Emerald Isle 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 4,001 people and two associated neighborhoods, Emerald Isle is the 210th largest community in North Carolina.

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

There are quite a few people in the armed forces living in Emerald Isle, and when you visit or drive around town, you will see military people in and out of uniform, shopping, enjoying life, and being part of the community.

Of important note, Emerald Isle is also a town of artists. Emerald Isle has more artists, designers and people working in media than 90% of the communities in America. This concentration of artists helps shape Emerald Isle’s character.

One interesting thing about the economy is that relatively large numbers of people worked from their home: 22.80% of the workforce. While this number may seem small overall, as a fraction of the total workforce this is high compared to the rest of the county. 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 Emerald Isle 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, Emerald Isle’s population drops significantly, such that year-round residents will notice that the city is a much quieter place to live.

Residents will find that the town is relatively quiet. This is because it is not over-populated, and it has fewer college students, renters, and young children - all of whom can be noisy at times. So, if you're looking for a relatively peaceful place to live, Emerald Isle is worth considering.

Emerald Isle is also nautical, which means that parts of it are somewhat historic and touch the ocean or tidal bodies of water, such as inlets and bays. Such areas are often places that visitors and locals go for waterfront activities or taking in the scenery.

Emerald Isle 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.

If knowledge is power, Emerald Isle is a pretty powerful place. 51.96% of the adults in Emerald Isle have earned a 4-year college degree, masters degree, MD, law degree, or even PhD. Compare that to the national average of 21.84% for all cities and towns.

The per capita income in Emerald Isle in 2022 was $66,213, which is wealthy relative to North Carolina and the nation. This equates to an annual income of $264,852 for a family of four. However, Emerald Isle contains both very wealthy and poor people as well.

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

The most common language spoken in Emerald Isle is English. Other important languages spoken here include Italian and Polish.