CitytisticsShortlist

Cost of living, pay and housing

34.70° N · 76.83° W · GEOID 3752000

Pine Knoll Shores

Carteret County, North Carolina · part of the Morehead City, NC metro

Limited data population under 5,000

North CarolinaPine Knoll Shores, NCPine Knoll ShoresPine Knoll Shores

The short answer

Pine Knoll Shores is home to 1,351 people. Median household income is $109,375 a year and median rent is $1,750 a month, 19.2% of income (a ratio of two medians, not any one household's burden). Rent pressure is lighter than in most places. The median home is valued at $592,300, about 5.4x annual median household income.

Median gross rent
$1,750
28% above the median place
Median household income
$109,375
36% above the median place
Median home value
$592,300
85% above the median place
Unemployment
3.8%
22% below the median place

Compared with the median of the 6,645 places we track. The bundle was checked 2026-11-14; each measure may refer to an older release.

What stands out about Pine Knoll Shores

  • 98% of homes are owner-occupied, more than in 99% of the 2,476 places under 10,000 people we track. It is the 2nd-highest of 161 North Carolina places.
  • 68% of homes stand vacant, more than in 99% of places its size. It is the highest of 134 North Carolina places.
  • The median resident is 64.2 years old, older than in 98% of places its size. It is the 3rd-highest of 161 North Carolina places.
  • 2% of residents were born outside the US, fewer than in 95% of places its size. It is the 2nd-lowest of 142 North Carolina places.
  • 3.5% of residents live below the poverty line, fewer than in 94% of places its size.
01

Moving to Pine Knoll Shores

Carteret County gains about 12.9 residents per 1,000 a year to moves between counties.

Moved in4,133
Moved out3,406
Net+727

Where people come from and where they go, top counties

Within North Carolina, other states or abroad

Arrivals
Leavers
Within North CarolinaOther statesAbroad

Income per tax return

Arrivals$89K
Leavers$69K

People on tax returns who moved between counties, from IRS migration data, 2022 to 2023. Figures are for all of Carteret County; flows under 20 returns are not published.

Who moves here
6.2% of residents arrived from another county in the past year, 2.6% from another state.
Who arrives and who leaves
Households moving into Carteret County report $89,300 a year in income on average; those leaving, $68,900, so newcomers earn more than leavers.
Income you would need
$70,000 a year to rent the median home at the 30% line. From your city
Rent or buy
Median rent is $1,750 a month; owners with a mortgage pay $2,548 a month including taxes and insurance, on a median home of $592,300.
Getting to work
26 minutes each way on average; 25.5% work from home.
If it is close but not quite
Palmer Ranch, FL matches it on character. Compare the two
Moved here in the past year1
6.2%
8% above the median place
Net movers per 1,000 people7
12.9
above the median place (median -0.6)
Income of households moving in7
$89,323
27% above the median place
All 5 moving measures
MeasurePine Knoll ShoresAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Moved here in the past year16.2%8% above
Moved from another state1County figure2.6%31% above
Net movers per 1,000 people7County figure12.9above (median -0.6)
Income of households moving in7County figure$89,32327% above
Income of households moving out7County figure$68,8802% below
02

What it costs to live here

Vacant homes is 68.2%, above the median place (median 7.1%).

Pine Knoll Shores19.2%
Typical place20.4%

Share of the median household income that goes to the median rent. Above 30% is the usual stress line.

Income needed to rent
$70,000
a year, at the 30% line
Rent to income
19.2%
6% below the median place
Home price to income
5.4x
43% above the median place

Could you afford it?

The median rent would take
19%
comfortably under the 30% line
Left after rent, in US prices
$88,000
a year, prices not adjusted
Vs the typical household here
Same
as the median household

Uses the median rent in Pine Knoll Shores, $1,750 a month. It runs in your browser and stores nothing.

Like Pine Knoll Shores, but easier on the budget

Close matches on income, rent, home value, education and age, where rent takes a clearly smaller share of income.

PlaceRent to incomeMore left a year
Margate City, NJ13.3% vs 19.2%n/aCompare

Moving from somewhere else? Work out the salary you would need in Pine Knoll Shores.

Sponsored · exampleMoving to Pine Knoll Shores? Compare quotes from licensed movers. No partner is signed yet. Sponsored offers are always labelled and never change the data.
Vacant homes1
68.2%
above the median place (median 7.1%)
Homeownership1
98.2%
48% above the median place
Property tax rate1
0.4%
54% below the median place
All 15 cost and housing measures
MeasurePine Knoll ShoresAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Median gross rent1$1,75028% above
Rent to income119.2%6% below
Property tax rate10.4%54% below
Home price to income15.4x43% above
Fair market rent, 2 bedrooms2County figure$1,27721% below
HUD area median income3County figure$103,5004% below
Property tax paid (median)1$2,46025% below
Median home value1$592,30085% above
Home prices, 1-year change4County figure9.5%198% above
Home prices, 5-year change4County figure69.6%35% above
Homeownership198.2%48% above
Renters paying 30%+1County figure57.0%13% above
Owner costs with a mortgage1$2,54836% above
Vacant homes168.2%above (median 7.1%)
Median year built119840% above
03

Work and pay

Poverty rate is 3.5%, 68% below the median place.

Poverty rate1
3.5%
68% below the median place
Income per person1
$78,489
96% above the median place
Works from home1
25.5%
105% above the median place

More on work and pay, against the typical place

Median household income$109,375 +36%
Unemployment3.8% −22%
Mean commute26 min +5%
All 9 work and pay measures
MeasurePine Knoll ShoresAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Median household income1$109,37536% above
Income per person1$78,48996% above
Unemployment13.8%22% below
Average annual pay5County figure$47,71928% below
Pay growth, 1 year5County figure4.4%19% above
Jobs5County figure25,62283% below
Poverty rate13.5%68% below
Mean commute126 min5% above
Works from home125.5%105% above
04

Who lives here

High school or higher is 99.3%, 8% above the median place.

High school or higher1
99.3%
8% above the median place
Median age1
64.2
65% above the median place
Homes with broadband1
98.4%
7% above the median place

More about who lives here, against the typical place

Household size2.0 −20%
Born abroad1.9% −78%
Bachelor's or higher65.5% 2.0×
All 9 people measures
MeasurePine Knoll ShoresAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Population11,3516646th largest
Population change since 202062.5%119% above
Median age164.265% above
Bachelor's or higher165.5%104% above
High school or higher199.3%8% above
Household size12.020% below
Born abroad11.9%78% below
No health insurance1County figure8.1%27% above
Homes with broadband198.4%7% above
05

Life in Pine Knoll Shores

17 sites are on the National Register of Historic Places.

Out the door, against the typical place

Parks per 10k residents0.0 −100%
Playgrounds per 10k7.4 −21%
Grocery stores per 10k0.0 −100%
Restaurants, cafes and bars per 10k7.4 −34%
Libraries per 10k14.8 17.0×
Named paths and bike trails3 km +55%
Bus and rail stops per sq mi0.0 −100%

Mapped by volunteers in OpenStreetMap inside the city limits (Census boundaries), so coverage is fuller in some places than others. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL.

Businesses per 10,000 residents (county figures)

Restaurants and bars34.3 +65%
Shops53.9 +78%
Arts, recreation and fitness8.2 2.0×
Doctors' offices and clinics22.7 +12%
Child care centers2.2 −4%

Counts businesses with paid staff, so small owner-run shops are not included.

Restaurants and bars per 10k8
34.3
65% above the median place
Shops per 10k8
53.9
78% above the median place
Arts, recreation and fitness per 10k8
8.2
100% above the median place
All 16 schools and local life measures
MeasurePine Knoll ShoresAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Public schools12County figure18100% above
Public school students12County figure8,05364% above
Students per teacher12County figure15.83% above
Restaurants and bars per 10k8County figure34.365% above
Shops per 10k8County figure53.978% above
Arts, recreation and fitness per 10k8County figure8.2100% above
Doctors' offices and clinics per 10k8County figure22.712% above
Child care centers per 10k8County figure2.24% below
Parks per 10k90.0below (median 10.2)
Playgrounds per 10k97.421% below
Grocery stores per 10k90.0below (median 2.1)
Restaurants, cafes and bars per 10k97.434% below
Libraries per 10k914.8above (median 0.9)
Named paths and bike trails93.155% above
Transit stops per sq mi90.0below (median 0.2)
National Register listings10County figure1731% above
06

Safety, weather and risk

Violent crime per 100k is 69, 64% below the median place.

Violent crime per 100k
69
64% below the median place
Property crime per 100k
622
49% below the median place
Months reported
12 of 12
by the city police department to the FBI

Counts only offenses reported by the city police department. Sheriff, state and campus police are not included, and some departments do not report to the FBI at all, so compare with care.

Good air days15
96.2%
40% above the median place
Annual precipitation13
58.3 in
33% above the median place
Hurricane risk14
98.8
40% above the median place
All 11 weather and risk measures
MeasurePine Knoll ShoresAmong 6,645 placesVs median
July average high13County figure88°F2% above
January average low13County figure36°F43% above
Average temperature13County figure64°F16% above
Annual precipitation13County figure58.3 in33% above
Natural hazard risk14County figure93.51% above
Hurricane risk14County figure98.840% above
Tornado risk14County figure45.444% below
Wildfire risk14County figure88.645% above
Heat wave risk14County figure71.021% below
Median air quality index15County figure3519% below
Good air days15County figure96.2%40% above
08

Pine Knoll Shores in 2030: where the trends point

If recent trends hold, the median rent will take about 20% of the median income in 2030, about the same as 19% now.

Citytistics projections to 2030: each figure's own trend, blended with the typical trend across the places we rate, eased toward long-run US growth and carried forward from the latest release. The range is where 80% of places landed when we tested the same method on past releases.

MeasureLatest2030 projectionLikely rangeAvg. per year
Median rent$1,750/mo (2024)$2,300/mo$1,880 to $2,800/mo+4.6%
Median household income$109,375 (2024)$140,500$119,000 to $166,500+4.3%
Median home value$592,300 (2024)$860,000$624,000 to $1,185,000+6.4%
Population1,423 (2025)1,4601,400 to 1,520+0.5%

The median home would be worth 6.1 years of the median income in 2030, against 5.4 now.

A projection of recent trends, not a prediction of the economy or advice to buy or sell. How we project.

09

Places like Pine Knoll Shores

The closest matches on income, rent, home value, education and age, and the places nearby.

PlaceRentIncome
Palmer Ranch, FL$1,794$102,838Compare
St. Pete Beach, FL$1,811$114,583Compare
Pinehurst, NC$1,664$109,802Compare
Lauderdale-by-the-Sea, FL$1,787$81,655Compare
Lauderdale-by-the-Sea, FLPinehurst, NCSt. Pete Beach, FLPalmer Ranch, FLPine Knoll Shores, NCPalmer RanchSt. Pete BeachPinehurstPalmer RanchSt. Pete BeachPinehurst

Common questions

Is Pine Knoll Shores a good place to live?

It depends on what you need, so here is what the numbers say. 98% of homes are owner-occupied, more than in 99% of the 2,476 places under 10,000 people we track. It is the 2nd-highest of 161 North Carolina places. 68% of homes stand vacant, more than in 99% of places its size. It is the highest of 134 North Carolina places. On cost, space and class size it scores 63 out of 100 for families. See how it ranks with your own weights.

Is Pine Knoll Shores expensive to live in?

The median rent takes 19.2% of the median household income, against 20.4% in the typical place we track. Housing is a lighter load here than usual. The median home is valued at $592,300.

What salary do you need to live in Pine Knoll Shores?

To rent the median home without spending more than 30% of income on rent, a household needs about $70,000 a year. Work it out from your current city.

Is Pine Knoll Shores safe?

There were 69 reported violent crimes per 100,000 residents, against 192 in the typical place.

What places are similar to Pine Knoll Shores?

On income, rent, home value, education and age, the closest matches are Palmer Ranch, FL, St. Pete Beach, FL, Pinehurst, NC and Lauderdale-by-the-Sea, FL.

Sources and methods

The small numbers beside each measure point here. Every dataset is public; links go to the publisher.

  1. American Community Survey 5-year estimates · US Census Bureau · 2020 to 2024 estimatesTables B01002, B01003, B05002, B07003, B08013, B08301, B15003, B17001, B19013, B19301, B23025, B25002, B25003, B25010, B25035, B25064, B25070, B25077, B25088, B25103, B28002, S2701
  2. Fair Market Rents · US Department of Housing and Urban Development · Fiscal year 2027
  3. Income Limits · US Department of Housing and Urban Development · Fiscal year 2026
  4. House Price Index · Federal Housing Finance Agency · Latest release, retrieved 2026-11-14
  5. Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages · US Bureau of Labor Statistics · 2025 annual averages
  6. Population Estimates · US Census Bureau · Vintage 2025
  7. SOI Tax Stats, county-to-county migration · Internal Revenue Service · Tax years 2022 to 2023Counts tax returns and the people on them; flows under 20 returns are suppressed.
  8. County Business Patterns · US Census Bureau · 2023 data
  9. OpenStreetMap · © OpenStreetMap contributors, available under the Open Database License (ODbL) · Map data as of 2026-11
  10. National Register of Historic Places · National Park Service · Listings through 2026-05-22
  11. Crime Data Explorer · Federal Bureau of Investigation · 2025 data
  12. Common Core of Data · National Center for Education Statistics · 2024 release
  13. 1991-2020 climate normals · NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information · Series updated 2026-11-05Averages for 1991 to 2020 computed from NOAA's county climate series (nClimDiv).nClimDiv county series
  14. National Risk Index · Federal Emergency Management Agency · Latest release, retrieved 2026-11-14NRI data and maps
  15. Air Quality System, annual AQI by county · US Environmental Protection Agency · 2025 dataAirData download files

Derived by Citytistics from the tables above: rent to income (B25064, B19013); property tax rate (B25103, B25077); home price to income (B25077, B19013).

What stands out compares Pine Knoll Shores with places of a similar size, using only figures measured for Pine Knoll Shores itself; county and metro figures never count. Survey figures are estimates with margins of error. Formulas and definitions: methodology. API: /api/v1/places/pine-knoll-shores-north-carolina

Citytistics. “Pine Knoll Shores, North Carolina.” Data as of 2026-11-14. https://www.citytistics.com/city/pine-knoll-shores-north-carolina/

This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.