Nags Head, NC vs Oak Island, NC
Which City Has Better Water Quality?
Nags Head, NC and Oak Island, NC currently share an identical average WaterQ score, each scoring 100 out of 100. Both cities currently carry an A grade overall. Because a WaterQ score is an aggregate across all public water systems serving a city, near-identical scores can still mask differences at the system level, so residents of either city should review their specific water system's record for the most relevant detail.
Oak Island, NC is the larger of the two, with 23,799 more residents than Nags Head, yet both cities are served by the same number of public water systems (1). This means the difference in population is handled by systems of different scale rather than a different count of utilities — larger systems generally serve more connections and may have more monitoring requirements under the Safe Drinking Water Act.
For residents of either Nags Head or Oak Island, the most useful next step is to look up the specific water system that serves your address, since city-wide averages combine results from every system in the area. Visit the Nags Head or Oak Island city pages below for a breakdown of local systems, recent violations, and contaminant-specific data, or browse WaterQ's contaminants directory to learn what each measured substance means for health.
Detailed Comparison
| Metric | Nags Head | Oak Island |
|---|---|---|
| Water Quality Score | 100 | 100 |
| Grade | A | A |
| Water Systems | 1 | 1 |
| Population | 3,125 | 26,924 |
| County | ||
| State | NC | NC |
Analysis
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Frequently asked questions
Which city has better tap water quality: Nags Head or Oak Island?
Nags Head and Oak Island currently have similar overall WaterQ scores. Review each city page for recent test and violation details.
How are Nags Head and Oak Island water scores calculated?
WaterQ scores are based on EPA-reported drinking water data, including contaminant detections, violations, and compliance records across local systems.
Where can I view full reports for Nags Head and Oak Island?
Use the city detail pages to see water systems, score breakdowns, and trend context for Nags Head, NC and Oak Island, NC.