Emerald Isle

Population: 3,915
Median household income: $89,432
Median home value: $563,600

Emerald Isle, a community in Carteret County, North Carolina, has 3,915 residents. At $89,432, its median household income sits above Carteret County's $70,235.

Between 2019 and 2023, Emerald Isle's population grew 5.7% from 3,703 to 3,915, while its median home value rose 48.9% from $378,500 to $563,600.

White (non-Hispanic) residents are the largest group, 93.2% of the population. 70.8% of workers drive to work alone.

Demographics

ACS 2019–2023

Population: 3,915
Median age: 58.7 yrs
Median household income: $89,432
Median home value: $563,600
Median gross rent: $1,688
Housing units: 6,802
Homeownership rate: 83.1%
Bachelor's degree or higher: 52.0%
Unemployment rate: 1.4%

Trends

ACS 5-year · 2019–2023

Population

3,7033,915

Median household income

$78,194$89,432

Median home value

$378,500$563,600

Median gross rent

$1,408$1,688

Year	Population	Median household income	Median home value	Median gross rent
2019	3,703	$78,194	$378,500	$1,408
2020	3,691	$84,457	$382,500	$1,329
2021	3,844	$87,794	$405,000	$1,294
2022	3,870	$85,982	$489,200	$1,373
2023	3,915	$89,432	$563,600	$1,688

Each year is a US Census Bureau ACS 5-year estimate ending that year.

Age distribution

Under 52.7%

5 to 1712.1%

18 to 243.8%

25 to 344.7%

35 to 446.9%

45 to 5412.8%

55 to 6424.1%

65 to 7423.3%

75 and over9.5%

	Count	Share
Under 5	106	2.7%
5 to 17	475	12.1%
18 to 24	149	3.8%
25 to 34	183	4.7%
35 to 44	271	6.9%
45 to 54	503	12.8%
55 to 64	944	24.1%
65 to 74	912	23.3%
75 and over	372	9.5%

Race & ethnicity

	Count	Share
White (non-Hispanic)	3,647	93.2%
Black or African American	11	0.3%
American Indian & Alaska Native	5	0.1%
Asian	0	0.0%
Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander	0	0.0%
Some other race	0	0.0%
Two or more races	244	6.2%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)	8	0.2%

Educational attainment (age 25+)

No high school diploma1.6%

High school graduate15.6%

Some college or associate's30.8%

Bachelor's degree29.0%

Graduate or professional degree22.9%

	Count	Share
No high school diploma	52	1.6%
High school graduate	496	15.6%
Some college or associate's	982	30.8%
Bachelor's degree	925	29.0%
Graduate or professional degree	730	22.9%

Commute to work

Mean travel time to work: 27 min

Drove alone70.8%

Carpooled2.9%

Public transit0.0%

Walked2.3%

Bicycle0.0%

Worked from home22.8%

Other means1.2%

How workers get to work

	Count	Share
Drove alone	1,077	70.8%
Carpooled	44	2.9%
Public transit	0	0.0%
Walked	35	2.3%
Bicycle	0	0.0%
Worked from home	347	22.8%
Other means	19	1.2%

Travel time

	Count	Share
Under 15 min	344	29.3%
15 to 29 min	272	23.1%
30 to 44 min	313	26.6%
45 to 59 min	196	16.7%
60+ min	50	4.3%

Households

Average household size: 2.15
Poverty rate: 3.9% (151 of 3,915)

	Count	Share
Family households	1,345	73.9%
Nonfamily households	474	26.1%

Housing

Median year structure built: 1989

Occupancy

	Count	Share
Occupied	1,819	26.7%
Vacant	4,983	73.3%

Tenure (of occupied units)

	Count	Share
Owner-occupied	1,511	83.1%
Renter-occupied	308	16.9%

1-unit, detached60.1%

1-unit, attached13.1%

2 to 4 units3.3%

5 to 19 units4.1%

20 or more units6.2%

Mobile home & other13.1%

Units in structure

	Count	Share
1-unit, detached	4,087	60.1%
1-unit, attached	892	13.1%
2 to 4 units	226	3.3%
5 to 19 units	282	4.1%
20 or more units	423	6.2%
Mobile home & other	892	13.1%

Geography

Place GEOID: 3721160
Type (LSAD): 43
Land area: 4.92 sq mi
Water area: 0.09 sq mi
Center point: 34.6644, -77.0314