City profile · North Carolina · Census ACS 2023

Topsail Beach, NC

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

444
Residents
$90,833
Median income
$630,500
Median home
$1,166
Median rent (state)

Topsail Beach - the verdict

Topsail Beach ranks in the 72nd percentile for household income nationally, out of every US city with at least 1,000 residents. Source: Census ACS.

72nd
percentile, household income
90th
percentile, home value
33rd
percentile, median rent
📝 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: Topsail Beach, NC

444 people live in Topsail Beach, North Carolina - a small town by U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. Median household income here is $90,833 per year, above the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 2.8%. Home values in Topsail Beach run a median of $630,500, and the median resident age is 66.2 years. 63.2% of adults here have a bachelor's degree or higher; 38.2% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

The Census Building Permit Survey recorded 10 residential units authorized here in 2024 (Construction Slowdown), down 62% from five years earlier.

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 $1,166 monthly. Monthly utility costs average around $215 across North Carolina, per EIA 2023 residential energy estimates. On FEMA's National Risk Index, this area rates 86.9 out of 100 for natural-hazard exposure (Very High).

Population

444 residents

Census ACS 2023 - North Carolina

Median Household Income

$90,833 /yr

Poverty 2.8%

Cost of Living Index (state)

94.3 (US=100)

Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, North Carolina average

How does Topsail Beach compare to other US cities?

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

Household income 72% higher than other cities
Home value 90% pricier than other cities
Median rent 33% pricier than other cities

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

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

Each percentile compares Topsail Beach 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 Topsail Beach's strongest outlier among North Carolina cities

Among the 708 North Carolina cities PlainCities tracks with reported median home value data, Topsail Beach ranks #13 - the 98th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Topsail Beach only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#94 of 700
87th percentile in North Carolina
Median Gross Rent
#351 of 746
52nd percentile in North Carolina
Median Home Value
#13 of 708
98th percentile in North Carolina
Poverty Rate
#593 of 746
20th percentile in North Carolina
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#37 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.

72ndIncome percentile

72nd percentile nationally for median household income. Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

How Topsail Beach's home value compares nationally

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

$630,500 10th percentile more affordable than 10% 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%). This entry sits in this band. $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. Topsail 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 - Topsail Beach, NC Topsail Beach, NC's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Topsail 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 Topsail Beach, NC median $90,833/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%
Topsail 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 Topsail Beach, NC. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 63.2%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 2.8%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 38.2%

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

Population
444
Median Income
$90,833
Median Home Value
$630,500
Median Age
66.2
Poverty Rate
2.8%
Labor force participation
38.2%
Bachelor's Degree+
63.2%

Population Change

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

See the fastest-growing cities →
460 residents480 residents500 residents520 residents 202020212022202320242025 466 residents 503 residents ▲ +7.9%
Topsail 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)
10
housing units authorized
Single-Family
10
detached homes
Multifamily
0
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
22.5
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 26
2020 16
2021 19
2022 6
2023 16
2024 10

Permit volume decreased 62% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
56.1%
Carpool
1.3%
Public Transit
0.0%
Walk
1.3%
Work from Home
37.6%
Other
3.7%

Based on 157 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 Topsail Beach sits in

Cost of Living Index
94.3
Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,166/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
86.9 / 100
Very High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in North Carolina

Pantego
445 people
Littleton
446 people
Turkey
446 people
Calypso
441 people
Linville
437 people
Peachland
437 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Topsail Beach's 444 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Batavia, AR
444 people
Collbran, CO
444 people
Harrison, GA
444 people
Clearfield, IA
444 people
Kent Narrows, MD
444 people
Louin, MS
444 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Topsail Beach's $90,833 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Fort Myers Beach, FL
$90,833 median income
Hegins, PA
$90,829 median income
Rahway, NJ
$90,852 median income
El Duende, NM
$90,859 median income
Rockwood, VA
$90,804 median income
Hanson, KY
$90,799 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Topsail 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 Topsail Beach, NC - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 99.3% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 0.0% White 99.3% Black or African American 0.0% Asian 0.0% American Indian 0.0% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 0.0% Two or more races 0.7% 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 Topsail 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
Topsail Beach (this city) 444 $90,833
Pantego 445 $67,500
Littleton 446 $29,792
Turkey 446 N/A
Census ACS 5-year FIPS NC Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Topsail Beach, NC?

What is the population of Topsail Beach, NC? +

Topsail Beach, NC counts 444 residents according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

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

The median household income in Topsail Beach is $90,833 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Topsail Beach? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Topsail 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.

What is the median home value in Topsail Beach, NC? +

Topsail Beach's median home value sits at $630,500, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

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