ZIP Code 28594 — Emerald Isle town, NC Demographics & Data

ZIP code 28594 covers Emerald Isle, NC in Carteret County with a population of about 3,915.

At a glance, the area shows median age of 58.7 versus a U.S. median of about 38.9.

It sits in telephone area code 252; U.S. House district NC-3; the GREENVILLE - N. BERN - WASHNGTN media market.

Emerald Isle, NC fits a retirement-oriented profile (older median age or known retirement-community context). Residents and relocators commonly research healthcare access, everyday amenities (dining, personal services), and housing costs rather than tech or campus life.

Median household income in ZIP 28594 is about $89,432 — about 19% above the U.S. median ($75,149).

On socioeconomic markers, US5 shows a poverty rate of 3.9%; unemployment rate near 1.4%; 52.0% of adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher (about 18.3 points above the national share (33.7%)).

Labor and commute patterns include leading industry context around Retail trade, Professional services, and Healthcare; about 22.8% of workers reporting work-from-home (about 7.6 points above the U.S. share (15.2%)); a mean commute of about 180.0 minutes (U.S. average near 26.8).

Median home value is about $563,600 — about 62% above the U.S. median home value ($348,079).

Housing tenure and rents show median gross rent around $1,434 (about 23% above the U.S. median rent ($1,163)), and owner-occupancy near 83.1% (about 17.7 points above the national owner-occupancy rate (65.4%)).

To comfortably buy a median-priced home in ZIP 28594 in Emerald Isle, NC, a household would need roughly $155,000 in annual income under a 20% down, 30-year loan at 6.8% (illustrative), keeping housing costs near 28% of income. Estimated monthly PITI is about $3,620. That is about 73% above the local median household income ($89,432), so the median earner would likely stretch or need a larger down payment. Rates, taxes, insurance, and HOA fees vary — treat this as a planning estimate, not a lender quote.

FEMA’s National Risk Index rates natural-hazard risk for Emerald Isle town, NC as Relatively Moderate (composite score 93.5), which is among the highest nationally. The strongest component scores on US5 are hurricane (98.7) and wildfire (88.6). These scores are county-linked NRI values published for planning context — all ZIP codes in the same county share the same composite score on US5. Useful when comparing insurance and disaster exposure across areas, not a substitute for a parcel-level flood or fire determination.

Climate normals for Emerald Isle town, NC show little to no average snow and around 60.6 inches of annual precipitation.

IRS migration statistics show a net inflow of about 163 for ZIP 28594 (Emerald Isle town, NC) on US5’s published series — a signal of people/tax filers moving in relative to those leaving. Inflows often track job growth, housing demand, or lifestyle migration; treat the figure as a directional indicator rather than a precise headcount.