Shallotte was named for the Shallotte River, which runs through the town. Located midway between Wilmington and Myrtle Beach and within 10 minutes of the beaches, the town of Shallotte is best known as the commercial center of the county. You will find shopping malls with nationally known stores, restaurants, grocery stores and professional offices, most of which are located on the main thoroughfare, U.S. 17 Business. The Brunswick County Chamber of Commerce is headquartered in Shallotte and can provide any information you may need about the South Brunswick Islands and the inland area. The town has a year-round population of approximately 1,700. Housing developments include Rivers Edge Golf Club and Plantation, Brierwood Estates, Marsh Cove, Old Shallotte, River Heights, Mulberry Creek, Copas Shores, The Highlands, Wildwood Village, Woodside Farms, Rutledge and Woodsong, a stewardship development. Real estate prices range from $144,900 to more than $1 million, depending on age, size and location.

Brunswick County is the 14th fastest growing county in the nation and, with 19 municipalities, has more municipalities than any other North Carolina county. Leland, just across the Cape Fear River from Wilmington, is one of the fastest growing communities in southeastern North Carolina. In 2004 the town doubled its size by annexing Brunswick Forest, a 4,900-acre tract. A U.S. Highway 17 by-pass is planned, which will allow access to the town directly from Interstate 40 without the need to travel through Wilmington. These changes are expected to swell the population from its current 9,642, the largest in the county, to more than 20,000. New developments have provided newcomers with quality housing choices. With the addition of a Wal-Mart and numerous other retail facilities, locals no longer have to journey across the bridge for their shopping needs. This thriving suburb promises to continue expansion, raising land value and creating a "bedroom community" for neighboring Wilmington. Housing developments include Waterford of the Carolinas, Magnolia Greens, The Bluff on the Cape Fear, Palm Cove of the Carolinas, Lanville Trace, Snee Farm, Hunter's Ridge, Rices Creek Estate, Creeks Edge, Brunswick River Estates, Brunswick Forest and Westgate, a mixed-use community. Single-family homes in the Leland area may range from $155,335 to $256,000; lots from $35,000 to $175,000 on the ICW, and condos between $210,400 and $225,000.

Bolivia, located in the heart of Brunswick County, takes its name from burlap bags marked, 'Bolivia, S. A.", which traveled through the town on railroad flatcars on a regular basis in the nineteenth century. Though small, with a population of only 150, Bolivia is the county seat and home of the Brunswick County Courthouse complex. It is home as well to Brunswick County Community College and the state-of-the-art Odell Williamson Auditorium. Housing developments in the area include older developments like Mary Frances Place, Knotts Landing, Olde South Banks, Marsh Bay and Sandy Bay Retreat. Newer developments include Avalon, The Villages at Goose Creek, Mill Creek Cove, Winding River Plantation and Palmetto Creek of the Carolinas. Real estate prices in Bolivia range from $279,000 to $599,000 for new homes, although small older homes can be had for as little as $165,000.