What percentage of people rent in Emerald Isle, NC?

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

14.4% (±4.3 points) of the occupied homes in Emerald Isle, NC are rented (2020–2024 American Community Survey).

That is 280 renting households against 1,660 that own their home.

In Emerald Isle, the share of households that rent went from 16.8% in 2015–2019 to 14.4% in 2020–2024 (−2.4 percentage points), not a measurable change.

Figures last updated on November 12, 2026.

Households that rent: 14.4% (±4.3 points)
Renting households: 280 (±84)
Median renter income: $78,750 (±$17,543)

Who rents and who owns in Emerald Isle

Tenure, estimate (90% margin of error)
	Emerald Isle	Carteret County	North Carolina	United States
Renter-occupied share	14.4% (±4.3 points)	25.3% (±1.6 points)	33.4% (±0.2 points)	34.8%
Renting households	280 (±84)	8,092 (±588)	1,428,852 (±8,279)	45,017,354
Owning households	1,660 (±114)	23,885 (±511)	2,853,493 (±14,473)	84,210,142
Average renter household size	1.9 (±0.4)	1.9 (±0.1)	2.3 (±0.0)	2.3
Average owner household size	2.1 (±0.1)	2.2 (±0.0)	2.5 (±0.0)	2.6
Median renter household income	$78,750 (±$17,543)	$38,857 (±$5,218)	$48,010 (±$418)	$52,966
Median owner household income	$95,556 (±$16,637)	$85,430 (±$3,699)	$88,911 (±$521)	$100,009

In Emerald Isle, the renter share is lower than in Carteret County (25.3%).

It is also lower than in North Carolina (33.4%).

It is lower than the national figure (34.8%).

In Carteret County, Emerald Isle ranks 8 of 14 places with a published estimate, from highest to lowest renter share.

Statewide, it ranks 541 of 663.

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

How renting in Emerald Isle has changed since 2015–2019

2015–2019 and 2020–2024 American Community Survey 5-year estimates
	2015–2019	2020–2024	Amount of change	Verdict
Households that rent	16.8% (±4.1 points)	14.4% (±4.3 points)	−2.4 percentage points	Not a measurable change
Median gross rent	$1,408 (±$110)	$1,704 (±$268)	+21.0%	No measurable change after inflation
Median household income	$78,194 (±$8,634)	$89,773 (±$13,436)	+14.8%	No measurable change after inflation

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.

Households that rent in places near Emerald Isle

Nearest places with a published estimate, compared with Emerald Isle
Place	Distance	Households that rent	Compared with this place
Emerald Isle	—	14.4% (±4.3 points)	—
Bogue	1.9 mi	13.1% (±8.8 points)	Not measurably different
Cape Carteret	2.6 mi	20.4% (±11.1 points)	Not measurably different
Cedar Point	3.2 mi	12.8% (±5.0 points)	Not measurably different
Peletier	5.0 mi	22.5% (±9.0 points)	Not measurably different
Swansboro	6.2 mi	27.5% (±11.0 points)	Higher
Indian Beach	7.7 mi	0.0% (±32.2 points)	Not measurably different
Broad Creek	8.0 mi	14.8% (±5.7 points)	Not measurably different
Newport	11 mi	38.6% (±8.4 points)	Higher

Nearby places with a measurably higher figure: Swansboro, NC (27.5%), Newport, NC (38.6%).

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

Households that rent across Carteret County, place by place

Rank	Place	Households that rent
2	Beaufort	46.6% (±7.1 points)
3	Newport	38.6% (±8.4 points)
4	Atlantic Beach	37.5% (±8.5 points)
5	Peletier	22.5% (±9.0 points)
6	Cape Carteret	20.4% (±11.1 points)
7	Broad Creek	14.8% (±5.7 points)
8	Emerald Isle	14.4% (±4.3 points)
9	Bogue	13.1% (±8.8 points)
10	Cedar Point	12.8% (±5.0 points)
11	Brandywine Bay	10.8% (±7.3 points)
12	Harkers Island	10.6% (±5.2 points)
13	Pine Knoll Shores	1.8% (±1.3 points)
14	Indian Beach	0.0% (±32.2 points)

Showing 13 of 14 places in Carteret County, ranked from highest to lowest.

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

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).

Is renting growing in Emerald Isle?

In Emerald Isle, the share of households that rent went from 16.8% in 2015–2019 to 14.4% in 2020–2024 (−2.4 percentage points), not a measurable change.

How big are renting households in Emerald Isle?

A renting household in Emerald Isle has 1.9 people on average, against 2.1 in an owned home.

How much do renters earn in Emerald Isle?

The median renting household in Emerald Isle, NC has an income of $78,750 (±$17,543) a year, against $95,556 for households that own their home.

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) and detailed tables (acs/acs5) 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 DP04_0047PE, DP04_0047PM, B25064_001E, B25064_001M, B19013_001E, B19013_001M from the 2019 release.

The API needs a free key.

Request a Census API key.

DP04_0047PE, DP04_0047PM, DP04_0047E, DP04_0047M, DP04_0046E, DP04_0046M, DP04_0049E, DP04_0049M, DP04_0048E, DP04_0048M, B25119_003E, B25119_003M, B25119_002E, B25119_002M

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.