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Data on this report is based on areas within the legal city boundary, outlined in black on the map. Any additional neighborhoods shown on the map are associated with the city by name and are included for reference only.

Ocean Isle Beach, NC
Real Estate & Demographic Data






Ocean Isle Beach profile


Living in Ocean Isle Beach



Ocean Isle Beach is a tiny coastal town (i.e. on the ocean, a bay, or inlet) located in the state of North Carolina. With a population of 958 people and four associated neighborhoods, Ocean Isle Beach is the 417th largest community in North Carolina.

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

A relatively large number of people in Ocean Isle Beach telecommute to their jobs. Overall, about 27.23% 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 Ocean Isle Beach is a major vacation destination. Much of the town’s population is seasonal: many people own second homes and only live there part-time, during the vacation season. The effect on the local economy is that many of the businesses are dependent on tourist dollars, and may operate only during the high season. As the vacation season ends, Ocean Isle Beach’s population drops significantly, such that year-round residents will notice that the city is a much quieter place to live.

It is a fairly quiet town because there are relatively few of those groups of people who have a tendency to be noisy. (Children, for example, often can't help themselves from being noisy, and being parents ourselves, we know!) Ocean Isle Beach has relatively few families with children living at home, and is quieter because of it. Renters and college students, for their own reasons, can also be noisy. Ocean Isle Beach has few renters and college students. But the biggest reason it is quieter in Ocean Isle Beach than in most places in America, is that there are just simply fewer people living here. If you think trees make good neighbors, Ocean Isle Beach may be for you.

One of the nice things about Ocean Isle Beach is that it is nautical, which means that parts of it are somewhat historic and touch the ocean or tidal bodies of water, such as inlets and bays. Because of this, visitors and locals will often go to these areas to take in the scenery or to enjoy waterfront activities.

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

Do you have a 4-year college degree or graduate degree? If so, you may feel right at home in Ocean Isle Beach. 54.70% of adults here have a 4-year degree or graduate degree, whereas the national average for all cities and towns is just 21.84%.

The per capita income in Ocean Isle Beach in 2018 was $63,760, which is wealthy relative to North Carolina and the nation. This equates to an annual income of $255,040 for a family of four. However, Ocean Isle Beach contains both very wealthy and poor people as well.

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

The most common language spoken in Ocean Isle Beach is English. Other important languages spoken here include Spanish and Polish.


Real Estate in Popular Ocean Isle Beach Neighborhoods

Zip Codes in Ocean Isle Beach, NC