Surf City, NC

Census Place

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2023 Population

4,160

7% 1-year growth

US Senator

Thom Tillis

Republican Party

US Senator

Ted Budd

Republican Party

2023 Median Age

39.8

1.27% 1-year increase

2023 Poverty Rate

4.89%

1.22% 1-year increase

2023 Median Household Income

$84,833

1.03% 1-year decline

2023 Median Property Value

$478,600

5.91% 1-year growth

2023 Employed Population

1,894

11.9% 1-year growth

About

In 2023, Surf City, NC had a population of 4.16k people with a median age of 39.8 and a median household income of $84,833. Between 2022 and 2023 the population of Surf City, NC grew from 3,888 to 4,160, a 7% increase and its median household income declined from $85,714 to $84,833, a −1.03% decrease.

The 5 largest ethnic groups in Surf City, NC are White (Non-Hispanic) (86.4%), Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) (4.38%), White (Hispanic) (3.75%), Two+ (Non-Hispanic) (2.62%), and Two+ (Hispanic) (1.97%).

None of the households in Surf City, NC reported speaking a non-English language at home as their primary shared language. This does not consider the potential multi-lingual nature of households, but only the primary self-reported language spoken by all members of the household.

98.6% of the residents in Surf City, NC are U.S. citizens.

In 2023, the median property value in Surf City, NC was $478,600, and the homeownership rate was 76.5%.

Most people in Surf City, NC drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 23.3 minutes. The average car ownership in Surf City, NC was 2 cars per household.

United States North Carolina Onslow County, NC Pender County, NC Jacksonville, NC Wilmington, NC Pender & New Hanover (North) Counties PUMA, NC Onslow County (South)--Jacksonville City PUMA, NC

Population & Diversity

Surf City, NC is home to a population of 4.16k people, from which 98.6% are citizens. As of 2023, 3.41% of Surf City, NC residents were born outside of the country (142 people).

In 2023, there were 19.8 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (3.6k people) in Surf City, NC than any other race or ethnicity. There were 182 Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) and 156 White (Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

98.6%

2023 Citizenship

99.1%

2022 Citizenship

As of 2023, 98.6% of Surf City, NC residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.4%. In 2022, the percentage of US citizens in Surf City, NC was 99.1%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been decreasing.

The following chart shows US citizenship percentages in Surf City, NC compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Surf City, NC

White (Non-Hispanic)
3.6k ± 264
Black or African American (Non-Hispanic)
182 ± 156
White (Hispanic)
156 ± 156

5.72%

Hispanic Population

238 people

5.72% of the people in Surf City, NC are hispanic (238 people).

The following chart shows the 7 races represented in Surf City, NC as a share of the total population.

Global Diversity

The PUMS dataset is not available at the Place level, so we are showing data for North Carolina.

Most Common Origin

Mexico
214,508 ± 11,254 people
India
79,868 ± 6,912 people
Honduras
39,759 ± 4,886 people

In 2022, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of North Carolina was Mexico, the natal country of 214,508 North Carolina residents, followed by India with 79,868 and Honduras with 39,759.

Foreign-Born Population

3.41%

2023 Foreign-Born Population

142 people

2.47%

2022 Foreign-Born Population

96 people

As of 2023, 3.41% of Surf City, NC residents (142 people) were born outside of the United States, which is lower than the national average of 13.8%. In 2022, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Surf City, NC was 2.47%, meaning that the rate has been increasing.

The following chart shows the percentage of foreign-born residents in Surf City, NC compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Vietnam
120 ± 68
Gulf War (2001-)
55 ± 39
Gulf War (1990s)
46 ± 49

Surf City, NC has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 2.18 times greater than any other conflict.

Economy

The economy of Surf City, NC employs 1.89k people. The largest industries in Surf City, NC are Health Care & Social Assistance (235 people), Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services (223 people), and Retail Trade (222 people), and the highest paying industries are Information ($136,797), Transportation & Warehousing, & Utilities ($116,140), and Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services ($104,724).

Males in North Carolina have an average income that is 1.31 times higher than the average income of females, which is $57,464. The income inequality in North Carolina (measured using the Gini index) is 0.47, which is lower than than the national average.

Employment

Occupations

1.89k

2023 Value

± 340

11.9%

1 Year growth

± 22.6%

From 2022 to 2023, employment in Surf City, NC grew at a rate of 11.9%, from 1.69k employees to 1.89k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Surf City, NC, are Management Occupations (287 people), Sales & Related Occupations (218 people), and Construction & Extraction Occupations (182 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Surf City, NC.

Unemployment Insurance Claims

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for false.

This chart shows weekly unemployment insurance claims in North Carolina (not-seasonally adjusted) compared with the four states with the most similar impact.

The most recent data point uses Advance State Claims data, which can be revised in subsequent weeks.

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Industries

Employment by Industries

1.89k

2023 Value

± 340

11.9%

1 Year growth

± 22.6%

From 2022 to 2023, employment in Surf City, NC grew at a rate of 11.9%, from 1.69k employees to 1.89k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Surf City, NC, are Health Care & Social Assistance (235 people), Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services (223 people), and Retail Trade (222 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Surf City, NC, though some of these residents may live in Surf City, NC and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

Median Earnings by Industry

$55,720

Median earning men ± $32,428

$46,667

Median earning women ± $11,205

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2023 are Information ($203,750), Manufacturing ($136,154), and Professional, Scientific, & Management, & Administrative & Waste Management Services ($104,301).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2023 are Professional, Scientific, & Management, & Administrative & Waste Management Services ($102,917), Manufacturing ($74,306), and Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($58,462).

Employment by Industry Sector

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for North Carolina.

Y-Axis

3.04%

Year-over-year growth

Employment change between February 2022 and February 2023

As of February 2023, there are 4.86M people employed in North Carolina. This represents a 3.04% increase in employment when compared to February 2022.

Right after the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, during April 2020, a general dip can be seen across industry sectors, resulting in an overall decline in employment by 10.9%.

The following chart shows monthly employment numbers for each industry sector in North Carolina.

Education

Completions

Awarded Degrees over Time

The graph shows the evolution of awarded degrees by degrees. Under the paragraphs, the average number of awarded degrees by university in each degree is shown.

Working Population

Educational Pyramid

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for North Carolina.

Measure

In 2022, 0.944% of men over 25 years of age had not completed any academic degree (no schooling), while 0.805% of women were in the same situation.

This visualization shows the gender distribution of the population according to the academic level reached.

Educational Attainment

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for North Carolina.

Race

The most common educational levels obtained by the working population in 2022 were High School or Equivalent (2.16M), Some college (1.84M), and Bachelors Degree (1.63M).

This visualization illustrates the percentage distribution of the population according to the highest educational level reached. You can filter the data by race by using the selector above.

Housing & Living

The median property value in Surf City, NC was $478,600 in 2023, which is 1.58 times larger than the national average of $303,400. Between 2022 and 2023 the median property value increased from $451,900 to $478,600, a 5.91% increase. The homeownership rate in Surf City, NC is 76.5%, which is approximately the same as the national average of 65%.

People in Surf City, NC have an average commute time of 23.3 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Surf City, NC is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

Median household income in Surf City, NC is $84,833. In 2023, the place with the highest median household income in Surf City, NC was Census Tract 4.03 with a value of $106,607, followed by Census Tract 4.01 and Census Tract 9202.04, with respective values of $92,305 and $55,708.

Housing

Property

$478,600

Median Property Value 2023

±$44,389

$1,263

Median Property Taxes

±$210

The following chart display owner-occupied housing units distributed between a series of property tax buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In Surf City, NC the largest share of households pay taxes in the $3k+ range.

The chart underneath the paragraph shows the property taxes in Surf City, NC compared to it's parent and neighbor geographies.

Rent vs Own

76.5%

Homeownership

2023

74.9%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2023

In 2023, 76.5% of the housing units in Surf City, NC were occupied by their owner. This percentage declined from the previous year's rate of 80.9%.

This chart shows the percentage of owner in Surf City, NC compared it's parent and neighboring geographies.

Equity

Income by Location

Use the dropdown to filter by race/ethnicity.

Race/Ethnicity

Highest Median Household Income (Total)

Census Tract 4.03
Census Tract 4.01
Census Tract 9202.04

In 2023, the place with the highest Median Household Income (Total) in Surf City, NC was Census Tract 4.03 with a value of $106,607, followed by Census Tract 4.01 and Census Tract 9202.04, with respective values of $92,305 and $55,708.

The following map shows all of the places in Surf City, NC colored by their Median Household Income (Total).

Household Income

Please note that the buckets used in this visualization were not evenly distributed by ACS when publishing the data.

$84,833

Median Household Income

± $21,100

1.65k

Number of Households

± 267

In 2023, the median household income of the 1.65k households in Surf City, NC declined from $84,833 from the previous year's value of $85,714.

The following chart displays the households in Surf City, NC distributed between a series of income buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households have an income in the $75k - $100k range.

Wage Distribution

The closest comparable wage GINI for Surf City, NC is from North Carolina.

0.47

2022 Wage GINI in North Carolina

0.47

2021 Wage GINI in North Carolina

In 2022, the income inequality in North Carolina was 0.47 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.0732% decline from 2021 to 2022, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat more even. The GINI for North Carolina was lower than than the national average of 0.478. In other words, wages are distributed more evenly in North Carolina in comparison to the national average.

This chart shows the number of workers in North Carolina across various wage buckets compared to the national average.

Transportation

Commuter Transportation

Most Common Commute in 2023

Drove Alone (66.1%)
Worked At Home (25%)
Carpooled (6.74%)

In 2023, 66.1% of workers in Surf City, NC drove alone to work, followed by those who worked at home (25%) and those who carpooled to work (6.74%).

The following chart shows the number of households using each mode of transportation over time, using a logarithmic scale on the y-axis to help better show variations in the smaller means of commuting.

Commute Time

23.3 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Surf City, NC have a shorter commute time (23.3 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.6 minutes). Additionally, 1.09% of the workforce in Surf City, NC have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

The chart below shows how the median household income in Surf City, NC compares to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Car Ownership

2 cars

Average Number

The following chart displays the households in Surf City, NC distributed between a series of car ownership buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households in Surf City, NC have 2 cars.

Poverty

Poverty & Diversity

4.89% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Surf City, NC (202 out of 4.13k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is lower than the national average of 12.4%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Males 65 - 74, followed by Females 65 - 74 and then Females 55 - 64.

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Surf City, NC is White, followed by Black and Native American.

The Census Bureau uses a set of money income thresholds that vary by family size and composition to determine who classifies as impoverished. If a family's total income is less than the family's threshold than that family and every individual in it is considered to be living in poverty.

Social Needs

Data only available at the state level.

Most prevalent states

California
35,798 individuals
New York
5,087 individuals
Florida
4,915 individuals

In 2017, California had the highest estimated number of chronically homeless individuals in the nation, at 35,798. New York has the second highest (5,087), followed by Florida (4,915).

The following map shows the estimated number of chronically homeless individuals by state over multiple years.

Health

90.5% of the population of Surf City, NC has health coverage, with 43.7% on employee plans, 7.09% on Medicaid, 13.3% on Medicare, 20.9% on non-group plans, and 5.55% on military or VA plans.

Primary care physicians in Pender County, NC see 3234 patients per year on average, which represents a 2.57% increase from the previous year (3153 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 2855 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 706 patients per year.

Coverage

Patient to Clinician Ratios

Data is only available at the country level. Showing data for Pender County, NC.

3,234 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Pender County, NC

Primary care physicians in Pender County, NC see an average of 3,234 patients per year. This represents a 2.57% increase from the previous year (3,153 patients).

The following chart shows how the number of patients seen by primary care physicians has been changing over time in Pender County, NC in comparison to its neighboring geographies.

Health Care Diversity

In 2023, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 24.7% under 18 years, 15% between 18 and 34 years, 41% between 35 and 64 years, and 19.3% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 47.5% were men and 52.5% were women.

The following chart shows the number of people with health coverage by gender.

Uninsured People

9.49%

Uninsured

43.7%

Employer Coverage

7.09%

Medicaid

13.3%

Medicare

20.9%

Non-Group

5.55%

Military or VA

Between 2022 and 2023, the percent of uninsured citizens in Surf City, NC grew by 29.7% from 7.32% to 9.49%.

The following chart shows how the percent of uninsured individuals in Surf City, NC changed over time compared with the percent of individuals enrolled in various types of health insurance.

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