Carolina Beach 73 Excellent
Carolina Beach Livability #74 ranked city in North Carolina#5,510 ranked city in the USARanks better than 81% of areas
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Pros and Cons of Living in Carolina Beach

PROS
  • Housing Housing

    This area has received high scores in the housing category. This could be due to a positive home affordability ratio, high appreciation rates or elevated home values.

  • Health & Safety Health & Safety

    A high score in the health and safety category is a result of good air quality and the accessibility to health facilities such as hospitals, clinics, doctors, pharmacies and fire stations.

  • Ratings Ratings

    Local residents have positive things to say about the proximity of restaurants, grocery stores, parks, public transit, friendliness of neighbors, sense of community and overall safety of the area.

CONS
  • Amenities Amenities

    A majority of amenities are not ideally situated within a reasonable walking distance, which may lead residents to rely on a vehicle or public transportation.

  • Commute Commute

    Public transportation is not readily available in this area and the average commute time to work could also be longer than the national average.

What's it like Living in Carolina Beach?

Carolina Beach is a smaller city located in the state of North Carolina. The city has a population of 6,472 people. The majority of Carolina Beach residents report their race to be White; this is followed by Black and Asian. Carolina Beach is considered to be a city with an aging population. The average age of all residents is 48, which is well beyond the United States median age average. Long commute times to work can be incredibly frustrating, ranking just behind housework on the list of life's annoyances. If you opt to make Carolina Beach your home, your one-way commute time will typically last around 26 minutes, a duration that aligns with the national average commute time of 26 minutes.

Whether you’re relocating to a new city to be closer to family, friends or for a new job, living in Carolina Beach could be a positive experience compared to other cities in North Carolina if you know where to look. Don't forget to determine what matters most to you in a neighborhood. Consider factors such as safety, proximity to work or school, access to amenities (like parks, fitness facilities, grocery stores, restaurants), public transportation options, community atmosphere and the overall vibe you're looking for. Finding the best places to live in Carolina Beach and nearby areas is a much easier task when you can rely on information and data from the livability score, which includes crime, cost of living, health & safety, housing and other important metrics.

With a livability score of 72 out of 100, Carolina Beach is ranked #5,359 in the United States and #81 in North Carolina. If we consider each of the categories on their own, we see that Carolina Beach ranks well for education (B) and housing (A-). Carolina Beach does not do well for the following: amenities (D-) and crime (D). It might be a good idea to take a closer look at each category to find out why.

A healthy real estate market serves as a key economic indicator. It could signify overall local economic strength, stability and reflects consumer confidence in the area. Based on multiple factors including: median home and rental prices, appreciation rates and home affordability, Carolina Beach has received high marks in the housing category. Based on these calculations, the apartment rental and real estate market appears to be very healthy.

Carolina Beach real estate prices and overall affordability will play a huge role in determining if the area is the right fit for you. Of course there are probably some other items on your “wish list”, but even before they are considered, let’s take a look at the home prices and affordability in Carolina Beach. Median real estate prices in Carolina Beach come in at $649,621, which is 124.4% higher than the North Carolina average. The home price to income ratio compares the median home prices to the median household income. In Carolina Beach, the home price to income ratio is 6.4, which is 56.1% higher than the North Carolina average.

Best Places to Live in and Around Carolina Beach

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How Do You Rate The Livability In Carolina Beach?

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Compare Carolina Beach, NC Livability

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      Carolina Beach transportation information

      Statistic Carolina Beach North Carolina National
      Average one way commute26min24min26min
      Workers who drive to work77.5%81.1%76.4%
      Workers who carpool8.2%9.8%9.3%
      Workers who take public transit0.0%1.1%5.1%
      Workers who bicycle1.4%0.2%0.6%
      Workers who walk0.9%1.8%2.8%
      Working from home11.6%4.8%4.6%
      Source: The Carolina Beach, NC data and statistics displayed above are derived from the United States Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS) and include 2026 modeled data developed using proprietary methodologies.