Residential delivery area · North Carolina
ZIP Code 28594: Emerald Isle, NC
ZIP code 28594 is in Emerald Isle, North Carolina, entirely in Carteret County (Census 2020 ZIP-county file). About 3,900 people live there (Census Bureau, ACS 2020-2024). Median household income is $89,773 (Census Bureau, ACS 2020-2024). By Census place, 86% of its land lies in Emerald Isle; 14% is outside any Census place.
- ACS2020-24
- Census2020
- FHFA2025
- ZBP2023
- IRS2022
- Town
- Emerald Isle · its only residential ZIP
- County
- Carteret County
- Census places
- Emerald Isle
- Neighborhoods
- Lands End, Ocean Crest, Pebble Beach, Point Emerald Villas, Queens Court, Sound of the Sea GeoNames
- Micro area
- Morehead City, NC
- House district
- NC-3 119th Congress
- State
- North Carolina
- Time zone
- Eastern
- Land area
- 5.7 sq mi · 689 people per sq mi
Where is ZIP code 28594?
28594 centers on 34.701°, -76.974° and covers 5.7 square miles of land plus 14.7 of water. It borders 1 ZIP code: 28512.
The map draws ZIP code areas only. For the streets inside 28594, open its center on OpenStreetMap.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 ZCTA cartographic boundaries and the 2023 Gazetteer (2020 ZCTAs); ZIP-to-county shares, Census places and House districts (119th Congress) from the Census 2020 relationship files (shares of land); metro area from the OMB delineation (July 2023); town name and time zone from simplemaps US ZIP Codes (CC BY 4.0); neighborhoods from the GeoNames gazetteer (CC BY 4.0), placed in this ZIP code by PlainZIP.
How does 28594 compare with the rest of Carteret County?
| Measure | 28594 | In Carteret County | In NC |
|---|---|---|---|
| People (ACS 2020-2024) | 3,934 | 5th of 18 | 468th of 853 |
| Median household income | $90k | 2nd of 7 | 89th of 528 |
| Median home value | $604k | 1st of 8 | 23rd of 572 |
Its median household income is higher than in 73% of U.S. residential ZIP codes, and it is denser than 75% of all U.S. residential ZIP codes. ZIP codes at the ACS caps ($250,000 or more for household income, $2,000,000 or more for home value) share the top rank.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates (B01003, B19013, B25077); ranks by PlainZIP over residential ZIP codes (ZCTAs).
How many people live in 28594?
The 2020 Census counted 3,849 people in 28594; the ACS, which samples households over 2020-2024, estimates 3,934. Between the 2010 and 2020 censuses its population grew 5.3% (its boundary stayed at least 90% the same).
- People, ACS 2020-2024
- 3,934
- 2020 Census count
- 3,849+5.3% since 2010 (3,655)
- Households
- 1,940
- Median age
- 60.3
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates (B01003, B01002, B11001); 2020 Census (DHC P1); 2010 Census (SF1 P1).
Who lives in 28594?
Of the 3,934 people the ACS estimates in 28594, 11.1% are under 18 and 36.8% are 65 or older. The largest group by race and Hispanic origin is White (not Hispanic) (92.7%).
- Under 1811.1%
- 18 to 6452.1%
- 65 and older36.8%
- White, not Hispanic92.7%
- Other or two or more6.7%
- Black, not Hispanic0.3%
- Hispanic or Latino0.3%
- Asian, not Hispanic0.0%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates (B01001 age by sex, B03002 Hispanic or Latino origin by race); shares of the estimated population, small ZIP codes carry wide margins.
What do households in 28594 earn?
Median household income is $89,773 (ACS 2020-2024), the 2nd highest of the 7 ranked ZIP codes in Carteret County. It is not measurably different from 2015-2019 ($96,001 in 2024 dollars): the change is within the surveys' margins of error.
- Median household income
- $89,773±$13,436
- Income per person
- $70,224
- Below the poverty line
- 4.9%
- Unemployed (of the labor force)
- 1.2%
- Adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree
- 57.1%
- Adjusted gross income per tax return, 2022
- $127,3232,470 returns; wages 44% of AGI (IRS)
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2020-2024 and 2015-2019 5-year estimates (B19013, B19301, B17001, B23025, B15003; 2015-2019 dollars converted with the BLS CPI-U, 1.22699); IRS Statistics of Income, ZIP code data, tax year 2022 (adjusted gross income per return, filed under the address on the return).
What are homes worth in 28594?
FHFA's house price index for 28594, built from repeat sales and appraisals of the same homes, rose 143% from 2015 to 2025 and rose 88% from 2020 to 2025, and moved +9.4% in 2025.
- Median home value (owners' estimate)
- $603,700
- Median gross rent
- $1,704
- Homes owned by their occupants
- 85.6%
- Housing units
- 6,923
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates (B25077, B25064, B25003, B25001); FHFA House Price Index, annual five-digit ZIP, updated 2026-03-31.
What businesses are in 28594?
188 business establishments had a location in this ZIP code in 2023, 39 more than in 2018; the most are in accommodation and food services (ZIP Code Business Patterns).
- Accommodation and food services34
- Retail trade32
- Construction28
- Real estate and rental and leasing24
- Professional, scientific, and technical services16
- Other services (except public administration)15
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ZIP Code Business Patterns 2023 and 2018 (establishments with paid employees, by the business's ZIP code).
Which ZIP codes are next to 28594?
| ZIP | Town | People | Household income | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 28512 | Atlantic Beach | 3,358 | $92k | 9.5 mi |
| 28575 | Salter Path | 169 | – | 5.4 mi (near) |
| 28584 | Swansboro | 14,939 | $87k | 7.4 mi (near) |
| 28570 | Newport | 22,197 | $70k | 7.5 mi (near) |
| 28582 | Stella | 1,658 | $89k | 10.5 mi (near) |
| 28557 | Morehead City | 15,253 | $69k | 13.0 mi (near) |
| 28533 | Cherry Point | 2,452 | – | 14.5 mi (near) |
| 28539 | Hubert | 18,351 | $67k | 14.7 mi (near) |
Source: PlainZIP from the Census 2020 ZCTA boundaries (shared edges) and internal points; figures ACS 2020-2024.