United States › North Carolina › Emerald Isle CITY
Emerald Isle North Carolina · 3,970 residents (2025 est.) · 4.92 sq mi
Time machine
COMPARE TO 1990 Census 2000 Census 2009 ACS 2010 ACS 2011 ACS 2012 ACS 2013 ACS 2014 ACS 2015 ACS 2016 ACS 2017 ACS 2018 ACS 2019 ACS 2020 ACS 2021 ACS 2022 ACS 2023 ACS
The short version
With 3,934 people, Emerald Isle is a city in North Carolina. The median age is 60.3, about 21 years above the US median. This is an unusually credentialed place: 57% of adults have a four-year degree. Owners hold 86% of the housing stock. Few US cities rank higher on income. The typical home is worth $603,700, having roughly tripled since 2000.
At a glance
Wealthier
above the US median
US median: $82,259
Older
median age 60.3
US median: 38.9
More educated
57% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 79%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01
Population & growth from 3,488 in 2000
3,970 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
from 744 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
from 50.1 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
2K 3K 3K 4K 4K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Emerald Isle Age distribution, 2024
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy $89,773
−7%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $53,274 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $31,316 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 40.0% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 2.7% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.399 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Public administration 4.6%
Education & health services 2.8%
Arts, entertainment, food 2.4%
Professional, scientific, technical 1.6%
Transportation & warehousing 0.2%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 0%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
$603,700
+79%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $185,600 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$1,704
+25%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $750 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 80.2% in 2000
14.4% rent
from 72.7% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
from 2.06 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 33.5% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 14.2% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
from 8.0 in 2009
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04
Race & ethnicity 2000
White, non-Hispanic 95.6%(3,335)
Hispanic / Latino 1.6%(57)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 92.7%(3,645)
Hispanic / Latino 0.3%(12)
from 9 in 2009
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry Ancestry
+ 19 more ancestry groups with data from 40.2% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 95.1% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 13.9% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 19.2 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 78.4% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 8.6% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 0.6% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 8.6% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 1.1% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 0.6% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 2.1% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 12.5% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 57.8% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 62.8% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 14.0% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 35.5% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 21.3% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 13.6% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 9.3% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 87.3% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 98.4% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 80.9% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 94.0% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 4.2% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 9.3% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 50.1% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 29.1% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 32.6% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 5.0% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 6.1% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 85.3% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 38.5% 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) 34.4%(148)
Gulf War (1990s) 44.4%(191)
Share of the 430 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.
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Drill deeper
Places similar to Emerald Isle Head to head
Compare Emerald Isle to nearby cities EMERALD ISLE VS
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Frequently asked
How many people live in Emerald Isle, North Carolina? Emerald Isle, North Carolina has about 3,934 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Emerald Isle, North Carolina? The typical household in Emerald Isle, North Carolina earns about $89,773 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Emerald Isle, North Carolina expensive? In Emerald Isle, North Carolina, the median home is worth about $603,700, and the typical rent is about $1,704 a month.
How educated are people in Emerald Isle, North Carolina? About 57.1% of adults age 25 and over in Emerald Isle, North Carolina hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Emerald Isle, North Carolina? About 4.9% of people in Emerald Isle, North Carolina live below the federal poverty line.
Has Emerald Isle, North Carolina grown since 1990? Yes, Emerald Isle, North Carolina has grown since 1990. The population has added about 1,500 residents, a change of about 62 percent over that period.
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