North Topsail Beach is a town in Onslow County,

North Carolina North Carolina ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, South Carolina to the south, Georgia (U.S. stat ...

, United States. The population was 1,005 at the 2020 census. It is located on

Topsail Island Topsail Island (, TOP-sill) is a 26-mile (41.8 km) long barrier island off the coast of North Carolina, roughly equidistant between the barrier islands of the Crystal Coast and the beaches of the Cape Fear (region), Cape Fear region, lying ...

. North Topsail Beach is part of the

Jacksonville, North Carolina Jacksonville is a city in Onslow County, North Carolina. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the population was 72,723, which makes Jacksonville the List of municipalities in North Carolina, 14th-most populous city in North Caroli ...

Metropolitan Statistical Area.

History

In the 1940s, Ocean City was the one place in the area where

African Americans African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from any of the Black racial groups of Africa ...

could vacation or buy property. The idea came from white attorney Edgar L. Yow, who owned land in the area and talked to Black physician Samuel Gray. Wade H. Chestnut, who along with wife Caronell owned the first home there, was a leader in the community's development. In July 2022, a

historical marker A commemorative plaque, or simply plaque, or in other places referred to as a historical marker, historic marker, or historic plaque, is a plate of metal, ceramic, stone, wood, or other material, bearing text or an image in relief, or both, ...

was planned, which will be part of the state's Civil Rights Trail.

Geography

According to the

United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau, officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the Federal statistical system, U.S. federal statistical system, responsible for producing data about the American people and American economy, econ ...

, the town has a total area of , of which is land and (39.32%) is water.

Demographics

2020 census

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 1,005 people, 482 households, and 233 families residing in the town.

2000 census

As of the

census A census (from Latin ''censere'', 'to assess') is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording, and calculating population information about the members of a given Statistical population, population, usually displayed in the form of stati ...

of 2000, there were 843 people, 451 households, and 242 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 2,085 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 92.17%

White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...

, 4.74%

African American African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from an ...

, 0.47% Native American, 0.83% Asian, 0.47% from other races, and 1.30% from two or more races.

Hispanic The term Hispanic () are people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or broadly. In some contexts, Hispanic and Latino Americans, especially within the United States, "Hispanic" is used as an Ethnici ...

or Latino of any race were 0.83% of the population. There were 451 households, out of which 9.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.7% were

married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognised union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children (if any), and b ...

living together, 4.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 46.3% were non-families. 37.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 1.87 and the average family size was 2.37. In the city the population was spread out, with 9.4% under the age of 18, 9.7% from 18 to 24, 30.7% from 25 to 44, 33.1% from 45 to 64, and 17.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 45 years. For every 100 females, there were 109.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 114.0 males. The median income for a household in the city was $45,982, and the median income for a family was $53,125. Males had a median income of $36,522 versus $30,000 for females. The

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or average income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. In many countries, per capita income is determined using regular population surveys, such ...

for the city was $33,972. About 5.5% of families and 8.6% of the population were below the

poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line, or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for ...

, including 25.0% of those under age 18 and 4.4% of those age 65 or over.

References

External links

Official website of North Topsail Beach, NC

Topsail Island News, Real Estate & Events
{{authority control Towns in North Carolina Towns in Onslow County, North Carolina Beaches of North Carolina Landforms of Onslow County, North Carolina Populated coastal places in North Carolina