Population 169 · Census ACS 2020–24
Choose a measure to map it.Tap a measure to map it. Swipe the row for more. Arrows show the change since 2006–10.
Median age by neighborhoodHistory and comparison ↓︎
Younger residents
Older residents
Colorblind friendly
off
More maps of Waves: Best Neighborhoods · Walk Grade · Household income · Home prices · Race · Politics · Traffic noise · Internet
Population and households in Waves
Household size in Waves
| Period | Waves | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1.93 | 2.53 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.04 | 2.58 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 1.49 | 2.56 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.16 | 2.52 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.23 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
Waves is a place of small households, averaging 2.16 people against 2.65 for the U.S., which points to many singles, couples and roommates and relatively few children. Since 2006–10, household size has climbed from 1.93, but in a place this small, much of that may be survey noise rather than real change.
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 Waves
| Period | Waves | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 45.5 | 37.9 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 45.8 | 38.9 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 57.2 | 40.2 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 49.8 | 40.3 | 40.1 |
| Change | +4.3 | +2.3 | +2.3 |
Waves skews older: half of its residents are older than 49.8, well above the national median of 40.1. That usually means more empty nesters and retirees, and fewer young families.
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 Waves
| Period | Waves | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 21.9% | 12.3% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 17.2% | 12.5% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 5.5% | 11.6% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 2.5% | 11.4% | 11.6% |
| Change | −19.5 pts | −1.0 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are relatively rare in Waves: 2.5% of households, against 11.6% nationally.
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 Waves
Renters in Waves
| Period | Waves | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 28.6% | 31.9% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 30.5% | 34.2% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 31.3% | 34.8% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 34.1% | 33.4% | 34.8% |
| Change | +5.4 pts | +1.4 pts | +1.5 pts |
About a third of households in Waves rent their homes (34.1%), close to the national share of 34.8%. Among homeowners, 36.3% have no mortgage at all, below 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 Waves
| Period | Waves | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 85.3% | 12.8% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 78.3% | 12.8% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 85.2% | 12.5% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 78.6% | 11.4% | 9.6% |
| Change | −6.8 pts | −1.5 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacant homes make up 78.6% of the housing in Waves, 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 Waves
| Period | Waves | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1985 | 1983 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1990 | 1985 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1985 | 1986 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1989 | 1990 | 1980 |
| Change | +4 | +7 | +6 |
Waves has newer housing than the country as a whole: the median home was built in 1989, versus 1980 nationally. 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 Waves
| Period | Waves | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $821 | $789 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $739 | $868 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $963 | $981 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,090 | $1,317 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$269 | +$528 | +$606 |
Rent in Waves runs $1,090 a month at the median, utilities included, well below the U.S. median of $1,571. The typical renter here spends 9.0% of household income on rent, comfortably under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, and a smaller share than renters pay nationally.
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 Waves
Bachelor's degrees in Waves
| Period | Waves | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 40.1% | 27.8% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 28.0% | 29.0% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 46.9% | 32.0% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 27.4% | 36.2% | 35.6% |
| Change | −12.7 pts | +8.4 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are less common in Waves than nationally: 27.4% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's or higher, against 35.6%.
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 Waves
| Period | Waves | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 82.6% | 84.5% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 81.1% | 86.0% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 84.6% | 88.1% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 92.5% | 90.2% | 89.3% |
| Change | +9.8 pts | +5.7 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion in Waves is a bit above the national rate: 92.5% of adults have a diploma or equivalent, against 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 Waves
| Period | Waves | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.5% | 8.8% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 2.3% | 10.6% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 21.6% | 5.7% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 5.5% | 4.8% | 5.4% |
| Change | −3.0 pts | −4.0 pts | −2.7 pts |
At 5.5%, unemployment in Waves is close to 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).
Waves 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Waves | 2.16 | 49.8 | 2.5% | 34.1% | 78.6% | 1989 | $1,090 | 27.4% | 92.5% | 5.5% |
| Rodanthe | 2.16 | 49.8 | 2.5% | 34.1% | 78.6% | 1989 | $1,090 | 27.4% | 92.5% | 5.5% |
| Salvo | 2.16 | 49.8 | 2.5% | 34.1% | 78.6% | 1989 | $1,090 | 27.4% | 92.5% | 5.5% |
| Engelhard | 2.01 | 46.7 | 22.1% | 29.4% | 30.7% | 1989 | $892 | 11.0% | 87.5% | 3.8% |
| Middletown | 2.01 | 46.7 | 22.1% | 29.5% | 30.8% | 1989 | $892 | 11.0% | 87.4% | 3.8% |
| Nebraska | 2.04 | 46.1 | 23.6% | 19.5% | 24.1% | 1990 | $929 | 10.8% | 88.8% | 4.9% |
| Gulrock | 2.04 | 46.0 | 23.7% | 18.2% | 23.3% | 1990 | $934 | 10.8% | 89.0% | 5.1% |
| Fairfield | 1.57 | 53.4 | 3.5% | 21.6% | 28.5% | 1986 | $1,206 | 10.8% | 87.7% | 8.3% |
| Swanquarter | 2.44 | 42.1 | 5.2% | 25.3% | 26.5% | 1971 | $1,325 | 8.9% | 94.3% | 0.8% |
| Rose Bay | 2.03 | 47.3 | 1.9% | 22.6% | 26.2% | 1977 | $1,349 | 9.3% | 91.4% | 4.7% |
| Scranton | 1.63 | 50.2 | 3.7% | 26.9% | 25.8% | 1986 | $1,267 | 10.8% | 85.5% | 7.5% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Sample Run, PA · Little Utica, NY · Little Valley, CA · Lively Grove, IL · Lockington, OH · Long, OH · Maxcy Quarters, FL · McKendree, VA · Rose Hill, GA · Rural, IN
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 Waves. 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.
No other site shows detail at this level for free. We are able to keep this site free by receiving a small commission from the referring links on this page. Please share or cite this page if you aren’t able to otherwise support our work.