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CITY

Carolina Beach

North Carolina · 6,870 residents (2025 est.) · 2.45 sq mi
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Part of the Wilmington metro area
The short version

Carolina Beach is a city of 6,745 people in North Carolina. At a median age of 53.2, this is an older place than the country as a whole. 84% of homes are owner-occupied. That puts it in the top 9% of US cities for household income. 50% of adults hold a bachelor's degree, against 36% nationally. Growth has run 43% since 2000, or 2,044 more people.

At a glance
Wealthier
above the US median
US median: $82,259
Older
median age 53.2
US median: 38.9
More educated
50% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 112%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
6,745
+43%since 2000
from 4,701 in 2000
6,870 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
1990 – 2025
Population density
2,751 / sq mi
+17%since 2009
from 2,354 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
Median age
53.2
+22%since 2000
from 43.6 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Land area
2.45 sq mi
Population, 1990 – 2024
3K4K5K6K7K19902000201020202024Carolina Beach
20247K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2024
Under 54.4%(298)
US avg: 5.6%
5 to 91.8%(119)
US avg: 6%
10 to 145.2%(351)
US avg: 6.4%
15 to 193.5%(239)
US avg: 6.6%
20 to 244.6%(310)
US avg: 6.5%
25 to 344.7%(318)
US avg: 13.7%
35 to 4414.9%(1,006)
US avg: 13.2%
45 to 5418%(1,213)
US avg: 12.2%
55 to 6422.8%(1,540)
US avg: 12.7%
65 to 7415.7%(1,059)
US avg: 10.2%
75 to 843.6%(242)
US avg: 5.1%
85 and over0.7%(50)
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$94,398
+38%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $37,662 in 2000
US average: $82,259
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$66,446
+175%since 2000
from $24,128 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
55.8%
+29.8 ptssince 2009
from 26.0% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
Poverty rate
6.0%
−3.4 ptssince 2000
from 9.4% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
Income inequality (Gini)
0.506
+12%since 2010
from 0.451 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Information11.4%
US avg: 10.8%
Wholesale trade9.8%
US avg: 6.9%
Retail trade9.7%
US avg: 9.9%
Other services8.7%
US avg: 6.7%
Public administration4.9%
US avg: 4.8%
Finance & insurance2.1%
US avg: 5.9%
Arts, entertainment, food2%
US avg: 1.9%
Transportation & warehousing1.9%
US avg: 2.2%
Education & health services1.3%
US avg: 0.9%
Professional, scientific, technical0.9%
US avg: 5.1%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing0%
US avg: 1.6%
Construction0%
US avg: 1.2%
Manufacturing0%
US avg: 0.4%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$566,200
+112%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $146,900 in 2000
US average: $376,019
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$1,513
+19%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $700 in 2000
US average: $1,442
Owner-occupied
84.4%
+18.7 ptssince 2000
from 65.7% in 2000
15.6% rent
Vacancy rate
51.0%
−1.7 ptssince 2009
from 52.6% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
Persons per household
2.19 people
+2%since 2009
from 2.14 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
Owner cost-burdened
29.9%
−6.8 ptssince 2009
from 36.7% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
Renter cost-burdened
38.8%
−14.3 ptssince 2009
from 53.1% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
Afford Score
6.0
−23%since 2009
from 7.8 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Gentrification Score
73
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic96.5%(4,536)
Black1.2%(56)
Hispanic / Latino0.8%(36)
Asian0.4%(21)
Other0%
2024
White, non-Hispanic87.5%(5,902)
Black0%(0)
Hispanic / Latino6.4%(434)
Asian1.2%(78)
Other4.9%(331)
Diversity Score
28
+243%since 2009
from 8 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Hispanic origin
Mexican4%(269)
Puerto Rican1.2%(84)
Guatemalan0.4%(24)
Spaniard0.3%(21)
Asian origin
Taiwanese0.7%(48)
Chinese0.3%(22)
Pacific Islander origin
Chamorro1.3%(88)
Ancestry
English24.1%(1,628)
Irish20%(1,349)
German18.7%(1,263)
Italian8.9%(603)
American7.5%(503)
Polish2.7%(181)
Swedish2.6%(175)
Scottish2.3%(155)
French2.2%(149)
Hungarian0.9%(58)
Scotch-Irish0.8%(54)
Welsh0.5%(32)
+ 14 more ancestry groups with data
Dutch0.4%(27)
Arab0.4%(26)
Ukrainian0.3%(20)
Canadian0.3%(17)
Serbian0.2%(16)
Norwegian0.2%(15)
Egyptian0.2%(14)
Belgian0.2%(14)
Lebanese0.2%(12)
Croatian0.1%(10)
Danish0.1%(10)
Slovak0.1%(10)
Swiss0.1%(9)
British0.1%(6)
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
50.5%
+26.9 ptssince 2000
from 23.6% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
99.0%
+9.8 ptssince 2000
from 89.2% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
Graduate degree
15.7%
+9.3 ptssince 2000
from 6.5% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
22.1 min
+8%since 2000
from 20.5 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
Drive alone to work
68.4%
−3.0 ptssince 2009
from 71.4% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
Carpooled to work
6.9%
−8.6 ptssince 2009
from 15.4% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
Public transit
0.0%
−1.6 ptssince 2009
from 1.6% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
Worked from home
19.7%
+13.0 ptssince 2009
from 6.8% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
Walked to work
1.2%
−3.1 ptssince 2009
from 4.3% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
Biked to work
3.4%
+3.4 ptssince 2009
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
No vehicle available
2.3%
+0.8 ptssince 2009
from 1.5% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07

Work & employment

Unemployment rate
7.8%
−1.4 ptssince 2011
from 9.3% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
Labor force participation
62.7%
−13.9 ptssince 2011
from 76.6% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
68.9%
+0.1 ptssince 2020
from 68.8% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
Self-employed
5.8%
−4.7 ptssince 2009
from 10.5% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
Management & professional
53.8%
+10.3 ptssince 2009
from 43.5% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08

People & community

Male
50.5%
+1.1 ptssince 2009
from 49.4% in 2009
Female
49.5%
−1.1 ptssince 2009
from 50.6% in 2009
Foreign born
3.4%
+0.5 ptssince 2009
from 2.8% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
Veterans
8.9%
−2.5 ptssince 2009
from 11.4% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
With a disability
11.0%
+3.2 ptssince 2012
from 7.8% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
Uninsured
10.8%
−8.0 ptssince 2013
from 18.8% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Broadband at home
98.0%
+16.3 ptssince 2017
from 81.7% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
99.0%
+0.9 ptssince 2020
from 98.1% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
Same house as last year
91.9%
+5.8 ptssince 2020
from 86.1% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
English only at home
96.9%
−0.6 ptssince 2016
from 97.5% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
Spanish at home
0.9%
−1.0 ptssince 2016
from 1.9% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married21%(630)
Married62.7%(1,883)
Widowed4.9%(148)
Divorced11.4%(343)
Women 15+
Never married18.9%(562)
Married61.5%(1,828)
Widowed7.6%(226)
Divorced12%(357)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09

Health coverage

Uninsured
10.8%
−8.0 ptssince 2013
from 18.8% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Employer-based
47.3%
−4.2 ptssince 2020
from 51.5% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
23.8%
+2.8 ptssince 2020
from 21.0% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
Medicare
21.6%
+1.9 ptssince 2020
from 19.7% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
Medicaid
10.0%
+2.9 ptssince 2020
from 7.1% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
3.0%
+0.8 ptssince 2020
from 2.2% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
71.5%
+1.7 ptssince 2020
from 69.8% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
31.5%
+5.3 ptssince 2020
from 26.2% in 2020
US average: 36.7%

Shares are "alone or in combination": a person with both Medicare and Medicaid counts in each, so categories overlap and do not sum to 100%.

Section 09 · Service history

Veterans

Veterans by period of service, 2024
Gulf War (2001 or later)27.8%(145)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)30.5%(159)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era34.4%(179)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War0%(0)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II0%(0)
US avg: 1%

Share of the 521 veterans here. A veteran who served across eras counts in each, so shares can total more than 100%. Peacetime-only service is included in the total but not shown as an era.

BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Drill deeper

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Places similar to Carolina Beach
Head to head

Compare Carolina Beach to nearby cities

CAROLINA BEACH VS
Myrtle Grove
Income$113,463+20%
Home value$439,100−22%
Population12,637+84%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
CAROLINA BEACH VS
Wilmington
Income$66,738−29%
Home value$383,800−32%
Population126,809+1746%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
CAROLINA BEACH VS
Leland
Income$91,977−3%
Home value$398,900−30%
Population35,731+420%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
CAROLINA BEACH VS
Oak Island
Income$85,872−9%
Home value$456,500−19%
Population9,337+36%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in Carolina Beach, North Carolina?

Carolina Beach, North Carolina has about 6,745 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.

What is the median household income in Carolina Beach, North Carolina?

The typical household in Carolina Beach, North Carolina earns about $94,398 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Carolina Beach, North Carolina expensive?

In Carolina Beach, North Carolina, the median home is worth about $566,200, and the typical rent is about $1,513 a month.

How educated are people in Carolina Beach, North Carolina?

About 50.5% of adults age 25 and over in Carolina Beach, North Carolina hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Carolina Beach, North Carolina?

About 6.0% of people in Carolina Beach, North Carolina live below the federal poverty line.

Has Carolina Beach, North Carolina grown since 1990?

Yes, Carolina Beach, North Carolina has grown since 1990. The population has added about 3,114 residents, a change of about 86 percent over that period.

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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · UPDATED 2024

How we source and harmonize this data →