Census-designated place · North Carolina
Rocky Point, North Carolina
Rocky Point, census-designated place, in Pender County, North Carolina. Rocky Point had 1,476 residents in the 2020 Census, a full count; the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 1,020 (±321). GEOID 3757540.
Residents, 2020 Census
1,476
Census count or controlled total
ACS 2020-2024 estimate: 1,020 ±321
Median household income
$69,514
±$25,513 (90% margin)
North Carolina: $72,388
Median home value
$163,500
±$96,855 (90% margin)
North Carolina: $288,900
Median gross rent
$971
±$307 (90% margin)
North Carolina: $1,228
Where is Rocky Point and what county is it in?
Rocky Point is a census-designated place: an unincorporated community the Census Bureau draws for counting, with no city government of its own, in Pender County, North Carolina. It covers 6.9 square miles of land, 214 residents per square mile in 2020.
Rocky Point 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 Rocky Point, and is it growing?
The 2020 Census counted 1,476 residents in Rocky Point, a full count rather than a sample. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a sample, estimates 1,020 (±321).
The Census Bureau publishes yearly population estimates for incorporated places only; Rocky Point is a census-designated place, so its figures come from the ACS and the 2020 Census.
| Measure | Rocky Point | Pender County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 1,020 ±321 | 65,550 | −667 |
| Households | 359 ±116 | 25,291 | −280 |
| Average household size | 2.84 ±0.57 | 2.54 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 416 ±115 | 31,844 | −333 |
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 Rocky Point?
The median resident of Rocky Point is 41.1 years old; 28.2% are under 18 and 15.7% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 54.7%, then Hispanic or Latino residents (of any race) at 18.9%.
| Measure | Rocky Point | Pender County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 41.1 ±10.1 | 41.6 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 28.2% ±8.4 pts | 22.4% | – |
| 65 years and over | 15.7% ±9.4 pts | 18.2% | – |
| Male | 52.7% ±8.9 pts | 50.7% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 18.9% ±16.5 pts | 8.8% | – |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 54.7% ±17.6 pts | 74.0% | no clear change |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 16.0% ±12.9 pts | 12.1% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±4.1 pts | 0.7% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 5.0% ±4.5 pts | 0.2% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±4.1 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 5.4% ±6.4 pts | 3.7% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±4.1 pts | 0.5% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 10.6% ±10.2 pts | 4.2% | – |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 19.0% ±17.6 pts | 7.9% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 11.5% ±7.4 pts | 9.4% | – |
| With a disability | 18.4% ±8.3 pts | 15.3% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 11.2% ±8.0 pts | 8.8% | – |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 70.2% ±14.0 pts | 90.8% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 7.5% ±6.4 pts | 30.6% | – |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 0.0% ±6.5 pts | 10.1% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 100.0% ±4.1 pts | 87.8% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 0.0% ±4.1 pts | 3.3% | – |
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 Rocky Point earn?
Half of Rocky Point's 359 households earn less than $69,514 a year (±$25,513), against $80,396 in Pender County and $72,388 in North Carolina. In 2015-2019 it was $42,085 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart.
| Measure | Rocky Point | Pender County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $69,514 ±$25,513 | $80,396 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $77,381 ±$24,252 | $101,635 | – |
| Per capita income | $25,949 ±$8,431 | $40,192 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 19.8% ±14.8 pts | 9.7% | – |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 22.6% ±24.4 pts | 11.1% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 22.3% ±11.3 pts | 11.8% | – |
| Households with a computer | 83.3% ±15.9 pts | 94.5% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 69.4% ±17.8 pts | 88.6% | – |
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 Rocky Point?
Owners occupy 83.8% of Rocky Point's occupied homes and renters 16.2%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $163,500 by its owner (±$96,855). The median renter pays $971 a month including utilities.
| Measure | Rocky Point | Pender County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $163,500 ±$96,855 | $299,000 | no clear change |
| Median gross rent | $971 ±$307 | $1,106 | – |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 6.9% ±11.1 pts | 41.6% | – |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,404 ±$215 | $1,772 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 83.8% ±10.1 pts | 82.7% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 16.2% ±10.1 pts | 17.3% | – |
| Housing units | 416 ±115 | 31,844 | −333 |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.0% ±13.1 pts | 1.2% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 29.3% ±38.7 pts | 9.8% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 52.9% ±15.5 pts | 71.4% | – |
| Mobile homes | 46.2% ±15.5 pts | 21.1% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.0% ±9.7 pts | 5.8% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 0.0% ±9.7 pts | 17.4% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 8.7% ±9.4 pts | 4.1% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 12.0% ±12.4 pts | 3.2% | – |
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 do people in Rocky Point work and get to work?
76.6% of Rocky Point's workers drive alone. The average trip to work takes 28.2 minutes.
| Measure | Rocky Point | Pender County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 59.2% ±7.6 pts | 60.9% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 0.0% ±8.9 pts | 4.8% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 76.6% ±15.5 pts | 74.3% | – |
| Carpooled | 22.5% ±15.4 pts | 11.3% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.0% ±8.9 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Walked | 0.9% ±1.4 pts | 0.7% | – |
| Worked from home | 0.0% ±8.9 pts | 13.2% | – |
| Mean travel time to work | 28.2 min ±6.4 | 30.1 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 Rocky Point?
No census tract lies mostly in Rocky Point; 2 tracts reach into it (2020 census blocks).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 9206.02Pender County | 7,019 | $66,118 |
| Tract 9206.01Pender County | 2,973 | $78,382 |
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 Rocky Point) · Census block assignment files
How does Rocky Point compare with other places in North Carolina?
Rocky Point ranks 185th of 434 places in North Carolina with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population (ACS 2020-2024) | 432nd | 443 |
| Residents per square mile | 426th | 443 |
| Median household income | 185th | 434 |
| Per capita income | 357th | 443 |
| Median home value | 351st | 438 |
| Median gross rent | 215th | 395 |
| Median age | 210th | 442 |
| Owner-occupied share | 85th | 443 |
| Travel time to work | 102nd | 439 |
Rocky Point's figures with every place in North Carolina (CSV)
Every place in North Carolina, sortable · Compare Rocky Point 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 Rocky Point?
27 of the 57 figures for Rocky Point 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 Rocky Point 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' school search.