St. James vs Sunset Beach
A side-by-side comparison of St. James and Sunset Beach: population, income, housing, and more.
St. James and Sunset Beach are places in North Carolina. This page compares them across population, income, housing, education, commuting, and how each has changed since 2019.
St. James has the higher population (6,901 vs 4,326 in Sunset Beach). St. James has the higher median household income ($113,670 vs $84,934 in Sunset Beach). St. James has the higher median home value ($599,300 vs $354,300 in Sunset Beach).
Population, income & housing
| St. James | Sunset Beach | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 6,901 | 4,326 |
| Median age | 68.1 yrs | 68.3 yrs |
| Median household income | $113,670 | $84,934 |
| Median home value | $599,300 | $354,300 |
| Median gross rent | $2,258 | $541 |
| Housing units | 3,881 | 5,220 |
| Homeownership rate | 95.7% | 87.4% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 65.7% | 39.7% |
| Unemployment rate | 5.2% | 2.1% |
Trends (ACS 5-year, 2019–2023)
| St. James | Sunset Beach | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 5,521 → 6,901 (+25.0%) | 3,901 → 4,326 (+10.9%) |
| Median household income | $104,850 → $113,670 (+8.4%) | $57,265 → $84,934 (+48.3%) |
| Median home value | $456,600 → $599,300 (+31.3%) | $267,900 → $354,300 (+32.3%) |
| Median gross rent | $1,862 → $2,258 (+21.3%) | $1,232 → $541 (-56.1%) |
St. James
5,5216,901
$104,850$113,670
$456,600$599,300
$1,862$2,258
Sunset Beach
3,9014,326
$57,265$84,934
$267,900$354,300
$1,232$541
Age & race/ethnicity
Age distribution (share)
| St. James | Sunset Beach | |
|---|---|---|
| Under 5 | 0.6% | 1.1% |
| 5 to 17 | 1.0% | 1.7% |
| 18 to 24 | 0.0% | 2.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 0.8% | 2.2% |
| 35 to 44 | 2.5% | 8.1% |
| 45 to 54 | 4.1% | 6.9% |
| 55 to 64 | 30.2% | 20.5% |
| 65 to 74 | 38.3% | 25.0% |
| 75 and over | 22.5% | 32.5% |
Race & ethnicity (share)
| St. James | Sunset Beach | |
|---|---|---|
| White (non-Hispanic) | 88.9% | 95.4% |
| Black or African American | 0.4% | 1.5% |
| American Indian & Alaska Native | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Asian | 0.4% | 0.6% |
| Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Some other race | 0.0% | 0.6% |
| Two or more races | 3.7% | 1.1% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 6.6% | 0.8% |
Educational attainment (age 25+)
Share of adults 25+
| St. James | Sunset Beach | |
|---|---|---|
| No high school diploma | 2.0% | 1.5% |
| High school graduate | 11.8% | 29.1% |
| Some college or associate's | 20.5% | 29.7% |
| Bachelor's degree | 37.2% | 26.8% |
| Graduate or professional degree | 28.5% | 12.8% |
Commute to work
How workers get to work (share)
| St. James | Sunset Beach | |
|---|---|---|
| Drove alone | 44.0% | 77.5% |
| Carpooled | 6.8% | 1.5% |
| Public transit | 13.1% | 0.0% |
| Walked | 3.2% | 1.1% |
| Bicycle | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Worked from home | 30.7% | 19.7% |
| Other means | 2.3% | 0.1% |
Housing
Units in structure (share)
| St. James | Sunset Beach | |
|---|---|---|
| 1-unit, detached | 89.4% | 55.0% |
| 1-unit, attached | 3.2% | 4.0% |
| 2 to 4 units | 1.5% | 6.4% |
| 5 to 19 units | 5.9% | 19.0% |
| 20 or more units | 0.0% | 5.3% |
| Mobile home & other | 0.0% | 10.2% |
Poverty & households
| St. James | Sunset Beach | |
|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 5.5% | 6.0% |
| Average household size | 2.05 | 1.82 |
| Mean commute (minutes) | 53 | 19 |
| Median year structure built | 2009 | 1998 |
Full profiles
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