Carolina Shores is a town in Brunswick County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 3,048 at the 2010 census, up from 1,482 in 2000. It is part of the Wilmington, NC Metropolitan Statistical Area. The town was incorporated in 1998 after a split from the town of Calabash, which came as the result of years of disagreement over "sewer, garbage collection and sign restrictions". The town limits of Carolina Shores currently interlock with those of Calabash.