Emerald Isle, NC housing market
The typical Emerald Isle home is worth about $765,000, up 4.9% in a year, 128% above the North Carolina typical home. Homes typically sell in 84 days, below asking.
Home values, sales, trends and how Emerald Isle compares with the towns next door — updated as new data is published.
Emerald Isle at a glance
A buyer's market
More homes are for sale than are selling — about 6 months of supply. Buyers have room to negotiate.
Typical home value, 2016–2026
Show as a table
| January | Emerald Isle | North Carolina |
|---|---|---|
| 2017 | $379,000 | $179,000 |
| 2018 | $393,000 | $190,000 |
| 2019 | $409,000 | $203,000 |
| 2020 | $427,000 | $215,000 |
| 2021 | $485,000 | $242,000 |
| 2022 | $618,000 | $287,000 |
| 2023 | $676,000 | $320,000 |
| 2024 | $714,000 | $332,000 |
| 2025 | $738,000 | $338,000 |
| 2026 | $747,000 | $336,000 |
| August 2026 | $765,000 | $335,000 |
No new homes permitted in 2023
No permits for new homes were issued in Emerald Isle in 2023. The last year with any was 2022 (41 new homes).
Homes vs. people, 2010–2020
Between the 2010 and 2020 censuses, Emerald Isle gained 192 residents while 267 new homes were permitted: about 0.7 new residents per new home. Building outpaced population growth, which usually means smaller households or homes used part of the year. 69% of Emerald Isle's homes are seasonal or vacation homes, which adds housing without adding residents. Across North Carolina: 1.7 new residents per new home.
Residents: U.S. Census Bureau, 2010 and 2020 censuses. New homes: permits issued 2010–2019.
Show as a table
| Year | New homes | Single-family | 2+ per building | Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2022 | 41 | 41 | 0 | $23 million |
| 2021 | 87 | 81 | 6 | $45.9 million |
| 2020 | 71 | 60 | 11 | $22.1 million |
| 2019 | 26 | 26 | 0 | $9.2 million |
| 2018 | 26 | 24 | 2 | $9.1 million |
| 2017 | 54 | 54 | 0 | $18.1 million |
| 2016 | 34 | 34 | 0 | $13.3 million |
| 2015 | 30 | 30 | 0 | $11.4 million |
| 2014 | 26 | 26 | 0 | $8.5 million |
| 2013 | 20 | 20 | 0 | $7.8 million |
| 2012 | 17 | 17 | 0 | $6.6 million |
| 2011 | 26 | 26 | 0 | $8.6 million |
| 2010 | 8 | 8 | 0 | $2.7 million |
| 2009 | 15 | 15 | 0 | $5.7 million |
| 2008 | 18 | 18 | 0 | $6.3 million |
| 2007 | 46 | 46 | 0 | $19.9 million |
| 2006 | 55 | 55 | 0 | $23.8 million |
| 2005 | 99 | 99 | 0 | $33.9 million |
| 2004 | 118 | 118 | 0 | $27.8 million |
| 2003 | 119 | 117 | 2 | $28.5 million |
| 2002 | 109 | 79 | 30 | $19.7 million |
| 2001 | 84 | 70 | 14 | $15.8 million |
| 2000 | 78 | 72 | 6 | $14.5 million |
Emerald Isle's permit office didn't report to the Census in 2023, so the 2023 figures are Census estimates.
Homes authorized by building permits, counted in the year the permit was issued. U.S. Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey.
8.5 years of income
The typical Emerald Isle home costs about 8.5 years of the town's median household income, more than across North Carolina (4.6 years).
How Emerald Isle ranks on affordability →
Home value ÷ ACS median household income.
Owners, rent & taxes
U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2020-2024.
A two-bedroom rents for about $1,690
HUD's Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom in Emerald Isle is $1,690 a month, utilities included: roughly what a modest, recently rented unit costs. Renters already in Emerald Isle pay a median of $1,704. A two-bedroom takes about 23% of the town's median household income.
Studio $1,280 · 4 bedrooms $2,770
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, FY2026 Fair Market Rents by ZIP code (28594; Carteret County, NC), weighted by land area. A Fair Market Rent is the 40th-percentile rent plus utilities for a standard unit. Median rent: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey.
Recent listings in Emerald Isle
Home values: Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI), Zillow Research, August 2026. Sales, days on market and supply: Redfin Data Center, May 2026. Income, ownership, taxes and rent: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey. New homes: U.S. Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey. Fair Market Rents: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Listings link to their publishers.