Coastal Facts

o Did You Know that North Carolina:

  • Has a coastal population of over 1.2 million
  • Has a coastal economy of approximately $46 billion in gross domestic product.
  • Is the seventh-longest coastline in the U.S. with 3,375 coastline miles. Approximately 320 miles of the coastline is ocean shoreline of which 112 miles are currently managed (but is anticipated to grow to 163 miles).
  • Has roughly 12,009 miles of estuarine coastline which includes bays, sounds and wetlands.
  • Has a total of 22 inlets of which 14 are managed.
  • Has 4 successfully constructed active federal coastal storm damage reduction (beach nourishment) projects.
  • Has more than 100 species of sea, marsh, wadding, and shorebirds that can be found on the coast throughout the year.

According to Visit NC, In 2024

  • Approximately 40 million person-trips were taken in North Carolina and the state ranked #5 in the U.S. in terms of domestic visitation.
  • Ninety percent of all Coastal Region overnight visitors traveled for leisure purposes, while nine percent came to conduct business.
  • The majority of overnight travelers to the coast in 2024 visited during the summer followed by fall.
  • The party size for the average Coastal Region visitors party was 3.3 in 2024.  39 percent of travel parties included children under the age of 18.
  • The average Coastal Region overnight visitor party trip expenditure was $1,252 in 2024.  In-state overnight travelers spent on average $880 and out-of-state overnight visitors spent $1,370.
  • The top states of origin for overnight visitors to the Coastal Region in 2024 were NC, VA, PA, NY, OH, MD, SC and FL.