How long do people stay in their homes in Surf City, NC?

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

47.3% (±9.4 points) of households in Surf City, NC moved into their current home in 2020 or later (2020–2024 American Community Survey).

7.7% have lived in it since before 2000.

Figures last updated on November 12, 2026.

Moved in 2020 or later: 47.3% (±9.4 points)
Since before 2000: 7.7%

When households in Surf City moved in

Occupied housing units by year the householder moved in, 2020–2024
Moved in	Surf City	Pender County	North Carolina	United States
2023 or later	8.6% (±4.5 points)	3.3%	4.9%	4.6%
2020 to 2022	38.7% (±8.3 points)	21.8%	21.3%	20.2%
2010 to 2019	38.5% (±7.0 points)	40.5%	39.2%	39.6%
2000 to 2009	6.4% (±2.7 points)	18.1%	16.2%	16.4%
1990 to 1999	5.3% (±3.2 points)	8.6%	9.2%	9.6%
1989 or earlier	2.4% (±2.1 points)	7.7%	9.3%	9.5%

A high share of recent movers usually means more renting households and more turnover; a high share of long-time residents usually means more owners who have stayed.

In Surf City, the share of households that moved in since 2020 is higher than in Pender County (25.1%).

It is also higher than in North Carolina (26.2%).

It is higher than the national figure (24.8%).

Households that moved in since 2020 in places near Surf City

Nearest places with a published estimate, compared with Surf City
Place	Distance	Households that moved in since 2020	Compared with this place
Surf City	—	47.3% (±9.4 points)	—
Holly Ridge	4.2 mi	52.6% (±15.6 points)	Not measurably different
North Topsail Beach	6.6 mi	33.4% (±7.5 points)	Lower
Topsail Beach	8.1 mi	12.8% (±8.0 points)	Lower
Sneads Ferry	12 mi	33.5% (±13.4 points)	Not measurably different
Hampstead	14 mi	30.8% (±8.4 points)	Lower
Porters Neck	17 mi	29.6% (±7.3 points)	Lower
Bayshore	18 mi	15.9% (±8.8 points)	Lower
Ogden	19 mi	23.7% (±9.2 points)	Lower

Nearby places with a measurably lower figure: North Topsail Beach, NC (33.4%), Topsail Beach, NC (12.8%), Hampstead, NC (30.8%).

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

Households that moved in since 2020 across Pender County, place by place

Rank	Place	Households that moved in since 2020
1	Surf City	47.3% (±9.4 points)
2	Hampstead	30.8% (±8.4 points)
3	Burgaw	26.7% (±9.7 points)
4	Rocky Point	26.4% (±17.9 points)
5	Atkinson	20.7% (±28.5 points)
6	St. Helena	18.0% (±13.5 points)
7	Topsail Beach	12.8% (±8.0 points)

Showing 7 of 8 places in Pender 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 Surf City

How often do people move in Surf City?

47.3% of households in Surf City, NC moved into their home in 2020 or later (2020–2024 American Community Survey).

How many long-time residents does Surf City have?

7.7% of households in Surf City have lived in their home since 1999 or earlier.

Sources

Selected Housing Characteristics (DP04), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — Surf City town, North Carolina

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.

DP04_0051PE, DP04_0051PM, DP04_0052PE, DP04_0052PM, DP04_0053PE, DP04_0053PM, DP04_0054PE, DP04_0054PM, DP04_0055PE, DP04_0055PM, DP04_0056PE, DP04_0056PM

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.