Surf City, NC housing market
Typical home value
$626K
▲ 4.1% 1 yr
Typical rent
$2,005/mo
▲ 4.5% 1 yr
Gross rent yield
3.8%
U.S. 6.3%
5-year home value change
+33%
U.S. +20%
Key takeaways
- 1The typical home in Surf City is worth $626,174, up 4.1% over the past year and up 33% over five years.
- 2Typical rent is $2,005 a month (+4.5% YoY), a gross rent yield of 3.8% (below the Wilmington, NC metro's 4.7%).
- 3With 20% down at 7.32%, principal and interest on the typical home is about $3,441/mo, $1,436 more than typical rent.
- 4Zillow forecasts the Wilmington, NC metro's home values to change +1.8% over the next 12 months.
Market temperature (Wilmington, NC metro)
Buyer's market
Buyer'sNeutralSeller's
Zillow Market Heat Index: 35/100, #357 hottest of 546 metros. Below 44 favors buyers; above 55 favors sellers.
Home values and rent
Source: Zillow Research (ZHVI, ZORI and market activity data).
How Surf City compares
| Measure | Surf City | Wilmington, NC metro | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Typical home value | $626,174 | $443,118 | $366,157 |
| Home value, 1-yr change | +4.1% | +0.7% | +1.2% |
| Typical rent | $2,005 | $1,744 | $1,932 |
| Rent, 1-yr change | +4.5% | +4.7% | +2.7% |
| Gross rent yield | 3.8% | 4.7% | 6.3% |
| Price-to-rent ratio | 26.0 | 21.2 | 15.8 |
| Mortgage P&I, typical home | $3,441 | $2,435 | $2,012 |
Run the numbers
Rental property calculator
Cash flow on a typical Surf City rental, pre-filled.
Rent vs buy in Surf City
Which costs less over the years you'll stay.
Mortgage calculator
Monthly payment on a $626K home.
Landlord in North Carolina? See North Carolina deposit, late fee and notice rules.
Other cities in the Wilmington, NC metro
City figures are Zillow's typical home value (ZHVI) and observed rent (ZORI). Gross yield is before expenses. Data refreshed Oct 26, 2026.