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CITY · 2010 ACS

Southern Shores

North Carolina · 2,714 residents · 3.95 sq mi
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The short version

With 2,714 people, Southern Shores is a city in North Carolina. At a median age of 54.2, this is an older place than the country as a whole. Home values have more than doubled since 2000, reaching $496,500. 52% of adults hold a bachelor's degree, against 28% nationally. Owners hold 89% of the housing stock. Households here earn about 62% more than in North Carolina as a whole.

At a glance
Wealthier
above the US median
US median: $52,703
Older
median age 54.2
US median: 37.2
More educated
52% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 28%
Less affordable
home values up 78%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $225,659
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
2,714
+23%since 2000
from 2,201 in 2000
1990 – 2025
Median age
54.2
+5%since 2000
from 51.4 in 2000
US average: 37.2
Land area
3.95 sq mi
Population, 1990 – 2024
1K2K2K3K3K19902000201020202024Southern Shores
20243K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2010
Under 53%(82)
US avg: 6.5%
5 to 94.1%(112)
US avg: 6.6%
10 to 145.7%(155)
US avg: 6.7%
15 to 195.3%(144)
US avg: 7.1%
20 to 242.7%(72)
US avg: 7%
25 to 345.2%(140)
US avg: 13.3%
35 to 449.5%(257)
US avg: 13.3%
45 to 5416%(435)
US avg: 14.6%
55 to 6421%(571)
US avg: 11.8%
65 to 7417.2%(467)
US avg: 7%
75 to 848.2%(222)
US avg: 4.2%
85 and over2.1%(57)
US avg: 1.8%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$73,786
−6%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $61,676 in 2000
US average: $52,703
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$40,388
+12%since 2000
from $35,933 in 2000
US average: $27,286
Households earning $100K+
48.6%
−1.5 ptssince 2009
from 50.1% in 2009
US average: 33.3%
Poverty rate
3.5%
+0.4 ptssince 2000
from 3.1% in 2000
US average: 13.8%
Income inequality (Gini)
0.387
US average: 0.461
Workforce by industry, 2010
Other services17.5%
US avg: 7%
Information17%
US avg: 11.5%
Wholesale trade13.5%
US avg: 7.2%
Retail trade2.9%
US avg: 10.9%
Finance & insurance2.7%
US avg: 5.1%
Public administration2.5%
US avg: 4.9%
Professional, scientific, technical2.2%
US avg: 4.2%
Arts, entertainment, food1.7%
US avg: 2.4%
Education & health services0.5%
US avg: 0.9%
Transportation & warehousing0.5%
US avg: 3.1%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing0%
US avg: 1.9%
Construction0%
US avg: 1.4%
Manufacturing0%
US avg: 0.5%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$496,500
+78%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $220,700 in 2000
US average: $225,659
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$1,608
+49%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $850 in 2000
US average: $853
Owner-occupied
89.3%
−4.4 ptssince 2000
from 93.7% in 2000
10.7% rent
Vacancy rate
46.5%
−0.2 ptssince 2009
from 46.7% in 2009
US average: 12.1%
Persons per household
2.14 people
Unchangedsince 2009
from 2.15 people in 2009
US average: 2.60
Owner cost-burdened
37.3%
+2.1 ptssince 2009
from 35.2% in 2009
US average: 30.9%
Renter cost-burdened
23.6%
+6.7 ptssince 2009
from 16.9% in 2009
US average: 46.8%
Afford Score
6.7
−3%since 2009
from 6.9 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.
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic97.3%(2,142)
Black0.1%(2)
Hispanic / Latino1.5%(34)
Asian0.2%(5)
Other0%
2010
White, non-Hispanic96.6%(2,621)
Black0.2%(6)
Hispanic / Latino1.5%(42)
Asian0.6%(16)
Other0.4%(11)

No data for the years selected.

Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Hispanic origin
Salvadoran1.2%(32)
Chilean0.6%(15)
Puerto Rican0.5%(14)
Guatemalan0.3%(9)
Colombian0.3%(7)
Ancestry
English28.5%(758)
German20%(532)
Irish13.8%(366)
American8.1%(216)
French6.3%(168)
Scotch-Irish5.9%(156)
Italian5.8%(155)
Scottish4.2%(112)
Dutch3%(81)
Polish3%(79)
British1.9%(50)
Danish1.5%(40)
+ 13 more ancestry groups with data
Greek1.2%(33)
Norwegian1.2%(32)
Russian1.2%(32)
Welsh0.8%(22)
Hungarian0.8%(21)
Ukrainian0.6%(17)
Macedonian0.6%(16)
Romanian0.5%(14)
Swedish0.3%(8)
Lithuanian0.2%(6)
Austrian0.2%(5)
Slovak0.2%(5)
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
51.9%
+3.0 ptssince 2000
from 48.9% in 2000
US average: 27.9%
High school or higher
96.1%
−0.7 ptssince 2000
from 96.7% in 2000
US average: 84.9%
Graduate degree
19.8%
+1.2 ptssince 2000
from 18.6% in 2000
US average: 10.2%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
19.6 min
+25%since 2000
from 15.6 min in 2000
US average: 25.2
Drive alone to work
80.8%
+2.1 ptssince 2009
from 78.7% in 2009
US average: 76.2%
Carpooled to work
9.6%
+0.4 ptssince 2009
from 9.2% in 2009
US average: 10.4%
Public transit
0.0%
Unchangedsince 2009
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 4.7%
Worked from home
8.7%
−1.6 ptssince 2009
from 10.3% in 2009
US average: 4.1%
Walked to work
0.3%
−0.4 ptssince 2009
from 0.7% in 2009
US average: 2.8%
Biked to work
0.6%
+0.1 ptssince 2009
from 0.6% in 2009
US average: 0.5%
No vehicle available
1.0%
Unchangedsince 2009
from 1.1% in 2009
US average: 8.7%
Section 07

Work & employment

Self-employed
11.4%
+1.0 ptssince 2009
from 10.5% in 2009
US average: 12.9%
Management & professional
40.3%
+3.0 ptssince 2009
from 37.3% in 2009
US average: 35.2%
Section 08

People & community

Male
47.8%
+1.3 ptssince 2009
from 46.5% in 2009
Female
52.2%
−1.3 ptssince 2009
from 53.5% in 2009
Foreign born
4.1%
+2.2 ptssince 2009
from 1.9% in 2009
US average: 12.8%
Veterans
17.3%
−1.7 ptssince 2009
from 19.1% in 2009
US average: 9.9%
Marital status (2024)
Men 15+
Never married21.2%(277)
Married74%(967)
Widowed4.1%(54)
Divorced0.7%(9)
Women 15+
Never married13.8%(210)
Married64.1%(977)
Widowed13.6%(208)
Divorced8.5%(129)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09

Health coverage

Showing 2024 (the nearest year with coverage data).

Uninsured
6.7%
−6.2 ptssince 2013
from 12.9% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Employer-based
53.4%
+2.1 ptssince 2020
from 51.3% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
23.1%
−12.8 ptssince 2020
from 35.9% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
Medicare
32.2%
+0.2 ptssince 2020
from 32.0% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
Medicaid
6.2%
+0.8 ptssince 2020
from 5.4% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
2.0%
−0.9 ptssince 2020
from 2.9% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
79.9%
−5.2 ptssince 2020
from 85.1% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
36.6%
+0.1 ptssince 2020
from 36.5% 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)23.9%(49)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)15.6%(32)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era36.1%(74)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War4.9%(10)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II0%(0)
US avg: 1%

Share of the 205 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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Compare Southern Shores to nearby cities

SOUTHERN SHORES VS
Elizabeth City
Income$52,141−29%
Home value$187,700−62%
Population19,622+531%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
SOUTHERN SHORES VS
Virginia Beach
Income$92,968+26%
Home value$382,500−23%
Population453,737+14490%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
SOUTHERN SHORES VS
Chesapeake
Income$95,373+29%
Home value$378,400−24%
Population255,332+8110%
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SOUTHERN SHORES VS
Portsmouth
Income$60,491−18%
Home value$246,900−50%
Population96,777+3012%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in Southern Shores, North Carolina?

Southern Shores, North Carolina has about 2,714 residents according to the 2010 American Community Survey.

What is the median household income in Southern Shores, North Carolina?

The typical household in Southern Shores, North Carolina earns about $73,786 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Southern Shores, North Carolina expensive?

In Southern Shores, North Carolina, the median home is worth about $496,500, and the typical rent is about $1,608 a month.

How educated are people in Southern Shores, North Carolina?

About 51.9% of adults age 25 and over in Southern Shores, North Carolina hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Southern Shores, North Carolina?

About 3.5% of people in Southern Shores, North Carolina live below the federal poverty line.

Has Southern Shores, North Carolina grown since 1990?

Yes, Southern Shores, North Carolina has grown since 1990. The population has added about 1,267 residents, a change of about 88 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 →