United States › North Carolina › Emerald Isle CITY · 2000 CENSUS
Emerald Isle North Carolina · 3,488 residents · 4.92 sq mi
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The short version
Emerald Isle is home to 3,488 people in North Carolina. The median age is 50.1, about 15 years above the US median. This is an unusually credentialed place: 40% of adults have a four-year degree. The population is up 43% since 1990. Owners hold 80% of the housing stock. That is roughly 36% ahead of the North Carolina median.
At a glance
Wealthier
median household income $53,274, above the US median
US median: $42,589
Older
median age 50.1
US median: 35.2
More educated
40% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 24%
Stable housing
home values roughly flat, inflation adjusted
US median home: $120,530
Section 01
Population & growth 709 / sq mi
+43%since 1990
from 494 / sq mi in 1990
US average: 242
from 41.2 in 1990
US average: 35.2
Population, 1990 – 2024
2K 3K 3K 4K 4K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Emerald Isle Age distribution, 2000
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy $53,274
+12%inflation adjusted, since 1990
from $36,230 in 1990
US average: $42,589
from $21,622 in 1990
US average: $21,522
from 4.4% in 1990
US average: 12.4%
$185,600
+6%inflation adjusted, since 1990
from $133,500 in 1990
US average: $120,530
$750
+8%inflation adjusted, since 1990
from $525 in 1990
US average: $602
from 73.3% in 1990
19.8% rent
Section 04
Race & ethnicity 1990
White, non-Hispanic 99%(2,409)
Hispanic / Latino 0.8%(20)
2000
White, non-Hispanic 95.6%(3,335)
Hispanic / Latino 1.6%(57)
No data for the years selected.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry Detailed origin tables are available for 2024; showing 2024 data.
Ancestry
+ 19 more ancestry groups with data from 37.4% in 1990
US average: 24.4%
High school or higher
from 90.9% in 1990
US average: 80.3%
from 13.9% in 1990
US average: 8.8%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 23.2 min in 1990
US average: 17.6
Section 07
Work & employment No data for the years selected.
Section 08
People & community No data for the years selected.
Marital status
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2000
Section 09
Health coverage Showing 2024 (the nearest year with coverage data).
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.
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Drill deeper
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Frequently asked
How many people live in Emerald Isle, North Carolina? Emerald Isle, North Carolina has about 3,488 residents according to the 2000 Census.
What is the median household income in Emerald Isle, North Carolina? The typical household in Emerald Isle, North Carolina earns about $53,274 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 $185,600, and the typical rent is about $750 a month.
How educated are people in Emerald Isle, North Carolina? About 40.2% 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 2.7% 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 1,054 residents, a change of about 43 percent over that period.
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