This data is based on ZIP codes 28443, 28445, which covers Surf City and Holly Ridge and North Topsail Beach and Topsail Beach.
The U.S. Census reports business data by ZIP code, not city boundaries. All numbers reflect the combined ZIP codes 28443, 28445 area shared across these towns.
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Surf City ZIP Area Economy · 2023
Wages -3% vs. avg. Pender Co. town
Surf City's ZIP area supports 7,791 jobs across 1,109 businesses, with workers earning an average of $37K per year, 3% below the Pender County average. The economy is well-diversified (0.88 index), led by construction and retail trade. 91.8% of businesses have fewer than 20 employees, and each business employs an average of 7.0 people. Jobs grew 8.7% from the prior year while business count grew 10.3%.
Where Businesses Clusteri
Larger blocks have more businesses.
Local Specialization vs. Pender Avg.i
Industries sorted by relative concentration in this ZIP area.
Business Size Distributioni
1,109 businesses by employee count. 91.8% 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
1.77
jobs per resident
7.0
employees per business
County avg: 8.4-16%
$66K
payroll per resident
$263K
payroll per business
Surf City ZIP Area vs. Avg. Pender Co. Towni
All Industries in ZIP Areai
| Sector | Surf City ZIP | Avg. Pender Co. | Spec. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Construction | 178 | 47 | 1.0x |
| Retail Trade | 123 | 40 | 0.8x |
| Food & Accommodation | 113 | 36 | 0.8x |
| Professional Services | 96 | 26 | 1.0x |
| Real Estate | 95 | 25 | 1.0x |
| Other Services | 90 | 33 | 0.7x |
| Healthcare | 79 | 28 | 0.8x |
| Admin Services | 78 | 20 | 1.1x |
| Finance & Insurance | 39 | 10 | 1.1x |
| Arts & Entertainment | 26 | 7 | 1.0x |
| Wholesale Trade | 24 | 9 | 0.7x |
| Manufacturing | 21 | 11 | 0.5x |
| Transportation | 16 | 4 | 1.1x |
| Education | 11 | 2 | 1.5x |
| Management | 7 | 1 | 1.9x |
| Information | 4 | 1 | 1.1x |