St. James is a town in Brunswick County, North Carolina, home to about 7,072 people across 9.1 square miles. Its ZIP code is 28461.
Homes sold for a median of $247 per square foot in the three months ending August 2026, a balanced market.
Mostly St. James; also Boiling Spring Lakes and Southport
Each card is that ZIP code’s whole market, including any part outside St. James. Seller’s market: under 4 months of supply; buyer’s market: over 6. Methodology
We’re writing up St. James’s story and what everyday life there is like, for people thinking about moving in.
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| Nearest major airport | Myrtle Beach International Airport (MYR)55 miles away |
|---|---|
| Closer regional airport | Wilmington International Airport (ILM)22 miles away |
| Nearest city of 250,000+ | Raleigh, NC133 miles away |
| Nearest city of 1 million+ | Philadelphia, PA447 miles away |
Straight-line distances from the center of St. James; driving is longer.
Source: Airports from OurAirports (scheduled passenger service); city centers and populations from the U.S. Census Bureau.
Source: Members of Congress from the congress-legislators project; districts from the Census Bureau’s relationship files; governor and mayor from Wikidata.
St. James had 6,529 residents in the 2020 census, up 712% since 2000.
It’s the 133rd largest of 771 towns in North Carolina by population.
Brunswick County grew from 12,657 residents in 1900 to 136,693 in 2020.
Brunswick County, 1900–2020
Source: U.S. Census Bureau decennial censuses (counties 1900–1990 from the Bureau’s historical county file).
Average highs peak around 92°F in summer, and winter lows average 36°F. About 54.6 inches of rain and melted snow fall in a typical year.
Source: NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals, Southport 5 N, NC weather station (3 miles away).
33,646 jobs at 3,093 businesses in Brunswick County. The biggest industries by employees:
Source: U.S. Census Bureau County Business Patterns 2023 (private employers; jobs counted where people work).
201 doctors and other health care providers list an office in St. James.
Nearest hospitals
Providers with an office here
| Primary care doctors | 29 |
|---|---|
| Specialist doctors | 24 |
| Dentists | 7 |
| Nurse practitioners and physician assistants | 33 |
| Mental health providers | 35 |
| Physical and occupational therapists | 61 |
| Optometrists | 5 |
| Chiropractors | 7 |
| Pharmacies | 10 |
Source: Hospitals from CMS Hospital General Information (ratings are CMS overall star ratings); straight-line distances; providers from the CMS National Plan and Provider Enumeration System (NPPES), by practice address and primary specialty.
Parks (1 nearby)
Grocery stores (3 nearby)
Pharmacies (2 nearby)
Libraries
Museums
Counts are within about 2 miles of the center of town.
Source: Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors (openstreetmap.org/copyright), as mapped by volunteers; it can miss places or include closed ones.
Public schools here are run by Brunswick County Schools. Check each district’s attendance zones for a specific address.
| School | Grades | Students | Type | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Southport ElementarySouthport | K–5 | 413 | Public | 2.8 mi |
| South Brunswick MiddleSouthport | 6–8 | 585 | Public | 3.1 mi |
| South Brunswick HighSouthport | 9–12 | 1,154 | Public | 3.2 mi |
| School | Grades | Students | Affiliation | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Southport Christian SchoolSouthport | Pre-K–12 | 163 | Christian (no specific denomination) | 2.2 mi |
Source: U.S. Department of Education, NCES: Common Core of Data (2024-2025) for public schools; Private School Universe Survey (2023-2024) for private schools. Listed by address; we don’t rate schools.
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Shares ZIP codes with Boiling Spring Lakes, Southport, Oak Island and Bald Head Island.
Town boundaries don’t always match ZIP codes: a ZIP code can cross into neighboring towns, and a town can share a ZIP code with its neighbors. Facts describe the town itself; market figures describe whole ZIP codes.