Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
A town of 10,434, settled in 1855. A regional job hub with 8,845 jobs.
Trash day: look up yoursFEMA rates its natural-hazard risk higher than 99% of U.S. communities, with hurricanes at the top. Overall it grades C−, 194th among North Carolina's 286 graded towns. Its weakest subject is safety: it reports more crime per resident than 83% of U.S. towns, including 28 violent crimes reported to the FBI in 2025. 31% of working residents work locally in Morehead City, above both North Carolina’s towns (6.8%) and U.S. towns (8%). Only 9 of North Carolina’s 331 towns score higher on civic life. Morehead City is home to Carteret Community College.
Where Morehead City beats most towns, and one thing worth knowing.
Where Morehead City’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
Census LEHD 2023
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within North Carolina), ordered by how far Morehead City is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Census counts: 316 in 1860, 9,556 in 2020. The archive holds 12 old photos and papers going back to 1863 and 4 maps from 1949 on.
3 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
Who provides power, water and the rest in Morehead City, and how to reach them.
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
Ordered by what stands out in Morehead City.
Morehead City draws workers from Havelock and beyond and is healthier than towns with similar incomes, but it carries more natural-hazard risk than most of North Carolina (mostly hurricanes).
8,845 jobs are based in Morehead City, 2.4 for every working resident, so most of the people who work here commute in. The average commute takes 18.1 minutes, against 25.1 across North Carolina.
About one in 3 of Morehead City’s working residents works in town. The average trip to work in Morehead City is 18 minutes. The top destinations are Beaufort (7%), Atlantic Beach (4%) and Raleigh (4%).
| Morehead City | North Carolina towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 18 minutes | 24 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Below the poverty line | 18% | 13% | 9.6% |
| Median household income | $56,000 | $69,000 | $80,000 |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Its public schools are run by the Carteret County Public Schools. Three of its 8 schools are below, each with why it’s listed. The largest public high school is West Carteret High, with 1,095 students.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Morehead City MiddleLargest public middle schoolGrades 6–8 | Grades 6–8 | 506 | A− |
| West Carteret HighLargest public high schoolGrades 8–12 | Grades 8–12 | 1,095 | A |
| Morehead City PrimaryTop results in townGrades PK–3 | Grades PK–3 | 502 | A− |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within NC on state tests and graduation
FEMA rates its natural-hazard risk higher than 96% of North Carolina towns, with expected losses of about $1,029 per resident a year; that rating is what its D− for hazard risk is built on. 359 flood insurance claims have been filed here, and 39 properties have flooded more than once.
Since 1985, 359 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Morehead City.
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Reported crimes fell from 317 to 230 over the last three FBI years, a drop beyond ordinary year-to-year swings.
Morehead City reports more crime per resident than most U.S. towns we grade: about 83% report less. Morehead City’s property crime rate is 20.1 per 1,000 residents. Within North Carolina, it does better than 47% of towns.
| Morehead City | North Carolina towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 20.1 per 1,000 residents | 21.8 | 9.9 |
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 2.8 per 1,000 residents | 3.2 | 1.6 |
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
4.2 miles of trail in 11 parks and preserves. The biggest park or preserve is Swinson Park, at 33 acres.
| Morehead City | North Carolina towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Conserved land | 9% | 3.4% | 4.3% |
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.4 miles per square mile | 0.2 | 0.4 |
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Morehead City Sports Complex | 0.8 mi | 28 |
| 2. Swinson Park | — | 33 |
| 3. Radio Island Beach Access | 0.1 mi | 12 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
The typical Morehead City home is worth about $413,000, up 1.4% in a year, 24% above the North Carolina typical home. 47% of Morehead City households own their home.
| Morehead City | North Carolina towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 47% | 67% | 73% |
| Median rent | $1,134 a month | $1,084 a month | $1,185 a month |
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
July afternoons average 87.8°: hotter than most of the country, but cooler than 80% of North Carolina places with climate records; January nights average 36.2°.
Only 8 of the 290 North Carolina towns we compare have a higher January low than Morehead City. Morehead City has mild winters and warm summers, with plenty of rain. Snow is almost unheard of.
| Morehead City | North Carolina towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| January low | 36°F | 31°F | 22°F |
| July high | 88°F | 89°F | 85°F |
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Against the 7,799 U.S. towns with household incomes like Morehead City’s, it is healthier than 89%, so its B isn’t only a matter of income.
Morehead City beats the North Carolina average on 6 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 5. 30% of adults feel lonely in Morehead City.
| Morehead City | North Carolina towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Feel lonely (CDC PLACES) | 30% | 33% | 33% |
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 32% | 34% | 36% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 40% | 38% | 35% |
| Yearly checkup (CDC PLACES) | 82% | 80% | 79% |
| What stands out | Morehead City | NC |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults facing housing insecurity | 9.9% | 12.2% |
| Fewer adults facing a utility shut-off | 6.8% | 8.1% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 10.5% | 7.9% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
People 65 and older are 23% of residents (17% statewide); children under 18 are 18% of residents (22% statewide). Morehead City has grown 9% since 2020, to 10,434 residents in the Census Bureau’s 2025 estimate. 36% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor’s degree or more, vs 36% across North Carolina.
| Morehead City | North Carolina towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 18 | 18% | 22% | 22% |
| Aged 65 or older | 23% | 18% | 18% |
| Median age | 44.2 years | 40.1 years | 40.5 years |
| Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+ | 36% | 29% | 29% |
53% women, 47% men
About 88 men for every 100 women (the survey’s margin: ±2.8 points). Across North Carolina, 51.1% of residents are women.
| Morehead City | NC | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 10.2% | 11.6% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 7.4% | 10.2% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 9% | 9.5% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 14.6% | 13.4% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 11.2% | 12.8% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 12.1% | 12.6% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 12.9% | 12.8% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 11.6% | 10.3% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 11% | 6.9% | 7% |
| No diploma | 9.8% | 9.9% | 10.4% |
| High school | 21.5% | 24.8% | 26% |
| Some college | 21.2% | 19.6% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 11.9% | 10.1% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 24.5% | 22.2% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 11.1% | 13.5% | 14.1% |
Census population estimates, 2025 · U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Morehead City. Close and well known come first.
Big draw5 mi Ancient siteQueen Anne's Revenge
4 mi State parkFort Macon State Park
31 mi MuseumTryon Palace
5 mi National SeashoreCape Lookout National Seashore513K visitors a year
14 mi LighthouseCape Lookout Lighthouse
4 mi MuseumNorth Carolina Maritime MuseumQueen Anne's Revenge: Joseph Nicholls, Public domain · Fort Macon State Park: Kevinbercaw, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Tryon Palace: Carol M. Highsmith, Public domain · Cape Lookout National Seashore: Jarek Tuszyński, CC BY 3.0 · Cape Lookout Lighthouse: United States Coast Guard, Public domain · North Carolina Maritime Museum: Kd5463, CC BY-SA 3.0
1 within 15 miles of the center of Morehead City
About 4 of every 100 Morehead City residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across North Carolina.
8,661 counted in 2010 and 9,556 in 2020; an estimated 10,434 in 2025.
Growth hasn’t slowed: 9% since 2020, after 10.3% in the decade before.
U.S. Census 2010 & 2020 counts · Census Bureau estimate, July 1, 2025
3 places in Morehead City on the National Register of Historic Places.
8 notable people were born in Morehead City.
City in North Carolina, United States
Morehead City is a port city in Carteret County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 8,661 at the 2010 census. Morehead City celebrated the 150th anniversary of its founding on May 5, 2007. It forms part of the Crystal Coast.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
2 towns share a border with Morehead City.
| Town | NC rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Morehead City | #194 | C− | C | C− | B+ | B |
| Brandywine Bay | — | — | C | — | B+ | A |
| Beaufort | #175 | C− | C+ | C | B+ | B |
Brandywine Bay has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade. Brandywine Bay reports no FBI crime data of its own. Compare Morehead City with a neighbor →
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Morehead City grades C− overall, better than 19% of U.S. towns and #194 of 286 in North Carolina. It grades B for health, C− for safety and B+ for schools. Hazard risk is its weak spot, with a D−.
Within North Carolina, it does better than 47% of towns.
That is 5.7 years of the area's median household income ($72,322 across the Morehead City, NC area). Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades C.
8 notable people were born here, including Lonnie Chisenhall and Chip Peterson.
