Kure Beach, North Carolina Demographics & Population 2026

Population Overview

Kure Beach is a small community located in North Carolina, within New Hanover County. The total population is 2,466. It ranks as the 300th most populous out of 772 Census-designated places in North Carolina.

Age Demographics

The median age in Kure Beach is 56.7 years. This is 45% higher than the state median of 39.1 years. Only 10.2% of residents are under 18, indicating fewer families with children.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Kure Beach is $104,149. This is 44% higher than the state median of $72,388. It is also 29% higher than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 3.9%. 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 2.3%. This is 51% lower than the state rate of 4.7%. The median home value is $735,100. Housing costs are 154% higher than the state median of $288,900. The home-value-to-income ratio of 7.1x suggests that housing affordability is a significant concern for many residents. 80.2% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 20% higher than the state average of 66.6%.

Race & Ethnicity

Kure Beach has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 96.7% of all residents. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 0.8%. The White (non-Hispanic) population is significantly higher than the state average (96.7% vs 60.0%). The Hispanic or Latino population (0.8%) is well below the state average of 11.3%. The Asian population (0.5%) is well below the state average of 3.3%.

Education

52.9% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 48% higher 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 98.9%. Notably, 19.6% of adults hold a graduate or professional degree, indicating a highly educated workforce.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Kure Beach, 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.