 17 | 53 | 0.7x |
| Admin Services | 15 | 39 | 0.8x |
| Arts & Entertainment | 10 | 13 | 1.6x |
| Finance & Insurance | 9 | 26 | 0.7x |
| Wholesale Trade | 8 | 14 | 1.2x |
| Manufacturing | 3 | 17 | 0.4x |
| Education | 3 | 5 | 1.3x |