Houses at, 2008
Emerald Isle’s story
75 years in pictures
Census counts: 14 in 1960, 3,847 in 2020. The archive holds 12 old photos and papers going back to 2003 and 4 maps from 1951 on.
- 1951Emerald Isle is settled
Photo: DiscoA340 · CC BY-SA 4.0
Population
3,970
2025 Census estimate · +3.1% since 2020
Typical home
$762K
+5.4% in a year
Household income
$90K
median
Median age
60.3
years
Jobs based here
1,486
Balanced
TownGrade
B−
#102 of 286 in NC
Is Emerald Isle a good place to live?
FEMA rates its natural-hazard risk higher than 99% of U.S. communities, with hurricanes at the top. Overall it grades B−, 102nd of 286 graded towns in North Carolina. Residents are healthier than 87% of U.S. towns on CDC estimates and it is easier to get around on foot or by transit than 81% of U.S. towns. Its weakest subject is cost of living: homes are expensive, about $762K for a typical one and 10.5 times the Morehead City area’s $72K median household income. 37% of residents are 65 or older in Emerald Isle, where North Carolina’s towns sit at 18% and U.S. towns at 18%. Only 3 of North Carolina’s 451 towns score lower on history. The biggest place to walk is Emerald Isle Woods Park, 42 acres with 1.2 miles of trail.
What makes Emerald Isle stand out
Where Emerald Isle beats most towns, and one thing worth knowing.
How Emerald Isle grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within North Carolina), ordered by how far Emerald Isle is from typical.
Hazard riskhurricanes tops the listD−Open →HealthCarteret General Hospital 16.2 miles awayAOpen →Cost of livingDOpen →WalkabilityEPA walkability 8.2 of 20; 1% of households have no carA−Open →SchoolsBeat 70% of North Carolina districts on tests and graduationB+Open →Jobs & income$90K median household incomeB+Open →SafetyCOpen →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Outdoors6 miles of trails; 5% conserved landB+Open →HistoryD−Open →Civic life4.3 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsBOpen →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
Climate–Open →Housing market84 days on market–Open →Who lives hereMedian age 60.3; 57% of adults have a four-year degree–Open →
How TownRatings grades towns →
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Emerald Isle: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Emerald Isle, and how to reach them.
PowerCarteret-Craven El Member12.5¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterBogue Banks Water CorporationNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet5 providers98% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpBy addressTown’s hauler · day by addressTown site
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 code2859428594 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 Emerald Isle.
Emerald Isle is a second-home town, but it carries more natural-hazard risk than most of North Carolina (mostly hurricanes) and has homes that cost more against local pay than most of North Carolina.
HousingCost of living grade D
Emerald Isle earns a D for cost of living
At 10.5 years of the Morehead City area’s $72K median household income, the typical home (about $762K) costs more against local pay than in 99% of North Carolina towns; that ratio is one input to its D for cost of living.
The median rent in Emerald Isle is $1,704 a month. Typical home values rose 5.4% in the year to September 2026. 86% of households own their home in Emerald Isle.
$762KZillow home value
| Emerald Isle | North Carolina towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,704 a month | $1,084 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 86% | 67% | 73% |
Typical home value
Emerald Isle$762K
North Carolina$332K
Market temperature
84
days on market
96.6%
sale-to-list price
+5.4%
value change, 1 year
22
homes sold in May
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
OutdoorsB+
Emerald Isle has set aside 4.7% of its land for conservation
6.3 miles of trail in 4 parks and preserves. Emerald Isle’s trail density is 1.3 miles per square mile.
#22for trails in NC
| Emerald Isle | North Carolina towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miles of trail per square mile | 1.3 miles per square mile | 0.2 | 0.4 |
| Conserved land | 4.7% | 3.4% | 4.3% |
4.7%
conserved · 151 of 3,209 acres
6.3 mi
of trails · 1.3 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Emerald Isle Woods Park | 1.2 mi | 42 |
| 2. Emerald Isle Boat Ramp | — | 24 |
| 3. Blue Heron Park | — | 2 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade D−
Emerald Isle faces a very high natural-hazard risk, led by hurricanes
FEMA rates its natural-hazard risk higher than 96% of North Carolina towns, with expected losses of about $2,138 per resident a year; that rating is what its D− for hazard risk is built on. 857 flood insurance claims have been filed here, and 114 properties have flooded more than once.
Since 1983, 857 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Emerald Isle.
99risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
HurricanesInland flooding
857
paid flood claims since 1983
12
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
HealthA
Emerald Isle stands out in North Carolina and nationally, with fewer of its adults who feel lonely
26% of Emerald Isle adults feel lonely. Emerald Isle beats the North Carolina average on 17 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 4. 12% of Emerald Isle adults report frequent mental distress.
87%healthier than U.S. townsAHealth Grade
| Emerald Isle | North Carolina towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Feel lonely (CDC PLACES) | 26% | 33% | 33% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 12% | 17% | 17% |
| Yearly checkup (CDC PLACES) | 85% | 80% | 79% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 9.3% | 14% | 14% |
32 measures vs. North Carolina
17 better11 too close to call4 worse
| What stands out | Emerald Isle | NC |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer older adults who have lost all their teeth | 4.5% | 13.9% |
| Fewer adults facing food insecurity | 6.2% | 15.2% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 13.6% | 7.9% |
Carteret General Hospital
16.2 mi away · emergency room
1 of 3
care shortages: mental health
85th
percentile among NC towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
SafetyC
Emerald Isle sees more crime per resident than 68% of U.S. towns
Within North Carolina, it does better than 69% of towns.
32%of U.S. towns report more crimeCSafety Grade
| Emerald Isle | North Carolina towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 15.6 per 1,000 residents | 21.8 | 9.9 |
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 2.7 per 1,000 residents | 3.2 | 1.6 |
Violent crime per 1,000 residents
Emerald Isle2.7
North Carolina3.3
U.S.3.3
Property crime per 1,000 residents
Emerald Isle15.6
North Carolina18.1
U.S.15.5
32nd
percentile among U.S. towns we grade
69th
percentile among NC towns
11
violent crimes reported in 2025
63
property crimes reported in 2025
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
Climate
In Emerald Isle, expect mild winters and hot summers
Emerald Isle 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
Winter37–58°
Spring52–72°
Summer71–87°
Fall56–74°
Nov 16
typical first frost
Mar 26
typical last frost
+1.1°
vs. the 20th-century average
88°
typical summer high
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Work & commuteJobs & income grade B+
About one in five working residents works right in Emerald Isle
Emerald Isle has about as many jobs (1,486) as working residents, but only 257 people both live and work here. Jobs based here grew from 1,038 in 2013 to 1,486.
About one in 5 of Emerald Isle’s working residents works in town. Since 2013, Emerald Isle has added 448 jobs, to 1,486 in 2023. The top destinations are Jacksonville (7%), Morehead City (7%) and New Bern (3%).
20%work in town
| Emerald Isle | North Carolina towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Working residents who work in town | 20% | 6.8% | 8% |
| Below the poverty line | 4.9% | 13% | 9.6% |
| Average trip to work | 29 minutes | 24 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Median household income | $90,000 | $69,000 | $80,000 |
Where working residents work
In Emerald Isle20%
Jacksonville7%
Morehead City7%
New Bern3%
Raleigh3%
23 mi
median commute distance
1,486
jobs based in Emerald Isle
Balanced
jobs vs. working residents
A−
Walkability grade: more walkable than 81% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Emerald Isle
19pages on Emerald Isle
The big questions
SchoolsB+Beat 70% of NC districtsSafetyC2.7 violent crimes per 1,000 residents (2025)HealthABetter than NC on 17 of 32 CDC measuresCost of livingD$762K typical home · up 5.4% in a yearWork & commuteB+$90K median household income · 1,486 jobs hereNatural hazardsD−FEMA risk higher than 99% of U.S. communities · hurricanes
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Emerald Isle; the nearest are
Carteret Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · Morehead City16.2 mi$2,310 in-state tuitionUniversity of North Carolina WilmingtonUniversity or college · Public · Wilmington56.9 mi$7,277 in-state tuition
About 4 of every 100 Emerald Isle residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across North Carolina.
About Emerald Isle
Town in North Carolina, United States
Emerald Isle is a town in Carteret County, North Carolina, United States. It is part of the Crystal Coast and is located entirely on Bogue Banks. The population was 3,847 at the 2020 census. Today, the oceanfront is lined with large and small homes, duplexes, condominiums, and one oceanfront hotel. Emerald Isle has a family-oriented atmosphere. Recent beach renourishment projects in North Carolina, including Emerald Isle, have been both praised and questioned.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Established
- 1951
- Area
- 5.1 sq mi
- Elevation
- 10 ft
- ZIP code
- 28594
- Area code
- 252
Questions about Emerald Isle
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Emerald Isle, NC a good place to live?
Emerald Isle grades B− overall, better than 48% of U.S. towns and #102 of 286 in North Carolina. It grades A for health, C for safety and B+ for schools. Hazard risk is its weak spot, with a D−.
Is Emerald Isle, NC safe?
Within North Carolina, it does better than 69% of towns.
Is Emerald Isle, 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 D.