Emerald Isle, NC—28594
Real Estate Data & Market Trends
Key Metrics at a Glance
Home Price Trends — Emerald Isle, NC
As of Aug '25, the median home price in Emerald Isle, NC is $734,000, with a year-over-year change of -0.3%. This indicates that home prices in Emerald Isle, NC are flat. According to Zillow, the 1-year price projection is 2.8%, suggesting an increase housing market in the next year.
Cost per Home Size
| Home Size | Median Home Value | YoY % Change |
|---|---|---|
1 Bed | $298,000 | -3.9% |
2 Bed | $526,000 | -1.7% |
3 Bed | $695,000 | -0.7% |
4 Bed | $1,025,000 | 1.2% |
| 5 Bed | $1,588,000 | 1.0% |
Rental Trends — Emerald Isle, NC
As of Jul '25, the average rent in Emerald Isle, NC is $2,470, with a year-over-year rent change of -2.0%. 1-bedroom units average $1,500 (-6.2%); 2-bedroom units average $3,250 (NA); 3-bedroom units average $2,610 (0.0%); 4-bedroom units average $3,200 (15.5%)
| Type | Median Rent | Average Rent |
|---|---|---|
| Average Rent | $2,530 | $2,470 |
| Studio Rent | N/A | N/A |
| 1 Bed Rent | $1,500 | $1,500 |
| 2 Bed Rent | $3,250 | $3,250 |
| 3 Bed Rent | $2,600 | $2,610 |
| 4 Bed Rent | $3,200 | $3,200 |
Property Listings — Emerald Isle, NC
As of Aug '25 and according to Realtor.com, the median days on market for a home in Emerald Isle, NC is 79. This is an increase of 6.0% from last year. This indicates that homes are sitting on the market longer than last year. The percentage of listed homes with a reduced price is 28.0%. This is a large percentage of inventory, suggesting a lot of supply pressure on home prices.
| Metric | Zip Code Average | Year over Year % Change |
|---|---|---|
Median Listing Price | $950,000 | 9.0% |
Listing Count | 127 | N/A |
| Listings as % of Homes | 0.8% | N/A |
Days on Market | 79 | 6.0% |
Demographics — Emerald Isle, NC
| Metric | Latest Census | YoY % Change |
|---|---|---|
Population | 3,920 | 5.9% |
% Under 18 | 14.8% | -3.3% |
| % Under 5 | N/A | N/A |
% Seniors | 32.8% | 6.1% |
% WFH | 22.8% | 48.1% |
% w/ College Degree | 52.0% | 6.1% |
Race and Ethnicity
| Metric | Latest Census | 5-Year % Change |
|---|---|---|
% White | 93.2% | -0.9% |
% Black | 0.3% | -25.0% |
% Hispanic | 0.2% | -90.5% |
% Asian | 0.0% | N/A |
% Foreign Born | 1.6% | 14.3% |
Mortgage and Risk — Emerald Isle, NC
According to the latest data from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) as of 2023, the number of mortgages originated in Emerald Isle, NC in that year was 257. 95.0% of all primary home loans were conventional, the remainder were government-backed loans, such as FHA loans. The average loan-to-value for all loans was 54.0%. Of those, 6.0% were >90% loan to value. This is considered normal, suggesting that mortgage risk is small in Emerald Isle, NC. Investor activity in Emerald Isle, NC is low, as 8.0% of all loans are originated by investors. In 2023, 8.0% of all loans were cash-out refinances, suggesting few homeowners are actively tapping their home's equity.
Mortgages
| Metric | Zip Code Average | Metro Average | State Average |
|---|---|---|---|
Total Loan Originations | 257 | N/A | N/A |
% Conventional Loans | 95.0% | N/A | N/A |
% Government Loans | 5.0% | N/A | N/A |
% Investor Loans | 8.0% | N/A | N/A |
% Second Loans | 46.0% | N/A | N/A |
% Cash Out Refinance | 8.0% | N/A | N/A |
Rentals and Section 8 — Emerald Isle, NC
As of 2024, the percent of homes in Emerald Isle, NC under the Section 8 program is NA. This is considered unknown, suggesting that the neighborhood is unknown composed of Section 8 homes. Section 8 opportunity is good when HUD pays homeowners more than the average rental market rate for various home sizes. For each bedroom size, the average difference between HUD payments and market rents is shown in the table below.
Section 8 Market Size
Total Units under HUD | N/A |
Total Units Section 8 | N/A |
% Rentals under Section 8 | N/A |
% Occupied Section 8 | N/A |
Section 8 Opportunity
| Home Size | HUD Premium | Market Rent | Max HUD Rent |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Bedroom | -$230 | $1,500 | $1,270 |
| 2 Bedroom | -$1,590 | $3,250 | $1,660 |
| 3 Bedroom | -$440 | $2,600 | $2,160 |
| 4 Bedroom | -$470 | $3,200 | $2,730 |
Affordability — Emerald Isle, NC
Home Price to Income Ratio
| Metric | Zip Code Average | Metro Average | State Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Home Price to Income Ratio | 7.6 | N/A | N/A |
| Median Home Price | $734,000 | N/A | N/A |
| Median Household Income | $89,400 | N/A | N/A |