How long is the commute from Emerald Isle, NC?

Name: Commute and cars in Emerald Isle, NC, 2020–2024
Creator: US Census Bureau
License: https://www.census.gov/data/developers/about/terms-of-service.html

Workers who live in Emerald Isle, NC take an average of 28.6 minutes to get to work (2020–2024 American Community Survey).

65.4% of workers drive alone to work.

0.0% take public transportation.

4.0% of workers walk to work.

27.2% work from home.

1.0% of households have no vehicle.

Figures last updated on November 12, 2026.

Average commute: 28.6 minutes (±2.7)
Public transportation: 0.0%
Work from home: 27.2%
Households without a car: 1.0%

How people in Emerald Isle get to work

Workers 16 and over by means of transportation to work, 2020–2024
Means of transportation	Emerald Isle	Carteret County	North Carolina	United States
Drove alone	65.4% (±8.3 points)	78.3%	71.5%	68.8%
Carpooled	2.3% (±2.3 points)	6.4%	8.5%	8.5%
Public transportation	0.0% (±2.8 points)	0.3%	0.7%	3.2%
Walked	4.0% (±3.2 points)	1.0%	1.6%	2.4%
Other means (bicycle, taxi, motorcycle)	1.1% (±1.5 points)	1.4%	1.5%	2.0%
Worked from home	27.2% (±8.1 points)	12.6%	16.3%	15.1%

In Emerald Isle, the average commute is higher than in Carteret County (23.2 minutes).

It is also higher than in North Carolina (25.1 minutes).

It is not measurably different from the national figure (26.4 minutes).

In Emerald Isle, the share commuting by public transportation is not measurably different from Carteret County (0.3%).

It is not measurably different from North Carolina (0.7%).

It is lower than the national figure (3.2%).

In Carteret County, Emerald Isle ranks 4 of 14 places with a published estimate, from highest to lowest average commute.

Statewide, it ranks 160 of 651.

Rankings use the estimates alone; where margins of error overlap, neighboring ranks may not truly differ.

Cars per household in Emerald Isle

Occupied housing units by vehicles available, 2020–2024
Vehicles available	Emerald Isle	Carteret County	North Carolina	United States
No vehicle	1.0% (±1.0 points)	3.7%	5.3%	8.4%
1 vehicle	26.3% (±4.7 points)	30.9%	31.4%	33.1%
2 vehicles	52.2% (±6.2 points)	41.3%	38.0%	36.6%
3 or more vehicles	20.5% (±4.3 points)	24.0%	25.2%	21.9%

In Emerald Isle, the share of households without a vehicle is lower than in Carteret County (3.7%).

It is also lower than in North Carolina (5.3%).

It is lower than the national figure (8.4%).

Working from home and internet access in Emerald Isle

Estimate (90% margin of error)
	Emerald Isle	Carteret County	North Carolina	United States
Workers working from home	27.2% (±8.1 points)	12.6% (±1.3 points)	16.3% (±0.2 points)	15.1%
Households with a computer	99.5% (±0.6 points)	97.3% (±0.6 points)	94.9% (±0.1 points)	95.5%
Households with broadband internet	97.4% (±1.6 points)	93.4% (±1.0 points)	90.1% (±0.2 points)	91.0%

In Emerald Isle, the share of households with a broadband subscription is higher than in Carteret County (93.4%).

It is also higher than in North Carolina (90.1%).

It is higher than the national figure (91.0%).

Average commute in places near Emerald Isle

Nearest places with a published estimate, compared with Emerald Isle
Place	Distance	Average commute	Compared with this place
Emerald Isle	—	28.6 minutes (±2.7)	—
Bogue	1.9 mi	21.7 minutes (±1.8)	Lower
Cape Carteret	2.6 mi	25.1 minutes (±3.4)	Not measurably different
Cedar Point	3.2 mi	25.9 minutes (±3.5)	Not measurably different
Peletier	5.0 mi	30.2 minutes (±7.1)	Not measurably different
Swansboro	6.2 mi	22.9 minutes (±3.9)	Lower
Indian Beach	7.7 mi	22.8 minutes (±9.7)	Not measurably different
Broad Creek	8.0 mi	21.9 minutes (±2.9)	Lower
Newport	11 mi	18.1 minutes (±2.6)	Lower

Nearby places with a measurably lower figure: Bogue, NC (21.7 minutes), Swansboro, NC (22.9 minutes), Broad Creek, NC (21.9 minutes).

Distance is measured in a straight line between the Census Bureau’s internal points for each place.

Average commute across Carteret County, place by place

Rank	Place	Average commute
1	Brandywine Bay	48.1 minutes (±38.9)
2	Harkers Island	30.4 minutes (±6.0)
3	Peletier	30.2 minutes (±7.1)
4	Emerald Isle	28.6 minutes (±2.7)
5	Pine Knoll Shores	26.1 minutes (±4.5)
6	Cedar Point	25.9 minutes (±3.5)
7	Cape Carteret	25.1 minutes (±3.4)
8	Indian Beach	22.8 minutes (±9.7)
9	Broad Creek	21.9 minutes (±2.9)
10	Bogue	21.7 minutes (±1.8)

Showing 10 of 14 places in Carteret County, ranked from highest to lowest.

Survey years: 2020–2024 (American Community Survey 5-year estimates).

Margins of error are at the 90% confidence level.

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Questions about Emerald Isle

How long is the average commute in Emerald Isle?

Workers who live in Emerald Isle, NC take an average of 28.6 minutes each way (2020–2024 American Community Survey).

Can you live in Emerald Isle without a car?

1.0% of households in Emerald Isle have no vehicle, and 0.0% of workers commute by public transportation.

How many people work from home in Emerald Isle?

27.2% (±8.1 points) of workers who live in Emerald Isle worked from home, and 97.4% of households have a broadband subscription.

Sources

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 API needs a free key.

Request a Census API key.

DP03_0018E, DP03_0018M, DP03_0025E, DP03_0025M, DP03_0019PE, DP03_0019PM, DP03_0020PE, DP03_0020PM, DP03_0021PE, DP03_0021PM, DP03_0022PE, DP03_0022PM, DP03_0023PE, DP03_0023PM, DP03_0024PE, DP03_0024PM, DP04_0058PE, DP04_0058PM, DP04_0059PE, DP04_0059PM, DP04_0060PE, DP04_0060PM, DP04_0061PE, DP04_0061PM, DP02_0153PE, DP02_0153PM, DP02_0154PE, DP02_0154PM

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.