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BeachGrade

Updated 2026-07-13

North Carolina beach water quality

North Carolina has 307 public beaches in the EPA monitoring dataset, 170 of them with enough bacteria samples to grade. 126 earn an A for consistently clean water. Full ranking below.

A 126
B 27
C 15
D 2
F 0
GradeBeachCounty% over limitSamplesAdvisory
ARegional Public Access At Mile Marker 12 On New River Inlet Onslow0%333Excellent
ASwimming Area 100 Yards South Of Park Service Dock Near BardCarteret0%331Excellent
AFerry Road Public AccessBrunswick0%328Excellent
APublic Access At Dawson Street - Ocean Isle BeachBrunswick0%327Excellent
APublic Access At 40th And Main St.Brunswick0%327Excellent
A10th Place West In Oak IslandBrunswick0%318Excellent
AIcww, Soundside Access At E. End Of Ocean Isle Bch.Brunswick0%203Excellent
AHeaden Ln. Salter Path- Soundside ~200 Yds. OffshoreCarteret0%167Excellent
A100 Yds Offshore In Sound Near Intersection Of Hwy 12 And AlCurrituck0%167Excellent
APine Knoll Shores - Just East Of Mile Marker 8 1/2 - Hwy 58 Carteret0%167Excellent
AStone Street Public Access - Ocean Side Wrightsville BeachNew Hanover0%167Excellent
APublic Beach Access Adjacent To The IslanderCarteret0%167Excellent
APublic Access At Broadway St. And N. Shore Dr. - Topsail BeaPender0%167Excellent
AOcean Pier Between Mile Markers 17 And 18 On New River InletOnslow0%166Excellent
APublic Access #O-10 At Ocean Blvd And Crews Ave.Pender0%166Excellent
AMile Marker 7 1/2, OceansideCarteret0%166Excellent
APublic Access At Ave. H In Kure BeachNew Hanover0%166Excellent
APublic Beach Access At Dolphin Court, Kure BeachNew Hanover0%166Excellent
AAcc. Ntb Sea Dunes S. Of Villa CaprianiOnslow0%166Excellent
ABanks Channel - Waynick Blvd. Between Snyder And Seashore StNew Hanover0%165Excellent
APublic Access Ave. F In Kure BeachNew Hanover0%165Excellent
A100 Yds Offshore At North Holiday Rd. - RodantheDare0%164Excellent
ABeach Access S Of Refuge Offices- Pea Island Along The Cape Dare0%164Excellent
APublic Beach Access At Newport Street In Ocean Isle BeachBrunswick0%164Excellent
ACorolla Ramp, End Of Paved RoadCurrituck0%164Excellent
AAo- 5 Miles SW Of Ocracoke State FerryHyde0%163Excellent
AOcean Pier Between 14th And 15th Place East And Beach Dr.Brunswick0%163Excellent
AOcean Pier At Causeway And First St.Brunswick0%161Excellent
AOcean Pier At Main St. And Sunset Blvd.Brunswick0%160Excellent
ASouth Beach Area- Beach Access # 17Brunswick0%136Excellent
APks Aquarium Sound-Side AccessCarteret0%95Excellent
ABogue Sd.- Archer PointCarteret0%94Excellent
ASki Beach Off The Icw Adjacent To The Bogue Inlet Channel InCarteret0%94Excellent
AArea Behind The Northern End Of Masonboro IslandNew Hanover0%94Excellent
AShackelford Banks- By RestroomsCarteret0%93Excellent
ANeuse River- End Of State Rd 1310Pamlico0%93Excellent
ASound-Side Park Public Access In Capen Carteret At Manatee SCarteret0%92Excellent
ASouth End Of Masonboro Island, Carolina Beach InletNew Hanover0%91Excellent
ARamp #38 And Access Along The Cape Hatteras National SeashorDare0%64Excellent
ABeach Access By Airport RampHyde0.2%456Excellent
AFirst Beach Access On Right Off New River Inlet Rd On North Onslow0.3%335Excellent
APublic Access #S-1 At End Of Shore Line Dr. (Soundside StatiPender0.3%334Excellent
AOcean Pier At Ocean Blvd. And Durham St.Brunswick0.3%332Excellent
AOcean-Side Of Corolla Village Road Near The Lighthouse In CoCurrituck0.3%332Excellent
A48th Pl West, Oak IslandBrunswick0.3%328Excellent
AVehicle Access, 600 Yds. N. Carolina Beach Pier At Dune MarkNew Hanover0.3%327Excellent
AGreensboro St. Emergency Vehicle AccessBrunswick0.3%324Excellent
ANags Head Bath House At Mile Post 15Dare0.3%288Excellent
ABogue Sound- W Salter Path, ~200 Yds Off Of Wam Squam LnCarteret0.4%263Excellent
ABogue Inlet Mouth Of Coast Guard ChannelCarteret0.4%262Excellent
ASpoils Island Off Salty ShoresCarteret0.4%260Excellent
APublic Access Near Fawn Drive In Emerald IsleCarteret0.6%336Excellent
APublic Access At The Hanby Beach Storm DrainNew Hanover0.6%334Excellent
APublic Beach Access Off Atlantic Boulevard In Atlantic BeachCarteret0.6%333Excellent
ASoutheast 74th Street, Oak IslandBrunswick0.6%326Excellent
APublic Access At Southeast 58th St. And E. Beach Drive - OakBrunswick0.6%318Excellent
ADrain Pipe At Oregon StDare0.6%168Excellent
ABath House At Ocean Bay BlvdDare0.6%168Excellent
AOcean Pier At Salisbury St. Public AccessNew Hanover0.6%168Excellent
ABeach Access 1 1/2 Mile N Of Kitty Hawk PierDare0.6%168Excellent
A750 Yds Off Ocean Bay Blvd.- Currituck Sd.Dare0.6%167Excellent
ADrain Pipe At Curlew StreetDare0.6%167Excellent
AL-Shaped Parking Lot, Wrightsville BeachNew Hanover0.6%167Excellent
AMile Post 4 1/2, Oceanside Of Pelican Dr.Carteret0.6%167Excellent
ANorth Side Mouth Of Town Creek In BeaufortCarteret0.6%166Excellent
AOregon Inlet Coastguard StationDare0.6%166Excellent
ASouthern Shores Private Soundside AccessDare0.6%166Excellent
A100 Yds Ene Of Little Bridge, Causeway, Nags HeadDare0.6%165Excellent
ANew Inlet Sound Access- Pea IslandDare0.6%165Excellent
ARamp #34 And Access Along The Cape Hatteras National SeashorDare0.6%165Excellent
A1/4 Miles E Of Ems Station Along The Cape Hatteras National Dare0.6%165Excellent
AFrisco Federal Campground Along The Cape Hatteras National SDare0.6%164Excellent
A20th Place West In Oak IslandBrunswick0.6%164Excellent
AMiddleton Public Access - Oak IslandBrunswick0.6%163Excellent
ALast Access Near 69th Pl West, Oak IslandBrunswick0.6%162Excellent
AOcracoke- 1st Public Access SW Of State FerryHyde0.6%161Excellent
ABeach Access Between Bald Head Harbor Entrance & Bald Head CBrunswick0.7%276Excellent
A100 Yds Offshore At Island Creek Ct. - AvonDare0.7%137Excellent
ACape Lookout Coast Guard DockCarteret1%96Excellent
AW Side Of Mouth Of South RiverCarteret1%96Excellent
AEast Of Pine Cliff Sr 167,Near HavelockCraven1.1%95Excellent
ANeuse River- Pine Cliff Recreation AreaCraven1.1%95Excellent
ASanders Creek At Bear CreekOnslow1.1%94Excellent
AHarker's Island Bridge At Swimming AreaCarteret1.1%94Excellent
ABogue Sound- Goose Creek, Off CampgroundCarteret1.1%94Excellent
ABrown's Island Public Beach In Core Sound Near Harkers IslanCarteret1.1%94Excellent
AEmerald Woods Sound-Side Public Access Near Burden ChannelCarteret1.1%94Excellent
AKnob Island- N SideCarteret1.1%94Excellent
AKennals BeachPamlico1.1%93Excellent
AJust E Of The Mouth Of Beard CkPamlico1.1%93Excellent
AShellrock Landing Wildlife Ramp In HubertOnslow1.1%93Excellent
ABeach Access At Conch Street / Drain PipeDare1.2%565Excellent
APublic Beach Access Near Drain Pipe At E. Baum Street In KilDare1.2%337Excellent
AOcean End Of Henderson Blvd., AoCarteret1.2%336Excellent
AOcean Pier At K. Ave.New Hanover1.2%333Excellent
ACaswell Beach Public Access Off Caswell Beach Rd.Brunswick1.2%322Excellent
ASound Side Bear IslandOnslow1.2%259Excellent
ADrain Pipe At Martin StreetDare1.2%169Excellent
ACurrituck S Beach Access At Pine IslandCurrituck1.2%169Excellent
ABeach Access At 3rd StDare1.2%169Excellent
APublic Access At Mile Marker #19 Off New River Inlet Rd On NOnslow1.2%168Excellent
AKill Devil HillsDare1.2%168Excellent
AFort Macon Beach Access At BathhouseCarteret1.2%167Excellent
APublic Access At Southeast 46th St. And E. Beach Drive - OakBrunswick1.2%162Excellent
ARadio Island Public Beach AccessCarteret1.5%261Excellent
ACedar Island- Beach West Of Ferry Landing Off Sound View DrCarteret1.5%194Excellent
ADrain Pipe At S Nags Head/Federal Park BorderDare1.5%65Excellent
ADrain Pipe At Mile Post 12.5Dare1.6%442Excellent
ADrain Pipe At Lake Dr Beach AccessDare1.6%438Excellent
AIcw, Marker #92 In Topsail SoundPender1.8%168Excellent
AEast End (Hb)Brunswick1.8%168Excellent
AFrisco Bath House Along The Cape Hatteras National SeashoreDare1.8%164Excellent
AHatteras Village Ramp #55 Access Along The Cape Hatteras NatDare1.9%160Excellent
ABuxton, Sound-Side Haulover Day UseDare2%254Excellent
ABogue Sound- E Side Of Mouth Of Gales CreekCarteret2%98Excellent
ABogue Sound- Canal Leading To Moonlite BayCarteret2%98Excellent
APamlico River- Maul's PointBeaufort2.1%96Excellent
AE Shore Of Blounts Bay- Pamlico RiverBeaufort2.1%95Excellent
ACore Sd.- Shell Point Off Harkers IslandCarteret2.1%95Excellent
AShackelford Banks- Nun Bouy #2Carteret2.1%95Excellent
AIcw, Hwy. 210 Bridge At Surf CityPender2.2%269Excellent
APalm Tree IslandNew Hanover2.2%92Excellent
AIcww, Near Marker #67, Sailfish Street (Hb)Brunswick2.3%437Excellent
AWards Shore Public Access Off South Waters St. - SwansboroOnslow2.8%107Excellent
ABanks Channel - Waynick Blvd. Approx. 150 Yds N Of Iula St.New Hanover2.9%174Excellent
AOregon Inlet Federal CampgroundDare3%169Excellent
BCcc- Aquatic Education LocationCarteret3%99Good
BBogue Sound- Boat Landing Tourist CenterCarteret3%99Good
BNear Mouth Of Gatlin CrkPamlico3.1%96Good
B100 Yds. NE Gallant's Channel Bridge By ShoreCarteret3.2%95Good
BPublic Access At John Bond Town Beach In OrientalPamlico3.2%95Good
BPamlico River- Junction Of Upper Goose Creek And Dinah's LanBeaufort3.2%95Good
BJust E Of Wilkinson PtPamlico3.2%94Good
BIntracoastal Waterway, Masonboro Sound Near Marker # 135New Hanover3.3%92Good
BBanks Channel - Waynick Blvd. - Between Taylor And Bellamy SNew Hanover3.4%349Good
BCama Access, Corner Of Waynick & Sunset Blvd. - WrightsvilleNew Hanover3.5%344Good
BPamlico River- Ragged Point Swim AreaBeaufort3.5%171Good
BN. Topsail Bridge - Wildlife RampOnslow4%100Good
BNewport River- Public Access NW Of BridgeCarteret4%99Good
BBanks Channel, Swimming Beach South Of Coast Guard StationNew Hanover4.1%169Good
BPamlico River- Tripp Point Recrational AreaBeaufort4.1%98Good
BPublic Sound-Side Access At The End Of Bogue Sound Drive In Carteret4.2%96Good
BNeuse River- 200 Yds. N Of Mouth Of North West CreekCraven4.2%95Good
BVandemere Creek- Just N Of Windmill Pt.Pamlico4.3%94Good
BNeuse River- Union PointCraven5.2%97Good
BSound Access Across From Ramp #23 Along The Cape Hatteras NaDare5.6%232Good
BSE Of Austin Pt- Pamlico RiverBeaufort6%100Good
BTaylor's Creek At Post Office DockCarteret6.1%99Good
BMouth Of Slocum Creek, North Side BeachCraven6.1%99Good
BW Of Hills Point- Pamlico RiverBeaufort6.1%98Good
BPublic Beach S Side Of Dawson Crk BridgePamlico6.5%93Good
BDawson Crk., 500 Yds N Of BridgePamlico6.5%93Good
BColington Harbour Swimming BeachDare6.7%240Good
CLennoxville Boat RampCarteret7%100Fair
CHancock Creek- Just South Of Mouth Of Cahooque CreekCraven7.2%97Fair
CCape Fear River, Junction Of Snow's Cut And Cape Fear RiverNew Hanover7.3%109Fair
CNeuse River- Flanner's BeachCraven7.3%96Fair
CPublic Access At Sunset DriveCarteret7.6%277Fair
CSound Access At The Intersection Of E. Main St. And Tooley SBeaufort7.6%172Fair
CSandy Bay Parking Area Sound Side AccessDare7.9%291Fair
CThe Swimming HoleDare7.9%89Fair
CPamlico River- Washington- Railroad TrestleBeaufort8%100Fair
CMorehead City - Drain Pipe At 16th St.Carteret8.5%281Fair
C400 Yds SE Of Bean Island Off Core BanksCarteret9.3%97Fair
CCape Fear River, Beach Area Adjacent To Southport Municipal Brunswick10.3%107Fair
CStump Sound Just East Of Dixon PointOnslow10.6%104Fair
CNorth River- At Hwy 70 BridgeCarteret10.8%102Fair
CPublic Beach On Masonboro Sd. - End Of Florida Ave. In CarolNew Hanover11.5%113Fair
DPamlico River- City ParkBeaufort13.7%102Poor
DJockey's Ridge Soundside AccessDare14.8%183Poor

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