This data is based on ZIP code 28428, which covers Carolina Beach and Kure Beach.
The U.S. Census reports business data by ZIP code, not city boundaries. All numbers reflect the combined ZIP code 28428 area shared across these towns.
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Carolina Beach ZIP Area Economy · 2023
Wages -40% vs. avg. New Hanover Co. town
Carolina Beach's ZIP area supports 2,650 jobs across 339 businesses, with workers earning an average of $33K per year, 40% below the New Hanover County average. The economy is well-diversified (0.89 index), led by food & accommodation and construction. 90% of businesses have fewer than 20 employees, and each business employs an average of 7.8 people. Jobs grew 5.2% from the prior year while business count declined 2%.
Where Businesses Clusteri
Larger blocks have more businesses.
Local Specialization vs. New Hanover Avg.i
Industries sorted by relative concentration in this ZIP area.
Business Size Distributioni
339 businesses by employee count. 90% are small businesses (under 20 employees).
Micro (<5)
Small (5-9)
Small (10-19)
Medium (20-49)
Medium (50-99)
Economic Densityi
0.39
jobs per resident
7.8
employees per business
County avg: 13.6-42%
$13K
payroll per resident
$262K
payroll per business
Carolina Beach ZIP Area vs. Avg. New Hanover Co. Towni
All Industries in ZIP Areai
| Sector | Carolina Beach ZIP | Avg. New Hanover Co. | Spec. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Food & Accommodation | 79 | 280 | 2.3x |
| Construction | 48 | 276 | 1.4x |
| Retail Trade | 40 | 382 | 0.8x |
| Real Estate | 40 | 228 | 1.4x |
| Professional Services | 34 | 354 | 0.8x |
| Other Services | 26 | 234 | 0.9x |
| Healthcare | 18 | 310 | 0.5x |
| Admin Services | 17 | 151 | 0.9x |
| Finance & Insurance | 13 | 169 | 0.6x |
| Wholesale Trade | 10 | 103 | 0.8x |
| Arts & Entertainment | 7 | 56 | 1.0x |
| Manufacturing | 6 | 56 | 0.9x |
| Education | 4 | 34 | 0.9x |