Surf City 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 4,781 people and just one neighborhood, Surf City is the 209th largest community in North Carolina. There's nothing like the smell of a brand new house, and in Surf City, you'll find that a large proportion of houses were recently built. New growth in residential real estate is an indication that people are choosing to move to Surf City, and putting down their money on brand new construction. Surf City’s real estate is, on average, some of the newest in the nation. Surf City does seem to be experiencing an influx of affluent people, because the median household income is $84,833.00.
Surf City real estate is some of the most expensive in North Carolina, although Surf City house values don't compare to the most expensive real estate in the U.S.
Unlike some towns where white-collar or blue-collar occupations dominate the local economy, Surf City is neither predominantly one nor the other. Instead, it has a mixed workforce of both white- and blue-collar jobs. Overall, Surf City is a town of professionals, managers, and sales and office workers. There are especially a lot of people living in Surf City who work in management occupations (15.15%), sales jobs (11.51%), and healthcare (9.24%).
Surf City is home to a number of people employed in the armed forces. When you visit or walk around Surf City, some of the people you will bump into will be military people In and out of uniform, jogging, shopping and generally out and about town.
Also of interest is that Surf City has more people living here who work in computers and math than 95% of the places in the US.
A relatively large number of people in Surf City telecommute to their jobs. Overall, about 25.03% 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 Surf City 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.
One of the nice things about Surf City 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.
Surf City is a small town, and as such doesn't have a public transit system that people use to get to and from their jobs every day.
Do you like to read, write and learn? If you move to Surf City, you'll likely find that many of your neighbors like to as well. Surf City is one of the more educated communities in America, with a full 50.79% 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 Surf City in 2022 was $47,445, which is wealthy relative to North Carolina and the nation. This equates to an annual income of $189,780 for a family of four. However, Surf City contains both very wealthy and poor people as well.
Surf City is a somewhat ethnically-diverse town. The people who call Surf City home describe themselves as belonging to a variety of racial and ethnic groups. The greatest number of Surf City residents report their race to be White, followed by Black or African-American. Important ancestries of people in Surf City include German, English, Irish, Scots-Irish, and Italian.
The most common language spoken in Surf City is English. Other important languages spoken here include Spanish and German/Yiddish.
When you see a neighborhood for the first time, the most important thing is often the way it looks, like its homes and its setting. Some places look the same, but they only reveal their true character after living in them for a while because they contain a unique mix of occupational or cultural groups. This neighborhood is very unique in some important ways, according to NeighborhoodScout's exclusive exploration and analysis.
is a neighborhood that is on the ocean, a bay, or inlet. Many times, such places have amenities that bring locals and visitors to the waterfront for recreational activities or to check out the scenery. In some densely populated areas that are less financially well-off, the neighborhood waterfront can be relatively industrial and less open to recreation. In addition to being coastal, is a very nautical neighborhood, meaning that it is somewhat historic, walkable, densely populated and on the water. This gives the neighborhood a very nautical feel, with some seaside and shipping feel, which some may really enjoy the sights and sounds of. One of the notable things about is that it is one of the quietest neighborhoods in America, according to NeighborhoodScout's exclusive analysis and quantitative rating of quietness. When you are here, you will find it to be very quiet. If quiet and peaceful are your cup of tea, you may have found a great place for you.
In addition, despite all of the residential real estate here in the neighborhood, NeighborhoodScout has discovered that much of it is vacant. In resort or second-home vacation areas, this naturally occurs because homes and apartments are seasonally occupied, and empty for a portion of the year. In non-vacation or resort areas, however, this can be an indicator of property abandonment or a weak real estate market. The vacancy rate here is 75.8%, which is higher than 99.8% of all U.S. neighborhoods.
Of note is NeighborhoodScout's research finding that the neighborhood has some of the lowest rates of children living in poverty of any neighborhood in the United States. In a nation where approximately 1 in 4 children are living in poverty, the community truly stands out from the rest in this regard.
In addition, astoundingly, NeighborhoodScout's research reveals that this single neighborhood has a higher concentration of married couples living here than 95.4% of all U.S. neighborhoods. Whether they have school-aged children or not, married couples are the rule in the neighborhood. If you are a married couple, you may find many people here with a similar lifestyle, and perhaps common interests. But if you are single, you might not find many other singles here.
Also, if you're nearing retirement age, or in retirement, the is an excellent choice for you to consider for top-quality retirement living. This neighborhood is rated by NeighborhoodScout as among the top 8.6% of retiree-friendly neighborhoods in North Carolina, combining peace and quiet, safety from crime, and offering diverse housing options from which retirees can choose. Maybe it's because of these amenities that a large proportion of the residents here are college educated seniors, mixed with other age groups. For these and other reasons, NeighborhoodScout identifies this neighborhood as a top-notch place to consider if you are thinking of or planning to retire in North Carolina. In addition to being an excellent choice for active retirees, this neighborhood is also a very good choice for highly educated executives.
Did you know that the neighborhood has more Scots-Irish and Czechoslovakian ancestry people living in it than nearly any neighborhood in America? It's true! In fact, 7.5% of this neighborhood's residents have Scots-Irish ancestry and 0.8% have Czechoslovakian ancestry.
How wealthy a neighborhood is, from very wealthy, to middle income, to low income is very formative with regard to the personality and character of a neighborhood. Equally important is the rate of people, particularly children, who live below the federal poverty line. In some wealthy gated communities, the areas immediately surrounding can have high rates of childhood poverty, which indicates other social issues. NeighborhoodScout's analysis reveals both aspects of income and poverty for this neighborhood.
The neighbors in the neighborhood in Surf City are middle-income, making it a moderate income neighborhood. NeighborhoodScout's exclusive analysis reveals that this neighborhood has a higher income than 59.8% of the neighborhoods in America. In addition, 0.0% of the children seventeen and under living in this neighborhood are living below the federal poverty line, which is a lower rate of childhood poverty than is found in 100.0% of America's neighborhoods.
A neighborhood is far different if it is dominated by enlisted military personnel rather than people who earn their living by farming. It is also different if most of the neighbors are clerical support or managers. What is wonderful is the sheer diversity of neighborhoods, allowing you to find the type that fits your lifestyle and aspirations.
In the neighborhood, 56.0% of the working population is employed in executive, management, and professional occupations. The second most important occupational group in this neighborhood is sales and service jobs, from major sales accounts, to working in fast food restaurants, with 22.5% of the residents employed. Other residents here are employed in manufacturing and laborer occupations (11.6%), and 8.9% in clerical, assistant, and tech support occupations.
The most common language spoken in the neighborhood is English, spoken by 100.0% of households. Some people also speak Polish (2.5%).
Culture is the shared learned behavior of peoples. Undeniably, different ethnicities and ancestries have different cultural traditions, and as a result, neighborhoods with concentrations of residents of one or another ethnicities or ancestries will express those cultures. It is what makes the North End in Boston so fun to visit for the Italian restaurants, bakeries, culture, and charm, and similarly, why people enjoy visiting Chinatown in San Francisco.
In the neighborhood in Surf City, NC, residents most commonly identify their ethnicity or ancestry as English (18.1%). There are also a number of people of German ancestry (15.8%), and residents who report Irish roots (14.3%), and some of the residents are also of Scots-Irish ancestry (7.5%), along with some Italian ancestry residents (6.7%), among others.
How you get to work – car, bus, train or other means – and how much of your day it takes to do so is a large quality of life and financial issue. Especially with gasoline prices rising and expected to continue doing so, the length and means of one's commute can be a financial burden. Some neighborhoods are physically located so that many residents have to drive in their own car, others are set up so many walk to work, or can take a train, bus, or bike. The greatest number of commuters in neighborhood spend under 15 minutes commuting one-way to work (46.6% of working residents), one of the shortest commutes across America.
Here most residents (55.5%) drive alone in a private automobile to get to work. In addition, quite a number also carpool with coworkers, friends, or neighbors to get to work (11.6%) . In a neighborhood like this, as in most of the nation, many residents find owning a car useful for getting to work.