Housing data for Emerald Isle, NC
Emerald Isle, NC has an estimated 3,934 residents and 6,896 homes (US Census Bureau, 2020–2024 American Community Survey).
It is a town in Carteret County.
14.4% of households rent.
The median gross rent is $1,704 a month.
Its population grew measurably since 2015–2019 (+6.2%).
Figures last updated on .
- Residents
- 3,934 (±18)
- Housing units
- 6,896 (±194)
- Households that rent
- 14.4%
- Median gross rent
- $1,704
- Residents since 2015–2019
- +6.2%
What stands out in Emerald Isle
Median home value: $603,700 (±$64,842) in Emerald Isle, higher than in Carteret County ($333,300).
Working from home: 27.2% (±8.1 points) in Emerald Isle, higher than in Carteret County (12.6%).
Median real estate taxes: $2,506 (±$194) in Emerald Isle, higher than in Carteret County ($1,423).
Median gross rent: $1,704 (±$268) in Emerald Isle, higher than in Carteret County ($1,108).
- Home values in Emerald Isle
- Commute and cars in Emerald Isle
- Property taxes in Emerald Isle
- Median rent in Emerald Isle
Housing in Emerald Isle at a glance
- Median rent: $1,704 median gross rent a month
- Rent by bedrooms: $1,288 median gross rent, 2 bedrooms
- Rent burden: 41.9% of renters pay 30% or more of income
- Renters and owners: 14.4% of households rent
- Income and affordability: $89,773 median household income
- Home values: $603,700 median home value
- Homeowner costs: $2,399 median monthly cost with a mortgage
- Property taxes: $2,506 median real estate taxes a year
- Types of homes: 11.1% of homes are in buildings of 5 or more units
- Bedrooms: 83.8% of homes have 3 or more bedrooms
- Age of homes: 20.0% of homes were built before 1980
- Vacancy rate: 10.1% rental vacancy rate (Small sample: wide margin of error)
- Heating fuel: 90.3% heat with electricity
- Commute and cars: 28.6 minutes average trip to work
- Crime reported to police: 272 violent crimes per 100,000 residents
- Growth: +6.2% residents since 2015–2019
- How long people stay: 31.8% moved in since 2020
- Crowding and facilities: 0.7% of homes have more than 1 person per room
Emerald Isle against Carteret County, its state and the nation
| Emerald Isle | Carteret County | North Carolina | United States | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residents | 3,934 (±18) | 69,148 (exact) | 10,730,404 (exact) | 334,922,499 |
| Housing units | 6,896 (±194) | 52,181 (±62) | 4,895,668 (±642) | 143,775,355 |
| Households that rent | 14.4% (±4.3 points) | 25.3% (±1.6 points) | 33.4% (±0.2 points) | 34.8% |
| Median gross rent | $1,704 (±$268) | $1,108 (±$48) | $1,228 (±$5) | $1,413 |
| Median household income | $89,773 (±$13,436) | $72,322 (±$2,766) | $72,388 (±$324) | $80,734 |
| Median home value | $603,700 (±$64,842) | $333,300 (±$9,275) | $288,900 (±$1,086) | $332,700 |
| Median real estate taxes (a year) | $2,506 (±$194) | $1,423 (±$32) | $1,896 (±$8) | $3,119 |
| Built before 1980 | 20.0% (±3.2 points) | 29.3% (±1.7 points) | 33.9% (±0.2 points) | 49.7% |
| Average commute | 28.6 minutes (±2.7) | 23.2 minutes (±1.0) | 25.1 minutes (±0.1) | 26.4 minutes |
| Households with broadband | 97.4% (±1.6 points) | 93.4% (±1.0 points) | 90.1% (±0.2 points) | 91.0% |
| Median age of residents | 60.3 years (±2.0) | 50.5 years (±0.2) | 39.1 years (±0.2) | 38.9 years |
Emerald Isle covers 4.9 square miles of land, about 799 residents per square mile (Census Bureau Gazetteer).
How Emerald Isle has changed since 2015–2019
| 2015–2019 | 2020–2024 | Amount of change | Verdict | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residents | 3,703 (±29) | 3,934 (±18) | +6.2% | Measurable increase |
| Housing units | 6,876 (±115) | 6,896 (±194) | +0.3% | Not a measurable change |
| Median gross rent | $1,408 (±$110) | $1,704 (±$268) | +21.0% | No measurable change after inflation |
| Median home value | $378,500 (±$15,961) | $603,700 (±$64,842) | +59.5% | Up after inflation |
| Median household income | $78,194 (±$8,634) | $89,773 (±$13,436) | +14.8% | No measurable change after inflation |
| Median owner cost with a mortgage | $2,169 (±$190) | $2,399 (±$311) | +10.6% | No measurable change after inflation |
| Median real estate taxes | $1,996 (±$159) | $2,506 (±$194) | +25.6% | No measurable change after inflation |
| Households that rent | 16.8% (±4.1 points) | 14.4% (±4.3 points) | −2.4 percentage points | Not a measurable change |
| Rental vacancy rate | 27.9% (±10.0 points) | 10.1% (±10.3 points) | −17.8 percentage points | Measurable decrease |
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 Emerald Isle
In 2025, the Emerald Isle Police Department reported 272 violent and 1,584 property crimes per 100,000 residents to the FBI.
Across Carteret County, the departments that report recorded 178 violent and 1,112 property crimes per 100,000 residents that year.
ZIP codes in Emerald Isle
| ZIP code | Share of the ZIP’s land in this place | Residents | Median gross rent | Median home value | Median household income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 28594 | 86% | 3,934 | $1,704 | $603,700 | $89,773 |
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 Emerald Isle
| Place | Distance | Median gross rent | Median home value | Households that rent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bogue | 1.9 mi | $1,188 | $291,100 | 13.1% |
| Cape Carteret | 2.6 mi | $1,745 | $375,700 | 20.4% |
| Cedar Point | 3.2 mi | $1,438 | $423,700 | 12.8% |
| Peletier | 5.0 mi | $1,196 | $208,500 | 22.5% |
| Swansboro | 6.2 mi | $1,106 | $378,700 | 27.5% |
| Indian Beach | 7.7 mi | — | $534,100 | 0.0% |
| Broad Creek | 8.0 mi | $908 | $244,200 | 14.8% |
| Newport | 11 mi | $896 | $233,600 | 38.6% |
Places in North Carolina most like Emerald Isle
| Place | Median gross rent | Median home value | Median household income | Households that rent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mint Hill | $1,528 | $428,900 | $100,860 | 16.8% |
| Kure Beach | $1,436 | $735,100 | $104,149 | 19.9% |
| Seven Devils | $1,583 | $426,900 | $111,667 | 7.2% |
| Cedar Point | $1,438 | $423,700 | $98,750 | 12.8% |
| Porters Neck | $1,503 | $569,700 | $119,979 | 17.4% |
| Foxfire | $1,598 | $386,700 | $85,117 | 16.2% |
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 Emerald Isle, fiscal year 2027
| Studio | 1 bedroom | 2 bedrooms | 3 bedrooms | 4 bedrooms |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $970 | $976 | $1,277 | $1,607 | $2,132 |
HUD income limits for Emerald Isle, fiscal year 2026
| Household size | Extremely low (30%) | Very low (50%) | Low (80%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 person | $21,750 | $36,250 | $58,000 |
| 2 people | $24,850 | $41,400 | $66,250 |
| 3 people | $27,950 | $46,600 | $74,550 |
| 4 people | $33,000 | $51,750 | $82,800 |
| 5 people | $38,680 | $55,900 | $89,450 |
| 6 people | $44,360 | $60,050 | $96,050 |
| 7 people | $50,040 | $64,200 | $102,700 |
| 8 people | $55,720 | $68,350 | $109,300 |
These are the limits HUD sets for its housing programs in the Carteret County, NC, where HUD’s median family income for fiscal year 2026 is $103,500.
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 Emerald Isle
What is the average rent in Emerald Isle, NC?
The Census Bureau publishes the median rather than the average: the median gross rent in Emerald Isle is $1,704 (±$268) 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 Emerald Isle?
The median gross rent for a two-bedroom home in Emerald Isle, NC is $1,288 (±$340) a month (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
Are renters in Emerald Isle rent-burdened?
41.9% of renting households in Emerald Isle pay 30% or more of their income in gross rent, the share housing researchers usually call rent-burdened (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
How many renters are there in Emerald Isle?
Emerald Isle has an estimated 280 (±84) renting households, 14.4% of its occupied homes (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
What is the median household income in Emerald Isle?
The median household income in Emerald Isle is $89,773 (±$13,436) a year (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
What is the average home value in Emerald Isle, NC?
The Census Bureau publishes the median: $603,700 (±$64,842) for owner-occupied homes in Emerald Isle (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
Is Emerald Isle growing?
In Emerald Isle, the number of residents went from 3,703 in 2015–2019 to 3,934 in 2020–2024 (+6.2%), a measurable increase.
What ZIP codes are in Emerald Isle?
The ZIP code that covers Emerald Isle is 28594.
What is the median rent in ZIP code 28594?
The median gross rent in ZIP Code Tabulation Area 28594 is $1,704 (±$268) a month (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
Sources
- Demographic and Housing Estimates (DP05), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — Emerald Isle town, North Carolina
- Selected Housing Characteristics (DP04), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — Emerald Isle town, North Carolina
- Selected Economic Characteristics (DP03), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — Emerald Isle town, North Carolina
- Median Real Estate Taxes Paid by Mortgage Status (B25103), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — Emerald Isle town, North Carolina
- Selected Social Characteristics (DP02), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — Emerald Isle town, North Carolina
- Total Population (B01003), 2015–2019 ACS 5-year estimates — Emerald Isle town, North Carolina
- Median Gross Rent (B25064), 2015–2019 ACS 5-year estimates — Emerald Isle town, North Carolina
- HUD Fair Market Rents, fiscal year 2027: Carteret County, NC
- HUD Income Limits, fiscal year 2026: Carteret County, NC
- US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates for ZIP Code Tabulation Areas
- FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program, Crime Data Explorer: Emerald Isle Police Department (ORI NC0160600)
- 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 Emerald Isle town, North Carolina (place:21160, 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 .