Economic Profile

Of the nearly 9,300 residents of Morehead City, approximately 94 percent of them are currently employed. Around half of them commute to work, with an average travel time of around 15 minutes. The most popular occupations are within management, professional and sales positions, and service occupations are notably close behind. Educational, health, and social services is the first leading industry, with the tourism realm of arts, entertainment, recreation, accommodation, and food service industry very close behind. In 2013 the median household income for the area was about $35,000, and the average house value is $214,000. 

Newport's working population makes up about half of its entire residents of about 4,700 people. About half of these worker's commute, with an average travel time of 20 minutes. The most prominent positions held are in management, professional and sales occupations, and positions in construction and maintenance are equally common. The leading industries of the area are evenly spread out in a wide blend of educational and health services, retail trade, the service industry and construction. The average household income is about $40,000, and the standard household is valued around $136,000. 

Carteret County's largest town is also a hotspot for vacationers. A testament to the prosperous tourism business are the leading industries of arts, entertainment, recreation, accommodation and food service, with a large percentile of the working population employed in these areas. Due to the popularity of tourism, there are many chances to be employed within its respective branches, and during the peak vacationing season of roughly April to September, many seasonal jobs are available. 

The median house value in Morehead City in 2013 was an estimated $182,000 with a median gross rental of $662.  There are approximately 4,308  houses in Morehead City with 46% rental homes. Many quality Real Estate companies in Morehead City and surrounding areas exist to meet the supply and demand of this industry.

The North Carolina State Ports Authority was created by the state legislature in 1945. Its mission was to promote a better atmosphere for the development of North Carolina industry by establishing two deep-water ports, thus breaking the state's dependence on ports in Virginia and South Carolina. One of these terminals opened Morehead City in 1952 and is equipped to handle ocean-going vessels. Today, it is a backbone of the North Carolina shipping industry and the mission to enhance the state's economy. Warehousing at the port includes one million square feet of storage, with 100-plus acres of paved storage area and 25 acres of open storage area. The port has rail access to berths, transit sheds, warehouses, and open storage and direct transfer of heavy lift and dimensional loads between vessel and rail or truck. The port's capacity has recently tripled, and more improvements are on the way, making it a leading source of revenue and employment.