Jacksonville, NC: Local News, Events & Neighbors

Jacksonville is the county seat of and the most populous community in Onslow County, North Carolina, which is coterminous with the Jacksonville, NC Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of the 2020 census, the population was 72,723, which makes Jacksonville the 14th-most populous city in North Carolina. Demographically, Jacksonville is the youngest city in the United States, with an average age of 22.8 years old, which can be attributed to the large military presence. The low age may also be in part due to the population drastically increasing over the past 80 years, from 783 in the 1930 census to 72,723 in the 2020 census. It is the home of the United States Marine Corps' Camp Lejeune and New …

Official town website ↗

From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)

How Jacksonville ranks

All →

#4Shortest commute in NC #4Most conserved land in NC #49Lowest obesity in NC All NC rankings →

Town numbers

ZIP code28540, 28541, 28546

Area code910

Living in Jacksonville

Housing in Jacksonville

$263K▲ 3.5% in a year Typical home value · Zillow

The typical Jacksonville home is worth about $263,000, up 3.5% in a year, 21% below the North Carolina typical home.

A seller's market

Buyer’sBalancedSeller’s

Days on market42

Sale-to-list98.4%

Sold in May50

Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data CenterHousing market →

Safety in Jacksonville

—

Not graded

A grade needs all of the FBI's latest years (2023–2025). Jacksonville's police department reported only 2025, so we don't grade it yet. The figures below are still real.

Violent crime per 1,000

Jacksonville 2.3

North Carolina 3.3

U.S. 3.3

Property crime per 1,000

Jacksonville 17.1

North Carolina 18.1

U.S. 15.5

FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to policeCrime & safety →

Health in Jacksonville

Compared with North Carolina

12better than NC·9worse

of 32 measures CDC estimates. The other 11 are too close to call.

Conditions 8▲ 1▼ 3 close Habits 2▲ 1▼ 1 close Care 4▼ 3 close Mind 2▲ 2▼ 1 close Everyday needs 1▼ 3 close

BetterToo close to callWorse

What stands out

3.7%Fewer adults who have had cancerNC 7.9% · better 3.6%Fewer adults with heart diseaseNC 6.6% · better 19.5%More binge drinkersNC 14.7% · worse

Care nearby

Onslow Memorial HospitalJacksonville · 2.4 mi · ER

Goshen Medical Center - New RiverJacksonville · 1.8 mi · sliding-scale fees

Primary careShortage · county-wide

DentalShortage · county-wide

Mental healthShortage · county-wide

CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CDC's estimate for Jacksonville · CMS · HRSAHealth in Jacksonville →

Schools in Jacksonville

All Jacksonville schools →

B

School Grade B

The public schools Jacksonville’s kids attend, from kindergarten through graduation, outperform 56% of North Carolina’s districts on state tests and graduation. Among towns with similar incomes, they rank near the top.

#108Best public schoolsof 252 in NC

DistrictOnslow County SchoolsSchools23

Carolina Forest Elementary B+Elementary · Grades K–5 · 570 students Bell Fork Elementary B-Elementary · Grades K–5 · 551 students Jacksonville Commons Elem C+Elementary · Grades K–5 · 506 students Parkwood Elementary A-Elementary · Grades K–5 · 457 students Northwoods Elementary B-Elementary · Grades K–5 · 439 students Clyde Erwin Elementary C+Elementary · Grades K–5 · 283 students

School data from the U.S. Department of Education (NCES, EDFacts). The School Grade is our own summary of state test results and graduation rates, graded within NC. Ratings are from neighbors.

Famous people from JacksonvilleWriters, athletes, leaders and more who were born in Jacksonville.Meet them →