City profile · North Carolina · Census ACS 2023

Pine Knoll Shores, NC

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

1,387
Residents
$108,393
Median income
$583,900
Median home
$1,198
Median rent (state)

Pine Knoll Shores - the verdict

Nationally, Pine Knoll Shores sits in the 82nd percentile for household income and the 80th percentile for safety among US cities with a population of 1,000 or more. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

82nd
percentile, household income
88th
percentile, home value
36th
percentile, median rent
80th
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: Pine Knoll Shores, NC

Pine Knoll Shores is a small town in North Carolina, home to 1,387 residents per U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. The typical household in Pine Knoll Shores brings in $108,393 a year, placing it in the top quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 1.6%. Home values in Pine Knoll Shores run a median of $583,900, and the median resident age is 64.0 years. About 62.8% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, while 39.6% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

Housing supply pressure shows in Census Building Permit Survey data: 19 residential units were authorized in 2024 (Building Boom), up 280% from five years earlier. Pine Knoll Shores reports a comparatively low crime rate: the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program logs 625.0 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: BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 puts North Carolina at 94.3 on a 100-equals-national-average scale (Below Average). Statewide, HUD pegs Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom unit at $1,198 monthly. Monthly utility costs average around $215 across North Carolina, per EIA 2023 residential energy estimates. FEMA's National Risk Index rates natural-hazard exposure at 93.5 out of 100 (Very High).

Population

1,387 residents

Census ACS 2023 - North Carolina

Median Household Income

$108,393 /yr

Poverty 1.6%

Cost of Living Index (state)

94.3 (US=100)

Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, North Carolina average

How does Pine Knoll Shores compare to other US cities?

Here's how Pine Knoll Shores stacks up against the full field of US cities (population 1,000+), computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 82% higher than other cities
Home value 88% pricier than other cities
Median rent 36% pricier than other cities
Safety 80% 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, Pine Knoll Shores ranks #11 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

Each percentile compares Pine Knoll Shores 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 Pine Knoll Shores's strongest outlier among North Carolina cities

Among the 708 North Carolina cities PlainCities tracks with reported median home value data, Pine Knoll Shores ranks #18 - the 97th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Pine Knoll Shores only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#55 of 700
92nd percentile in North Carolina
Median Gross Rent
#298 of 746
58th percentile in North Carolina
Median Home Value
#18 of 708
97th percentile in North Carolina
Poverty Rate
#629 of 746
15th percentile in North Carolina
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#38 of 746
95th 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.

82ndIncome percentile
80thSafety percentile

82nd percentile nationally for median household income · 80th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Pine Knoll Shores's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Pine Knoll Shores'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
Pine Knoll Shores'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 Pine Knoll Shores's home value compares nationally

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

$583,900 12th percentile more affordable than 12% 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%). This entry sits in this band. $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. Pine Knoll Shores $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 - Pine Knoll Shores, NC Pine Knoll Shores, NC's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Pine Knoll Shores, 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 Pine Knoll Shores, NC median $108,393/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%
Pine Knoll Shores, 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 Pine Knoll Shores, NC. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 62.8%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 1.6%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 39.6%

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

Population
1,387
Median Income
$108,393
Median Home Value
$583,900
Median Age
64.0
Poverty Rate
1.6%
Labor force participation
39.6%
Bachelor's Degree+
62.8%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
625.0
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
0.0
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
625.0
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 →
1,380 residents1,400 residents1,420 residents1,440 residents 202020212022202320242025 1,386 residents 1,423 residents ▲ +2.7%
Pine Knoll Shores's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

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

📈 Building Boom
Total Permits (2024)
19
housing units authorized
Single-Family
19
detached homes
Multifamily
0
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
13.7
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 5
2020 7
2021 43
2022 37
2023 19
2024 19

Permit volume increased 280% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
65.7%
Carpool
3.7%
Public Transit
0.0%
Walk
0.6%
Work from Home
26.7%
Other
3.3%

Based on 490 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 Pine Knoll Shores sits in

Cost of Living Index
94.3
Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,198/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
93.5 / 100
Very High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in North Carolina

Robbins
1,398 people
Brandywine Bay
1,404 people
West Canton
1,369 people
Bonnetsville
1,368 people
Cherry Branch
1,406 people
Alamance
1,358 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Pine Knoll Shores's 1,387 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Grizzly Flats, CA
1,387 people
Woodsville, NH
1,387 people
Continental, OH
1,387 people
Niland, CA
1,388 people
Rehoboth Beach, DE
1,388 people
Moreland, ID
1,386 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Pine Knoll Shores's $108,393 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Dover, ID
$108,393 median income
Priceville, AL
$108,398 median income
Homewood, AL
$108,386 median income
Ballenger Creek, MD
$108,385 median income
Vineyard, CA
$108,403 median income
Eagle Crest, OR
$108,382 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Pine Knoll Shores, 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 Pine Knoll Shores, NC - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 98.2% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 1.3% White 98.2% Black or African American 0.1% Asian 0.0% American Indian 0.0% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 0.0% Two or more races 1.7% 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 Pine Knoll Shores 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
Pine Knoll Shores (this city) 1,387 $108,393
Robbins 1,398 $50,023
Brandywine Bay 1,404 $88,125
West Canton 1,369 $35,583
Census ACS 5-year FIPS NC FBI UCR Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Pine Knoll Shores, NC?

What is the population of Pine Knoll Shores, NC? +

Pine Knoll Shores, NC has a population of 1,387 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Pine Knoll Shores, NC? +

The median household income in Pine Knoll Shores is $108,393 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Pine Knoll Shores? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Pine Knoll Shores; 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 Pine Knoll Shores, NC safe? +

Pine Knoll Shores has a total crime rate of 625.0 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 Pine Knoll Shores, NC? +

Pine Knoll Shores's median home value sits at $583,900, 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

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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.