Population 1,744 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Atlantic Beach
Household size in Atlantic Beach
| Period | Atlantic Beach | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1.90 | 2.53 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 1.84 | 2.58 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 1.86 | 2.56 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 1.86 | 2.52 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.03 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
Atlantic Beach is a place of small households, averaging 1.86 people against 2.65 for the U.S., which points to many singles, couples and roommates and relatively few children.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Atlantic Beach
| Period | Atlantic Beach | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 50.5 | 37.9 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 49.4 | 38.9 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 56.5 | 40.2 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 56.9 | 40.3 | 40.1 |
| Change | +6.4 | +2.3 | +2.3 |
Atlantic Beach skews older: half of its residents are older than 56.9, well above the national median of 40.1. That usually means more empty nesters and retirees, and fewer young families. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 50.5, but in a place this small, much of that may be survey noise rather than real change.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Atlantic Beach
| Period | Atlantic Beach | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 14.0% | 12.3% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 3.4% | 12.5% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 6.6% | 11.6% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 3.5% | 11.4% | 11.6% |
| Change | −10.4 pts | −1.0 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head only 3.5% of households in Atlantic Beach, well below the national share of 11.6%.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Atlantic Beach
Renters in Atlantic Beach
| Period | Atlantic Beach | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 37.6% | 31.9% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 44.9% | 34.2% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 34.1% | 34.8% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 37.7% | 33.4% | 34.8% |
| Change | +0.1 pts | +1.4 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renting in Atlantic Beach is about as common as it is nationally: 37.7% of households rent, against 34.8%. Renters make up a bigger share here than in North Carolina overall (33.4%). Nearly six in ten owners (56.1%) have paid off their mortgages, well above the national share of 39.8%.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Atlantic Beach
| Period | Atlantic Beach | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 80.4% | 12.8% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 82.0% | 12.8% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 79.9% | 12.5% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 82.3% | 11.4% | 9.6% |
| Change | +1.8 pts | −1.5 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacant homes make up 82.3% of the housing in Atlantic Beach, far above the national rate of 9.6%. In resort and lake areas that usually means seasonal and vacation homes; elsewhere it can point to weak demand.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Atlantic Beach
| Period | Atlantic Beach | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1981 | 1983 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1981 | 1985 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1981 | 1986 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1984 | 1990 | 1980 |
| Change | +3 | +7 | +6 |
The housing in Atlantic Beach is a little younger than the country's: half of it was built after 1984, against 1980 nationally. Still, homes here are older than in North Carolina overall, where the median home dates to 1990.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Atlantic Beach
| Period | Atlantic Beach | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,088 | $789 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $753 | $868 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,001 | $981 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,231 | $1,317 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$144 | +$528 | +$606 |
The median renter in Atlantic Beach pays $1,231 a month for rent and utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. The typical renter here spends 35.4% of household income on rent, well over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, so many renters here are stretched.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Atlantic Beach
Bachelor's degrees in Atlantic Beach
| Period | Atlantic Beach | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 43.5% | 27.8% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 34.9% | 29.0% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 40.7% | 32.0% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 62.0% | 36.2% | 35.6% |
| Change | +18.4 pts | +8.4 pts | +7.2 pts |
College graduates are unusually common in Atlantic Beach: 62.0% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's degree or higher, against 35.6% nationally. Education tends to track local incomes and the kinds of jobs nearby.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Atlantic Beach
| Period | Atlantic Beach | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 96.8% | 84.5% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 94.1% | 86.0% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 97.3% | 88.1% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 99.3% | 90.2% | 89.3% |
| Change | +2.6 pts | +5.7 pts | +4.3 pts |
Finishing high school is nearly universal in Atlantic Beach: 99.3% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Atlantic Beach
| Period | Atlantic Beach | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 11.1% | 8.8% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 9.9% | 10.6% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 5.8% | 5.7% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 2.8% | 4.8% | 5.4% |
| Change | −8.3 pts | −4.0 pts | −2.7 pts |
The job market in Atlantic Beach has been strong: just 2.8% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well below the national rate of 5.4%. Each figure pools five years of surveys (2020–24), so it describes that whole stretch rather than today's job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Atlantic Beach compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Atlantic Beach | 1.86 | 56.9 | 3.5% | 37.7% | 82.3% | 1984 | $1,231 | 62.0% | 99.3% | 2.8% |
| Morehead City | 1.96 | 48.6 | 5.9% | 37.1% | 15.1% | 1986 | $1,261 | 41.5% | 92.7% | 3.0% |
| Mansfield | 2.17 | 34.3 | 2.2% | 68.1% | 6.1% | 1983 | $1,093 | 25.1% | 95.9% | 0.6% |
| Pine Knoll Shores | 2.00 | 64.2 | 0.7% | 1.8% | 68.3% | 1984 | $1,750 | 65.5% | 99.3% | 3.8% |
| Mill Creek | 2.28 | 50.3 | 3.8% | 5.9% | 6.6% | 1994 | $1,013 | 27.2% | 93.4% | 4.1% |
| Beaufort | 1.94 | 53.2 | 7.7% | 29.2% | 22.6% | 1986 | $922 | 32.9% | 92.9% | 3.4% |
| Indian Beach | 2.00 | 58.0 | 4.7% | 7.2% | 87.9% | 1988 | $1,719 | 46.1% | 98.2% | 13.1% |
| Salter Path | 2.02 | 57.3 | 5.1% | 6.6% | 89.8% | 1988 | $1,781 | 43.9% | 97.9% | 14.9% |
| Newport | 2.36 | 44.8 | 6.6% | 23.5% | 16.7% | 1995 | $1,099 | 26.0% | 93.4% | 4.8% |
| Bettie | 2.05 | 59.1 | 3.3% | 12.4% | 13.2% | 1993 | $766 | 20.1% | 86.0% | 4.4% |
| Straits | 1.96 | 51.9 | 4.7% | 2.6% | 29.2% | 1992 | $941 | 20.7% | 98.0% | 0.0% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Pine Knoll Shores, NC · Chilmark, MA · Claudville, VA · Cotopaxi, CO · Dexter, KY · Stahlstown, PA · Shawneetown, IL · Pulaski, MI · Powells Crossroads, TN · Alma, KS
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Atlantic Beach. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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