Moving to Boiling Spring Lakes, NC: City Guide

Boiling Spring Lakes is a wooded city of lakes in southeastern Brunswick County. It takes its name from a natural spring that state geologists estimate pushes out about 43 million gallons of water a day, and the city counts more than 50 natural and man-made lakes inside its limits. Longleaf pines, swimming beaches, fishing docks and a 6,000-acre nature preserve with Venus flytraps give it a different feel from the beach towns just down the road.

The city suits people who want room to breathe: retirees, remote workers, people with jobs at nearby Southport, Leland or Sunny Point, and anyone who wants a wooded lot for less than a beach-town price, with Southport about 9 miles away and Oak Island about 12. It’s quiet, it’s growing, and it has its own rules about trees and wildlife that newcomers should know. This guide covers the numbers and the local details, from the team behind our Boiling Spring Lakes movers page.

Planning a move to Boiling Spring Lakes? Call our NC & SC team at 910-758-0081 or get your price online.

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Where Is Boiling Spring Lakes, NC?

Boiling Spring Lakes is in Brunswick County, between Wilmington and the southern Brunswick beaches. N.C. 87 runs north and south through the middle of the city, connecting to U.S. 17 toward Wilmington and south to Southport, and N.C. 133 also serves the city, with Fifty Lakes Drive branching off it. The Military Ocean Terminal Sunny Point lies between the city and the Cape Fear River. City Hall is at 9 East Boiling Spring Road.

Road distances from Boiling Spring Lakes, measured with OpenStreetMap routing:

Southport: about 9 miles
Oak Island: about 12 miles
Supply: about 15 miles
Leland: about 16 miles
Downtown Wilmington: about 22 miles
Wilmington International Airport (ILM): about 27 miles
North Myrtle Beach, SC: about 46 miles
Myrtle Beach International Airport (MYR): about 66 miles
Fayetteville: about 97 miles
Raleigh: about 151 miles
Charlotte: about 206 miles

Boiling Spring Lakes Population & Demographics

Boiling Spring Lakes counted 5,943 residents in the 2020 Census, up from 5,372 in 2010 and 2,972 in 2000. The Census Bureau’s 2020–2024 American Community Survey estimates 6,347 people now. The city is younger than Brunswick County as a whole, with a median age of 47.1 versus 56.4, and most homes are owner-occupied. Household incomes and home values run below the county, which is a big part of the draw.

Measure (2020–2024 ACS unless noted)	Boiling Spring Lakes	Brunswick County	North Carolina
Population, 2020 Census	5,943	—	—
Population (ACS estimate)	6,347	152,568	10,730,404
Median age	47.1	56.4	39.1
Median household income	$62,676	$77,024	$72,388
Bachelor’s degree or higher, age 25+	23.6%	34.7%	35.7%
Owner-occupied housing rate	81.6%	84.6%	66.6%
Median home value	$292,300	$349,800	$288,900

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2020–2024 American Community Survey 5-year estimates, via Census Reporter. The city’s income estimate has a margin of error of about $10,400.

Is Boiling Spring Lakes Safe?

We haven’t found a recent, reliable crime rate for Boiling Spring Lakes that we’d be comfortable quoting. The city has its own police department, which takes crime and suspicious-activity reports online and offers residence checks and an “Are You OK?” wellness-check program for residents. For the latest on a particular street, contact the Boiling Spring Lakes Police Department, and take a drive through the neighborhood at different times of day before you commit.

Cost of Living in Boiling Spring Lakes

Boiling Spring Lakes is one of the more affordable ways to live within a short drive of Southport and Oak Island. Housing costs run near the state typical value and well below the Brunswick County typical value.

Home Prices

Zillow’s Home Value Index for Boiling Spring Lakes was $314,963 in August 2026, up 0.4% from $313,592 a year earlier. That compares with $404,783 for Brunswick County, $334,773 for North Carolina and $368,697 for the U.S. The Census Bureau’s survey-based median home value for the city was $292,300 for 2020–2024.

Much of the city is pine forest, and the city has strict rules about removing trees. If you plan to build, add on or clear part of a lot, read the tree rules in our moving tips below before you make an offer.

Rent

The Census Bureau’s median gross rent for Boiling Spring Lakes was $1,385 for 2020–2024, but with a margin of error of about $660, it’s a very rough figure. Zillow doesn’t publish a rent index for the city itself. For the 28461 ZIP code, which the city shares with Southport, Zillow’s Observed Rent Index was $1,723 a month in August 2026, up from $1,692 a year earlier. Brunswick County’s index was $1,734.

Best Neighborhoods in Boiling Spring Lakes

The city is mostly single-family homes spread through the pines, and the best way to think about neighborhoods here is by which lakes and roads you live near.

Around the Big Lake and East Boiling Spring Road

The heart of the city is Patricia Lake, known as the “Big Lake”: 275 acres, 2½ miles long, with 10 miles of shoreline, fed by five springs and Allen’s Creek. City Hall, Robert Muse Memorial Park and Alton Lennon Park are along East Boiling Spring Road. This area suits people who want to be close to city services and parks. Note that the Big Lake and its boat ramp have been closed since Hurricane Florence while the dams are rebuilt.

Fifty Lakes Drive, Mirror Lake and Seminole Lake

Off N.C. 133, Fifty Lakes Drive leads to Mirror Lake Park and Seminole Lake Park, both with small swimming beaches, and to Charles Schneiders Park with its playground and half-court basketball. It’s a quieter, more spread-out part of the city that suits families and anyone who wants a lake beach within walking or biking distance.

Spring Lake and the N.C. 87 Corridor

Spring Lake Park on Pine Road is home to what the city calls its best swimming lake, with a kayak launch, picnic shelters and summer concerts. The Community Center at 1 Leeds Road, with its fitness center and classes, is nearby, and N.C. 87 gives the quickest route to U.S. 17 and Wilmington. It suits commuters and anyone who wants to be close to the main road and the city’s activities.

Weather & Climate

The closest NOAA normals station is Southport 5 N, which sits a few miles southeast of the city. Its 1991–2020 normals put the annual average temperature at 65.0°F. July averages a high of 91.6°F and a low of 72.8°F, and January averages a high of 60.0°F and a low of 35.5°F.

Average rainfall is 54.64 inches a year. September is the wettest month at 8.16 inches, followed by August at 6.77 inches. The Atlantic hurricane season runs June 1 through November 30, and NOAA notes that most storms come in August through October. Hurricane Florence in 2018 damaged roads here and destroyed the dam holding back the Big Lake, a reminder to check flood maps and insurance. The city posts flood maps and floodplain rules on its website.

Best months to move: April (average high 75.8°F) and May (82.5°F), or October (78.9°F) and November (69.9°F). Summer is hot and humid, so plan early starts.

Things to Do in Boiling Spring Lakes

Boiling Spring Lakes Preserve

This preserve covers more than 6,000 acres and is home to the endangered red-cockaded woodpecker, carnivorous plants including the Venus flytrap, orchids and more than 400 plant species. It’s owned by the N.C. Department of Agriculture’s Plant Conservation Program and managed by The Nature Conservancy. The public nature trail starts at the Community Center near N.C. 87, and the preserve is on the N.C. Birding Trail.

The Boiling Spring

The spring that named the city still bubbles up. City history says that when developers built a brick wall around it in 1961, the spring stopped and burst out again about 15 feet away. It was once known as Bouncing Log Spring for a chunk of petrified wood that churned in the water.

Lake Swimming and City Parks

The city runs swimming areas at Spring Lake Park, Mirror Lake Park, Seminole Lake Park and Tate Lake, and tests the water for bacteria through the May–September swimming season. Robert Muse Memorial Park has lighted pickleball and basketball courts, a playground and a walking track, and North Lake Park has a fishing dock where leashed pets are welcome.

Community Center Programs

The Community Center at 1 Leeds Road has a fitness center, adult fitness classes, youth programs and rental space, and it hosts events like the city’s fall festival. It’s the easiest place to meet neighbors.

Southport and Oak Island

Southport’s historic waterfront is about 9 miles away and the beaches of Oak Island are about 12 miles away, close enough for an evening walk on the sand or dinner on the river.

Where to Eat Near Boiling Spring Lakes

Boiling Spring Lakes has a few local spots along N.C. 87, but most residents head to Southport for a sit-down meal. Here are three established places about 9 to 10 miles away.

Provision Company (Southport, Yacht Basin Drive)

A Southport seafood institution since 1993, at 130 Yacht Basin Drive. It’s been named one of the best seafood dives by Coastal Living, Southern Living and USA Today, and it opens daily at 11 a.m. for lunch and dinner.

Fishy Fishy Cafe (Southport, Yacht Basin Drive)

Next door at 106 Yacht Basin Drive, Fishy Fishy serves fresh and fried seafood, Black Angus beef and salads, with indoor and outdoor seating on the water. It doesn’t take reservations, so go early at sunset.

Cape Fear Seafood Company (Southport, J. Swain Boulevard)

This regional seafood restaurant has a Southport location at 5020 J. Swain Boulevard. It’s a sit-down option for shrimp, fish and Southern sides when you want seafood away from the busy waterfront.

Jobs & Economy

Two big federal and utility sites sit near Boiling Spring Lakes. The Military Ocean Terminal Sunny Point, one of the largest military terminals in the world, lies between the city and the Cape Fear River. Opened in 1955 on an Army-owned 8,500-acre site, it moves weapons, ammunition and military equipment between rail, trucks and ships. Duke Energy’s Brunswick Nuclear Plant, with two reactors operating since 1975, sits next to Southport.

Many residents commute to Southport, Leland and Wilmington, about 22 miles away, or work in retail, construction and services around the county. Across Brunswick County, the school system is the largest single employer, and retail trade is the largest industry by employment, with 6,437 jobs in 2023, according to the NC Rural Center.

Schools in Boiling Spring Lakes

Boiling Spring Lakes is served by Brunswick County Schools, which the National Center for Education Statistics reports had 13,561 students in 20 schools in the 2024–2025 school year. Nearby schools include Southport Elementary, South Brunswick Middle and South Brunswick High in Southport, and Bolivia Elementary in Bolivia. Assignments depend on your address, so confirm with the district before you buy.

Brunswick Community College’s main campus is in Bolivia, and its Southport Center is at 701 N. Lord Street in Southport.

Boiling Spring Lakes Quick Facts

County	Brunswick County
ZIP code	28461
Area codes	910, with the 472 overlay
Incorporated	1961
Nearest airports	Wilmington International (ILM), about 27 miles; Myrtle Beach International (MYR), about 66 miles
Main roads	N.C. 87, N.C. 133
Population	5,943 (2020 Census)
Land area	About 24 square miles
Public school district	Brunswick County Schools
Annual average temperature	65.0°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normal, Southport 5 N)

Moving to Boiling Spring Lakes: Tips From Our Crew

Don’t cut trees without a permit. The city requires a permit to remove any tree more than 7.9 inches in diameter at chest height, and removing any pine tree also needs authorization from the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, because the longleaf pines here are red-cockaded woodpecker habitat. If a truck can’t reach your door without clearing, talk to us first. We’ll plan around the trees, not through them.
Tell us about your driveway and lot. Much of the city is wooded, and some homes sit back from the road. Let our Boiling Spring Lakes team know about long drives, tight turns or soft ground when you book so we bring the right truck.
Check the lake and ramp status. The Big Lake and the North Lake ramp have been closed since Hurricane Florence during dam reconstruction, which the city’s engineers estimated would take about three years once contracts are awarded. If you’re moving a boat, ask the city which ramps are open.
Look up your flood zone. The city publishes flood maps and floodplain development rules. Check them, and your insurance, before closing.
Leave room for storm season. From August through October, build a spare day or two into your schedule.
Moving in from out of state? Our long-distance moves come with a binding estimate, your own dedicated truck, the same W-2 crew door to door and a guaranteed delivery date.

Frequently Asked Questions About Moving to Boiling Spring Lakes

How much does it cost to hire movers in Boiling Spring Lakes?

It depends on how much you’re moving, the distance, access to the house and whether you need packing or storage. A long, wooded driveway can change the plan compared with a house on a paved street. For a real number, get a free quote: call 910-758-0081 and an owner will call you back within 15 minutes between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m.

Is Boiling Spring Lakes a city or a town?

It’s a city. It was incorporated in 1961 and covers about 24 square miles, much of it pine forest and lakes. It has its own City Hall, police department, parks and recreation department and Community Center.

Can you swim in the lakes at Boiling Spring Lakes?

Yes, at designated spots. The city operates swimming areas at Spring Lake Park, Mirror Lake Park, Seminole Lake Park and Tate Lake, and tests the water for bacteria from May through September. The city posts any swimming advisories and monthly test results on its website.

How far is Boiling Spring Lakes from the beach?

Oak Island is about 12 road miles away and Southport about 9. Zillow’s typical home value in Boiling Spring Lakes is well below the county’s, which makes the city a more affordable base for beach living.

When is the best time to move to Boiling Spring Lakes?

Spring (April and May) and fall (October and November) have the most comfortable weather. August through October is the peak of hurricane season, and July highs average over 91°F, so summer moves should start early in the day.

Move to Boiling Spring Lakes With A & M Friendly Movers

A & M Friendly Movers has been family-owned since 2015, and our Owner’s Promise is simple: you talk to an owner, not a call center, and if anything is damaged, an owner calls you the same day, with claims resolved in 60 to 90 days. Our crews are background-checked, drug-tested W-2 employees, never subcontractors. We handle local moves, packing, storage and military moves, with 5% off for military families. Visit our Boiling Spring Lakes moving page or call 910-758-0081, and an owner will call you back within 15 minutes.