Pine Knoll Shores is a town in Carteret County, North Carolina, home to about 1,351 people across 2.2 square miles. It has no ZIP code of its own: it’s part of 28512.
Homes sold for a median of $456 per square foot in the three months ending August 2026, a balanced market.
Population1,351611 per sq mi
Median home value$592,300Census, as estimated by owners
Price per sq ft$456Sold homes, 3 months to August 2026
Mostly Atlantic Beach; part is in Pine Knoll Shores
Each card is that ZIP code’s whole market, including any part outside Pine Knoll Shores. Seller’s market: under 4 months of supply; buyer’s market: over 6. Methodology
The Pine Knoll Shores guide is on the way
We’re writing up Pine Knoll Shores’s story and what everyday life there is like, for people thinking about moving in.
History
What it’s like to live there
Getting around
Things to do
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Around Pine Knoll Shores
Distances
Nearest major airport
Raleigh-Durham International Airport (RDU)141 miles away
Closer regional airport
Coastal Carolina Regional Airport (EWN)31 miles away
Nearest city of 250,000+
Raleigh, NC133 miles away
Nearest city of 1 million+
Philadelphia, PA377 miles away
Straight-line distances from the center of Pine Knoll Shores; driving is longer.
Source: Airports from OurAirports (scheduled passenger service); city centers and populations from the U.S. Census Bureau.
Who represents Pine Knoll Shores
U.S. Representative · North Carolina’s 3rd DistrictGregory F. Murphy (R)
Source: Members of Congress from the congress-legislators project; districts from the Census Bureau’s relationship files; governor and mayor from Wikidata.
Population over time
Pine Knoll Shores had 1,388 residents in the 2020 census, down 9% since 2000.
It’s the 407th largest of 771 towns in North Carolina by population.
Carteret County grew from 11,811 residents in 1900 to 67,686 in 2020.
Carteret County, 1900–2020
Source: U.S. Census Bureau decennial censuses (counties 1900–1990 from the Bureau’s historical county file).
Weather by month
Average highs peak around 86°F in summer, and winter lows average 39°F. About 59 inches of rain and melted snow fall in a typical year.
Source: NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals, Atlantic Beach Wtp, NC weather station (about a mile away).
Jobs in Carteret County
21,789 jobs at 2,249 businesses in Carteret County. The biggest industries by employees:
Source: U.S. Census Bureau County Business Patterns 2022 (private employers; jobs counted where people work).
Health care
10 doctors and other health care providers list an office in Pine Knoll Shores.
Nearest hospitals
Carteret General HospitalGeneral hospital · emergency room · CMS rating 2 of 5 · Morehead City2.0 miles
Carolina East Medical CenterGeneral hospital · emergency room · CMS rating 4 of 5 · New Bern34.0 miles
Onslow Memorial HospitalGeneral hospital · emergency room · CMS rating 1 of 5 · Jacksonville36.7 miles
Providers with an office here
Specialist doctors
1
Dentists
2
Nurse practitioners and physician assistants
1
Mental health providers
6
Pharmacies
1
Source: Hospitals from CMS Hospital General Information (ratings are CMS overall star ratings); straight-line distances; providers from the CMS National Plan and Provider Enumeration System (NPPES), by practice address and primary specialty.
Places in and around Pine Knoll Shores
Parks (2 nearby)
Hoop Pole Creek Preserve · 32 acres0.6 mi
Atlantic Beach Town Park · 7 acres0.6 mi
Grocery stores (1 nearby)
Food Lion0.7 mi
Libraries
The Webb Library and Civic Center2.1 mi
Library & Auditorium4.0 mi
Bogue Banks Branch Public Library4.8 mi
Museums
Carteret County Museum of History2.0 mi
Carteret County Historical Society2.1 mi
Harvey W. Smith Watercraft Center4.4 mi
North Carolina Maritime Museum4.4 mi
Theaters and performance venues
Carteret Community Theatre1.9 mi
Counts are within about 1 mile of the center of town.
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Town boundaries don’t always match ZIP codes: a ZIP code can cross into neighboring towns, and a town can share a ZIP code with its neighbors. Facts describe the town itself; market figures describe whole ZIP codes.