Emerald Isle, North Carolina

About Emerald Isle

Emerald Isle, NC is a small town located in southeastern North Carolina, home to 4,001 residents as of the latest Census estimates.

Emerald Isle holds the status of an incorporated town — local government on a neighborly scale. The community covers 4.92 square miles, giving it a balanced suburban layout with room to breathe at roughly 813 residents per square mile.

📰 Emerald Isle News Today

• This Tiny North Carolina Beach Town Is The Definition Of A Slow Summer Escape Southern Living · Jul 7
• News 12 Investigates: Dune destruction prompts $10K fine push in Emerald Isle WCTI · Apr 27
• Emerald Isle Air Quality Index (AQI) and USA Air Pollution IQAir · Jun 22
• 2 huge white sharks lurk off NC coast near Emerald Isle and Hatteras Island CBS 17 · Mar 8
• Emerald Isle officials consider tenfold increase of dune fines Coastal Review · May 1

Live headlines via Google News — updates through the day.

What Makes Emerald Isle Unique

• The only place in America named Emerald Isle — a truly one-of-a-kind name among 32,000+ US communities.
• Positioned in southeastern North Carolina, convenient to the region's corridors and crossings.
• Part of the fabric of North Carolina — one of 776 recognized communities statewide.

Why People Love It Here

• A tight community feel that bigger cities can't replicate.
• Cost of living typically runs below the big-metro average.
• Well connected: 3+ neighboring communities within 4 miles.

🍽️ Where to Eat in Emerald Isle

• 4J's Cafe and Bake Shop — coffee shop (café)
• Kostas Pizza — pizza
• Rucker John's Restaurant — regional
• Surf's Up Grill & Bar
• Circle Pizza and Subs — pizza
• El Zarape Mexican Restaurant — spanish
• Emerald Grill — burger
• Flipperz Bar & Grill — burger
• Gaffer's
• Goomba's Grill — burger

Local spots mapped by the OpenStreetMap community.

🎡 Fun Things to Do

• The Salty Pirate Water Park · Water park
• Old Time Photos · Art gallery

Attractions mapped by the OpenStreetMap community.

🏞️ Parks & Outdoors in Emerald Isle

• Blue Heron Park reviews ★
• Cedar Street Park reviews ★
• Emerald Isle Boat Ramp reviews ★

Parks mapped by the OpenStreetMap community · "reviews" opens each park's live Google reviews.

⚡ Quick Facts

🗺️ Map of Emerald Isle

🏘️ Nearby Communities