HomeNorth CarolinaBeaufort County
Beaufort County, North Carolina: commercial real estate data.
Beaufort County, North Carolina had an estimated 44,576 residents on July 1, 2024, down 0.2 percent since the 2020 census base of 44,651, across 827 square miles. County output reached $2.37 bn in 2024, 1,138 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 32 7(a) approvals worth $29.4 m since FY2020.
Underlined figures are computed by MMCG Analytics, not published by the agency.
Beaufort County
How many people live in Beaufort County
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202444,499
- Households19,385
- Average household size2.30
- Median household income$58,357
- Median age47.7
- Median gross rent$871 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$192,700
- Home value to household income3.3 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income17.9 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher21.2 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree7.1 percent
- Adults 25 and over32,768
- Population under 188,515
- Share under 1819.1 percent
- Population 65 and over11,412
- Share 65 and over25.6 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 6424,572
- Civilian labor force20,400
- Unemployment rate3.9 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over56.7 percent
- Rank by population among North Carolina counties57th of 100
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents, Puerto Rico included1107th of 3,222
Beaufort County is the 57th largest of 100 North Carolina counties by population. A median home costs 3.3 times median household income, which is moderately unaffordable by national standards. Residents 65 and over outnumber those under 18, at 25.6 percent against 19.1 percent, which points demand at health care, services and single story product rather than schools.
US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Beaufort County
Is Beaufort County's population growing?
- Population, July 1, 202444,576
- Census 2020 base population44,651
- Population change since the 2020 census base-0.17 percent
- Population change, 2023 to 2024166
- Births, 2024430
- Deaths, 2024640
- Natural change, 2024-210
- Net domestic migration, 2024377
- Net international migration, 2024-3
- Total net migration, 2024374
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 2024921
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents1904th of 3,144
The county has lost 0.17 percent of its population since the 2020 census base. Deaths exceeded births in 2024 and the population still grew, so all of the growth came from people moving in. A market held up by migration is more sensitive to a change in relative cost than one growing from household formation.
US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
Beaufort County
Where are people moving to Beaufort County from?
- Tax returns filed by households arriving1,150
- People arriving, from those returns2,147
- Tax returns filed by households leaving1,077
- Net household movement73
- Adjusted gross income arriving$74.1 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$17.9 m
- Average income of an arriving household$64,449
- Average income of a leaving household$52,201
- Largest single originPitt County (277 households)
- Largest single destinationPitt County (286 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pitt County | 277 | 536 | $15.9 m |
| Wake County | 54 | 103 | $5.7 m |
| Craven County | 47 | 105 | $2.3 m |
| Martin County | 42 | 81 | $1.6 m |
| Pamlico County | 24 | 39 | $876,000 |
Households arriving report $12,248 more average income than households leaving, so the migration is raising local spending power rather than just moving it around. The largest single source of arrivals is Pitt County, which is the catchment a retail or multifamily study should look at first.
US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Beaufort County
What is the Beaufort County economy?
- County GDP, 2024$2.37 bn
- County GDP, 2023$2.25 bn
- GDP change, 2023 to 20245.5 percent
- GDP change over five years27.6 percent
- Rank by GDP among the North Carolina areas BEA publishes55th of 100
- Rank by GDP among the US county areas BEA publishes1142nd of 3,127
- GDP per resident$53,241
Output grew 5.5 percent in the latest year and 27.6 percent over five, which is the trend line a lender will read behind any single year figure.
US Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional, table CAGDP2, CAGDP2, through 2024.
Beaufort County
Employment by industry in Beaufort County
- Covered employment, annual average15,848
- Establishments reporting1,350
- Average annual pay$50,313
- Average weekly wage$968
- Manufacturing, employment2,235
- Manufacturing, average annual pay$79,741
- Retail trade, employment2,097
- Retail trade, average annual pay$32,640
- Health care and social assistance, employment1,569
- Health care and social assistance, average annual pay$39,822
- Accommodation and food services, employment1,422
- Accommodation and food services, average annual pay$19,220
- Construction, employment1,061
- Wholesale trade, employment1,010
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 2,235 | 51 | $79,741 |
| Retail trade | 2,097 | 175 | $32,640 |
| Health care and social assistance | 1,569 | 123 | $39,822 |
| Accommodation and food services | 1,422 | 98 | $19,220 |
| Construction | 1,061 | 122 | $70,568 |
| Wholesale trade | 1,010 | 70 | $57,760 |
| Administrative and support and waste management services | 932 | 66 | $44,516 |
| Professional, scientific and technical services | 454 | 131 | $62,844 |
Manufacturing is the largest private sector at 2,235 jobs, 14.1 percent of covered employment.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Beaufort County
How many businesses are in Beaufort County?
- Establishments, all industries1,138
- Employment at those establishments13,893
- Annual payroll$644.7 m
- Establishments per 1,000 residents25.6
These are counts of establishments physically operating in the county, not listings, so they are the supply side a feasibility study measures demand against. County Business Patterns counts private establishments with paid employees in March 2023, while the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages above counts every unemployment-insured employer, public ones included, as a 2024 annual average, so the two establishment and employment counts differ.
US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
Beaufort County
Building permits in Beaufort County
- Housing units authorized by permit, 2024216
- Declared construction value permitted$41.1 m
- Single family units authorized216
- Multifamily units authorized0
- Multifamily share of units0.0 percent
- Average declared value per unit$190,417
- Units authorized per 1,000 households11.1
Single-family homes are 100.0 percent of units authorized, so the pipeline is predominantly single-family.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
Beaufort County
SBA loans in Beaufort County (7(a) and 504)
- 7(a) approvals recorded32
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$29.4 m
- Average 7(a) approval$919,638
- Median 7(a) approval$555,400
- 10th percentile approval$40,570
- 90th percentile approval$2,651,900
- Largest single approval$5,000,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)544
- Jobs per approval17.0
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active16
- Distinct industries receiving approvals19
- Median 7(a) term120 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer25.0 percent
- Loans on real estate terms8
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter21
- Franchise loans6
- Franchise share of approvals18.8 percent
- Leading industry by approval countResidential Remodelers (5)
- Most active lenderFirst Bank (6)
- 504 approvals recorded2
- 504 gross approval dollars$534,000
- Average 504 approval$267,000
- Median 504 approval$267,000
- Distinct CDCs active1
- 504 jobs per approval11.5
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved43.1
- Combined SBA approval dollars, 7(a) FY2020 to FY2026 and 504 FY2010 to FY2026$30.0 m
The average approval of $919,638 sits well above the median of $555,400, pulled up by a few larger deals, so the median is the better guide to what a typical borrower here gets. Only 25.0 percent of approvals run on real estate terms, so SBA credit here is mostly working capital and equipment rather than property acquisition.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30. US Small Business Administration, 504 FOIA release, FY2010 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Beaufort County
SBA loan default and charge-off rates in Beaufort County
Do SBA loans in Beaufort County get paid back?
- Loans with a final outcome recorded8
- Paid in full8
- Charged off0
- Status: Paid in full8
- Status: Exempt from disclosure18
- Status: Cancelled4
- Status: Committed, not yet disbursed2
Only 8 loans have reached a final outcome, fewer than the 30 a charge-off rate needs, so no rate is published.
Compare against the national and state SBA charge-off rates, computed the same way over resolved loans only.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Beaufort County
SBA lending by place in Beaufort County
- Borrower cities with recorded lending4
- Washington, approvals23
- Belhaven, approvals4
- Pantego, approvals3
- Chocowinity, approvals2
| Borrower city | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| Washington | 23 | $23,320,000 |
| Belhaven | 4 | $4,580,900 |
| Pantego | 3 | $412,500 |
| Chocowinity | 2 | $1,115,000 |
Washington accounts for 23 approvals against 4 in Belhaven. County level figures average over that gap, which is why a site decision is made at the submarket rather than the county.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Beaufort County
How large is Beaufort County?
- Land area827 sq mi
- Rank by land area among North Carolina counties8th of 100
- Width, east to west40.8 mi
- Height, north to south35.7 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary6
- Residents per square mile of land54
- Establishments per square mile1.38
US Census Bureau county boundary geometry, TIGER, adjacency computed from shared boundary vertices, TIGER county boundaries. US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year. US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
Beaufort County
Flood risk in Beaufort County
- Participation of the county's own NFIP community Beaufort County, unincorporated areasParticipating, community 370013
- Communities in the county in the NFIP Community Status Book8
- Of those, participating in the NFIP8
- NFIP participation rate100.0 percent
- Best Community Rating System class in the county A lower CRS class is a larger flood insurance premium discount.Class 7
- Communities carrying a CRS class3
- Radon levels in Beaufort County, EPA zone predicted average indoor radon screening level less than 2 pCi/LZone 3
The county's own community in the status book, unincorporated Beaufort County (community 370013), participates in the National Flood Insurance Program and carries no Community Rating System class, so no CRS premium discount applies there. The EPA places Beaufort County in radon zone 3, a predicted average indoor radon screening level less than 2 pCi/L. The zone is a screening prediction for the county and does not substitute for a test at an address. The best Community Rating System class among the county's communities is 7, which carries a flood insurance premium discount for policies written in that community. 100.0 percent of the county's listed communities participate in the National Flood Insurance Program, per Federal Emergency Management Agency, NFIP Community Status Book (OpenFEMA), as of 2026-09-26.
Federal Emergency Management Agency, NFIP Community Status Book (OpenFEMA), as of 2026-09-26. US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001.
Coverage
What this page does not hold.
Traffic counts, zoning and the flood zone at an address are not on this page; they resolve at the address in the platform. How this page was built →
Feasibility studies
When a Beaufort County site needs a document a lender will accept.
The same data layer behind this page is the one the studies are written from. A study for a Beaufort County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202444,499
- Households19,385
- Average household size2.30
- Median household income$58,357
- Median age47.7
Common questions
Beaufort County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Beaufort County, North Carolina?
The Census Bureau estimates 44,576 residents on July 1, 2024 (US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024). The American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimate is 44,499, in 19,385 households, ranking 57th of 100 North Carolina counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Beaufort County's population growing?
The population has fallen 0.17 percent since the 2020 census base of 44,651, to 44,576 on July 1, 2024. In 2024 there were 430 births against 640 deaths, with net migration of 374. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Beaufort County?
$58,357. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $192,700, which is 3.3 times income, and median gross rent is $871 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are in Beaufort County?
1,138 establishments, employing 13,893 people with an annual payroll of $644.7 m. These are establishments physically operating in the county, not listings. Source: US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
What is employment by industry in Beaufort County?
Manufacturing is the largest private sector at 2,235 jobs, 14.1 percent of covered employment. Covered employment averages 15,848 jobs at an average annual pay of $50,313, or $968 a week. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Beaufort County?
32 7(a) approvals totaling $29.4 m since FY2020, across 16 lenders, with a median approval of $555,400, plus 2 504 approvals worth $534,000 since FY2010. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
How many building permits were issued in Beaufort County?
216 housing units were authorized by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $41.1 m. Multifamily was 0.0 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Beaufort County?
Zone 3, a predicted average indoor radon screening level less than 2 pCi/L. Source: US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001.
Where do people moving to Beaufort County come from?
The largest single origin is Pitt County, with 277 households. Arriving households report an average income of $64,449 against $52,201 for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for Beaufort County on this page?
No. Annual average daily traffic resolves in the platform rather than in this dataset, so no AADT figure is printed here. It is a gap we know about rather than a figure we estimated.
Is zoning published for Beaufort County?
No. Nothing on this page presents parcel level zoning, and where a statutory framework applies it is marked as the statewide frame, to be confirmed locally.
Beaufort County
Cities and places in Beaufort.
11 Census places lie wholly or partly in Beaufort County. All 11 carry enough published place level data for a page of their own and are linked.
| Place | Type | Population | SBA 7(a) approvals, projects in this county | Lies in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Washington | city | 9,726 | 23 | Wholly in this county |
| River Road | CDP | 3,366 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Belhaven | town | 1,577 | 4 | Wholly in this county |
| Cypress Landing | CDP | 1,044 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Chocowinity | town | 903 | 2 | Wholly in this county |
| Aurora | town | 560 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Pantego | town | 493 | 3 | Wholly in this county |
| Washington Park | town | 456 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Bath | town | 391 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Bayview | CDP | 253 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Pinetown | CDP | 19 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |