The Town FilesSurf City, North Carolina
Town in Pender County · population 3,867 (2020 Census) · spans 2 counties
- Median home
- $512,300
- Household income
- $81,433
- Jan low / Jul high
- 35° / 89°
- Snow a year
- 1 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 9
- Median age
- 36.9
Surf City is a town of 3,867 people in Pender County, North Carolina. The median home is worth $512,300, above the typical North Carolina town ($228,900). It ranks better for a vacation home than 95% of North Carolina towns, more seaside character than 92% of North Carolina towns, more upscale than 84% of North Carolina towns.
How Surf City 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 Surf City is worth $512,300, above the typical North Carolina town ($228,900). Homes cost about 6.3 times the median household income of $81,433, which is more affordable than 6% of North Carolina towns. Median rent is $1,707 a month. 73.9% of households own their home.
| Housing | Surf City | Typical North Carolina town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $512,300 | $228,900 |
| Median rent | $1,707 | $969 |
| Median household income | $81,433 | $60,458 |
| Home value ÷ income | 6.3× | 3.7× |
| Homeownership | 73.9% | 69.5% |
| Median year built | 2002 | 1984 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 48.8% | — |
Who lives in Surf City
| People | Surf City | Typical North Carolina town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 36.9 | 41.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 17.4% | 19.0% |
| Under 18 | 21.9% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 51.6% | 24.5% |
| Below the poverty line | 5.5% | 14.3% |
| Veterans | 11.2% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 2.8% | — |
| Work from home | 26.6% | 9.8% |
| Average commute | 23.3 min | 24.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 95.8% | 89.5% |
Weather in Surf City
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
9 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Surf City 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 4.5 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 6 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on April 26, 1989.
Severe weather in Pender County since 1996
Pender County has been included in 31 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for hurricane, snowstorm, biological.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| January 24, 2026 | Winter Storm | EM-3637: Severe Winter Storm |
| 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 |
| October 14, 2020 | Hurricane | DR-4568: Hurricane Isaias |
Jobs and pay in Pender County
Pender County had 14,704 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $47,159 a year. Unemployment was 3.2% in 2023; in Surf City itself the ACS puts it at 2.8%.
Towns near Surf City
- Holly Ridge, NC4.4 mi · 4,171 people · home $360,300
- North Topsail Beach, NC6.6 mi · 1,005 people · home $473,600
- Sneads Ferry, NC12.1 mi · 2,548 people · home $269,300
- Hampstead, NC13.5 mi · 7,016 people · home $402,100
- Porters Neck, NC16.7 mi · 7,397 people · home $569,700
- Bayshore, NC18.5 mi · 3,833 people · home $525,800
- Ogden, NC18.8 mi · 8,200 people · home $463,700
- Murraysville, NC20.2 mi · 16,582 people · home $320,700
Surf City questions
Is Surf City, North Carolina a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Surf City scores better for retirees than 73% of North Carolina towns and quieter than 83%. 17.4% of residents are 65 or older (median age 36.9).
How much does a house cost in Surf City?
The median owner-occupied home in Surf City is valued at $512,300 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $81,433, so homes cost about 6.3 times income. Median rent is $1,707 a month.
What is the weather like in Surf City?
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 Surf City get tornadoes?
9 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Surf City 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)