Population 3,660 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Emerald Isle
Household size in Emerald Isle
| Period | Emerald Isle | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.05 | 2.53 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.06 | 2.58 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.09 | 2.56 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.03 | 2.52 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.03 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
Emerald Isle is a place of small households, averaging 2.03 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 Emerald Isle
| Period | Emerald Isle | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 51.2 | 37.9 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 52.5 | 38.9 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 56.3 | 40.2 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 60.2 | 40.3 | 40.1 |
| Change | +9.1 | +2.3 | +2.3 |
Emerald Isle skews older: half of its residents are older than 60.2, well above the national median of 40.1. That usually means more empty nesters and retirees, and fewer young families. The median age has climbed from 51.2 in 2006–10, but in a place this small, survey estimates can swing a lot from one release to the next.
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 Emerald Isle
| Period | Emerald Isle | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.6% | 12.3% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 7.1% | 12.5% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 5.4% | 11.6% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 3.5% | 11.4% | 11.6% |
| Change | +0.9 pts | −1.0 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head only 3.5% of households in Emerald Isle, 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 Emerald Isle
Renters in Emerald Isle
| Period | Emerald Isle | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 22.0% | 31.9% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 31.6% | 34.2% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 16.5% | 34.8% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 14.8% | 33.4% | 34.8% |
| Change | −7.1 pts | +1.4 pts | +1.5 pts |
Emerald Isle is overwhelmingly a place of homeowners: only 14.8% of households rent, far below the national share of 34.8%. Owner-heavy areas like this tend to see less turnover. Nearly half of owners (48.2%) have paid off their mortgages, 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 Emerald Isle
| Period | Emerald Isle | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 71.2% | 12.8% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 71.0% | 12.8% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 71.2% | 12.5% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 66.0% | 11.4% | 9.6% |
| Change | −5.2 pts | −1.5 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacant homes make up 66.0% of the housing in Emerald Isle, 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 Emerald Isle
| Period | Emerald Isle | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1990 | 1983 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1989 | 1985 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1988 | 1986 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1990 | 1990 | 1980 |
| Change | −0 | +7 | +6 |
Much of the housing in Emerald Isle is relatively new: half of its homes were built after 1990, compared with 1980 for the U.S. as a whole. North Carolina as a whole looks much the same.
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 Emerald Isle
| Period | Emerald Isle | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,195 | $789 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,275 | $868 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,514 | $981 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,627 | $1,317 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$431 | +$528 | +$606 |
The median renter in Emerald Isle pays $1,627 a month for rent and utilities, close to the national median of $1,571. Rents here are higher than in North Carolina overall ($1,317). Rent takes 27.2% of the typical renter's income, just under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent.
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 Emerald Isle
Bachelor's degrees in Emerald Isle
| Period | Emerald Isle | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 43.5% | 27.8% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 47.7% | 29.0% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 48.2% | 32.0% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 56.8% | 36.2% | 35.6% |
| Change | +13.2 pts | +8.4 pts | +7.2 pts |
College graduates are unusually common in Emerald Isle: 56.8% 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 Emerald Isle
| Period | Emerald Isle | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 95.8% | 84.5% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 95.5% | 86.0% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 98.4% | 88.1% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 98.6% | 90.2% | 89.3% |
| Change | +2.8 pts | +5.7 pts | +4.3 pts |
Finishing high school is nearly universal in Emerald Isle: 98.6% 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 Emerald Isle
| Period | Emerald Isle | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 11.8% | 8.8% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 13.8% | 10.6% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 4.0% | 5.7% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 1.2% | 4.8% | 5.4% |
| Change | −10.6 pts | −4.0 pts | −2.7 pts |
The job market in Emerald Isle has been strong: just 1.2% 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).
Emerald Isle 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Emerald Isle | 2.03 | 60.2 | 3.5% | 14.8% | 66.0% | 1990 | $1,627 | 56.8% | 98.6% | 1.2% |
| Cape Carteret | 2.26 | 48.9 | 3.6% | 22.6% | 13.1% | 1989 | $1,698 | 36.3% | 93.7% | 0.5% |
| Cedar Point | 2.27 | 52.4 | 4.3% | 12.3% | 46.5% | 1995 | $1,234 | 45.4% | 97.5% | 4.0% |
| Bogue | 2.69 | 43.6 | 5.5% | 10.6% | 11.4% | 2001 | $1,394 | 36.4% | 94.9% | 1.9% |
| Peletier | 2.53 | 42.5 | 8.9% | 19.9% | 24.6% | 1998 | $1,385 | 25.2% | 93.6% | 7.2% |
| Swansboro | 2.41 | 45.7 | 10.6% | 24.6% | 13.1% | 1997 | $958 | 31.1% | 90.9% | 4.6% |
| Broad Creek | 2.44 | 41.4 | 11.4% | 16.0% | 18.2% | 1996 | $1,179 | 26.4% | 90.9% | 0.4% |
| Salter Path | 2.02 | 57.3 | 5.1% | 6.6% | 89.8% | 1988 | $1,781 | 43.9% | 97.9% | 14.9% |
| Indian Beach | 2.00 | 58.0 | 4.7% | 7.2% | 87.9% | 1988 | $1,719 | 46.1% | 98.2% | 13.1% |
| Stella | 2.89 | 37.2 | 10.1% | 14.2% | 8.7% | 2005 | $1,240 | 33.0% | 96.4% | 6.5% |
| Hubert | 2.41 | 34.8 | 9.8% | 23.1% | 8.5% | 1999 | $1,190 | 23.5% | 90.3% | 6.5% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Essex, MA · Arcadia, OK · Monroeville, IN · Midway South, TX · Marble, NC · Lincoln, ME · Lewiston, MI · Lake Crystal, MN · Helena Valley Northeast, MT · Hawthorne, NV
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 Emerald Isle. 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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