FEMA - 8477 - Photograph by Mark Wolfe taken on 09-19-2003 in North Carolina, 2003
Atlantic Beach’s story
90 years in pictures
The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 2003.
- 1936Atlantic Beach is settled
Atlantic BeachNC
A town of 1,408, settled in 1936.
1 bordering townMap →
Photo: Okayfurry119 · CC BY-SA 4.0
Population
1,408
2025 Census estimate · +2.6% since 2020
Typical home
$544K
+4.6% in a year
Household income
$70K
median
Median age
56.6
years
Jobs based here
1,017
A job hub
Is Atlantic Beach a good place to live?
Atlantic Beach’s best subject grade is an A for civic life; its weakest is a D− for hazard risk. 61% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor’s degree or more in Atlantic Beach, above both the North Carolina town median (29%) and the median of U.S. towns (29%). Only 2 of North Carolina’s 451 towns score lower on hazard risk. Atlantic Beach reports more crime per resident than 95% of U.S. towns, including 7 violent crimes reported to the FBI in 2025. On civic life, just 12 of North Carolina’s 331 towns do better. The biggest park or preserve is Carteret County Open Space, at 52 acres. Atlantic Beach has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
What makes Atlantic Beach stand out
Where Atlantic Beach beats most towns, and one thing worth knowing.
Jobs vs. working residents
Jobs here1,017
Residents who work442
Work
A regional job hub: more jobs per worker than 95% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023.
Community nonprofits per 1,000 residents
Atlantic Beach6.3
Typical U.S. town3.7
Typical NC town3.4
Civic lifeA
88% more nonprofits per person
than the typical North Carolina town
Charities, civic groups and human services; churches not counted.
Worth knowing · Natural hazardsD−
Riskier than 99% of U.S. communities
Hurricanes and coastal flooding at the top
FEMA National Risk Index.
By the sea
Atlantic Beach lives by the ocean
Coastal flooding makes up 13% of the storm damage FEMA expects here.
13%of expected storm damage is coastal flooding
100thpercentile for coastal flood risk nationally
720paid flood-insurance claims since 1980
7storm & flood disasters paid out here
On the water
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA · OpenStreetMap
How Atlantic Beach grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within North Carolina), ordered by how far Atlantic Beach is from typical.
Hazard riskFEMA risk higher than 100% of U.S. communities; hurricanes tops the listD−Open →SafetyDOpen →Cost of livingC−Open →Jobs & income$70K median household incomeC−Open →SchoolsBeat 70% of North Carolina districts on tests and graduationB+Open →HealthHealthier than 70% of U.S. towns; Carteret General Hospital 1.8 miles awayB+Open →WalkabilityEPA walkability 8.2 of 20; 3.3% of households have no car; 1% of workers walk, bike or ride transitB−Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Outdoors1 mile of trail; 6% conserved landB+Open →HistoryD−Open →Civic life6.3 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsAOpen →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Atlantic Beach: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Atlantic Beach, and how to reach them.
PowerCarteret-Craven El Member12.5¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterTown of Atlantic Beach water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet5 providers98% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Atlantic Beach’s trash rules yet
Register to voteOnlineIn North Carolina you can register online until 25 days before Election Day, in person with same-day registration during the early voting period, or by mail (postmarked 25 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereCarteret County Board of ElectionsCarteret County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, May 2019
ZIP code2851228512 100%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Atlantic Beach.
HousingCost of living grade C−
Atlantic Beach’s typical home value is about $544K
The typical Atlantic Beach home is worth about $544,000, up 4.6% in a year, 64% above the North Carolina typical home. 63% of households own their home in Atlantic Beach, below both North Carolina’s towns (67%) and U.S. towns (73%).
$544KZillow home value
| Atlantic Beach | North Carolina towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 63% | 67% | 73% |
| Median rent | $1,206 a month | $1,085 a month | $1,185 a month |
Typical home value
Atlantic Beach$544K
North Carolina$332K
Market temperature
40
days on market
95.7%
sale-to-list price
+4.6%
value change, 1 year
17
homes sold in May
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
SafetyD
Atlantic Beach’s grade for safety is a D
Atlantic Beach’s property crime rate is 29.3 per 1,000 residents. Atlantic Beach reports more crime per resident than most U.S. towns we grade: about 95% report less. Atlantic Beach’s violent crime rate is 4.9 per 1,000 residents.
5%of U.S. towns report more crimeDSafety Grade
| Atlantic Beach | North Carolina towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 29.3 per 1,000 residents | 21.8 | 9.9 |
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 4.9 per 1,000 residents | 3.2 | 1.6 |
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Atlantic Beach4.9
North Carolina3.3
U.S.3.3
Property crime per 1,000 residents
Atlantic Beach29.3
North Carolina18.2
U.S.15.5
5th
percentile among U.S. towns we grade
7
violent crimes reported in 2025
42
property crimes reported in 2025
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
Work & commuteJobs & income grade C−
Atlantic Beach has 2.3 jobs for every working resident, and 959 people commute in
Most working residents leave Atlantic Beach for work: only 13% work in town. Since 2013, Atlantic Beach has added 225 jobs, to 1,017 in 2023. The average trip to work in Atlantic Beach is 21 minutes.
13%work in town
| Atlantic Beach | North Carolina towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 21 minutes | 24 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Below the poverty line | 16% | 13% | 9.6% |
| Working residents who work in town | 13% | 6.8% | 8% |
Where working residents work
In Atlantic Beach13%
Morehead City17%
Beaufort7%
Raleigh4%
Greenville4%
16 mi
median commute distance
1,017
jobs based in Atlantic Beach
A job hub
jobs vs. working residents
B−
Walkability grade: more walkable than 52% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade D−
In Atlantic Beach, the FEMA risk score runs higher than in the typical North Carolina or U.S. town
Of the 291 North Carolina towns we compare, none has a higher FEMA risk score than Atlantic Beach. Since 1980, 720 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Atlantic Beach.
100risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
HurricanesCoastal floodingInland flooding
720
paid flood claims since 1980
7
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
HealthB+
Atlantic Beach stands out in North Carolina and nationally: a smaller share of its adults feel lonely
26% of adults feel lonely in Atlantic Beach. Atlantic Beach beats the North Carolina average on 14 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 6. 13% of adults report frequent mental distress in Atlantic Beach.
70%healthier than U.S. townsB+Health Grade
| Atlantic Beach | North Carolina towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Feel lonely (CDC PLACES) | 26% | 33% | 33% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 13% | 17% | 17% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 45% | 38% | 35% |
| Yearly checkup (CDC PLACES) | 85% | 80% | 79% |
32 measures vs. North Carolina
14 better12 too close to call6 worse
| What stands out | Atlantic Beach | NC |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults facing housing insecurity | 6% | 12.2% |
| Fewer older adults who have lost all their teeth | 7.4% | 13.9% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 13.9% | 7.9% |
Carteret General Hospital
1.8 mi away · emergency room
1 of 3
care shortages: mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Climate
In Atlantic Beach, expect mild winters and pleasant summers
Atlantic Beach has mild winters and warm summers, with plenty of rain. July afternoons reach 88°, January nights drop to 36° and snow is almost unheard of.
88°summer high
Typical low → high °F
Winter38–58°
Spring52–71°
Summer72–86°
Fall57–75°
Nov 21
typical first frost
Mar 18
typical last frost
+1.2°
vs. the 20th-century average
88°
typical summer high
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
6.2%conserved
| Atlantic Beach | North Carolina towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Conserved land | 6.2% | 3.4% | 4.3% |
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.5 miles per square mile | 0.2 | 0.4 |
6.2%
conserved · 109 of 1,755 acres
1.3 mi
of trails · 0.5 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Hoop Pole Creek Preserve | 0.7 mi | 32 |
| 2. Carteret County Open Space | — | 52 |
| 3. Atlantic Beach Town Park | — | 7 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Nearby attractions
All 10 attractions →Queen Anne's Revenge and 7 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Atlantic Beach. Close and well known come first.
Big draw4 mi Ancient siteQueen Anne's Revenge
3 mi State parkFort Macon State Park
4 mi National SeashoreCape Lookout National Seashore513K visitors a year
33 mi MuseumTryon Palace
14 mi LighthouseCape Lookout Lighthouse
5 mi MuseumNorth Carolina Maritime MuseumSources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits
Queen Anne's Revenge: Joseph Nicholls, Public domain · Fort Macon State Park: Kevinbercaw, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Cape Lookout National Seashore: Jarek Tuszyński, CC BY 3.0 · Tryon Palace: Carol M. Highsmith, Public domain · Cape Lookout Lighthouse: United States Coast Guard, Public domain · North Carolina Maritime Museum: Kd5463, CC BY-SA 3.0
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Atlantic Beach
19pages on Atlantic Beach
The big questions
SchoolsB+Beat 70% of NC districtsSafetyD4.9 violent crimes per 1,000 residents (2025)HealthB+Better than NC on 14 of 32 CDC measuresCost of livingC−$544K typical home · up 4.6% in a yearWork & commuteC−$70K median household income · 1,017 jobs hereNatural hazardsD−FEMA risk higher than 100% of U.S. communities · hurricanes
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
1 within 15 miles of the center of Atlantic Beach
About 4 of every 100 Atlantic Beach residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across North Carolina.
Small town
1,408 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
Pine Knoll ShoresAtlantic Beach
About Atlantic Beach
Town in North Carolina, United States
Atlantic Beach is a town in Carteret County, North Carolina, United States. It is one of the five communities located on Bogue Banks. The population was 1,364 at the 2020 census.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 2.7 sq mi
- Elevation
- 10 ft
- ZIP code
- 28512
- Area code
- 252
Questions about Atlantic Beach
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Atlantic Beach, NC expensive?
Yes. Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades C−.