Surf City
The county's strongest retail-per-capita beach market, spanning Onslow and Pender.
Surf City straddles the Onslow-Pender line and functions as the commercial center of Topsail Island. It posts the highest retail sales per capita of any Onslow municipality and pairs high household incomes with the strongest educational attainment in the beach communities. The Town's adopted 2026–2031 Strategic Plan now directs that growth — pairing an Island Town Center Master Plan and mixed-use placemaking with major utility, transportation, and coastal-resilience investments, and a Council-appointed Economic Development Advisory Committee to guide business growth.
Retail and consumer market
Housing market
Workforce and education
Competitive assets
- High-bridge access to Topsail Island with year-round traffic.
- Island commercial core with the deepest retail base on Topsail.
- Adopted 2026–2031 Strategic Plan — five goal areas, funded key initiatives, and a Council-appointed Economic Development Advisory Committee.
- Surf City Coastal Storm Risk Management (CSRM) project with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers — long-term, engineered oceanfront protection.
- Utility expansion underway — water treatment plant expansion, wastewater capacity planning, and system-wide hydraulic modeling.
- Priority Multi-Use Path segments linking the mainland and the island for pedestrians and cyclists.
- Proximity to the US Highway 17 corridor and 45 minutes to Wilmington.
- Strong household incomes supporting service and specialty retail.
Development opportunities
- Island Town Center Master Plan — a walkable, mixed-use district with clear development standards for retail, dining, entertainment, and residential.
- Year-round retail and restaurant investment supported by resident spending.
- Year-round and shoulder-season tourism programming — events, arts, and inclusive beach access that extend the visitor calendar.
- Small professional, medical, and remote-work office space.
- Hospitality and marine recreation businesses tied to the visitor economy.
Considering Surf City 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.
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.