PlainZIP

Emerald Isle, NC · standard

ZIP Code 28594

Carteret County, North Carolina - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.

3,655
247/sq mi
$89,773
Median income
$603,700
Median home value
57.1%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Emerald Isle pairs an above-median household income with top-decile home values, in a low-density, homeowner-dominated area.

Top 27%
household income, US ZIPs
Top 9%
home value, US ZIPs
247
people per sq mi
86%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 28594 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 28594 covers 14.8 square miles in Emerald Isle, Carteret County, North Carolina (a standard USPS delivery area), with a modest 3,655 residents on file, a density of 247 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.

ZIP 28594 lands in the middle-income range, with a median household income of $89,773 (30% above the North Carolina average), while per-capita income is $70,224. Poverty here runs at 4.9%, with unemployment measured at 1.1%. On housing, the median home value is $603,700 (133% above the state average) with median rent at $1,704 per month, and 85.6% of occupied units are owner-occupied.

This is a highly-educated ZIP: 57.1% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 60.3, and the average commute is 29 minutes. To put 28594 in local context, 3 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles appear further down this page alongside 6 additional ZIPs in Carteret County, for a geography-aware comparison.

Every figure on this page is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates (including median rent) and the FHFA House Price Index, no estimates, no proprietary scoring. Verify with Census →

Top industries in ZIP 28594

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Emerald Isle, NC

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 28594.

establishments

What this shows Establishment counts come from the Census ZIP Code Business Patterns program, which counts physical business locations rather than employees or revenue.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) As of 2023

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates + ZIP Code Business Patterns + FHFA HPI ACS demographics and median rent, ZBP business establishments, FHFA HPI for ZIP 28594, Emerald Isle, NC · 2023 Census ACS 5-Year Estimates use a rolling 60-month sample for stable small-geography estimates; ZBP updated annually; FHFA HPI updated quarterly/annually.

Quick Facts

3,655

Population

14.8

Area (sq mi)

247

People / sq mi

New York

Time Zone

standard

ZIP Type

Neighborhood Scorecard
Get an A-F grade across income, safety, housing, rent, education, commute, and childcare for this ZIP code.
View Scorecard →

Who lives in ZIP 28594?

60.3

Median Age

47.4%

Male

52.6%

Female

3.0%

Foreign-Born

White 92.8%
African American 0.3%
Asian 0.0%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.3%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 6.2%
Hispanic or Latino 0.3%

Hispanic or Latino is an ethnicity category from the Census Bureau and may overlap with other categories above.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

How much do residents earn?

$89,773

Median Household Income

+30% vs state

$70,224

Per Capita Income

4.9%

Poverty Rate

1.1%

Unemployment Rate

28.6 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 28594 ranks nationally

Emerald Isle, NC household income vs. every US ZIP code

Median household income, the full national distribution, with this ZIP marked

$89,773 Top 27% higher than 73% of 30,318 US ZIPs

$0–$20,000: 118 US ZIPs (0%). Below this entry. $20,000–$40,000: 1,573 US ZIPs (5%). Below this entry. $40,000–$60,000: 7,092 US ZIPs (23%). Below this entry. $60,000–$80,000: 9,980 US ZIPs (33%). Below this entry. $80,000–$100,000: 5,778 US ZIPs (19%). This entry sits in this band. $100,000–$120,000: 2,855 US ZIPs (9%). Above this entry. $120,000–$140,000: 1,362 US ZIPs (4%). Above this entry. $140,000–$160,000: 686 US ZIPs (2%). Above this entry. $160,000–$180,000: 364 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. $180,000–$200,000: 186 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. $200,000–$220,000: 324 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. This ZIP $0 $200K+ every reporting US ZIP, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US ZIPs. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2019–2023

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

What is the education profile here?

High School Graduate or Higher 71.5%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 57.1%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

What does housing look like?

6,923

Total Housing Units

1,940

Occupied Units

4,983

Vacant Units

2.03

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 85.6%
Renter 14.4%

$603,700

Median Home Value

+133% vs state

$1,704

Median Rent

1989

Median Year Built

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

How have home values changed over time?

FHFA House Price Index, annual appreciation data based on repeat sales and appraisals

+2.2%

YoY Change (2024)

405

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+305%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 28594 have increased 2.2% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +305% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +8.0% 230
2021 +11.8% 257
2022 +24.0% 319
2023 +24.2% 396
2024 +2.2% 405

Source: Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) House Price Index, All-Transactions, Five-Digit ZIP Codes (Developmental Index). Index base = 100 in year 2000. Data through 2024. ZIP codes with few transactions may show missing values.

What businesses operate in this ZIP?

Census Bureau data shows 188 business establishments in ZIP 28594, employing approximately 1,633 people with a combined annual payroll of $75,645,000.

188

Businesses

1,633

Employees

$75.6M

Annual Payroll

12

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Accommodation and food services 34 18.1%
Retail trade 32 17.0%
Construction 28 14.9%
Real estate and rental and leasing 24 12.8%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 16 8.5%
Other services (except public administration) 15 8.0%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 12 6.4%
Health care and social assistance 8 4.3%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 6 3.2%
Wholesale trade 3 1.6%
Transportation and warehousing 3 1.6%
Finance and insurance 3 1.6%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP), 2023. Employment figures may include noise for disclosure avoidance.

Nearby ZIP Codes

Want a side-by-side? Compare 28594 vs 28584 →

ZIP 28594 vs its nearest neighbors, by population

Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.

residents

What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 28594 ranks #2 by population - useful context the national average alone can't give.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 5-Year Estimates As of 2019–2023

ZIP 28594 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income

Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.

median income

What this shows By household income, ZIP 28594 ranks the highest of 3 neighboring ZIPs, local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 5-Year Estimates As of 2019–2023
ZIP Code City Population Distance
28584 Swansboro, NC 11,396 6.0 mi
28575 Salter Path, NC 316 8.0 mi
28582 Stella, NC 1,588 9.4 mi

More ZIP Codes in Carteret County

28570 standard
Newport, NC
Pop: 21,432
28557 standard
Morehead City, NC
Pop: 14,429
28516 standard
Beaufort, NC
Pop: 11,431
28584 standard
Swansboro, NC
Pop: 11,396
28512 standard
Atlantic Beach, NC
Pop: 2,896
28531 standard
Harkers Island, NC
Pop: 1,207

Related Areas

Carteret County Emerald Isle, NC North Carolina

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 28594 in? ▼
ZIP code 28594 (Emerald Isle) is located in Carteret County, North Carolina. Carteret County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/carteret-nc.
What is the population of ZIP code 28594? ▼
ZIP code 28594 in Emerald Isle, NC has a population of 3,655 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 28594? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 28594 is $89,773, which is 18% above the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 28594? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 28594 is $603,700, which is 117% above the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 28594? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 28594 is White at 92.8%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 0.3% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 28594? ▼
ZIP code 28594 has 188 business establishments employing approximately 1,633 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 28594? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 28594 are: Accommodation and food services (34), Retail trade (32), Construction (28). There are 12 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 28594? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 28594 increased by 2.2% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 305%. This is a developmental index based on repeat sales and appraisal data from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.
What is the education level in ZIP code 28594? ▼
In ZIP code 28594, 71.5% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 57.1% hold a bachelor's degree or higher. These figures come from the Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023).
What is the average commute time in ZIP 28594? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 28594 is 28.6 minutes according to Census ACS data. The national average is roughly 26 minutes, so commuters here spend more time traveling to work than typical.
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 28594? ▼
In ZIP code 28594, approximately 85.6% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 14.4% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 28594? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 28594 is 4.9% according to Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. This measures the percentage of the population living below the federal poverty threshold.

Read our methodology to see how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.