City profile · North Carolina · Census ACS 2023

Bald Head Island, NC

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Bald Head Island - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

149
Residents
$205,000
Median income
$1,375,000
Median home
$1,426
Median rent (state)

Bald Head Island - the verdict

Nationally, Bald Head Island sits in the 98th percentile for household income among US cities with a population of 1,000 or more. Source: Census ACS.

98th
percentile, household income
99th
percentile, home value
56th
percentile, median rent
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Bald Head Island, NC

North Carolina's Bald Head Island is a small town, with 149 residents per the latest Census Bureau ACS figures. The typical household in Bald Head Island brings in $205,000 a year, placing it in the top quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 2.0%. Typical homes in Bald Head Island are valued around $1,375,000, and the median resident age is 69.1 years. 84.2% of adults here have a bachelor's degree or higher; 34.9% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

The Census Building Permit Survey recorded 25 residential units authorized here in 2024 (Rapid Growth), up 25% from five years earlier.

Living costs in North Carolina run below the national norm: the state registers 94.3 on a 100-equals-national-average index (Below Average) per BEA Regional Price Parities 2024. Statewide, HUD pegs Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom unit at $1,426 monthly. Statewide, average monthly utility bills in North Carolina run around $215, per EIA 2023 residential energy data. Natural-hazard exposure scores 95.8 out of 100 on FEMA's National Risk Index (Very High).

Population

149 residents

Census ACS 2023 - North Carolina

Median Household Income

$205,000 /yr

Poverty 2.0%

Cost of Living Index (state)

94.3 (US=100)

Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, North Carolina average

How does Bald Head Island compare to other US cities?

Bald Head Island measured against every US city with 1,000+ residents, computed live from the same Census and FBI data shown throughout this page.

Household income 98% higher than other cities
Home value 99% pricier than other cities
Median rent 56% pricier than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

Each percentile compares Bald Head Island against every qualifying US city; each in-state rank narrows that to North Carolina only. Full formula and direction notes: methodology.

North Carolina-relative analysis

Median Home Value is Bald Head Island's strongest outlier among North Carolina cities

Among the 708 North Carolina cities PlainCities tracks with reported median home value data, Bald Head Island ranks #1 - the 100th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Bald Head Island only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#3 of 700
100th percentile in North Carolina
Median Gross Rent
#159 of 746
77th percentile in North Carolina
Median Home Value
#1 of 708
100th percentile in North Carolina
Poverty Rate
#614 of 746
17th percentile in North Carolina
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#2 of 746
100th percentile in North Carolina

Ranked by raw value (highest first); a higher rank is not automatically "better" for every measure, see each metric's own context above. This is a comparison within North Carolina only, not a livability score. See the methodology for the source and calculation.

98thIncome percentile

98th percentile nationally for median household income. Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

How Bald Head Island's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$1,375,000 1st percentile more affordable than 1% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Below this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Below this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). This entry sits in this band. Bald Head Island $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Bald Head Island, NC Bald Head Island, NC's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Bald Head Island, NC-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Bald Head Island, NC median $205,000/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Bald Head Island, NC's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Bald Head Island, NC. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 84.2%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 2.0%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 34.9%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
149
Median Income
$205,000
Median Home Value
$1,375,000
Median Age
69.1
Poverty Rate
2.0%
Labor force participation
34.9%
Bachelor's Degree+
84.2%

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
260 residents270 residents280 residents290 residents 202020212022202320242025 262 residents 279 residents ▲ +6.5%
Bald Head Island's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

📈 Rapid Growth
Total Permits (2024)
25
housing units authorized
Single-Family
25
detached homes
Multifamily
0
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
167.8
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 20
2020 17
2021 30
2022 32
2023 23
2024 25

Permit volume increased 25% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
9.8%
Carpool
0.0%
Public Transit
0.0%
Walk
3.9%
Work from Home
64.7%
Other
21.6%

Based on 51 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for North Carolina - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$115
avg/month
Natural Gas
$55
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$45
avg/month
Total Utilities
$215
estimated/month

Estimates reflect North Carolina state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a North Carolina state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Bald Head Island sits in

Cost of Living Index
94.3
Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,426/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
95.8 / 100
Very High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in North Carolina

Milwaukee
147 people
Stonewall
151 people
Waves
147 people
Askewville
152 people
Hallsboro
145 people
White Oak
145 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Bald Head Island's 149 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Rudy, AR
149 people
El Rancho, CA
149 people
Segundo, CO
149 people
Layton, FL
149 people
Bellville, GA
149 people
Gilson, IL
149 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Bald Head Island's $205,000 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Dublin, CA
$205,046 median income
Villa Park, CA
$204,750 median income
Botsford, CT
$205,469 median income
Independent Hill, VA
$204,500 median income
Robertsville, NJ
$204,421 median income
Lake Bluff, IL
$205,735 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Bald Head Island, NC Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Bald Head Island, NC - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 98.0% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 2.0% White 98.0% Black or African American 0.0% Asian 0.0% American Indian 0.0% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 2.0% Two or more races 0.0% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Bald Head Island compares to nearby North Carolina cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Bald Head Island (this city) 149 $205,000
Milwaukee 147 $47,596
Stonewall 151 N/A
Waves 147 N/A
Census ACS 5-year FIPS NC Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Bald Head Island, NC?

What is the population of Bald Head Island, NC? +

Bald Head Island, NC counts 149 residents according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Bald Head Island, NC? +

Median annual household income in Bald Head Island runs $205,000, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Bald Head Island? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Bald Head Island; the closest available measure is the North Carolina state average, a cost of living index of 94.3 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Below Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within North Carolina vary by metro area.

What is the median home value in Bald Head Island, NC? +

A typical home in Bald Head Island is worth $1,375,000, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, Census BPS 2024, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.