27970 ZIP Code — Roper, NC

Washington County, North Carolina

ZIP code 27970 is located in Roper, North Carolina, within Washington County. It covers approximately 119.30 square miles and serves a population of 2,799 residents. This is a standard ZIP code in the Eastern (ET) timezone, served by area code 252.

About ZIP code 27970

The housing stock consists of a higher-than-average concentration of mobile homes. Most homes were built in the 1990s, giving the area an established character. Median home value is $92,100. Owner-occupancy is high at 77%, well above the national average.

The gap between median ($32,905) and mean household income suggests income inequality — a small number of higher earners pull the average up. Poverty affects 27% of residents, above the national average. SNAP benefit usage at 30% of households reflects economic stress in the area. 51% of households receive Social Security income, suggesting a notable retiree or disability population.

The dominant occupation class is sales and office, with education and healthcare as the leading industry. An above-average commute of 40 minutes suggests many residents work outside the immediate area.

College attainment at 19% is below the national average, consistent with a trades and production-oriented local economy.

Health indicators show elevated rates of diabetes (18%), smoking (24%) compared to national benchmarks.

Notable community characteristics include a notable veteran presence at 11% of civilians, above the national average of 7%; and disability rates above the national average at 22%.

Overall, ZIP code 27970 reflects a community defined by a trades-oriented workforce, economic challenges above the national average, a strong veteran community, high homeownership, a significant Social Security-dependent population, and elevated reliance on food assistance.

2,799

population

119.30

sq mi land

Standard

ZIP type

Eastern (ET)

timezone

27970 ZIP code map

Cities in ZIP code 27970

Below are the cities the US Postal Service accepts for ZIP code 27970. Using any city not on this list may result in mail delivery delays.

City	Status
Roper	Preferred

Nearby ZIP codes

27928 Creswell (4.6 mi) 27962 Plymouth (11.8 mi) 27860 Pantego (18 mi) 27932 Edenton (19.2 mi) 27925 Columbia (19.3 mi) 27846 Jamesville (19.6 mi)

Demographics updated 05/2026

Population
Total population	2,799
Population density	23 / sq mi
State FIPS	37
County FIPS	187

Geography
Land area	119.30 sq mi
Water area	6.92 sq mi
Latitude	35.8440
Longitude	-76.5468
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	74.6%	68.9%	44.4%
$50k – $100k	20.1%	25.0%	30.6%
$100k – $200k	2.1%	3.8%	19.1%
Over $200k	3.1%	2.2%	6.0%

Demographics & statistics

2,799

Population

People per sq mi

52.5

Median age

$32,905

Median household income

$31,168

Per capita income

$92,100

Median home value

$1,041

Median monthly rent

77.3%

Home ownership

26.8%

Poverty rate

17.4%

Unemployment

1,408

Housing units

19.1%

Bachelor's or higher

Age distribution

Male Female

Under 5

119

5–9

130

104

10–14

114

15–19

108

20–24

101

25–34

111

35–44

104

176

45–54

194

55–59

133

60–64

147

247

65–74

271

75–84

85+

← Male

Female →

Age summary

Group	Count	%
Under 18	570	20.4%
18 and over	2,229	79.6%
65 and over	844	30.2%
Median age	52.5 years

Race & ethnicity

Black or African American 44.3%

White 39.1%

Hispanic or Latino 7.6%

Other race 6.3%

American Indian / Alaska Native 1.4%

Two or more races 1.3%

Group	Count	%
Black or African American	1,342	44.3%
White	1,185	39.1%
Hispanic or Latino	230	7.6%
Other race	190	6.3%
American Indian / Alaska Native	42	1.4%
Two or more races	40	1.3%

Household income

Income range	This ZIP	County avg	State avg
Under $50k	74.6%	68.9%	44.4%
$50k – $100k	20.1%	25.0%	30.6%
$100k – $200k	2.1%	3.8%	19.1%
Over $200k	3.1%	2.2%	6.0%

Under $10k 15.9%

$10k–$15k 11.5%

$15k–$25k 16.2%

$25k–$35k 8.9%

$35k–$50k 9.4%

$50k–$75k 18.4%

$75k–$100k 12.1%

$100k–$150k 4.0%

$150k–$200k 0.3%

$200k+ 3.3%

Range	% of households
Under $10k	15.9%
$10k–$15k	11.5%
$15k–$25k	16.2%
$25k–$35k	8.9%
$35k–$50k	9.4%
$50k–$75k	18.4%
$75k–$100k	12.1%
$100k–$150k	4.0%
$150k–$200k	0.3%
$200k+	3.3%
Median income	$32,905

Housing

Home values

Under $50k 23.9%

$50k–$100k 29.5%

$100k–$150k 14.8%

$150k–$200k 11.9%

$200k–$300k 9.2%

$300k–$500k 4.3%

$500k–$1M 4.4%

$1M+ 2.0%

Housing overview

Metric	Value
Median home value	$92,100
Median rent / month	$1,041
Owner occupied	77.3%
Renter occupied	22.7%
Vacant	25.2%
Single-family detached	63.9%
Large apartment buildings	1.4%
Mobile homes	30.1%
Median rooms	5.7
Avg household size (owned)	2.25

Year built

Era	%
2020 or later	0.0%
2010–2019	2.0%
2000–2009	12.7%
1990–1999	19.5%
1980–1989	12.9%
1970–1979	19.2%
1960–1969	11.7%
1950–1959	8.4%
1940–1949	2.7%
1939 or earlier	11.1%

Bedrooms

Size	% of units
No bedroom (studio)	1.4%
1 bedroom	1.1%
2 bedrooms	26.4%
3 bedrooms	55.8%
4 bedrooms	9.8%
5+ bedrooms	5.5%

Vehicles per household

Vehicles	% of households
No vehicle	17.2%
1 vehicle	31.0%
2 vehicles	29.2%
3 or more	22.6%

Heating fuel

Fuel type	%
Utility gas	6.2%
Electricity	61.6%
Propane / LP gas	25.6%
Fuel oil	4.7%
Wood	2.0%

Households & families

Household type	Count	%
Married-couple family	491	38.7%
Cohabiting couple	36	2.8%
Male householder, no spouse	230	18.1%
Female householder, no spouse	511	40.3%
Households with children under 18	233	18.4%
Households with seniors (65+)	626	49.4%
Average household size	2.20

Marital status

Status	Male	Female
Never married	26.6%	40.1%
Married	57.9%	34.5%
Separated	1.6%	0.8%
Widowed	8.6%	15.6%
Divorced	5.3%	9.0%

Education

Less than 9th grade 5.6%

Some HS, no diploma 7.1%

HS graduate 37.2%

Some college, no degree 22.4%

Associate's degree 8.5%

Bachelor's degree 14.4%

Graduate / professional 4.7%

Metric	%
HS diploma or higher	87.3%
Bachelor's or higher	19.1%

School enrollment (ages 3–17)

Type	Count	%
Nursery / preschool	6	0.9%
Kindergarten	22	3.4%
Elementary school	422	66.0%
High school	43	6.7%
College / grad school	146	22.8%

Employment

Industry of employment

Education & healthcare 21.2%

Arts, food & hospitality 16.4%

Construction 14.3%

Retail trade 11.1%

Manufacturing 8.2%

Public administration 8.1%

Transportation & utilities 7.1%

Finance & real estate 5.6%

Other services 4.9%

Professional & management 3.0%

Occupation

Category	%
Management, business & arts	28.4%
Service	10.9%
Sales & office	32.9%
Natural resources & construction	17.4%
Production & transportation	10.3%

Employment type

Type	%
Private sector	72.6%
Government	21.7%
Self-employed	5.8%
Unpaid family workers	0.0%

Commute

Method	%
Drive alone	80.0%
Carpool	10.8%
Public transit	0.0%
Walk	1.3%
Work from home	2.4%
Other means	5.4%
Avg commute (minutes)	40.0

Poverty

All people 26.8%

Under 18 years 58.2%

18 and over 18.7%

Married-couple families 4.9%

Female-led households 54.7%

Income support

Source	% of households
Social Security	51.2%
Retirement income	20.1%
Supplemental Security	16.5%
Cash public assistance	2.5%
Food stamps / SNAP	29.7%

Health indicators

Condition	%
Obesity	43.1%
High blood pressure	46.7%
High cholesterol	39.5%
Diabetes	17.6%
Heart disease	9.5%
Stroke	5.6%
Asthma	10.8%
Arthritis	32.8%
Kidney disease	4.6%
Pulmonary disease	10.4%
Cancer	7.3%

Behavior / access	%
Smoking	23.8%
Binge drinking	12.0%
No physical activity	31.3%
Less than 7 hrs sleep	36.9%
Depression	21.7%
Fair or poor health	22.7%
Poor mental health	15.2%
Poor physical health	15.1%
No health insurance	22.0%
Visited doctor (checkup)	82.6%
Visited dentist	55.3%
Cholesterol screening	90.8%
Teeth loss	22.3%

Veterans & disability

Veterans	Count	%
Civilian veterans	253	11.4%

Disability	%
Any disability	22.2%
Under 18	0.0%
18–64 years	11.8%
65 and over	54.3%

Health insurance coverage

Type	%
Private insurance	58.4%
Public insurance	51.5%
No insurance	11.9%
Uninsured under 19	1.5%

Language & origin

Language spoken at home (age 5+)

Language	Count	%
English only	2,779	99.3%
Spanish	0	0.0%
Other Indo-European	0	0.0%
Asian & Pacific Islander	0	0.0%
Other languages	0	0.0%

Place of birth & citizenship

Origin	Count	%
Native born (US)	2,738	97.8%
Born in same state	2,738	97.8%
Born in different state	2,045	73.1%
Foreign born	0	0.0%
Naturalized citizen	61	2.2%
Not a US citizen	7	11.5%

Ancestry

Ancestry	Count	%
French	458	16.4%
Arab	150	5.4%

Ancestry	Count	%
Italian	83	3%
Polish	20	0.7%

Technology access

Metric	% of households
Computer access	45.3%
Internet access	73.3%

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

Frequently asked questions about ZIP code 27970

What city is ZIP code 27970 in?

ZIP code 27970 is primarily assigned to Roper, North Carolina.

What county is ZIP code 27970 in?

ZIP code 27970 falls within Washington County, North Carolina.

Does ZIP code 27970 have an older population?

30% of residents in ZIP code 27970 are 65 or older, above the national average of ~17%.

What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 27970?

27% of residents in ZIP code 27970 live below the poverty line, above the national average.

Does ZIP code 27970 have a large retiree population?

51% of households in ZIP code 27970 receive Social Security income, suggesting a significant retiree or disability population.

Does ZIP code 27970 have a large veteran population?

11% of civilians in ZIP code 27970 are veterans, above the national average of ~7%.

What timezone is ZIP code 27970 in?

ZIP code 27970 observes the EST timezone.