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Traffic heat map of Brunswick County, North Carolina: 510 miles of roads shaded from blue (light) to red (heavy traffic), busiest on Ocean Highway

Brunswick County, North Carolina Traffic Counts

TrafficZoom tracks traffic on 510 road miles in Brunswick County, North Carolina, divided into 7,066 segments averaging 381 ft. Its busiest road, Ocean Highway, carries 62,286 vehicles a day, 7.4 times the average road. Built from cross-verified mobile and road-sensor data, these counts help you size up a retail site, plan logistics routes or assess infrastructure needs.
Data sourced from TrafficZoom's proprietary analytics platform.
Data current as of:
Q3 2026
Updated:
September 29, 2026
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Total Traffic Volume & Performance in Brunswick County, North Carolina

Traffic

The average number of vehicles that travel each day over any road in the road network.

vehicles per day8,424
Trucks

The percentage of the total traffic volume composed of heavy vehicles.

6.0%
Average travel time

The average time of travel averaged among all vehicles traveling on the road network.

30.5 min
Congestion ratio

The rate at which the actual travel time exceeds free-flow travel time, averaged among all roads in the network.

22.9%
Drivers’ average age

Average age of residents in the geographic areas where the vehicle trips originated.

54.1 yrs
Drivers’ average income

Average income of residents in the geographic areas where the vehicle trips originated.

$75,206

Our data shows 8,424 vehicles per day on the average road in Brunswick County, North Carolina, and 4,580,420 vehicle-miles traveled per day (≈1.7 billion per year) across its 510 miles of monitored roads. About 1 in 17 vehicles is a truck, fewer than the 1 in 11 across North Carolina.

Busier roads than 91% of counties in North Carolina

Brunswick's average daily traffic volume is 33% higher than the state average - 8,424 vehicles per day against 6,332 - suggesting more traffic load per road - more exposure for roadside businesses, and more competition for road space. In total volume terms, its road network carries about 1.7% of North Carolina's statewide total of vehicle-miles. Brunswick carries more traffic than 91% of counties in North Carolina.

Journey times run 6% lower than the state level, at 30.5 minutes on average. 78% of counties in North Carolina have a longer average travel time than Brunswick's 30.5 minutes.

At 23% higher than the state level, the 22.9% congestion ratio signals more pronounced congestion - relevant for traffic control and delivery planning.

Highway vs. Non-Highway Traffic Analysis

highway traffic icon

Highway Traffic in Brunswick County, North Carolina

Trafficvehicles per day15,890
Trucks7.1%
Average travel time40.3 min
Congestion ratio37.2%
Drivers’ average age52.7 yrs
Drivers’ average income$73,667

Travel in Brunswick County, North Carolina splits roughly evenly, with about half of it (47% of vehicle-miles) on highways. The average highway carries 15,890 vehicles per day, 109% more than the average non-highway road in the same area, which carries 7,610 vehicles per day.

With 29% of the road miles (146 miles in 695 segments), highways punch above their length, carrying 2,168,458 vehicle-miles traveled per day (≈791 million per year).

That is more highway travel volume than 84% of counties in North Carolina.

Lower highway truck share than 93% of counties in North Carolina

At 7.1%, highway truck share is 42% lower than the state average. Highways here carry mainly commuter and local trips, with little through freight.

Brunswick's highway truck share (7.1%) is lower than 93% of counties in North Carolina. By raw truck volume, Brunswick carries more highway trucks than 51% of counties in North Carolina.

non-highway traffic icon

Non-highway Traffic in Brunswick County, North Carolina

Trafficvehicles per day7,610
Trucks5.0%
Average travel time29.4 min
Congestion ratio21.3%
Drivers’ average age55.9 yrs
Drivers’ average income$76,221

Travel in Brunswick County, North Carolina splits roughly evenly, with about half of it (53% of vehicle-miles) on local roads. A typical local road sees 7,610 vehicles per day.

Spread over 364 miles and 6,371 segments, 71% of the road network, local roads carry a lighter load per mile: 2,411,961 vehicle-miles traveled per day (≈880 million per year). About 1 in 20 vehicles on non-highway roads is a truck (5.0%).

Older drivers than 90% of counties in North Carolina

Compared to highways, non-highway routes see 29% fewer trucks by share.

Non-highway congestion (21.3%) runs 21% higher than the state average, pointing to slower local traffic flow.

79% of counties in North Carolina see lower average driver income among trip origins than Brunswick. Brunswick's median driver age is higher than 90% of counties in North Carolina.

Time-of-Day & Seasonal Patterns

peak hours icon
Peak Traffic Windows
Weekday peaks:
AM peak 10:00 AM–12:00 PM and PM peak 4:00 PM–6:00 PM, with volumes reaching approximately 77% higher than the daily average.
Weekend traffic:
Weekends are somewhat quieter: volumes run about 14% below weekday levels, the usual weekend dip.
seasonal traffic icon
Seasonal Fluctuation
Busy season:
June–August is the high season, with volumes +11% versus the annual average.
Lowest month:
January is the quietest month, with volumes -16% versus the annual average - the usual winter low.

Data Finding: Hourly & Seasonal Patterns

In Brunswick County, North Carolina, the peak hour concentrates about 7% of the day's traffic, and there is a strong seasonal swing of +11% in high season.

Brunswick County vs. North Carolina Traffic Comparison

Brunswick County's biggest difference from the North Carolina average is its highway truck share, 42% below it. Its average daily traffic per road, by contrast, is 33% above.

MetricBrunswick CountyNorth Carolina averageDifference
Traffic8,4246,332+33.0%
Truck % (Total Traffic)6.0%8.7%-31.6%
Truck % (Highway)7.1%12.1%-41.6%
Avg. Travel Time30.5 min32.3 min-5.6%

How Brunswick County compares

Brunswick County against nearby counties

Compared with its 4 closest neighbours, Brunswick County is 30.3% more congested; it has the second busiest roads of the five. Bigger and busier at once: more road than the areas around it and heavier traffic on it, which makes it the centre of gravity for travel in this part of the map.

Brunswick County and the 4 nearest county-level areas by centroid distance, with the North Carolina average for scale.
AreaAverage daily trafficTruck shareDaily vehicle-milesAverage travel timeCongestion ratio
Brunswick County8,4246.0%4,580,42030.5 min22.9%
New Hanover County, North Carolina11,9605.2%4,535,82630.7 min28.0%
Columbus County, North Carolina4,10710.1%1,870,92343.6 min13.0%
Pender County, North Carolina7,3278.6%2,438,87027.4 min20.0%
Bladen County, North Carolina3,0139.2%1,082,18435.6 min9.3%
North Carolina average6,3328.7%N/A32.3 min18.6%

Brunswick County ranked within North Carolina

Brunswick County sits in the bottom quarter of the North Carolina field on truck share on highways, at #90 of 97.

Brunswick County ranked among 100 county-level areas in North Carolina (1 = highest); measures without data in every county rank a smaller field, down to 97.
MeasureBrunswick CountyNorth Carolina rank
Traffic volume (AADT)8,424#10 of 100
Highway vehicle-miles per day2,168,458#16 of 97
Truck share on highways7.1%#90 of 97
Highway trucks per day1,122#48 of 97
Average travel time30.5 min#78 of 100
Average driver income$75,206#22 of 100
Average driver age54.1 yrs#11 of 100

The two ends of this table sit far apart: #10 of 100 on average daily traffic volume, against #90 of 97 on truck share on highways.

Busiest roads in Brunswick County, North Carolina

On their busiest stretches, the three busiest roads in Brunswick County carry 50,030 vehicles a day on average, 5.9 times the typical road in the county (8,424).

Ocean Highway is the busiest road, at 62,286 vehicles a day, 3,484 of them trucks (5.6%). Cape Fear Memorial Bridge carries the most trucks, 3,716 a day (6.3% of its traffic), although it ranks #2 for all traffic.

Wilmington Bypass carries longer journeys than most roads here, with a median trip of 51.2 minutes against 30.5 county-wide.

Trucks make up 12.3% of traffic on Wilmington Bypass, against 6.0% across all roads in the county.

Drivers on Lake Park Boulevard are noticeably younger, with a median age of 45.7 against 54.1 across the county.

Ranked by daily traffic (AADT)

Cars and light vehiclesTrucks
1Ocean HighwayMotorway · 62,286vehicles3,484trucks · 5.6%
Road class
Motorway
Congestion ratio
78.9%
Median trip time
34.8 min
Drivers’ median age
48.7 yrs
Drivers’ average income
$78,246

Ocean Highway is one of the more congested roads here: trips take 79% longer than at free-flow speed, against 23% county-wide.

2Cape Fear Memorial BridgeMotorway · 59,094vehicles3,716trucks · 6.3%
Road class
Motorway
Congestion ratio
73.2%
Median trip time
34.0 min
Drivers’ median age
48.4 yrs
Drivers’ average income
$77,247

Delays build on Cape Fear Memorial Bridge: its congestion ratio of 73% over free-flow time is well above the county's 23%.

3Lake Park BoulevardTrunk road · 28,710vehicles1,090trucks · 3.8%
Road class
Trunk road
Median trip time
28.8 min
Drivers’ median age
45.7 yrs
Drivers’ average income
$88,751

On its busiest stretch, Lake Park Boulevard carries 3.4 times the county average; trucks are 3.8% of it, below the county-wide 6.0%.

4Carolina Beach RoadTrunk road · 28,026vehicles1,068trucks · 3.8%
Road class
Trunk road
Congestion ratio
34.1%
Median trip time
31.6 min
Drivers’ median age
45.9 yrs
Drivers’ average income
$88,054

Carolina Beach Road peaks at 28,026 vehicles a day, 3.3 times the county average; trucks are 3.8% of it, below the county-wide 6.0%.

5Andrew Jackson HighwayMotorway · 26,872vehicles1,696trucks · 6.3%
Road class
Motorway
Congestion ratio
27.9%
Median trip time
38.2 min
Drivers’ median age
47.7 yrs
Drivers’ average income
$77,305

Andrew Jackson Highway carries 3.2 times the county average at its busiest, 1,696 of them trucks (6.3%, above the county-wide 6.0%).

Ranked by trucks per day

Cars and light vehiclesTrucks
1Cape Fear Memorial BridgeMotorway · #2 by traffic59,094vehicles3,716trucks · 6.3%
2Ocean HighwayMotorway · #1 by traffic62,286vehicles3,484trucks · 5.6%
3Wilmington BypassMotorway · 14,124vehicles1,744trucks · 12.3%
Road class
Motorway
Congestion ratio
13.7%
Median trip time
51.2 min
Drivers’ median age
50.3 yrs
Drivers’ average income
$75,790

Wilmington Bypass peaks at 14,124 vehicles a day, 68% more than the county average; trucks are 12.3% of it, above the county-wide 6.0%.

4Andrew Jackson HighwayMotorway · #5 by traffic26,872vehicles1,696trucks · 6.3%
5River Road SoutheastPrimary road · 20,062vehicles1,133trucks · 5.7%
Road class
Primary road
Congestion ratio
47.6%
Median trip time
49.8 min
Drivers’ median age
56.4 yrs
Drivers’ average income
$75,851

Drivers on River Road Southeast are on long journeys, a median 49.8 minutes against 30.5 county-wide: a through route more than a local street.

How to read these road counts
  • The first number is AADT, annual average daily traffic: the vehicles passing a point on an average day, both directions combined and trucks included. On a divided highway both carriageways are added together.
  • Traffic changes along a road, with more near interchanges and towns and less in open country. Every figure for a road describes its busiest stretch in the county, so the two rankings show the same numbers for the same road.
  • The second number is the trucks on that stretch, a part of its AADT. The bar splits the AADT into cars and light vehicles (blue) and trucks (amber).
  • See segment-level AADT for any road on TrafficZoom.

Data Sources & Methodology

The data presented on this page is derived from TrafficZoom's proprietary analytics platform, which aggregates and normalizes information from multiple sources, including:

Mobile device location data (anonymized and aggregated)

Road sensor networks and traffic counters

Historical traffic pattern databases

Public traffic count programs published by the

BrunswickDepartment of Transportation

Demographic Baseline for O-D Modeling

U.S. Census Bureau
All metrics represent estimates based on statistical modeling and are intended for strategic planning purposes.
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Data current as of:
Q3 2026

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Counties near Brunswick County

The same traffic breakdown for the areas closest to Brunswick County, North Carolina.

Need segment-level traffic data?

Identify traffic patterns street by street and analyze the exact corridors that matter to your project.