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Onslow Coastal Alliance (OCA)
Melissa Brandt
Melissa Brandt · CEO@OCANC.com
Emoni Burgess
Emoni Burgess · OPS@OCANC.com
Richlands town center, Onslow County NC
Communities we serve

Richlands

Western Onslow's agricultural and small-business town, 12 miles from Jacksonville.

Richlands anchors western Onslow County with agriculture, agribusiness, and a compact downtown business core. Land costs, NC-24 and NC-258 access, and proximity to both Jacksonville and Albert J. Ellis Airport make it a practical location for agribusiness, light manufacturing, and contractor and trades operations.

Community snapshot
Population
2,287
2020 Census
Land area
1.2 sq mi
U.S. Census Bureau
Distance to Jacksonville
12 miles
Nearest airport
OAJ — 15 min
County labor force
73,271
Onslow County, NC Commerce LAUS, 2025
County average wage
$46,885
BLS QCEW, 2024

Retail and consumer market

Retail format
Downtown core + highway services
Demand drivers
Western Onslow households, agriculture, and commuter traffic
Best fits
Grocery, hardware and farm supply, trades, food processing

Housing market

Market character
Small-town and rural residential
Relative cost
Lowest in the county
Land and housing costs below coastal Onslow
Detailed housing data
On request
Town-level ACS packet available from Onslow Coastal Alliance (OCA)

Workforce and education

Commuter shed
Jacksonville, Kinston, Richlands in 30 minutes
Training partner
Coastal Carolina Community College
Transitioning military
5,000+ per year
Onslow County talent released annually

Competitive assets

  • Agricultural land base with agribusiness and food-processing potential.
  • NC-24 / NC-258 access and 15 minutes to Albert J. Ellis Airport (OAJ).
  • Onslow County Museum and an intact, walkable downtown.
  • Lower land and building costs than the coastal side of the county.

Development opportunities

  • Agribusiness and value-added food production.
  • Light industrial and contractor yards along the highway corridors.
  • Downtown building reuse for small business and professional services.
Official Richlands municipal website

Considering Richlands for a project?

We build custom market packets — demographics, labor sheds, wage data, retail leakage, sites, and incentives — for any Onslow County community, at no cost and in confidence.

Let's talk Sites and industries
Other Onslow communities
Jacksonville Swansboro Holly Ridge North Topsail Beach Surf City

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts (2025 population estimates; ACS 2020–2024 5-year housing, income, and education; 2022 Economic Census retail sales), U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics QCEW (2024 Onslow County average annual wage), and NC Department of Commerce / NCWorks labor force data. Place-level Census detail is published only for communities of 5,000 or more residents; where it is unavailable, this profile shows 2020 Census counts and county context, and Onslow Coastal Alliance (OCA) can compile a full ACS packet on request.