How long is the commute from Surf City, NC?

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

Workers who live in Surf City, NC take an average of 23.3 minutes to get to work (2020–2024 American Community Survey).

65.7% of workers drive alone to work.

0.0% take public transportation.

1.7% of workers walk to work.

26.6% work from home.

2.4% of households have no vehicle.

Figures last updated on November 12, 2026.

Average commute: 23.3 minutes (±3.3)
Public transportation: 0.0%
Work from home: 26.6%
Households without a car: 2.4%

How people in Surf City get to work

Workers 16 and over by means of transportation to work, 2020–2024
Means of transportation	Surf City	Pender County	North Carolina	United States
Drove alone	65.7% (±8.0 points)	74.3%	71.5%	68.8%
Carpooled	5.7% (±3.7 points)	11.3%	8.5%	8.5%
Public transportation	0.0% (±1.9 points)	0.1%	0.7%	3.2%
Walked	1.7% (±2.2 points)	0.7%	1.6%	2.4%
Other means (bicycle, taxi, motorcycle)	0.4% (±0.6 points)	0.4%	1.5%	2.0%
Worked from home	26.6% (±7.7 points)	13.2%	16.3%	15.1%

In Surf City, the average commute is lower than in Pender County (30.1 minutes).

It is not measurably different from North Carolina (25.1 minutes).

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

In Surf City, the share commuting by public transportation is not measurably different from Pender County (0.1%).

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

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

In Pender County, Surf City ranks 7 of 8 places with a published estimate, from highest to lowest average commute.

Statewide, it ranks 403 of 651.

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

Cars per household in Surf City

Occupied housing units by vehicles available, 2020–2024
Vehicles available	Surf City	Pender County	North Carolina	United States
No vehicle	2.4% (±2.0 points)	3.2%	5.3%	8.4%
1 vehicle	33.7% (±8.6 points)	26.3%	31.4%	33.1%
2 vehicles	47.4% (±8.4 points)	39.8%	38.0%	36.6%
3 or more vehicles	16.5% (±5.7 points)	30.6%	25.2%	21.9%

In Surf City, the share of households without a vehicle is not measurably different from Pender County (3.2%).

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 Surf City

Estimate (90% margin of error)
	Surf City	Pender County	North Carolina	United States
Workers working from home	26.6% (±7.7 points)	13.2% (±1.7 points)	16.3% (±0.2 points)	15.1%
Households with a computer	97.2% (±2.1 points)	94.5% (±1.2 points)	94.9% (±0.1 points)	95.5%
Households with broadband internet	95.8% (±2.6 points)	88.6% (±1.7 points)	90.1% (±0.2 points)	91.0%

In Surf City, the share of households with a broadband subscription is higher than in Pender County (88.6%).

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

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

Average commute in places near Surf City

Nearest places with a published estimate, compared with Surf City
Place	Distance	Average commute	Compared with this place
Surf City	—	23.3 minutes (±3.3)	—
Holly Ridge	4.2 mi	32.0 minutes (±4.9)	Higher
North Topsail Beach	6.6 mi	35.1 minutes (±5.0)	Higher
Topsail Beach	8.1 mi	33.8 minutes (±16.2)	Not measurably different
Sneads Ferry	12 mi	33.8 minutes (±7.0)	Higher
Hampstead	14 mi	29.9 minutes (±4.4)	Higher
Porters Neck	17 mi	24.4 minutes (±3.7)	Not measurably different
Bayshore	18 mi	19.6 minutes (±2.6)	Not measurably different
Ogden	19 mi	27.9 minutes (±6.8)	Not measurably different

Nearby places with a measurably higher figure: Holly Ridge, NC (32.0 minutes), North Topsail Beach, NC (35.1 minutes), Sneads Ferry, NC (33.8 minutes).

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

Average commute across Pender County, place by place

Rank	Place	Average commute
1	Topsail Beach	33.8 minutes (±16.2)
2	Atkinson	33.4 minutes (±5.3)
3	Watha	30.1 minutes (±5.1)
4	Hampstead	29.9 minutes (±4.4)
5	Rocky Point	28.2 minutes (±6.4)
6	Burgaw	26.5 minutes (±5.8)
7	Surf City	23.3 minutes (±3.3)
8	St. Helena	23.1 minutes (±3.0)

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 Surf City

How long is the average commute in Surf City?

Workers who live in Surf City, NC take an average of 23.3 minutes each way (2020–2024 American Community Survey).

Can you live in Surf City without a car?

2.4% of households in Surf City have no vehicle, and 0.0% of workers commute by public transportation.

How many people work from home in Surf City?

26.6% (±7.7 points) of workers who live in Surf City worked from home, and 95.8% 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 Surf City town, North Carolina (place:66040, 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.