27960 ZIP Code — Ocracoke, NC

Hyde County, North Carolina

ZIP code 27960 is located in Ocracoke, North Carolina, within Hyde County. It covers approximately 8.70 square miles and serves a population of 715 residents. This is a standard ZIP code in the Eastern (ET) timezone, served by area code 252.

About ZIP code 27960

The housing stock consists of predominantly single-family detached homes. Most homes were built in the 1990s, giving the area an established character. Median home value is $484,800. Owner-occupancy is high at 84%, well above the national average.

Median household income is $65,672. 41% of households receive Social Security income, suggesting a notable retiree or disability population.

The dominant occupation class is management, business, and professional, with arts, entertainment, and food service as the leading industry.

Educational attainment is high — 45% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher, well above the national average of 33%.

Health indicators show elevated rates of smoking (25%) compared to national benchmarks.

Overall, ZIP code 27960 reflects a community defined by high homeownership and a significant Social Security-dependent population.

715

population

8.70

sq mi land

Standard

ZIP type

Eastern (ET)

timezone

27960 ZIP code map

Cities in ZIP code 27960

Below are the cities the US Postal Service accepts for ZIP code 27960. Using any city not on this list may result in mail delivery delays.

City	Status
Ocracoke	Acceptable

Demographics updated 05/2026

Population
Total population	715
Population density	82 / sq mi
State FIPS	37
County FIPS	095

Geography
Land area	8.70 sq mi
Water area	7.46 sq mi
Latitude	35.1394
Longitude	-75.8942
Timezone	Eastern (ET)
Area code	252

Total population by age

Gender

Race & ethnicity

Economics updated 05/2026

Household income

Income range	This ZIP	County avg	State avg
Under $50k	52.2%	56.3%	44.4%
$50k – $100k	47.8%	38.8%	30.6%
$100k – $200k	0.0%	4.9%	19.1%
Over $200k	0.0%	0.0%	6.0%

Demographics & statistics

715

Population

People per sq mi

47.0

Median age

$65,672

Median household income

$25,822

Per capita income

$484,800

Median home value

Median monthly rent

84.4%

Home ownership

11.3%

Poverty rate

9.0%

Unemployment

582

Housing units

45.3%

Bachelor's or higher

Age distribution

Male Female

Under 5

20–24

25–34

35–44

45–54

60–64

65–74

75–84

← Male

Female →

Age summary

Group	Count	%
Under 18	107	15.0%
18 and over	608	85.0%
65 and over	181	25.3%
Median age	47.0 years

Race & ethnicity

White 69%

Hispanic or Latino 15.4%

Two or more races 15.4%

Black or African American 0.2%

Group	Count	%
White	583	69%
Hispanic or Latino	130	15.4%
Two or more races	130	15.4%
Black or African American	2	0.2%

Household income

Income range	This ZIP	County avg	State avg
Under $50k	52.2%	56.3%	44.4%
$50k – $100k	47.8%	38.8%	30.6%
$100k – $200k	0.0%	4.9%	19.1%
Over $200k	0.0%	0.0%	6.0%

Under $10k 10.9%

$10k–$15k 4.2%

$15k–$25k 12.8%

$35k–$50k 17.0%

$50k–$75k 18.7%

$75k–$100k 36.3%

Range	% of households
Under $10k	10.9%
$10k–$15k	4.2%
$15k–$25k	12.8%
$35k–$50k	17.0%
$50k–$75k	18.7%
$75k–$100k	36.3%
Median income	$65,672

Housing

Home values

$100k–$150k 5.0%

$150k–$200k 7.6%

$200k–$300k 14.6%

$300k–$500k 25.2%

$500k–$1M 47.7%

Housing overview

Metric	Value
Median home value	$484,800
Median rent / month	$0
Owner occupied	84.4%
Renter occupied	15.6%
Vacant	43.9%
Single-family detached	84.2%
Large apartment buildings	0.0%
Mobile homes	5.8%
Median rooms	4.9
Avg household size (owned)	2.09

Year built

Era	%
2020 or later	0.0%
2010–2019	3.4%
2000–2009	16.8%
1990–1999	24.1%
1980–1989	10.7%
1970–1979	21.3%
1960–1969	7.4%
1950–1959	0.0%
1940–1949	10.8%
1939 or earlier	5.5%

Bedrooms

Size	% of units
No bedroom (studio)	4.2%
1 bedroom	13.9%
2 bedrooms	23.7%
3 bedrooms	49.5%
4 bedrooms	3.0%
5+ bedrooms	5.6%

Vehicles per household

Vehicles	% of households
No vehicle	4.2%
1 vehicle	36.3%
2 vehicles	29.6%
3 or more	29.9%

Heating fuel

Fuel type	%
Electricity	65.1%
Propane / LP gas	28.5%
Fuel oil	6.4%

Households & families

Household type	Count	%
Married-couple family	219	61.2%
Cohabiting couple	0	0.0%
Male householder, no spouse	92	25.7%
Female householder, no spouse	47	13.1%
Households with children under 18	23	6.4%
Households with seniors (65+)	131	36.6%
Average household size	1.99

Marital status

Status	Male	Female
Never married	0.7%	10.2%
Married	67.1%	85.1%
Separated	0.0%	4.7%
Widowed	0.0%	0.0%
Divorced	32.2%	0.0%

Education

Less than 9th grade 0.0%

Some HS, no diploma 19.1%

HS graduate 17.6%

Some college, no degree 18.0%

Associate's degree 0.0%

Bachelor's degree 39.0%

Graduate / professional 6.3%

Metric	%
HS diploma or higher	80.9%
Bachelor's or higher	45.3%

School enrollment (ages 3–17)

Type	Count	%
Nursery / preschool	0	0.0%
Kindergarten	0	0.0%
Elementary school	0	0.0%
High school	0	0.0%
College / grad school	16	100.0%

Employment

Industry of employment

Arts, food & hospitality 31.0%

Finance & real estate 26.4%

Public administration 23.6%

Agriculture & mining 10.6%

Other services 8.1%

Education & healthcare 0.4%

Occupation

Category	%
Management, business & arts	51.4%
Service	15.8%
Sales & office	0.0%
Natural resources & construction	10.6%
Production & transportation	22.2%

Employment type

Type	%
Private sector	65.8%
Government	23.6%
Self-employed	10.6%
Unpaid family workers	0.0%

Commute

Method	%
Drive alone	75.6%
Carpool	10.4%
Public transit	0.0%
Walk	0.0%
Work from home	14.0%
Other means	0.0%
Avg commute (minutes)	0.0

Poverty

All people 11.3%

Under 18 years 0.0%

18 and over 13.3%

Married-couple families 11.0%

Female-led households 0.0%

Income support

Source	% of households
Social Security	40.8%
Retirement income	25.4%
Supplemental Security	4.7%
Cash public assistance	0.0%
Food stamps / SNAP	11.5%

Health indicators

Condition	%
Obesity	35.7%
High blood pressure	35.2%
High cholesterol	35.6%
Diabetes	11.6%
Heart disease	7.4%
Stroke	3.7%
Asthma	9.8%
Arthritis	27.6%
Kidney disease	3.3%
Pulmonary disease	9.3%
Cancer	6.3%

Behavior / access	%
Smoking	24.6%
Binge drinking	15.9%
No physical activity	27.5%
Less than 7 hrs sleep	33.8%
Depression	25.2%
Fair or poor health	18.1%
Poor mental health	16.3%
Poor physical health	13.3%
No health insurance	23.8%
Visited doctor (checkup)	76.4%
Visited dentist	56.7%
Cholesterol screening	87.4%
Teeth loss	19.1%

Veterans & disability

Veterans	Count	%
Civilian veterans	0	0.0%

Disability	%
Any disability	3.5%
Under 18	0.0%
18–64 years	0.0%
65 and over	13.8%

Health insurance coverage

Type	%
Private insurance	66.0%
Public insurance	42.7%
No insurance	10.2%
Uninsured under 19	0.0%

Language & origin

Language spoken at home (age 5+)

Language	Count	%
English only	608	85.0%
Spanish	70	11.5%
Other Indo-European	70	11.5%
Asian & Pacific Islander	0	0.0%
Other languages	0	0.0%

Place of birth & citizenship

Origin	Count	%
Native born (US)	645	90.2%
Born in same state	645	90.2%
Born in different state	258	36.1%
Foreign born	0	0.0%
Naturalized citizen	70	9.8%
Not a US citizen	44	62.9%

Ancestry

Ancestry	Count	%
French	64	9%

Ancestry	Count	%
Italian	46	6.4%

Technology access

Metric	% of households
Computer access	50.1%
Internet access	87.2%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2025 estimates.

Frequently asked questions about ZIP code 27960

What city is ZIP code 27960 in?

ZIP code 27960 is primarily assigned to Ocracoke, North Carolina.

What county is ZIP code 27960 in?

ZIP code 27960 falls within Hyde County, North Carolina.

Does ZIP code 27960 have an older population?

25% of residents in ZIP code 27960 are 65 or older, above the national average of ~17%.

Is ZIP code 27960 mostly owner-occupied?

84% of occupied units in ZIP code 27960 are owner-occupied, well above the national average.

Does ZIP code 27960 have a large retiree population?

41% of households in ZIP code 27960 receive Social Security income, suggesting a significant retiree or disability population.

How educated is the population of ZIP code 27960?

45% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher — well above the national average of ~33%, reflecting a highly educated population.

What timezone is ZIP code 27960 in?

ZIP code 27960 observes the EST timezone.