Housing data for Carolina Beach, NC
Carolina Beach, NC has an estimated 6,745 residents and 6,266 homes (US Census Bureau, 2020–2024 American Community Survey).
It is a town in New Hanover County.
15.6% of households rent.
The median gross rent is $1,513 a month.
Its population grew measurably since 2015–2019 (+7.7%).
Figures last updated on .
- Residents
- 6,745 (±25)
- Housing units
- 6,266 (±389)
- Households that rent
- 15.6%
- Median gross rent
- $1,513
- Residents since 2015–2019
- +7.7%
What stands out in Carolina Beach
Rental vacancy rate: 47.1% (±15.4 points) in Carolina Beach, higher than in New Hanover County (7.4%).
Households that rent: 15.6% (±5.0 points) in Carolina Beach, lower than in New Hanover County (38.6%).
Median home value: $566,200 (±$54,512) in Carolina Beach, higher than in New Hanover County ($387,800).
Median real estate taxes: $2,822 (±$306) in Carolina Beach, higher than in New Hanover County ($2,105).
Housing in Carolina Beach at a glance
- Median rent: $1,513 median gross rent a month
- Rent by bedrooms: $1,200 median gross rent, 2 bedrooms
- Rent burden: 40.4% of renters pay 30% or more of income (Small sample: wide margin of error)
- Renters and owners: 15.6% of households rent
- Income and affordability: $94,398 median household income
- Home values: $566,200 median home value
- Homeowner costs: $2,303 median monthly cost with a mortgage
- Property taxes: $2,822 median real estate taxes a year
- Types of homes: 31.8% of homes are in buildings of 5 or more units
- Bedrooms: 54.6% of homes have 3 or more bedrooms
- Age of homes: 20.9% of homes were built before 1980
- Vacancy rate: 47.1% rental vacancy rate (Small sample: wide margin of error)
- Heating fuel: 95.9% heat with electricity
- Commute and cars: 22.1 minutes average trip to work
- Crime reported to police: 331 violent crimes per 100,000 residents
- Growth: +7.7% residents since 2015–2019
- How long people stay: 25.7% moved in since 2020
- Crowding and facilities: 1.2% of homes have more than 1 person per room (Small sample: wide margin of error)
Carolina Beach against New Hanover County, its state and the nation
| Carolina Beach | New Hanover County | North Carolina | United States | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residents | 6,745 (±25) | 235,229 (exact) | 10,730,404 (exact) | 334,922,499 |
| Housing units | 6,266 (±389) | 120,050 (±78) | 4,895,668 (±642) | 143,775,355 |
| Households that rent | 15.6% (±5.0 points) | 38.6% (±1.2 points) | 33.4% (±0.2 points) | 34.8% |
| Median gross rent | $1,513 (±$384) | $1,417 (±$32) | $1,228 (±$5) | $1,413 |
| Median household income | $94,398 (±$20,918) | $75,166 (±$2,054) | $72,388 (±$324) | $80,734 |
| Median home value | $566,200 (±$54,512) | $387,800 (±$7,095) | $288,900 (±$1,086) | $332,700 |
| Median real estate taxes (a year) | $2,822 (±$306) | $2,105 (±$68) | $1,896 (±$8) | $3,119 |
| Built before 1980 | 20.9% (±5.1 points) | 30.6% (±1.4 points) | 33.9% (±0.2 points) | 49.7% |
| Average commute | 22.1 minutes (±2.4) | 20.6 minutes (±0.6) | 25.1 minutes (±0.1) | 26.4 minutes |
| Households with broadband | 98.0% (±1.4 points) | 93.3% (±0.8 points) | 90.1% (±0.2 points) | 91.0% |
| Median age of residents | 53.2 years (±1.5) | 39.9 years (±0.4) | 39.1 years (±0.2) | 38.9 years |
Carolina Beach covers 2.5 square miles of land, about 2,751 residents per square mile (Census Bureau Gazetteer).
How Carolina Beach has changed since 2015–2019
| 2015–2019 | 2020–2024 | Amount of change | Verdict | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residents | 6,265 (±22) | 6,745 (±25) | +7.7% | Measurable increase |
| Housing units | 6,007 (±266) | 6,266 (±389) | +4.3% | Not a measurable change |
| Median gross rent | $1,153 (±$68) | $1,513 (±$384) | +31.2% | No measurable change after inflation |
| Median home value | $353,100 (±$20,583) | $566,200 (±$54,512) | +60.4% | Up after inflation |
| Median household income | $74,949 (±$9,921) | $94,398 (±$20,918) | +25.9% | No measurable change after inflation |
| Median owner cost with a mortgage | $2,028 (±$165) | $2,303 (±$174) | +13.6% | No measurable change after inflation |
| Median real estate taxes | $2,353 (±$165) | $2,822 (±$306) | +19.9% | No measurable change after inflation |
| Households that rent | 35.0% (±5.8 points) | 15.6% (±5.0 points) | −19.4 percentage points | Measurable decrease |
| Rental vacancy rate | 24.9% (±9.9 points) | 47.1% (±15.4 points) | +22.2 percentage points | Measurable increase |
The Census Bureau publishes 2015–2019 dollars in 2019 dollars and 2020–2024 dollars in 2024 dollars.
Prices (the CPI-U, US Bureau of Labor Statistics) rose 22.7% between 2019 and 2024, so a dollar figure’s verdict compares the two after raising the earlier one by that much, using the Census Bureau’s test for a difference.
The two periods do not overlap, as the Census Bureau recommends for 5-year estimates.
Crime reported to police in Carolina Beach
In 2025, the Carolina Beach Police Department reported 331 violent and 1,325 property crimes per 100,000 residents to the FBI.
Across New Hanover County, the departments that report recorded 306 violent and 2,060 property crimes per 100,000 residents that year.
ZIP codes in Carolina Beach
| ZIP code | Share of the ZIP’s land in this place | Residents | Median gross rent | Median home value | Median household income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 28428 | 48% | 7,136 | $1,505 | $572,700 | $93,241 |
A ZIP code is a mail route rather than a boundary, so the Census Bureau publishes figures for ZIP Code Tabulation Areas built from census blocks; the share column says how much of each one’s land lies in this place.
Places near Carolina Beach
| Place | Distance | Median gross rent | Median home value | Households that rent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sea Breeze | 1.8 mi | — | $405,100 | 2.0% |
| Kure Beach | 3.0 mi | $1,436 | $735,100 | 19.9% |
| Myrtle Grove | 5.9 mi | $1,463 | $439,100 | 16.4% |
| Silver Lake | 7.0 mi | $1,416 | $325,500 | 17.8% |
| Southport | 9.7 mi | $1,426 | $437,700 | 19.8% |
| Boiling Spring Lakes | 10 mi | $1,385 | $292,300 | 18.4% |
| Wilmington | 12 mi | $1,395 | $383,800 | 52.4% |
| Caswell Beach | 13 mi | — | $648,400 | 6.6% |
Places in North Carolina most like Carolina Beach
| Place | Median gross rent | Median home value | Median household income | Households that rent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blowing Rock | $1,278 | $705,000 | $120,938 | 16.7% |
| Cornelius | $1,722 | $559,400 | $113,767 | 30.5% |
| Matthews | $1,764 | $445,100 | $108,611 | 35.6% |
| Manteo | $1,204 | $444,400 | $83,777 | 36.7% |
| Pine Knoll Shores | $1,750 | $592,300 | $109,375 | 1.8% |
| Cary | $1,738 | $580,200 | $134,905 | 33.4% |
Matched on rent, home value, income, the share who rent, the age of the homes, the share in apartment buildings and the commute, each measured against the spread across North Carolina.
HUD Fair Market Rent for Carolina Beach, fiscal year 2027
| Studio | 1 bedroom | 2 bedrooms | 3 bedrooms | 4 bedrooms |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $1,187 | $1,566 | $1,705 | $2,238 | $2,241 |
HUD income limits for Carolina Beach, fiscal year 2026
| Household size | Extremely low (30%) | Very low (50%) | Low (80%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 person | $22,950 | $38,250 | $61,150 |
| 2 people | $26,200 | $43,700 | $69,900 |
| 3 people | $29,500 | $49,150 | $78,650 |
| 4 people | $33,000 | $54,600 | $87,350 |
| 5 people | $38,680 | $59,000 | $94,350 |
| 6 people | $44,360 | $63,350 | $101,350 |
| 7 people | $50,040 | $67,750 | $108,350 |
| 8 people | $55,720 | $72,100 | $115,350 |
These are the limits HUD sets for its housing programs in the Wilmington, NC HUD Metro FMR Area, where HUD’s median family income for fiscal year 2026 is $109,200.
A program can use its own limits; tax-credit and local programs often do.
Survey years: 2020–2024 (American Community Survey 5-year estimates), compared with 2015–2019.
Margins of error are at the 90% confidence level.
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Questions about Carolina Beach
What is the average rent in Carolina Beach, NC?
The Census Bureau publishes the median rather than the average: the median gross rent in Carolina Beach is $1,513 (±$384) a month (2020–2024 American Community Survey), so half of renting households pay less and half pay more.
How much is a two-bedroom apartment in Carolina Beach?
The median gross rent for a two-bedroom home in Carolina Beach, NC is $1,200 (±$250) a month (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
How many renters are there in Carolina Beach?
Carolina Beach has an estimated 480 (±167) renting households, 15.6% of its occupied homes (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
What is the median household income in Carolina Beach?
The median household income in Carolina Beach is $94,398 (±$20,918) a year (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
What is the average home value in Carolina Beach, NC?
The Census Bureau publishes the median: $566,200 (±$54,512) for owner-occupied homes in Carolina Beach (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
What is the average mortgage payment in Carolina Beach?
The Census Bureau publishes total owner costs rather than the mortgage alone: the median for owners with a mortgage in Carolina Beach, NC is $2,303 (±$174) a month, including taxes, insurance and utilities.
Is Carolina Beach growing?
In Carolina Beach, the number of residents went from 6,265 in 2015–2019 to 6,745 in 2020–2024 (+7.7%), a measurable increase.
What ZIP codes are in Carolina Beach?
The ZIP code that covers Carolina Beach is 28428.
What is the median rent in ZIP code 28428?
The median gross rent in ZIP Code Tabulation Area 28428 is $1,505 (±$378) a month (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
Sources
- Demographic and Housing Estimates (DP05), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — Carolina Beach town, North Carolina
- Selected Housing Characteristics (DP04), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — Carolina Beach town, North Carolina
- Selected Economic Characteristics (DP03), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — Carolina Beach town, North Carolina
- Median Real Estate Taxes Paid by Mortgage Status (B25103), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — Carolina Beach town, North Carolina
- Selected Social Characteristics (DP02), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — Carolina Beach town, North Carolina
- Total Population (B01003), 2015–2019 ACS 5-year estimates — Carolina Beach town, North Carolina
- Median Gross Rent (B25064), 2015–2019 ACS 5-year estimates — Carolina Beach town, North Carolina
- HUD Fair Market Rents, fiscal year 2027: Wilmington, NC HUD Metro FMR Area
- HUD Income Limits, fiscal year 2026: Wilmington, NC HUD Metro FMR Area
- US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates for ZIP Code Tabulation Areas
- FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program, Crime Data Explorer: Carolina Beach Police Department (ORI NC0650100)
- FBI: Uniform Crime Reporting statistics and their proper use
- Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U), US city average, all items, US Bureau of Labor Statistics: annual averages 2019 and 2024
- US Census Bureau, 2024 Gazetteer Files
To check these figures in the Census Bureau’s own API, request the variables below from the 2024 ACS 5-year data profile (acs/acs5/profile) for Carolina Beach town, North Carolina (place:10500, in state:37).
Each estimate (E or PE) has a margin of error beside it (M or PM).
The 2015–2019 figures are B01003_001E, B01003_001M, B25064_001E, B25064_001M from the 2019 release.
The API needs a free key.
DP05_0001E, DP05_0001M, DP04_0001E, DP04_0001M, DP04_0047PE, DP04_0047PM, DP04_0134E, DP04_0134M, DP03_0062E, DP03_0062M, DP04_0089E, DP04_0089M
This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.
Figures are published by the US Census Bureau, HUD, the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the FBI; Seayora reproduces them and does not adjust them, except where a sentence says it compares dollar figures after inflation. They describe the whole place, not any one building or street, and are not an appraisal, a rent determination, a tax bill, a safety rating or legal advice.
Figures last updated on .