Emerald Isle
Emerald Isle is a small town in Carteret County, North Carolina, occupying the western end of Bogue Banks barrier island as part of the Crystal Coast region. It is a family-oriented beach community known for its oceanfront homes, fishing, and nesting sea turtles.
Photo by Cody Moore on Unsplash
Worth Knowing
- Reached from the mainland only via the Cameron Langston Bridge (opened 1971) and NC Highway 58 — there is no other land route on or off the island.
- The Emerald Path is an approximately 11-mile paved, car-free multi-use trail running the length of town for walking and cycling, with beach access points along the way.
- As an oceanfront barrier-island community, flood-zone designations (including high-hazard VE zones directly on the oceanfront) typically make NFIP or private flood insurance a factor for getting a mortgage — verify a specific parcel's FEMA flood zone before assuming coverage terms.
- Founded in 1951 as a planned, low-commercial-density family beach community; population was 3,847 at the 2020 census, with a notably older median age (58.4) and strong seasonal swings typical of a vacation destination.
Official town site: www.emeraldisle-nc.org
Sources
- Town of Emerald Isle, NC — official site
- Town of Emerald Isle — Bicycle Path page
- Emerald Isle, North Carolina — Wikipedia
Companies Serving Emerald Isle
Advantage Coastal Properties
A real estate brokerage based in Emerald Isle, NC, offering home buying and selling representation, property listing search, and home valuations along North Carolina's Crystal Coast.
Bluewater Real Estate
A real estate and vacation rental management company operating since 1986 as Bluewater Associates of Emerald Isle, with offices in Emerald Isle and Atlantic Beach, offering residential real estate sales alongside vacation and annual rental property management across the Crystal Coast.
CENTURY 21 Coastland Realty
A family-owned real estate brokerage in Emerald Isle, NC operating since 1981, offering property sales alongside vacation and long-term rental property management on North Carolina's Crystal Coast.
Emerald Isle Realty
A real estate brokerage and vacation rental management company operating on North Carolina's Crystal Coast since 1962, managing several hundred vacation rental and resort properties in addition to residential real estate sales.
Mary Cheatham King Real Estate
A real estate agency based in Morehead City, NC, led by Mary Cheatham King, offering buyer and seller representation across Carteret County's Crystal Coast.
Shorewood Real Estate
A family-owned real estate brokerage in Emerald Isle, NC operating since 1987, offering property sales alongside vacation and long-term rental property management on North Carolina's Crystal Coast.