Town · North Carolina
Carolina Shores, North Carolina
Carolina Shores, town, in Brunswick County, North Carolina. Carolina Shores had 5,540 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, up 20.9% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 4,588 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 5,017 (±20). GEOID 3710550.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
5,540
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 4,588 · ACS 2020-2024: 5,017 ±20
Median household income
$76,087
±$8,447 (90% margin)
North Carolina: $72,388
Median home value
$288,600
±$12,630 (90% margin)
North Carolina: $288,900
Median gross rent
$1,973
±$306 (90% margin)
North Carolina: $1,228
Where is Carolina Shores and what county is it in?
Carolina Shores is a town in Brunswick County, North Carolina. It covers 2.9 square miles of land, 1,582 residents per square mile in 2020.
Carolina Shores is in the Wilmington, NC metropolitan statistical area, which takes in 3 counties (Census Bureau delineation, July 2023).
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Carolina Shores, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 5,540 people lived in Carolina Shores on July 1, 2025, up 20.9% since 2020, faster than North Carolina (+7.2%). The 2020 Census counted 4,588 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 5,017 (±20).
| Measure | Carolina Shores | Brunswick County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 5,017 ±20 | 152,568 | +854 |
| Households | 2,627 ±178 | 69,124 | +745 |
| Average household size | 1.91 ±0.13 | 2.19 | −0.30 |
| Housing units | 2,955 ±218 | 99,077 | +606 |
Carolina Shores's population since 2000
From 1,482 in 2000 to 5,540 in 2025: up 273.8%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Carolina Shores as it was drawn that year: a place that annexed land, or a community that has since incorporated, covered a different area then. The 2005 figure is the Census Bureau's intercensal estimate, revised to fit the 2000 and 2010 counts and drawn on 2010 boundaries; 2015 and 2025 are July 1 estimates made from the census before them.
Source: The 2000, 2010 and 2020 Census counts and the Census Bureau's population estimates (intercensal 2000-2010, Vintage 2020, Vintage 2025) · Census population estimates
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); Census PEP Vintage 2025 (SUB-EST2025, CO-EST2025); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in Carolina Shores?
The median resident of Carolina Shores is 65.3 years old; 7.6% are under 18 and 50.9% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 94.1%, then non-Hispanic residents of some other race at 3.3%.
| Measure | Carolina Shores | Brunswick County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 65.3 ±1.7 | 56.4 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 7.6% ±2.7 pts | 14.0% | – |
| 65 years and over | 50.9% ±5.4 pts | 33.8% | – |
| Male | 49.0% ±3.4 pts | 48.1% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 0.3% ±0.6 pts | 5.6% | – |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 94.1% ±4.7 pts | 80.8% | no clear change |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.8 pts | 8.3% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.8 pts | 0.7% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.8 pts | 0.2% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.8 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 2.3% ±1.7 pts | 4.0% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 3.3% ±4.6 pts | 0.4% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 1.7% ±1.3 pts | 3.6% | – |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 1.0% ±1.0 pts | 5.0% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 11.4% ±2.9 pts | 10.8% | – |
| With a disability | 22.8% ±5.7 pts | 15.6% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 4.1% ±2.0 pts | 7.5% | – |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 97.8% ±1.3 pts | 93.5% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 27.6% ±5.7 pts | 34.7% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 10.7% ±3.1 pts | 12.7% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 93.9% ±3.1 pts | 89.1% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 2.4% ±1.8 pts | 3.5% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profiles DP02, DP05) · Check it at data.census.gov
What do households in Carolina Shores earn?
Half of Carolina Shores's 2,627 households earn less than $76,087 a year (±$8,447), against $77,024 in Brunswick County and $72,388 in North Carolina. In 2015-2019 it was $77,593 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart.
| Measure | Carolina Shores | Brunswick County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $76,087 ±$8,447 | $77,024 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $81,360 ±$8,123 | $100,289 | – |
| Per capita income | $42,497 ±$4,347 | $45,985 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 3.9% ±2.7 pts | 9.2% | – |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 0.0% ±10.6 pts | 13.1% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 5.7% ±3.3 pts | 8.5% | – |
| Households with a computer | 99.0% ±1.1 pts | 96.6% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 95.4% ±3.2 pts | 93.3% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What does housing cost in Carolina Shores?
Owners occupy 94.7% of Carolina Shores's occupied homes and renters 5.3%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $288,600 by its owner (±$12,630). The median renter pays $1,973 a month including utilities, and 74.4% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Carolina Shores | Brunswick County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $288,600 ±$12,630 | $349,800 | +$50,953 |
| Median gross rent | $1,973 ±$306 | $1,351 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 74.4% ±40.0 pts | 46.3% | no clear change |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,357 ±$78 | $1,673 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 94.7% ±3.4 pts | 84.6% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 5.3% ±3.4 pts | 15.4% | – |
| Housing units | 2,955 ±218 | 99,077 | +606 |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 2.0% ±3.1 pts | 1.1% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 0.0% ±26.0 pts | 27.9% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 83.0% ±4.6 pts | 69.5% | – |
| Mobile homes | 5.7% ±3.2 pts | 17.2% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 4.6% ±2.9 pts | 5.8% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 26.0% ±6.0 pts | 22.5% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 0.0% ±1.4 pts | 1.1% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 4.1% ±3.5 pts | 2.4% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP04) · Check it at data.census.gov
How many new homes is Carolina Shores building?
Builders took permits for 23 new housing units in Carolina Shores in 2025 (23 in single-family houses), 4.2 per 1,000 residents against 7.7 across North Carolina.
Counts of units in permits a local office issued; not every permitted unit is built. A year marked with months was reported for part of the year.
Source: Building Permits Survey, annual place files 2019-2025, U.S. Census Bureau · Census Building Permits Survey
How do people in Carolina Shores work and get to work?
78.0% of Carolina Shores's workers drive alone and 11.0% work from home. The average trip to work takes 22.2 minutes.
| Measure | Carolina Shores | Brunswick County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 40.7% ±6.4 pts | 49.1% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 3.9% ±3.5 pts | 4.7% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 78.0% ±7.4 pts | 74.5% | – |
| Carpooled | 11.0% ±5.3 pts | 7.8% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.0% ±2.3 pts | 0.6% | – |
| Walked | 0.0% ±2.3 pts | 0.9% | – |
| Worked from home | 11.0% ±5.9 pts | 14.7% | no clear change |
| Mean travel time to work | 22.2 min ±4.1 | 25.7 min | no clear change |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What census tracts are in Carolina Shores?
1 census tract lies mostly in Carolina Shores, and 1 more reaches into it (2020 census blocks).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 205.16Brunswick County | 4,905 | $76,357 |
| Tract 205.15Brunswick County | 4,085 | $67,134 |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 block assignment files (tract share = share of the tract's census blocks in Carolina Shores) · Census block assignment files
How does Carolina Shores compare with other places in North Carolina?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Carolina Shores is the 4,625th-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 137th-most populous of 549 in North Carolina.
Carolina Shores ranks 150th of 434 places in North Carolina with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population, July 2025 estimate | 137th | 549 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 22nd | 331 |
| Residents per square mile | 62nd | 443 |
| Median household income | 150th | 434 |
| Per capita income | 116th | 443 |
| Median home value | 170th | 438 |
| Median gross rent | 14th | 395 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 197th | 421 |
| Median age | 7th | 442 |
| Owner-occupied share | 18th | 443 |
| Work from home | 185th | 279 |
| Travel time to work | 287th | 439 |
Carolina Shores's figures with every place in North Carolina (CSV)
Every place in North Carolina, sortable · Compare Carolina Shores with other places
Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) and PEP Vintage 2025 · How ranks are computed
How reliable are the figures for Carolina Shores?
19 of the 57 figures for Carolina Shores on this page carry a coefficient of variation over 40% and are marked with a ring: they come from a small sample, so read them as rough.
The American Community Survey samples about one household in eight over five years, so every figure is an estimate with a 90% margin of error (shown under each value). A ring marks an estimate whose coefficient of variation is over 40%. A change is called only when the gap between the two periods is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins), the Census Bureau's test. How to read a margin of error.
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026): margins of error as published · ACS technical documentation
How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections
Not on this page: crime, weather and schools for Carolina Shores are other agencies' records. Crime: the FBI's Crime Data Explorer · climate: NOAA's U.S. Climate Normals · schools: the National Center for Education Statistics' public schools in Carolina Shores.