United States › North Carolina › Surf City CITY
Surf City North Carolina · 5,142 residents (2025 est.) · 7.69 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 4,396 people, Surf City is a city in North Carolina. The population has roughly tripled since 2000, adding 3,003 people. This is an unusually credentialed place: 52% of adults have a four-year degree. The foreign-born share is 3%. 78% were living in the same home a year earlier. 74% of homes are owner-occupied.
At a glance
Average income
near the US median
US median: $82,259
Younger
median age 36.9
US median: 38.9
More educated
52% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 78%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01
Population & growth from 1,393 in 2000
5,142 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
572 / sq mi
+144%since 2009
from 234 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
from 48.1 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
603 2K 3K 4K 5K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Surf City Age distribution, 2024
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Section 02
Income & economy $81,433
+10%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $40,521 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $25,242 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 28.1% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 15.4% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.428 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Public administration 4.6%
Arts, entertainment, food 2.4%
Education & health services 1.9%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 0.8%
Professional, scientific, technical 0.6%
Transportation & warehousing 0.4%
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$512,300
+78%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $158,000 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$1,707
+44%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $651 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 74.7% in 2000
26.1% rent
from 71.2% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
from 2.27 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 33.3% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 32.7% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
from 10.2 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 97.1%(1,353)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 86.9%(3,819)
Hispanic / Latino 5.6%(246)
from 27 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
+ 17 more ancestry groups with data from 28.7% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 90.5% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 8.8% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 21.9 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 87.0% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 6.1% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 4.7% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 1.2% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 3.8% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 5.6% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 57.6% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 71.5% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 17.8% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 33.3% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 0.6% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 9.3% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 14.6% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 14.0% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 81.9% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 98.2% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 75.5% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 91.8% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 3.0% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 14.0% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 51.1% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 22.6% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 20.3% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 12.7% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 5.7% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 76.6% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 32.6% 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) 37.2%(136)
Gulf War (1990s) 19.9%(73)
Share of the 366 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 Surf City Head to head
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SURF CITY VS
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SURF CITY VS
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Frequently asked
How many people live in Surf City, North Carolina? Surf City, North Carolina has about 4,396 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Surf City, North Carolina? The typical household in Surf City, North Carolina earns about $81,433 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Surf City, North Carolina expensive? In Surf City, North Carolina, the median home is worth about $512,300, and the typical rent is about $1,707 a month.
How educated are people in Surf City, North Carolina? About 51.6% of adults age 25 and over in Surf City, North Carolina hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Surf City, North Carolina? About 5.5% of people in Surf City, North Carolina live below the federal poverty line.
Has Surf City, North Carolina grown since 1990? Yes, Surf City, North Carolina has grown since 1990. The population has added about 3,448 residents, a change of about 364 percent over that period.
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