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D−History
History · Surf City

Surf City dates to 1949

Among the newest of U.S. towns · #279 of 290 in North Carolina. What drives it

Most of Surf City was built recently: 0.7% of its homes predate 1940 and the median home dates from 2002. Below: maps from 1942 on and the census since 1970.

1949founded
0on the National Register
0.7%homes built before 1940
Add an old photoShare a memory
Photo: DiscoA340 · CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answers

How Surf City began

When was Surf City founded?

1949

Surf City dates its founding to 1949 (Wikidata). The census first counted it in 1970.

First census: 166 in 19702020 census: 3,86777 years

How historic is Surf City?

D−

Among the newest of U.S. towns, on its age, its old homes and the National Register.

What drives the grade ↓
Founding year: Wikidata.
History grade

What drives Surf City’s History grade

On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Surf City is among the newest of U.S. towns, #279 of 290 in North Carolina. Its National Register listings hold the grade up; its age pulls it down.

D−
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of Surf City’s overall grade.
Founding era1949, from Wikidata: founded 1945 or later, an older era than 2% of U.S. townsD−Homes built before 19400.7% of homes (±0.8) · typical NC town 4.1% · U.S. 8.4%DNational RegisterNo listings counted · typical NC town 12.5 per 10,000 · U.S. 2.4C−
All U.S. towns we grade (21,289)Among the newest
NewerOlder
North Carolina towns of 2,500+ (290)Ahead of 4%

North Carolina towns list more on the Register than most of the country (a typical North Carolina town has 12.5 per 10,000 residents, the U.S. 2.4), so Surf City’s 0.0 sits below most of its state (19% of North Carolina towns have fewer) while its 0 listings outnumber those of 23% of U.S. towns.

NoteThe founding year comes from Wikidata alone; no second source gives 1949.
How sure. Graded on any two of the three inputs instead, the letter would range from D− to D. The pre-1940 share (±0.8 points) is firm at this size.

Founding year: Wikidata (other dates in Quick answers). Homes: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register: National Park Service, May 2026 list; each listing counted once (boundary changes and added documentation belong to their listing), and a historic district counts its contributing buildings. How TownRatings grades history →

What stands out about Surf City’s past

Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.

A history waiting to be writtenNo old photos of Surf City are in the public archives yet. The rest are in attics and albums.
★ What stands out · Help out

Start Surf City’s collection

The first neighbors to add old photos shape how Surf City’s history is told.

Decades since 1900 with photos
00s10s20s30s40s50s60s70s80s90s
0 of 10 decades. The empty ones are waiting for someone’s album.
Share a family photoSign in to add one+10
The story so far

Surf City, in brief

Wikipedia doesn’t have a history of Surf City yet. The photos, dates and memories neighbors add here are how it gets written.

Surf City is a town in Onslow and Pender counties in the U.S. state of North Carolina. The population was 3,867 at the 2020 census. It is located on Topsail Island. The Pender County portion of Surf City is part of the Wilmington, NC Metropolitan Statistical Area, while the Onslow County portion is part of the Jacksonville, NC Metropolitan Statistical Area.

Surf City was established in 1949. Between the 2010 and 2020 censuses its population grew from 1,853 to 3,867 (+109%).

Intro from Wikipedia. Population: U.S. Census Bureau.

By decade

Surf City, decade by decade

Today18 recent
Nesting Killdeer in Surf City 022023Nesting Killdeer in Surf City 02Nesting Killdeer in Surf City 012023Nesting Killdeer in Surf City 01Jukebox in Island Delights, Surf City 022023Jukebox in Island Delights, Surf City 02Jukebox in Island Delights, Surf City 012023Jukebox in Island Delights, Surf City 01Goldsboro Avenue, Surf City (May 2023) 022023Goldsboro Avenue, Surf City (May 2023) 02Goldsboro Avenue, Surf City (May 2023) 012023Goldsboro Avenue, Surf City (May 2023) 01Birds in Surf City 022023Birds in Surf City 02Birds in Surf City 012023Birds in Surf City 01Aircraft above Surf City2023Aircraft above Surf CitySurf City NC2021Surf City NCNorth Carolina beach2021North Carolina beachStrand2017StrandShell ripples2017Shell ripplesBeached2017BeachedSurf City Swing Bridge in 2010 - Topsail Island, NC2010Surf City Swing Bridge in 2010 - Topsail Island, NCOld swing bridge in Surf City, North Carolina (2010)2010Old swing bridge in Surf City, North Carolina (2010)Surfcitync2006SurfcityncNCMap-doton-SurfCity2004NCMap-doton-SurfCity
On the map

Surf City on the map, 1942 to 1997

Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Surf City. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.

Surf City on the 1942 USGS mapSurf City on the 1970 USGS mapSurf City on the 1997 USGS map1942Topsail sheet · 1:62,500

U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (public domain), via Esri’s collection of the scans. The red ring marks the center of Surf City.

People over time

Surf City, census by census

05001,0001,5002,0002,5003,0003,5004,0001980200020203,867

Grew from 166 people in 1970 to 3,867 in 2020, more than tenfold.

6 censuses, 1970–2020.

U.S. Census Bureau decennial counts, from the census table on Surf City’s Wikipedia page.

Famous people

Famous people close to Surf City

Nobody well known was born in Surf City itself, so here are the best known from just nearby.

See all →
Ariana DeBoseAmerican actress · b. 1991
Sugar Ray LeonardAmerican boxer · b. 1956
A.J. StylesAmerican professional wrestler · b. 1977
Charlie DanielsAmerican singer and musician · b. 1936
Ryan AdamsAmerican musician · b. 1974
Percy HeathAmerican musician · b. 1923
Places that used to be

Old corners

Old hamlets and crossroads still carry their names on the map.

Hamlets and corners on the map
Powells Mobile Home ParkSloop Point

Places and cemeteries from the USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).

Stories next door

History across the town line

Each neighbor’s History grade, on the same three inputs.

Topsail Beach3 historic placesnot graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its townNorth Topsail BeachIts storyD−

Questions about Surf City’s history

What year was Surf City founded?

In 1949, according to Wikidata. the census of 1970 counted 166 people here.

How does Surf City rank for history?

Surf City is among the newest of U.S. towns, #279 of 290 in North Carolina. The History grade combines the town’s founding era, the share of homes built before 1940 and its National Register listings. It’s a character grade, so it isn’t part of the overall grade. How it works.

How old are the homes in Surf City?

0.7% of Surf City’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate), against a typical 4.1% for a North Carolina town; the median home was built in 2002.

Memory lane

What the archives can’t tell you, neighbors can.

Town Square →
Start a conversation
Sources

Where this page comes from

Founding dates: Wikidata, Wikipedia, the U.S. post office records of Blevins & Helbock (CC0) and the Census. Homes by year built: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register of Historic Places: National Park Service (list of May 22, 2026). Old photos, postcards and papers: Wikimedia Commons, the Library of Congress and other public archives, credited on each item’s page. Maps: U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (via Esri) and Sanborn fire-insurance maps (Library of Congress). History text and census tables: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Places that used to be: USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).

From Wikimedia Commons (18), U.S. Geological Survey historical maps, U.S. Census counts (via Wikipedia) and the USGS Geographic Names Information System. Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.