Ocean Isle Beach, North Carolina Demographics & Population 2026

A note before these figures: with a population of 903, Ocean Isle Beach's ACS estimates come from a small number of survey responses and carry wide margins of error. Individual percentages below — particularly rates that round to 0% or 100% — are approximations, not precise measurements. See data.census.gov for the published margins of error.

Population Overview

Ocean Isle Beach is a small community located in North Carolina, within Brunswick County. The total population is 903. It ranks as the 482nd most populous out of 772 Census-designated places in North Carolina.

Age Demographics

The median age in Ocean Isle Beach is 67.3 years. This is 72% higher than the state median of 39.1 years. Only 3.5% of residents are under 18, indicating fewer families with children. 20.7% 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 Ocean Isle Beach is $96,786. This is 34% higher than the state median of $72,388. It is also 20% higher than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 5.3%. This is 59% lower than the state poverty rate of 13.0%. The survey records no unemployed residents in Ocean Isle Beach, which reflects the size of the sample rather than a labor market without joblessness. The median home value is $835,500. Housing costs are 189% higher than the state median of $288,900. The home-value-to-income ratio of 8.6x suggests that housing affordability is a significant concern for many residents. 96.5% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 45% higher than the state average of 66.6%.

Race & Ethnicity

Ocean Isle Beach has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 98.2% of all residents. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 1.1%. The White (non-Hispanic) population is significantly higher than the state average (98.2% vs 60.0%). The Black or African American population (0.5%) is well below the state average of 20.0%. The Hispanic or Latino population (1.1%) is well below the state average of 11.3%.

Education

65.1% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This places Ocean Isle Beach in the top 10% of all cities in the state for educational attainment. This is 83% 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 99.3%. Notably, 29.2% of adults hold a graduate or professional degree, indicating a highly educated workforce.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Ocean Isle 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.