Surf City 64 Good
Surf City Livability #357 ranked city in North Carolina#14,131 ranked city in the USARanks better than 51% of areas
Is This the Right Place for You? Local Insights Report
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Local Insights Report

Pros and Cons of Living in Surf City

PROS
  • Employment Employment

    With higher than average median household income, income per capita and lower unemployment rates, this area scores extremely well in the employment category.

  • Housing Housing

    Impressive scores in the housing category characterize this area, potentially attributed to the availability of affordable housing, strong appreciation rates and high home values.

  • Ratings Ratings

    According to recent surveys and polls, locals had excellent ratings for walkability to nearby amenities, safety, access to public transit and the overall sense of community in the area.

CONS
  • Amenities Amenities

    The majority of amenities will be difficult to reach within a short walk, often requiring residents to use a vehicle or public transportation for access.

  • Commute Commute

    Low commute scores could be due to limited access to public transit in this area, as well as longer-than-average work commute times for residents.

What's it like Living in Surf City?

Surf City, North Carolina is a smaller city with a population of 3,261 inhabitants. The majority of Surf City residents report their race to be White; this is followed by Black and Asian. Long, unnecessary commutes can be both frustrating and inconvenient when heading to work. Nationwide, the average one-way commute time takes 26 minutes, but regrettably, residing in Surf City entails a longer-than-average one-way commute time, averaging 32 minutes.

If you’re considering moving to any new city, it could be a very intimidating task. However, it could also be a positive experience if you are willing to get to know the city before actually living in Surf City, North Carolina. When searching for a new neighborhood, several key items should be considered. Safety is of utmost importance, ensuring a secure environment with low crime. Proximity to your workplace or school helps reduce commuting time and offers convenience. Access to amenities such as parks, grocery stores, and healthcare facilities enhances your daily life. Public transportation options contribute to easy mobility. A sense of community fosters a supportive and engaging environment. Lastly, the overall atmosphere should align with your desired lifestyle, ensuring a fulfilling living experience. Considering these items will guide you towards finding the perfect neighborhood that fits all your needs. To help you find the best places to live in and around Surf City, AreaVibes has created a livability score using key metrics like amenities, cost of living, commute, employment, housing and more.

The livability score in Surf City is 63/100 and the city is ranked in the 52nd percentile of all cities across America. If we dig down a little deeper into each category within the livability score, we see that Surf City has higher than average scores for the following: employment (B+) and housing (A). Surf City does not do well for the following: amenities (F). It might be wise to take a closer look at each category to find out why.

A robust real estate market serves as a crucial economic indicator, reflecting the local area's strength, stability and the confidence of its residents. Surf City excels in the housing sector, scoring high marks based on factors such as median home and rental prices, appreciation rates and home affordability. These calculations suggest that the apartment rental and real estate market in the region is exceptionally healthy, highlighting the area's economic vitality and attractiveness to potential homebuyers and renters.

There are many factors that go into deciding if an area is the right fit for your lifestyle. Certain “must haves” like low crime, great schools and nearby amenities are all at the top of most people's lists. But before even considering if those options are attainable, we'll need to know if the real estate in Surf City is actually affordable. The median home price for Surf City homes is $507,657, which is 75.4% higher than the North Carolina average. If we take a closer look at the affordability of homes in Surf City, we’ll see that the home price to income ratio is 4.5, which is 9.8% higher than the North Carolina average.

Best Places to Live in and Around Surf City

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Compare Surf City, NC Livability

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      Surf City transportation information

      Statistic Surf City North Carolina National
      Average one way commute32min24min26min
      Workers who drive to work75.1%81.1%76.4%
      Workers who carpool12.5%9.8%9.3%
      Workers who take public transit0.0%1.1%5.1%
      Workers who bicycle0.0%0.2%0.6%
      Workers who walk2.4%1.8%2.8%
      Working from home9.9%4.8%4.6%
      Source: The Surf City, 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.