City profile · North Carolina · Census ACS 2023

Ocean Isle Beach, NC

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

796
Residents
$99,231
Median income
$754,300
Median home
$1,426
Median rent (state)

Ocean Isle Beach - the verdict

Measured against every US city with at least 1,000 residents, Ocean Isle Beach lands in the 77th percentile for household income and the 14th percentile for safety. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

77th
percentile, household income
94th
percentile, home value
56th
percentile, median rent
14th
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: Ocean Isle Beach, NC

North Carolina's Ocean Isle Beach is a small town, with 796 residents per the latest Census Bureau ACS figures. The typical household in Ocean Isle Beach brings in $99,231 a year, placing it in the top quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 3.3%. Typical homes in Ocean Isle Beach are valued around $754,300, and the median resident age is 67.9 years. 64.4% of adults here have a bachelor's degree or higher; 29.9% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

In 2024, 44 residential building permits were authorized in Ocean Isle Beach (Construction Slowdown), down 66% from five years earlier, per Census BPS data. Ocean Isle Beach's reported crime rate runs above the national norm: FBI UCR reporting places total crime at 3140.3 incidents per 100,000 residents, above the national average (voluntary agency reporting, reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score).

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. A typical two-bedroom carries a HUD Fair Market Rent of $1,426 per month statewide. Monthly utility costs average around $215 across North Carolina, per EIA 2023 residential energy estimates. Natural-hazard exposure scores 95.8 out of 100 on FEMA's National Risk Index (Very High).

Population

796 residents

Census ACS 2023 - North Carolina

Median Household Income

$99,231 /yr

Poverty 3.3%

Cost of Living Index (state)

94.3 (US=100)

Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, North Carolina average

How does Ocean Isle Beach compare to other US cities?

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

Household income 77% higher than other cities
Home value 94% pricier than other cities
Median rent 56% pricier than other cities
Safety 14% safer than other cities

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

National percentiles can mask local variation. Looking only at North Carolina, Ocean Isle Beach ranks #114 of 195 North Carolina cities by lowest crime rate - a narrower, more locally useful cut than the national comparison above.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

For each metric we count every US city with population 1,000+ and a non-null value, then compute what share of them fall below Ocean Isle Beach's value: round(cities-below ÷ total × 100). Safety is inverted (percentile = share of cities with a higher crime rate) so a higher number always means safer. The in-state rank narrows that same crime-rate comparison to only the cities PlainCities tracks in North Carolina, breaking ties alphabetically. See the methodology page for the full source-to-figure lineage.

77thIncome percentile
14thSafety percentile

77th percentile nationally for median household income · 14th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Ocean Isle Beach's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Ocean Isle Beach'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 39 Avg. percentile National median
Ocean Isle Beach'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 Ocean Isle Beach's home value compares nationally

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

$754,300 6th percentile more affordable than 6% 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%). This entry sits in this band. $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. Ocean Isle Beach $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 - Ocean Isle Beach, NC Ocean Isle Beach, NC's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Ocean Isle Beach, 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 Ocean Isle Beach, NC median $99,231/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%
Ocean Isle Beach, 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 Ocean Isle Beach, NC. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 64.4%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 3.3%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 29.9%

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

Population
796
Median Income
$99,231
Median Home Value
$754,300
Median Age
67.9
Poverty Rate
3.3%
Labor force participation
29.9%
Bachelor's Degree+
64.4%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
3140.3
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
98.1
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
3042.2
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.

Population Change

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

See the fastest-growing cities →
800 residents850 residents900 residents950 residents1,000 residents 202020212022202320242025 840 residents 940 residents ▲ +11.9%
Ocean Isle Beach's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

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

📉 Construction Slowdown
Total Permits (2024)
44
housing units authorized
Single-Family
44
detached homes
Multifamily
0
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
55.3
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 128
2020 125
2021 182
2022 115
2023 75
2024 44

Permit volume decreased 66% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
58.5%
Carpool
3.8%
Public Transit
0.0%
Walk
2.1%
Work from Home
35.6%

Based on 236 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 Ocean Isle Beach 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

Bogue
800 people
Varnamtown
792 people
Lilesville
791 people
Hoffman
789 people
Silver
789 people
Micro
788 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Ocean Isle Beach's 796 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Keiser, AR
796 people
Ballard, CA
796 people
Coleman, FL
796 people
Newman, IL
796 people
Breesport, NY
796 people
Davis, WV
796 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Ocean Isle Beach's $99,231 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Hartland, VT
$99,232 median income
Whiskey Creek, FL
$99,242 median income
Union Mills, IN
$99,219 median income
Burnt Store Marina, FL
$99,214 median income
Eva, AL
$99,250 median income
Blacklake, CA
$99,191 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Ocean Isle Beach, 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 Ocean Isle Beach, NC - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 98.2% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 1.0% White 98.2% Black or African American 0.5% Asian 0.3% American Indian 0.1% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 0.9% 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 Ocean Isle Beach 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
Ocean Isle Beach (this city) 796 $99,231
Bogue 800 $88,043
Varnamtown 792 $68,750
Lilesville 791 $54,250
Census ACS 5-year FIPS NC FBI UCR Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Ocean Isle Beach, NC?

What is the population of Ocean Isle Beach, NC? +

The population of Ocean Isle Beach, NC stands at 796 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Ocean Isle Beach, NC? +

In Ocean Isle Beach, the typical household earns $99,231 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Ocean Isle Beach? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Ocean Isle Beach; 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 Ocean Isle Beach, NC safe? +

Ocean Isle Beach has a total crime rate of 3140.3 per 100,000 residents, which is above 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 Ocean Isle Beach, NC? +

A typical home in Ocean Isle Beach is worth $754,300, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

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

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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.