Military pride, outdoor destinations and future growth in Jacksonville
Home to the U.S. Marine Corps Camp Lejeune and New River Air Station, Jacksonville in Onslow County attracts many military members and their families. Tiffany Kirkpatrick is a Realtor and broker with Keller Williams Innovate who settled in Jacksonville in 2006. “I just love the overall community in Onslow County,” Kirkpatrick says. “I’ve lived in every city in the county, and everybody is just so kind. There’s so much to do for our families. We love being close to the water, but you can also enjoy country living, too.”
Some of North Carolina’s most popular beaches are 20 miles away, and the city has destinations for fishing, boating and exploring the outdoors. Brand-new homes continue to draw even more residents, and the downtown is growing with new businesses and better roads. Jacksonville is a mix of military pride and nature exploration.
Pumpkin Center is surrounded by the history of Jacksonville and Marine Corp Base Camp Lejeune.
Local fishermen from Half Moon have several nearby spots to enjoy in Jacksonville.
Camp Lejeune and its memorials in Jacksonville are only minutes from Pumpkin Center.
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Enlisting in the Marines and on-base employment
The U.S. Marine Corps is the largest employer in Jacksonville, as many people who live in the city moved in after being stationed at Camp Lejeune. Civilians often work for the school district, retail stores or the government. Over 72,000 residents live in Jacksonville, and there will be room for more. Ellis Developments Group plans to build 800 homes in a 168-acre development named Patriot Park. Phase one of the project started in 2024 to fill 205 lots. Once it’s finished, the neighborhood will feature a shopping center and close access to Camp Lejeune and nearby schools.
Downtown Jacksonville is being revamped, following the city’s Downtown Master Plan. The city is also constructing the Carolina Museum of the Marine just north of Lejeune Boulevard. The site will be a 25,000-square-foot immersive and educational experience designed to honor service members, aimed to open in 2026.
Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune has been opened in Jacksonville at the end of WWII.
Just outside of Jacksonville, Marine Corps Air Station New River was the first base to fly the MV-22 Osprey.
The Freedom Fountain, on New Bridge Street, is the gateway to downtown Jacksonville.
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Midcentury homes and new houses close to base
Some neighborhoods in Jacksonville are strictly military housing, like Terrawa Terrace and MCAS New River. “Carolina Plantation and Carolina Forest are highly desirable for the military,” Kirkpatrick says. “There are many others, but those are the prime areas in Jacksonville, it seems. They’re close to schools and shopping, and it’s a short drive to the base.”
Colonial Revivals and New Traditional homes in the north half of the city can sell between $435,000 and $700,000. Most properties were built in the 1950s to late 1980s, featuring ranch-style designs and landing in the $150,000 to $350,000 range. No matter which neighborhood residents live in, houses here often have large yards with tall pine trees. Developers continue to build new townhouses and single-family homes, like those in the growing Towne Point subdivision.
Older Ranch homes make up many of the homes near downtown Jacksonville.
Colonial Revivals are popular in Carolina Forest in the north part of Jacksonville.
Carolina Plantation is a large development in Jacksonville with multiple housing styles including these townhomes.
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Popular nearby beaches and a new park on the way
Anyone who wants to explore the outdoors or go boating has options in Jacksonville. Kirkpatrick highlights North Topsail, Surf City and Emerald Isle beaches, which are about 40 minutes away. Of the 19 available parks, Northeast Creek Park is often the busiest, as it features a boat ramp to New River, a large playground and a professional disc golf course. Jacksonville Commons is a popular recreation complex that holds multiple athletic fields and a mountain bike trail. Visitors at Wilson Bay Park look for the artificial reef built in 2014, which attracts new marine life and has oysters that oxygenate the water, all aimed at improving the environment.
Nearly 20 miles of multiuse trails and greenway paths run along the waterfront, through many of the city’s parks, and past other points of interest. The city also recently acquired 400 acres of land as part of its Recreation and Sports Complex Master Plan to expand opportunities for community recreation, organized sports and tourism-related economic development. City officials have requested the community’s involvement in deciding what this land will be used for, fielding suggestions through mail and online surveys.
Jacksonville residents of Half Moon residents can get to the waters at Emerald Isle in about 45 minutes.
Pickleballers in Jacksonville can access the courts downtown at L.P. Willingham Waterfront Park.
River access is available at Jacksonville Landing on the New River across from downtown Jacksonville.
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Shopping, dining and recreation on Western Boulevard
Grocery stores, the Jacksonville Mall, and chain and locally owned restaurants line Western Boulevard, the city’s primary retail scene. “Western Boulevard is the prime area for our shopping and dining, but our downtown is being revamped,” Kirkpatrick says. “There are a lot of businesses coming in, and the roads have been redone. They’ve been working endlessly to get that done, and they put in new streetlights.”
Riverwalk Park, also downtown, is the site of the Winterfest celebrations and Onslow Oktoberfest. Being Jacksonville is a proud military town, the Veterans Day parade is a highly attended event. Kirkpatrick says how the community supports each other with events like Be the Light in December. “I just did a TV show for Be the Light,” Kirkpatrick says. “It's a nonprofit that started in Onslow County, and they throw a huge Christmas party every year for about 150 foster children. Each child gets five to seven gifts that are donated by the community and a pair of pajamas. It’s a huge event.” Kirkpatrick also points out Mike’s Farm for family-friendly dining and seasonal experiences, including the Festival of Lights Hayride.
The Kettle Diner has been a landmark in Jacksonville since 2001.
Jacksonville Mall is home to over 60 stores with Belk and JC Penney as anchors.
Western Blvd is the main retail corridor in Jacksonville with many big box, national and local retailers.
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Onslow County schools support military families
Onslow County School District serves all of Jacksonville. The district earns a B from Niche and has a Purple Star District status for its commitment to supporting military families. Niche ranks Onslow Early College High School as the best public high school in the county and gives it an A-plus. Onslow Early College is partnered with Coastal Carolina Community College to allow students to graduate with college credits. The Department of Defense Education Activity Schools' Mid-Atlantic District serves students who live on base.
Jacksonville High School serves over 1400 students.
Summersill Elementary School in Jacksonville serves over 500 students.
Coastal Carolina Community College is home to the Onslow Early College for high school seniors.
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Getting around Jacksonville by bus, car or bike
Interstate 17 leads 58 miles south to Wilmington, while Highway 24 runs 40 miles northeast to Emerald Isle. Some marines travel 98 miles down Route 258 for about two hours to Fayetteville for special training at Fort Bragg, the nation’s largest army base. Military members can receive medical care on base, but the city has Onslow Memorial Hospital and Wilmington Healthcare. Albert J. Ellis Airport offers regional flights through Delta and American Airlines to other East Coast destinations.
Jacksonville Station houses city buses and features a stop for Greyhound buses. Cyclists park their cars here before riding down the Rails to Trails Greenway, and the station has a pickup area for taxis and rideshare drivers. Amtrak runs charter buses from Jacksonville Station to nearby train stations, like the one in Wilson. Most places of worship in the city are primarily churches, but there’s also the Masjid al Huda and Congregation Anshei Toras Chesed.
Fitness conscience folks from Piney Green can enjoy numerous outdoor public areas such as Jacksonville Commons Recreation Complex.
Jacksonville, NC is served by several highways such as US-17, NC-24 and US-258.
Jacksonville Station is the central transportation hub for Jacksonville Transit and Greyhound.
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Falling crime rates throughout the city
Being about 20 miles from the coast, Jacksonville is often hit with torrential rain during hurricane season. Usually, hurricanes downgrade to tropical storms by the time they make landfall. Heavy rainfall may cause downtown roads to flood. Camp Lejeune also organizes demolition exercises for marines, and residents can occasionally hear explosions that sound like thunder and feel like earthquakes. The base posts a schedule of noise-generating events on its website two weeks in advance.
The Onslow County Sheriff's Department and Jacksonville Police Department cover Jacksonville. According to reports from the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigations, the city had a 12% decrease in reported violent crimes and a 6% drop in reported nonviolent crimes from 2022 to 2023. Law enforcement and residents participate in Running with the Law, a 5K event at Jacksonville Commons Recreation Complex every July. The event raises money for the Onslow County Special Olympics; over 400 participants ran in 2023.
Written By
Rylee Doyle
Photography Contributed By
Lawrence Hiatt
Video By
Luke Mancari
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