The Town FilesHolly Ridge, North Carolina
Town in Onslow County · population 4,171 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $360,300
- Household income
- $104,788
- Jan low / Jul high
- 35° / 89°
- Snow a year
- 1 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 13
- Median age
- 38.1
Holly Ridge is a town of 4,171 people in Onslow County, North Carolina. The median home is worth $360,300, above the typical North Carolina town ($228,900). It ranks better for a vacation home than 98% of North Carolina towns, more seaside character than 92% of North Carolina towns, better for families than 85% of North Carolina towns.
How Holly Ridge ranks
Percentile among North Carolina towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of North Carolina towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Holly Ridge is worth $360,300, above the typical North Carolina town ($228,900). Homes cost about 3.4 times the median household income of $104,788, which is more affordable than 66% of North Carolina towns. Median rent is $1,315 a month. 88.6% of households own their home.
| Housing | Holly Ridge | Typical North Carolina town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $360,300 | $228,900 |
| Median rent | $1,315 | $969 |
| Median household income | $104,788 | $60,458 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.4× | 3.7× |
| Homeownership | 88.6% | 69.5% |
| Median year built | 2015 | 1984 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 10.4% | — |
Who lives in Holly Ridge
| People | Holly Ridge | Typical North Carolina town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 38.1 | 41.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 12.1% | 19.0% |
| Under 18 | 20.7% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 51.4% | 24.5% |
| Below the poverty line | 0.8% | 14.3% |
| Veterans | 17.1% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.7% | — |
| Work from home | 32.4% | 9.8% |
| Average commute | 32.0 min | 24.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 97.6% | 89.5% |
Weather in Holly Ridge
July highs average 89.3°F and January lows 35.2°F. About 56.5 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.6 inches of snow (typical North Carolina town: 2.2 in). Expect about 44 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 43 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
13 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Holly Ridge since 1950, compared with 13 for the typical North Carolina town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on September 26, 1982 about 7.8 miles from the town center. The most recent was on September 17, 2020.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 8 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on June 21, 1992.
Severe weather in Onslow County since 1996
Onslow County has been included in 30 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for hurricane, biological, severe storm.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| January 24, 2026 | Winter Storm | EM-3637: Severe Winter Storm |
| October 19, 2024 | Tropical Storm | DR-4837: Potential Tropical Cyclone Eight |
| September 26, 2024 | Tropical Storm | EM-3617: Hurricane Helene |
| August 6, 2024 | Tropical Storm | EM-3608: Tropical Storm Debby |
| October 1, 2022 | Hurricane | EM-3586: Hurricane Ian |
Jobs and pay in Onslow County
Onslow County had 54,121 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $46,885 a year. Unemployment was 4% in 2023; in Holly Ridge itself the ACS puts it at 1.6%.
Public schools in Holly Ridge
3 public schools with 2,753 students, about 17.2 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dixon High | 9-12 | 1,187 | 19.8 |
| Coastal Elementary | K-5 | 832 | 15.1 |
| Dixon Elementary | PK-5 | 734 | 16.3 |
Towns near Holly Ridge
- Surf City, NC4.4 mi · 3,867 people · home $512,300
- Sneads Ferry, NC9.4 mi · 2,548 people · home $269,300
- Hampstead, NC16.0 mi · 7,016 people · home $402,100
- Jacksonville, NC17.6 mi · 72,723 people · home $210,100
- Porters Neck, NC19.9 mi · 7,397 people · home $569,700
- Bayshore, NC21.5 mi · 3,833 people · home $525,800
- Ogden, NC22.1 mi · 8,200 people · home $463,700
- Piney Green, NC22.4 mi · 14,386 people · home $227,600
Holly Ridge questions
Is Holly Ridge, North Carolina a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Holly Ridge scores better for retirees than 43% of North Carolina towns and quieter than 44%. 12.1% of residents are 65 or older (median age 38.1).
How much does a house cost in Holly Ridge?
The median owner-occupied home in Holly Ridge is valued at $360,300 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $104,788, so homes cost about 3.4 times income. Median rent is $1,315 a month.
What is the weather like in Holly Ridge?
July highs average 89.3°F and January lows 35.2°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 56.5 inches of precipitation a year and 0.6 inches of snow.
Does Holly Ridge get tornadoes?
13 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Holly Ridge since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on September 26, 1982. The typical North Carolina town has had 13.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)