City profile · North Carolina · Census ACS 2023

Holly Ridge, NC

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

4,532
Residents
$106,230
Median income
$291,100
Median home
$1,173
Median rent (state)

Holly Ridge - the verdict

Out of every US city with 1,000+ residents, Holly Ridge places in the 81st percentile for household income and the 69th percentile for safety. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

81st
percentile, household income
64th
percentile, home value
34th
percentile, median rent
69th
percentile, safety
📝 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: Holly Ridge, NC

4,532 people live in Holly Ridge, North Carolina - a small town by U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. Holly Ridge households earn a median of $106,230 annually, placing it in the top quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 0.0%. Typical homes in Holly Ridge are valued around $291,100, and the median resident age is 35.8 years. 49.4% of adults here have a bachelor's degree or higher; 62.5% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

Housing supply pressure shows in Census Building Permit Survey data: 74 residential units were authorized in 2024 (Construction Slowdown), down 59% from five years earlier. Holly Ridge reports a comparatively low crime rate: the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program logs 887.2 total incidents per 100,000 residents here, below the national average (agency reporting is voluntary, so this measures reporting activity, not a definitive danger score).

Living costs in North Carolina run below the national norm: on BEA's 100-equals-national-average cost index, North Carolina scores 94.3 (Below Average), per the 2024 Regional Price Parities release. A typical two-bedroom carries a HUD Fair Market Rent of $1,173 per month statewide. Monthly utility costs average around $215 across North Carolina, per EIA 2023 residential energy estimates. Natural-hazard exposure scores 95.0 out of 100 on FEMA's National Risk Index (Very High).

Population

4,532 residents

Census ACS 2023 - North Carolina

Median Household Income

$106,230 /yr

Poverty 0.0%

Cost of Living Index (state)

94.3 (US=100)

Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, North Carolina average

How does Holly Ridge compare to other US cities?

Where Holly Ridge sits among all US cities (population 1,000+) on each measure, computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 81% higher than other cities
Home value 64% pricier than other cities
Median rent 34% pricier than other cities
Safety 69% safer than other cities

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

A national percentile can hide a lot of local variation: narrowed to North Carolina alone, Holly Ridge ranks #16 of 195 North Carolina cities by lowest crime rate - a different, more locally useful comparison than stacking it against the entire country.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

Each percentile compares Holly Ridge 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

Poverty Rate places Holly Ridge near the bottom of North Carolina's cities

Among the 746 North Carolina cities PlainCities tracks with reported poverty rate data, Holly Ridge ranks #653 - the 0th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Holly Ridge only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#63 of 700
91st percentile in North Carolina
Median Gross Rent
#340 of 746
53rd percentile in North Carolina
Median Home Value
#173 of 708
76th percentile in North Carolina
Poverty Rate
#653 of 746
0th percentile in North Carolina
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#93 of 746
88th 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.

81stIncome percentile
69thSafety percentile

81st percentile nationally for median household income · 69th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Holly Ridge's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Holly Ridge's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 67 Avg. percentile National median
Holly Ridge's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How Holly Ridge's home value compares nationally

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

$291,100 36th percentile more affordable than 36% 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%). This entry sits in this band. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Holly Ridge $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 - Holly Ridge, NC Holly Ridge, NC's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Holly Ridge, 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 Holly Ridge, NC median $106,230/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%
Holly Ridge, 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 Holly Ridge, NC. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 49.4%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 0.0%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 62.5%

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

Population
4,532
Median Income
$106,230
Median Home Value
$291,100
Median Age
35.8
Poverty Rate
0.0%
Labor force participation
62.5%
Bachelor's Degree+
49.4%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
887.2
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
54.3
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
832.9
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Schools

Total Schools
3
Public schools in this city

Population Change

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

See the fastest-growing cities →
4,000 residents4,500 residents5,000 residents5,500 residents6,000 residents6,500 residents 202020212022202320242025 4,248 residents 5,908 residents ▲ +39.1%
Holly Ridge's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

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

📉 Construction Slowdown
Total Permits (2024)
74
housing units authorized
Single-Family
74
detached homes
Multifamily
0
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
16.3
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 180
2020 136
2021 258
2022 123
2023 337
2024 74

Permit volume decreased 59% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
72.6%
Carpool
0.0%
Public Transit
0.0%
Walk
0.3%
Work from Home
26.6%

Based on 2,807 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 Holly Ridge sits in

Cost of Living Index
94.3
Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,173/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
95.0 / 100
Very High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in North Carolina

Royal Pines
4,528 people
Raeford
4,545 people
Ranlo
4,556 people
Farmville
4,493 people
China Grove
4,487 people
Edenton
4,480 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Holly Ridge's 4,532 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Fremont, MI
4,532 people
Mount Vernon, MO
4,532 people
Diboll, TX
4,531 people
Maeser, UT
4,533 people
Evansdale, IA
4,530 people
Jim Thorpe, PA
4,534 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Holly Ridge's $106,230 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Lambertville, NJ
$106,236 median income
DeForest, WI
$106,223 median income
Maple Park, IL
$106,250 median income
Hills and Dales, KY
$106,250 median income
Sorrento, LA
$106,250 median income
Rowley, MA
$106,250 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Holly Ridge, 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 Holly Ridge, NC - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 87.2% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 6.3% White 87.2% Black or African American 4.4% Asian 0.6% American Indian 2.2% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 0.3% Two or more races 5.2% 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 Holly Ridge 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
Holly Ridge (this city) 4,532 $106,230
Royal Pines 4,528 $105,956
Raeford 4,545 $43,311
Ranlo 4,556 $75,843
Census ACS 5-year FIPS NC FBI UCR NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Holly Ridge, NC?

What is the population of Holly Ridge, NC? +

Holly Ridge, NC counts 4,532 residents according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Holly Ridge, NC? +

Holly Ridge households earn a median of $106,230 annually, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Holly Ridge? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Holly Ridge; 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.

Is Holly Ridge, NC safe? +

Holly Ridge has a total crime rate of 887.2 per 100,000 residents, which is below the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in Holly Ridge, NC? +

Holly Ridge's median home value sits at $291,100, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NCES CCD, 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.