Morehead City, NC

Census place 3744320 · pop 9,806

D53/ 100
😐 Meh
D
in NC
📍 North Carolina ranks #16 of 50 states →
🏆 Prop tax0.47% · top 7%
🚽 Own46.7% · bottom 10%
Taxes
0.47% property · US 0.99%7.00% sales · US 7.00%3.99% flat income · US 4.63%

Sales & income are statewide.

The breakdown — worst first

Homeownership46.7%10

U.S. median 67.2% · worse than most cities

46.7% own their home · Share of occupied homes that are owner-occupied.

Income inequality0.4916

U.S. median 0.43 · worse than most cities

Gini 0.49 (0 = equal, 1 = unequal) · Gini index of household income (0 = equal, 1 = unequal).

Median household income$56,23322

U.S. median $67,857 · worse than most cities

$56,233 median household income · Median household income — a proxy for local economic health.

Natural disaster riskCounty-level97/10022

U.S. median 77/100 · worse than most cities

97/100 FEMA risk (higher = riskier) · FEMA National Risk Index — wildfire, flood, earthquake, heat and more. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Poverty rate18.1%23

U.S. median 12.1% · worse than most cities

18.1% live in poverty · Share of residents living below the federal poverty line.

Broadband access87.8%24

U.S. median 90.0% · worse than most cities

87.8% of homes have broadband · Share of households with a broadband internet subscription.

Housing cost$357,40037

U.S. median $214,900 · worse than most cities

$357,400 median home value · Median home value — how expensive it is to buy in. Higher = less affordable.

Adult smoking13.5%48

U.S. median 14.6% · worse than most cities

13.5% of adults · Share of adults who currently smoke.

Uninsured adults9.5%50

U.S. median 9.3% · better than most cities

9.5% of adults · Adults 18–64 without health insurance.

Adult obesity34.9%50

U.S. median 36.5% · better than most cities

34.9% of adults · Share of adults with obesity (BMI ≥ 30).

Physical inactivity23.6%58

U.S. median 26.5% · better than most cities

23.6% of adults · Adults with no leisure-time physical activity.

Population growth (5yr)+4.2%59

U.S. median +2.4% · better than most cities

+4.2% population change (5yr) · 5-year population change — are people moving in, or fleeing?

Rent$1,623/mo60

U.S. median $1,756/mo · better than most cities

$1,623/mo typical rent · Typical monthly rent (Zillow Observed Rent Index, all home types).

Bachelor's degree or higher35.6%61

U.S. median 24.3% · better than most cities

35.6% have a bachelor's degree or higher · Share of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher.

Poor mental health15.7%70

U.S. median 17.4% · better than most cities

15.7% of adults · Adults reporting frequent poor mental health (14+ days a month).

Unemployment rateCounty-level3.1%75

U.S. median 3.6% · better than most cities

3.1% unemployment · Share of the labor force out of work. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Unhealthy air daysCounty-level0 days85

U.S. median 1 days · better than most cities

0 unhealthy-air days per year · Days per year with unhealthy air (AQI above 100). Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Commute time18 min86

U.S. median 24 min · better than most cities

18 min average one-way commute · Average one-way commute to work, in minutes.

Air quality (AQI)County-level35 AQI89

U.S. median 42 AQI · better than most cities

35 median AQI · Median air quality index — lower is cleaner air. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.

Property-tax burden0.47%93

U.S. median 0.99% · better than most cities

0.47% of home value paid in property tax · Median real-estate taxes paid as a share of home value.

Not measured for Morehead City: Crime, Property crime. Not every public source covers every city — EPA air monitors and Zillow rent only reach some places, and national crime data is still being added.

Frequently asked

Is Morehead City, NC a good place to live?
By the numbers, Morehead City scores 53/100 — a D (Meh) on Shcity, which ranks U.S. cities on public data across 20 metrics like crime, cost, jobs and health. Its strongest area is property-tax burden and its weakest is homeownership. North Carolina overall ranks #16 of 50 states. Whether it's "good" depends on what you value — re-weight the factors to score it your way.
Is Morehead City, NC expensive to live in?
Morehead City has a median home value of $357,400 and typical rent around $1,623/mo — pricier than most U.S. cities.
What's the biggest downside of living in Morehead City, NC?
Its weakest measured area is homeownership (46.7%) — 10/100, worse than most U.S. cities.
What is Morehead City, NC best at?
Its strongest measured area is property-tax burden (0.47%) — 93/100, better than most U.S. cities.

Sources: U.S. Census (ACS), CDC PLACES, FBI Crime Data Explorer, BLS, EPA AirData, FEMA National Risk Index, and Zillow.