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Emerald Isle, NC

Town in Carteret County, North Carolina. ZIP codes: 28594.

Population

3,934

Land area

4.9sq mi

People per sq mi

799

ZIP codes

1

Emerald Isle and its ZIP codes

Full map

Emerald Isle at a glance

  • Emerald Isle is about 3.6 times as dense as North Carolina as a whole.
  • The median household income is $89,773, 24% above the North Carolina median of $72,388.
  • A typical owner-occupied home is valued at $603,700 (about 2.1 times the North Carolina figure) and median rent is $1,704 a month.

Local data for Emerald Isle, NC

Counts from official public data

Housing and community stats

Emerald Isle, NC, American Community Survey 2020-2024

Full profile

Median household income

$89,773

Poverty rate

4.9%

Median home value

$603,700

Median rent

$1,704/mo

Homeownership

85.6%

Bachelor's or higher

57.1%

Median age

60.3

Average commute

28.6 min

Largest reported origins and ancestries: German Americans (715), Irish Americans (625), Polish Americans (222).

Home values and rentsIncome, education and commute

Economy and federal money

Jobs, pay, income and spending are for Carteret County. PPP loans are for Emerald Isle.

Details

Unemployment rate

2.8%

Sep 2026, -0.6 pts in a year

Average annual pay

$47,719

25,622 jobs, 2025

Income per person

$74,177

BEA, 2024

Federal spending

$654M

FY 2026, $9,659 per person

PPP loans

$8.5M

159 loans, 1,585 jobs reported

Carteret County economyFederal spendingPPP loans

How people get to work

Emerald Isle, NC, workers 16 and older. American Community Survey 5-year estimates

  • Drove alone65.4%
  • Carpooled2.3%
  • Public transit0.0%
  • Walked4.0%
  • Bicycle0.0%
  • Taxi, ride-hailing, motorcycle or other1.1%
  • Worked from home27.2%

Average one-way commute: 28.6 minutes for people who do not work from home.

Environment and hazard risk

Emerald Isle, NC, from FEMA, NOAA and EPA

Full report

Natural hazard risk

Relatively Moderate

Top: hurricane

Storm events since 1996

462

Countywide, mostly thunderstorm wind

Flood insurance policies

9,202

21.5% of homes, county

July high / Jan low

87° / 34°F

60.6 inches of rain a year

Hazards, floods and storm historyCheck a flood zone

Health statistics

Share of adults in Emerald Isle, NC, CDC PLACES estimates

All 40 measures

Obesity

31.3%

U.S. 33.3% -2.0 pts

Diabetes

11.8%

U.S. 12.1% about the same

Smoking

9.3%

U.S. 12.8% -3.5 pts

Uninsured (18-64)

5.2%

U.S. 11.1% -5.9 pts

ZIP codes in Emerald Isle

1 in or overlapping Emerald Isle. Population shown

·

Cities near Emerald Isle

NameDistanceLand area (sq mi)
BogueTown2.4 mi2.7
Cape CarteretTown2.4 mi2.5
Cedar PointTown2.8 mi2.2
PeletierTown5.2 mi3.6
SwansboroTown5.7 mi2.2
Broad CreekCensus-designated place8.1 mi3.1
Indian BeachTown8.3 mi0.6
NewportTown12 mi7.9
Brandywine BayCensus-designated place13 mi0.8
Pine Knoll ShoresTown13 mi2.2
Morehead CityTown15 mi7.4
Piney GreenCensus-designated place17 mi13.6
Atlantic BeachTown17 mi2.4
HavelockCity18 mi17.1
MaysvilleTown20 mi0.9
Pumpkin CenterCensus-designated place20 mi1.3

Frequently asked questions

What county is Emerald Isle, NC in?
Emerald Isle is in Carteret County, North Carolina.
What ZIP codes are in Emerald Isle, NC?
ZIP codes in or overlapping Emerald Isle include 28594.
What is the population of Emerald Isle, NC?
About 3,934 people live in Emerald Isle, based on American Community Survey 5-year estimates.
What cities are near Emerald Isle?
Nearby places include Bogue (2.4 mi), Cape Carteret (2.4 mi), Cedar Point (2.8 mi), Peletier (5.2 mi), Swansboro (5.7 mi).

Source: U.S. Census Bureau (TIGER/Line boundaries, American Community Survey) · Data as of 12/31/2023

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