Emerald Isle is a very small coastal town (i.e. on the ocean, a bay, or inlet) located in the state of North Carolina. With a population of 3,966 people and two associated neighborhoods, Emerald Isle is the 210th largest community in North Carolina.

Emerald Isle home prices are not only among the most expensive in North Carolina, but Emerald Isle real estate also consistently ranks among the most expensive in America.

There are many members of the armed forces living in Emerald Isle. You will notice when you visit or live here that some of the people you meet or see around town are employed by the armed services - even if they are not always in uniform.

Of important note, Emerald Isle is also a town of artists. Emerald Isle has more artists, designers and people working in media than 90% of the communities in America. This concentration of artists helps shape Emerald Isle’s character.

A relatively large number of people in Emerald Isle telecommute to their jobs. Overall, about 22.80% of the workforce works from home. While this may seem like a small number, as a fraction of the total workforce it ranks among the highest in the country. These workers are often telecommuters who work in knowledge-based, white-collar professions. For example, Silicon Valley has large numbers of people who telecommute. Other at-home workers may be self-employed people who operate small businesses out of their homes.

Another notable thing is that Emerald Isle is an extremely popular destination for tourists and seasonal residents. So much of the population is seasonal such that the town’s population swells significantly during the vacation season, and drops again when the season ends. Because of this, much of the local economy is centered around tourism; some businesses may be operated only during the high season. During the low season, year-round residents will notice that the city is a substantially quieter place to live.

Residents will find that the town is relatively quiet. This is because it is not over-populated, and it has fewer college students, renters, and young children - all of whom can be noisy at times. So, if you're looking for a relatively peaceful place to live, Emerald Isle is worth considering.

Emerald Isle is also nautical, which means that parts of it are somewhat historic and touch the ocean or tidal bodies of water, such as inlets and bays. Quite often, nautical areas such as these attract visitors and locals who come to enjoy the scenery and various waterfront activities.

As is often the case in a small town, Emerald Isle doesn't have a public transportation system that people use for their commute.

Do you like to read, write and learn? If you move to Emerald Isle, you'll likely find that many of your neighbors like to as well. Emerald Isle is one of the more educated communities in America, with a full 51.96% of its adults having a college degree or even advanced degree, compared to a national average across all communities of 21.84%.

The per capita income in Emerald Isle in 2022 was $66,213, which is wealthy relative to North Carolina and the nation. This equates to an annual income of $264,852 for a family of four. However, Emerald Isle contains both very wealthy and poor people as well.

The people who call Emerald Isle home describe themselves as belonging to a variety of racial and ethnic groups. The greatest number of Emerald Isle residents report their race to be White, followed by Black or African-American. Important ancestries of people in Emerald Isle include English, German, Irish, Polish, and Italian.

The most common language spoken in Emerald Isle is English. Other important languages spoken here include Italian and Polish.