Carolina Shores, North Carolina Demographics & Population 2026

Population Overview

Carolina Shores is a small city located in North Carolina, within Brunswick County. The total population is 5,017. It ranks as the 165th most populous out of 772 Census-designated places in North Carolina.

Age Demographics

The median age in Carolina Shores is 65.3 years. This is 67% higher than the state median of 39.1 years. Only 7.5% of residents are under 18, indicating fewer families with children. 19.3% of residents are 75 or older, suggesting a significant retirement-age population with implications for healthcare services and senior housing.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Carolina Shores is $76,087. This is 5% higher than the state median of $72,388. It is also 6% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 4.0%. This is 70% lower than the state poverty rate of 13.0%. This exceptionally low poverty rate indicates strong economic prosperity across the community. The unemployment rate is 3.9%. This is 17% lower than the state rate of 4.7%. The median home value is $288,600. Housing costs are about the same as the state median of $288,900. The home-value-to-income ratio is 3.8x. 94.8% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 42% higher than the state average of 66.6%.

Race & Ethnicity

Carolina Shores has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 94.1% of all residents. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 0.3%. The White (non-Hispanic) population is significantly higher than the state average (94.1% vs 60.0%). The Hispanic or Latino population (0.3%) is well below the state average of 11.3%.

Education

27.6% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 23% lower than the state rate of 35.6%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 97.8%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Carolina Shores, North Carolina is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates. The ACS collects data from approximately 3.5 million households annually and pools five years of responses so that even small communities can be measured, though the margin of error widens as the population falls. Comparisons are made against North Carolina state averages and national averages calculated from the same dataset. Rankings reflect the city's position among all 772 Census-designated places in North Carolina. Read more about how these figures are produced on our methodology page, or visit data.census.gov for official data.