This data is based on ZIP codes 28512, 28516, 28557, 28570, which covers Morehead City and Atlantic Beach and Beaufort and Bogue and Indian Beach and Newport and Pine Knoll Shores.
The U.S. Census reports business data by ZIP code, not city boundaries. All numbers reflect the combined ZIP codes 28512, 28516, 28557, 28570 area shared across these towns.
Showing latest year snapshot. Full economic history and trends available with a paid plan. See products & pricing →
Morehead City ZIP Area Economy · 2023
Wages +12% vs. avg. Carteret Co. town
Morehead City's ZIP area supports 17,949 jobs across 1,750 businesses, with workers earning an average of $44K per year, 12% above the Carteret County average. The economy is well-diversified (0.87 index), led by retail trade and construction. 88.7% of businesses have fewer than 20 employees, and each business employs an average of 10.3 people. Jobs grew 3.5% from the prior year while business count grew 2.5%.
Where Businesses Clusteri
Larger blocks have more businesses.
Local Specialization vs. Carteret Avg.i
Industries sorted by relative concentration in this ZIP area.
Business Size Distributioni
1,750 businesses by employee count. 88.7% are small businesses (under 20 employees).
Micro (<5)
Small (5-9)
Small (10-19)
Medium (20-49)
Medium (50-99)
Large (100-249)
Economic Densityi
1.83
jobs per resident
10.3
employees per business
County avg: 9.5+8%
$80K
payroll per resident
$451K
payroll per business
Morehead City ZIP Area vs. Avg. Carteret Co. Towni
All Industries in ZIP Areai
| Sector | Morehead City ZIP | Avg. Carteret Co. | Spec. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Retail Trade | 283 | 84 | 0.9x |
| Construction | 230 | 71 | 0.9x |
| Food & Accommodation | 201 | 65 | 0.8x |
| Other Services | 181 | 47 | 1.0x |
| Healthcare | 165 | 35 | 1.3x |
| Professional Services | 143 | 38 | 1.0x |
| Real Estate | 98 | 31 | 0.9x |
| Admin Services | 83 | 31 | 0.7x |
| Finance & Insurance | 83 | 18 | 1.2x |
| Manufacturing | 52 | 11 | 1.3x |
| Transportation | 47 | 11 | 1.2x |
| Wholesale Trade | 46 | 12 | 1.0x |
| Arts & Entertainment | 40 | 10 | 1.1x |
| Information | 21 | 5 | 1.1x |
| Education | 10 | 3 | 0.9x |
| Management | 6 | 1 | 1.6x |
| Utilities | 4 | 1 | 1.1x |