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Place dossier plate
SheetNC-SURF-CITY-NC · Surf City, NC 4,160 pop · income 66th pct
Instrument codes from this place’s ACS population and household income, BEA state COL, FBI safety, national income percentile, photo-finish peer city, home-value band, and matched Census-tract book - not a moving recommendation.
Income neighbourhood around Surf City
Lowest/highest poles plus peers nearest Surf City on median household income. Full ladder: /browse and /rankings.
median HH income
Franklin · lowest
43,991
Franklin · lowest
43,991 median HH income
30.4% of the leader · rank #1
Mountain View · near
84,818
Mountain View · near
84,818 median HH income
58.7% of the leader · rank #2
North Logan · near
84,821
North Logan · near
84,821 median HH income
58.7% of the leader · rank #3
Surf City · this city
84,833
Surf City · this city
84,833 median HH income
58.7% of the leader · rank #4
Madison Lake · near
84,833
Madison Lake · near
84,833 median HH income
58.7% of the leader · rank #5
North Enid · near
84,844
North Enid · near
84,844 median HH income
58.7% of the leader · rank #6
Shrewsbury · highest
144,500
Shrewsbury · highest
144,500 median HH income
100.0% of the leader · rank #7
What this shows Neighbourhood peers only - not a full nationwide city board. Open a near peer when the gap is small; open the poles when the spread is wide.
Compare beyond this state
Nationwide peers by population, income, and FBI crime rate
Out-of-state nearest neighbors for Surf City on ACS population and median household income
, plus FBI UCR reporting rate when the extract covers this place. Link sets are deduped so each column is a distinct comparison path, not a forecast that peers share a labor market or climate.
Similar population
Nearest out-of-state cities by ACS population. This city: 4,160.
Agency-reported UCR totals per 100,000 population, not a neighborhood safety grade or a prediction of personal risk.
Surf City - the verdict
Measured against every US city with at least 1,000 residents, Surf City lands in the 66th percentile for household income and the 31st percentile for safety. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.
66th
percentile, household income
84th
percentile, home value
48th
percentile, median rent
31st
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: Surf City, NC
Census ACS 2023 estimates count 4,160 residents in Surf City, a small town within North Carolina. Surf City households earn a median of $84,833 annually, above the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 5.1%. Surf City's housing stock carries a median value of $478,600, and the median resident age is 39.8 years. 50.8% of adults here have a bachelor's degree or higher; 58.0% of working-age residents are in the labor force.
In 2024, 185 residential building permits were authorized in Surf City (Building Boom), up 131% from five years earlier, per Census BPS data. Crime here tracks close to the national norm: the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program logs 2070.3 total incidents per 100,000 residents here, near the national average (agency reporting is voluntary, so this measures reporting activity, not a definitive danger score). NOAA climate normals record an annual average temperature of 62.1°F.
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. HUD Fair Market Rent for a typical two-bedroom in this state is $1,161 per month. EIA 2023 residential energy data puts North Carolina's average monthly utility costs around $215 (state average). FEMA's National Risk Index rates natural-hazard exposure at 66.7 out of 100 (Moderate).
A decision-led reading path
Useful questions to ask of Surf City's data
How this reading path is ordered
This is not a composite city score. It is a city-specific route through the available public records, ordered for this profile so the page starts with questions the joined data can actually answer. The route here runs from climate and hazard context to comparison shortlist to population change to reported crime to housing and income to work and mobility; another city can have a different sequence or fewer supported layers because the source joins are not uniform.
For Surf City, city-specific coverage includes annual population history, commute-mode shares, FBI reported-crime rates, local building permits.
No matched row is reported here for within-city Census tract profiles, matched public-school count; the page leaves those layers out instead of substituting a statewide or national value.
Question 1
What physical conditions frame life in Surf City?
NOAA normals put the annual mean temperature at 62.1°F. FEMA's state-averaged National Risk Index score for North Carolina is 66.7 out of 100. Climate normals describe long-run weather; the FEMA score on PlainCities is a state average of county NRI inputs and combines hazards, exposure, vulnerability, and resilience.
The two sources should not be blended into one comfort or safety score. Use the climate values for baseline conditions and the risk index as a prompt to inspect specific hazards, insurance, and local emergency guidance for a particular address.
Which cities make useful reference points for Surf City?
Within North Carolina, the closest population matches are Wingate (4,169 residents, $65,208 income); Benson (4,144 residents, $65,614 income); Southport (4,143 residents, $82,792 income). Outside the state, the closest population matches in this dataset are Sebring, OH (4,160 residents); Capitol View, SC (4,161 residents); Shrewsbury, NJ (4,162 residents). A third, income-matched reference set of 6 out-of-state cities sits in the income neighbourhood chart near the Place Dossier plate. These are mechanical peer sets, not claims that the places share a labor market, climate, culture, or metro context.
Use the in-state set to hold state policy and broad price conditions more nearly constant. Use the nationwide size set to ask whether cities with a similar resident count produce different housing, income, or commute outcomes. The income set is a third lens, deliberately separate from population matching. The nationwide peer panel below adds a fourth FBI UCR reporting-rate lens, not personal risk.
Is Surf City growing, shrinking, or holding steady?
Recent estimates point upward. Growth can increase housing demand and service needs, but the permit record must move in the same direction before calling it a supply response; the two series measure different things.
Census PEP estimates show the population grew by +1,244 residents from 2020 to 2025, a +31.9% change. Separately, Census BPS recorded 185 housing units authorized in 2024. PEP and ACS are different Census series, so the trend is kept separate from the headline ACS population.
What can the FBI record say about safety in Surf City?
Treat this as a reporting-rate comparison, not a prediction of personal risk or a neighborhood-level safety grade. Tourism, daytime population, reporting practices, and variation inside the city are not adjusted away. The state rank and same-state peer table are the narrower comparisons available on this page.
The joined FBI UCR record reports 2070.3 violent and property crimes per 100,000 residents, near the 2280.5 national reference used here. The difference is 9% lower in arithmetic terms, but agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies.
These joined records add useful context, but they do not need another full-size panel. Each remains a separate measure with its own geography and source boundary.
Housing and income
How far does income reach against housing in Surf City?
The home-value-to-income reference is comparatively stretched: the ACS median home value is 5.6 times median household income. The ACS poverty estimate is 5.1%, which keeps the citywide median from describing every household.
This is a citywide price-to-income reference, not a mortgage-affordability test; it does not include interest rates, taxes, insurance, household size, or an individual buyer's down payment. Housing value is high relative to the citywide income median. That flags a question for comparison, not a verdict: tenure, household composition, financing costs, and the age of the ACS estimate can all change what a resident actually pays.
Household income
$84,833
Home value
$478,600
Value / income
5.6×
City-level Census ACS 2023 medians. The ratio divides two separate medians and is descriptive only.
What does the journey to work look like in Surf City?
Mode share answers how workers usually travel; it does not measure congestion, reliability, distance to a particular job, or the quality of transit service. Remote work has a visible role in the local pattern. That can reduce commute exposure for some workers, but it says nothing about job availability or broadband quality; read it alongside income and housing rather than as a stand-alone lifestyle score.
Driving alone is the largest reported mode at 66.1%. A reliable mean commute time is not available for this row, so the mode shares carry the comparison.
Public transit
0.0%
Work from home
25.0%
Drive alone
66.1%
City-level Census ACS commuting estimates covering 1,958 workers age 16+.
Above median income · poverty 5.1% (Below-median poverty)
Cost of Living Index (state)
94.3 (US=100)
Near national cost · BEA RPP 2024, North Carolina average
C+
City profile score · Surf City, NC
62/100
5 published dimensions · ACS/FBI 2023
Comparative score against U.S. cities with population of 1,000 or more on Census ACS medians
(income, poverty, bachelor's share, cost of living) and FBI UCR violent-crime rates when
published. Higher means a stronger standing on those published figures, not a livability
rating, not a recommendation to move, buy, or pick a "best" city. Missing inputs drop out
and redistribute weight.
How it is calculated.
Bachelor's+ share A
50.8%
Adults with a bachelor's degree or higher; ACS.
Cost of living B-
94.3 index
BEA state Regional Price Parities index (100 ≈ national average); lower is stronger on this axis. Same value for every city in the state.
Poverty rate B-
5.1%
Share of residents below the poverty line; lower scores better on this axis.
Household income C+
$84,833
Median household income vs U.S. cities (pop ≥1,000); ACS.
Violent crime F
293 /100k
FBI UCR violent offenses per 100,000 residents; lower is stronger on this axis.
Surf City profile (scored ACS/FBI dimensions)Read the chart values
Bachelor's+ share: 85/100 (A) · 50.8%
Cost of living: 67/100 (B-) · 94.3 index
Poverty rate: 65/100 (B-) · 5.1%
Household income: 64/100 (C+) · $84,833
Violent crime: 34/100 (F) · 293 /100k
Where Surf City sits on home value vs crime among peer cities
Surf City's median home value and FBI crime rate plotted with similar-size and
same-state peers (padded with large cities when the peer set is thin). The second
read: pricey does not always mean safer, check which quadrant this city lands in.
Census ACS median home value vs FBI UCR crime rate - Surf City highlighted among 9 peers.Read the chart values
Surf City, NC (this city): home $478,600, crime 2,070/100k
Sebring, OH : home $95,600, crime 1,747/100k
Shrewsbury, NJ : home $735,900, crime 2,029/100k
Montesano, WA : home $331,300, crime 1,623/100k
Jefferson, IA : home $126,900, crime 1,399/100k
Benson, NC : home $176,000, crime 3,545/100k
Southport, NC : home $394,900, crime 1,157/100k
Mount Olive, NC : home $117,200, crime 3,248/100k
Franklin, NC : home $190,600, crime 3,153/100k
How does Surf City compare to other US cities?
Where Surf City sits among all US cities (population 1,000+) on each measure, computed live from Census and FBI data.
Household income66% higher than other cities
Home value84% pricier than other cities
Median rent48% pricier than other cities
Safety31% safer than other cities
"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.
Zoom in to just North Carolina and the picture shifts: Surf City ranks #77 of 195 North Carolina cities by lowest crime rate, a different read than the national percentile above.
How we calculate these percentiles & ranks
Each percentile compares Surf City 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 Gross Rent places Surf City near the bottom of North Carolina's cities
Among the 746 North Carolina cities PlainCities tracks with reported median gross rent data, Surf City ranks #1 - the 0th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Surf City only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.
Median Household Income
#130 of 700
81st percentile in North Carolina
Median Gross Rent
#1 of 746
0th percentile in North Carolina
Median Home Value
#44 of 708
94th percentile in North Carolina
Poverty Rate
#504 of 746
32nd percentile in North Carolina
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#86 of 746
88th percentile in North Carolina
How in-state ranks are ordered
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.
Gauge source note
66th percentile nationally for median household income · 31st percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.
Surf City's profile vs. every US city
Income, affordability, and safety percentile
Surf City'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 Surf City's home value compares nationally
Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)
$478,60016th percentilemore affordable than 16% of 15,600 US cities
Show national distribution
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
Surf City's home-value-to-income ratio: 5.6×
ACS median home value divided by median household income.
Band
pressured
> 5.0×
National rank
#13,753 of 15,516
More affordable than 11% of tracked cities (pop. 1,000+)
Size class
#10,259 of 11,323
Micro cities (under 10,000)
At 5.6×, Surf City sits in the pressured band:
national rank #13,753 of 15,516 and #10,259 of 11,323micro cities (under 10,000).
Housing value is high relative to the citywide income median, a comparison flag, not a verdict on any household.
How this ratio is calculated
Ratio = Census ACS 2023 median home value ÷ median household income for cities with both fields and population ≥ 1,000.
Rank 1 = lowest ratio (most compact). Bands match the fleet affordability thresholds used on guides (<3.0 / 3.0–5.0 / >5.0).
This is not a mortgage payment estimate and does not include rates, taxes, insurance, or down payment.
Income distribution context
$84,833Surf City, NC median household income (Census ACS)
Show U.S. national quintile / Lorenz context Surf City, NC median household income (Census ACS 5-year) with U.S. national quintile shares for context. Diagonal = equality; the curve is national, not computed for Surf City, NC.
Key socioeconomic indicators
Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+)50.8%
Census ACS S1501, educational attainment
Poverty rate (households below FPL)5.1%
Census ACS S1701, poverty status
Labor force participation (adults 16+)58.0%
Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force
Population
4,160
Median Income
$84,833
Median Home Value
$478,600
Median Age
39.8
Poverty Rate
5.1%
Labor force participation
58.0%
Bachelor's Degree+
50.8%
Safety & Crime
Total Crime Rate
2070.3
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
293.0
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
1777.3
per 100,000 residents
Crime reporting caveat
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.
Climate
Avg Temperature
62.1°F
Annual Precipitation
N/A
Annual Snowfall
N/A
Population Change
PEP vintage
Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025
Surf City's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.Read the chart as text
Period
Population
2020
3,898 residents
2021
4,106 residents
2022
4,480 residents
2023
4,783 residents
2024
4,963 residents
2025
5,142 residents
Housing Supply
BPS source
Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized
📈 Building Boom
Total Permits (2024)
185
housing units authorized
Single-Family
179
detached homes
Multifamily
6
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
44.5
permits per 1,000 residents
5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)
Year
Total
Single-Family
Multifamily
Est. Value
2019
80
80
0
$3.0M
2020
173
173
0
$37.0M
2021
350
338
12
$71.1M
2022
263
259
4
$70.2M
2023
219
217
2
$41.6M
2024
185
179
6
$49.4M
Permit volume increased 131% from 2019 to 2024.
Commute Patterns
Commute source
How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023
Drive Alone
66.1%
Carpool
6.7%
Public Transit
0.0%
Walk
1.7%
Work from Home
25.0%
Based on 1,958 workers 16 and over.
Monthly Utility Costs
North Carolina statewide monthly utility average (EIA 2023): $215
EIA 2023 residential energy data puts average monthly utilities across North Carolina at $215 (electricity about $115 , water and sewer about $45 ).
These are North Carolina statewide averages, not a meter reading for Surf City. Actual bills vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.
Living Costs & Risk
North Carolina's BEA cost-of-living index is 94.3 (Below Average; US average = 100, RPP 2024). HUD Fair Market Rent for a typical two-bedroom in the county around Surf City is $1,161/mo. FEMA's National Risk Index, averaged to North Carolina statewide on PlainCities, rates natural-hazard exposure at 66.7 / 100 (Moderate).
Cost/risk geography note
Cost of living is a North Carolina statewide BEA average; rent is a county-level HUD Fair Market Rent for the county Surf City sits in; the FEMA hazard score shown here is a statewide average of county NRI inputs, not a parcel-level reading.
How Surf City compares to similar-size North Carolina cities
Same-state peer method
Closest same-state population matches, not geographic neighbors. Population + median household income come from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 and B19013.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, 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.