Population 883 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in North Topsail Beach
Household size in North Topsail Beach
| Period | North Topsail Beach | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1.97 | 2.53 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 1.98 | 2.58 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 1.83 | 2.56 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.02 | 2.52 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.06 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
Households in North Topsail Beach are small: just 2.02 people on average, compared with 2.65 nationally. That is typical of places where many people live alone or as couples, and fewer have children at home.
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 North Topsail Beach
| Period | North Topsail Beach | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 50.4 | 37.9 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 49.2 | 38.9 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 55.9 | 40.2 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 58.6 | 40.3 | 40.1 |
| Change | +8.2 | +2.3 | +2.3 |
With a median age of 58.6, North Topsail Beach is noticeably older than the country as a whole (40.1), an age mix that tilts toward empty nesters and retirees. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 50.4, 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 North Topsail Beach
| Period | North Topsail Beach | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 4.2% | 12.3% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 7.1% | 12.5% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 4.7% | 11.6% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 5.7% | 11.4% | 11.6% |
| Change | +1.4 pts | −1.0 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head only 5.7% of households in North Topsail 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 North Topsail Beach
Renters in North Topsail Beach
| Period | North Topsail Beach | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 41.3% | 31.9% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 44.9% | 34.2% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 39.6% | 34.8% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 9.1% | 33.4% | 34.8% |
| Change | −32.2 pts | +1.4 pts | +1.5 pts |
Only 9.1% of households in North Topsail Beach rent their homes, far below the national share of 34.8%, so most residents are owners who tend to stay put. More than four in ten owners (45.0%) 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 North Topsail Beach
| Period | North Topsail Beach | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 77.0% | 12.8% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 74.3% | 12.8% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 77.6% | 12.5% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 80.9% | 11.4% | 9.6% |
| Change | +4.0 pts | −1.5 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacant homes make up 80.9% of the housing in North Topsail 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 North Topsail Beach
| Period | North Topsail Beach | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1986 | 1983 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1987 | 1985 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1992 | 1986 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1991 | 1990 | 1980 |
| Change | +5 | +7 | +6 |
North Topsail Beach has newer housing than the country as a whole: the median home was built in 1991, versus 1980 nationally. That is in line with the rest of North Carolina.
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 North Topsail Beach
| Period | North Topsail Beach | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,093 | $789 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,135 | $868 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,110 | $981 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,610 | $1,317 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$517 | +$528 | +$606 |
The median renter in North Topsail Beach pays $1,610 a month for rent and utilities, close to the national median of $1,571. Rents here are higher than in North Carolina as a whole ($1,317). Rent takes 40.6% of the typical renter's income, 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 North Topsail Beach
Bachelor's degrees in North Topsail Beach
| Period | North Topsail Beach | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 35.7% | 27.8% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 39.9% | 29.0% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 48.0% | 32.0% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 51.9% | 36.2% | 35.6% |
| Change | +16.3 pts | +8.4 pts | +7.2 pts |
College graduates are unusually common in North Topsail Beach: 51.9% 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 North Topsail Beach
| Period | North Topsail Beach | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 95.6% | 84.5% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 98.1% | 86.0% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 97.8% | 88.1% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 97.2% | 90.2% | 89.3% |
| Change | +1.6 pts | +5.7 pts | +4.3 pts |
Finishing high school is nearly universal in North Topsail Beach: 97.2% 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 North Topsail Beach
| Period | North Topsail Beach | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 11.2% | 8.8% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 6.7% | 10.6% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 7.1% | 5.7% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 2.0% | 4.8% | 5.4% |
| Change | −9.2 pts | −4.0 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in North Topsail Beach has been low: just 2.0% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well below the national rate of 5.4%. Because the Census pools five years of responses (2020–24), these rates smooth over short swings and lag the current 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).
North Topsail 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| North Topsail Beach | 2.02 | 58.6 | 5.7% | 9.1% | 80.9% | 1991 | $1,610 | 51.9% | 97.2% | 2.0% |
| Sneads Ferry | 2.24 | 33.5 | 5.7% | 23.2% | 14.8% | 2004 | $1,500 | 30.5% | 96.2% | 1.1% |
| Thomas Landing | 2.50 | 38.5 | 12.2% | 15.5% | 16.8% | 2010 | $1,772 | 36.9% | 99.1% | 0.9% |
| Folkstone | 2.30 | 31.2 | 3.3% | 42.5% | 3.2% | 2012 | $1,601 | 23.4% | 93.8% | 3.9% |
| Fulcher Landing | 2.94 | 23.3 | 7.0% | 34.8% | 9.2% | 1989 | $1,557 | 18.1% | 98.0% | 0.0% |
| Holly Ridge | 2.50 | 37.6 | 3.9% | 15.7% | 18.4% | 2012 | $1,730 | 42.6% | 94.3% | 1.5% |
| Peru | 2.35 | 21.0 | 9.2% | 23.8% | 8.1% | 1999 | $1,196 | 9.4% | 100.0% | 0.0% |
| Surf City | 2.54 | 44.1 | 4.2% | 19.2% | 36.9% | 2003 | $1,605 | 42.8% | 95.4% | 2.6% |
| Camp Lejeune | 2.61 | 21.4 | 4.2% | 100.0% | 28.3% | 1995 | $1,555 | 16.3% | 99.0% | 7.1% |
| Woodside | 2.57 | 38.7 | 13.0% | 33.1% | 8.4% | 2004 | $1,174 | 36.1% | 91.6% | 6.8% |
| 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: Ousley, GA · Midland, OH · Minooka, AL · Moltonville, NC · Montague, TX · Montfort, WI · Morgan, PA · Morganza, LA · Mulberry Grove, IL · Munsons Corners, NY
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 North Topsail 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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