What commuting reveals about the region

Economic growth and labor market shifts influence areas well beyond job counts as they reshape where people live and work across counties.

This region, which includes Bladen, Brunswick, Columbus, Duplin, New Hanover, Onslow, Pender and Sampson counties, is changing faster than nearly any other part of the country.

Among these counties, New Hanover stands out as a clear exception. In 2022, nearly half of its workforce, approximately 49,000 individuals, commuted into the county from elsewhere, while nearly 29,000 of its residents worked outside the county. This pattern reflects New Hanover’s role as a regional employment center, attracting many workers from surrounding areas while also sending a substantial share of its own residents elsewhere for work. The substantial net inflow of workers into New Hanover distinguishes it from neighboring counties, which tend to function more as residential communities.

Brunswick County, for example, had about 14,000 inbound commuters, representing 47.5% of its workforce, but a considerably larger number of residents – 27,000 – commuted out for work. This suggests that Brunswick currently serves more as a residential base than a job center, although this pattern may evolve as the county continues to pursue economic development opportunities.

Pender County shows a similar but more pronounced imbalance. Approximately 7,000 individuals, nearly 65% of its workforce, lived outside the county, while 17,500 residents commuted elsewhere for employment. These figures point to limited local job availability and a strong reliance on external labor markets.

The remaining five counties also exhibit distinct commuting patterns.

In Bladen County, 76.7% of its workforce, or nearly 8,300 individuals, lived outside the county, while about 7,100 residents commuted out. Duplin County had 63.3% of its workforce, or about 9,300 workers, living outside the county, and nearly 11,000 residents working elsewhere.

Onslow County had a lower share of inbound commuters, with 42%, or 15,00 workers, living outside the county, but a much higher number of residents – almost 28,000 – commuting out. This suggests that Onslow also functions more as a bedroom community. Sampson and Columbus counties follow similar trends. In Sampson, 8,000 people worked in the county but lived elsewhere, while about 13,600 residents commuted out. Columbus County saw 5,500 inbound commuters compared to 12,000 outbound, again reflecting a net outflow of labor.

Taken together, these patterns highlight New Hanover County’s distinct role as a regional employment hub, in contrast to surrounding counties that primarily serve as residential communities with fewer local job opportunities.

These commuting dynamics have important implications for housing affordability, infrastructure planning and regional economic development, as they reflect broader trends in labor market concentration and spatial mismatches between jobs and housing.

Importantly, the interconnectedness of these markets means that housing solutions need to look beyond county borders.

 Mouhcine Guettabi is a regional economist with UNCW’s Swain Center and an associate professor of economics at UNCW’s Cameron School of Business.