Housing Value★★★★★★★★★★2.5 / 5Home values compared with local household income.
Living in Surf City, NC
Explore Surf City and see how it fits the life you want to build.
Overall Match6.6 / 10
Baseline match from currently available location scores. Choose priorities to personalize it.
Surf City at a Glance
Key facts and current data
Population4,396
Median Household Income$81,433
Median Home Value$512,300
Median Gross Rent$1,707
Median Age36.9
Average Household Size2.5
Unemployment2.8%
Work From Home26.6%
Homeownership73.9%
Housing Vacancy61.4%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020-2024 ACS 5-Year.
Surf City is a smaller community, so land use, housing supply and its relationship with surrounding communities can be especially important to movers. Housing costs are high relative to local household income, making affordability one of the more important factors to examine before relocating here. Unemployment is relatively low, which is a positive current labor-market signal.
Experience the Area
Experience Life in Surf City Before You Move
Explore Short-Term Stays in Surf City →Stay options powered by Stay22 · affiliate
NarrowTheList highly recommends you spend a week or two in Surf City and experience everyday life before deciding whether it is the right place to call home. Use that time to explore neighborhoods, drive your normal routes, shop where residents shop, and get a feel for the area at different times of day.
NarrowTheList Ratings
Data-driven starter ratings. More categories appear automatically as new datasets are added.
Housing & Cost of Living in Surf City
Current housing indicators from the U.S. Census Bureau
Median Home Value$512,300
Median Gross Rent$1,707
Homeownership73.9%
Housing Vacancy61.4%
Home values are relatively high compared with local household income, so purchase affordability deserves close attention. A large majority of occupied homes are owner-occupied.
Jobs, Income & Remote Work
Employment and household-income context for Surf City, NC
Median Household Income$81,433
Unemployment2.8%
Work From Home26.6%
The reported unemployment rate is relatively low. Working from home is relatively common among employed residents.
Population & Household Profile
Who lives in Surf City and how households are structured
Population4,396
Median Age36.9
Average Household Size2.5
Surf City is a smaller community, so its relationship with nearby towns, employment centers and services can be especially important.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020-2024 ACS 5-Year. NarrowTheList presents these values as relocation context; conditions can vary within a community.
Climate & Weather in Surf City
Long-term NOAA climate normals and practical seasonal context
NOAA climate normals for Surf City point to hot summers, cool winters, substantial annual rainfall and little to no annual snowfall.
Average Summer High87.5°F
Average Winter Low33.7°F
Annual Rainfall60.6 in.
Annual Snowfall0.6 in.
Seasonal Life in Surf City
What the long-term climate pattern may mean for everyday living.
Spring
Spring is a good time to see how wetter conditions affect drainage, yards, commuting and the usability of outdoor spaces.
Summer
Summer is warm enough that shade and cooling still matter, but the typical high is below the extreme-heat range seen in many hotter U.S. markets.
Fall
Fall can be one of the best seasons for comparing neighborhoods because daily routines are active while temperatures transition away from summer conditions.
Winter
Winter is generally cool with limited snowfall. Heating needs still matter, but snow-related disruption should be less central than in colder markets.
Source: NOAA/NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020. Seasonal descriptions are relocation context derived from the available long-term normals, not a forecast.
County Intelligence
Surf City & Its Counties
Data Pending
Foreclosure Activity
Surf City spans Onslow and Pender counties.
Living in a community that crosses county lines can make location within Surf City especially important. Property taxes, housing characteristics, public services and other county-level factors may vary depending on which part of the community you call home.
Current NarrowTheList data for Surf City shows a population of about 4,396. These local figures become more useful when read together with county-level tax, housing, foreclosure and demographic conditions rather than treated as isolated city statistics.
Foreclosure Activity: Data Pending. A county-specific foreclosure signal is not available yet.
For someone comparing homes, county boundaries can matter because taxes, public services, court and recording systems, assessment practices and housing-market conditions are often administered or reported at the county level. NarrowTheList keeps that county relationship attached to the community so future tax, foreclosure, housing and demographic data can be interpreted in the correct geographic context.
County relationship
Onslow County and Pender County
How NarrowTheList uses it
NarrowTheList connects Surf City with all 2 of its counties rather than assigning the community to only one. As additional county data becomes available, those differences can be compared alongside city-level information to help identify which parts of the area may better fit your priorities.
For someone considering a move to Surf City, the available data currently points to housing affordability that deserves careful budgeting and a relatively tight labor market. These signals are most useful when considered alongside the specific neighborhood, commute and housing type that fit the household making the move.
Nearby Cities & Communities
Nearby incorporated cities, towns, villages and other municipalities shown by straight-line distance.