27973 ZIP Code — Shawboro, NC

Currituck County, North Carolina

ZIP code 27973 is located in Shawboro, North Carolina, within Currituck County. It covers approximately 37.12 square miles and serves a population of 1,266 residents. This is a standard ZIP code in the Eastern (ET) timezone, served by area code 252.

About ZIP code 27973

The housing stock consists of predominantly single-family detached homes. Most homes were built in the 1970s, giving the area an established character. Median home value is $246,400. Owner-occupancy is high at 77%, well above the national average.

Median household income is $68,214. Poverty affects 27% of residents, above the national average. SNAP benefit usage at 18% of households reflects economic stress in the area. 40% 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. The average commute of 31 minutes is near the national average.

College attainment at 13% is below the national average, consistent with a trades and production-oriented local economy.

Overall, ZIP code 27973 reflects a community defined by a trades-oriented workforce, economic challenges above the national average, high homeownership, a significant Social Security-dependent population, and elevated reliance on food assistance.

1,266

population

37.12

sq mi land

Standard

ZIP type

Eastern (ET)

timezone

27973 ZIP code map

Cities in ZIP code 27973

Below are the cities the US Postal Service accepts for ZIP code 27973. Using any city not on this list may result in mail delivery delays.

City	Status
Shawboro	Preferred

Nearby ZIP codes

27921 Camden (4.3 mi) 27917 Barco (5.1 mi) 27956 Maple (5.5 mi) 27974 Shiloh (8 mi) 27923 Coinjock (8 mi) 27958 Moyock (8.5 mi) 27916 Aydlett (10.3 mi) 27909 Elizabeth City (10.9 mi) 27950 Knotts Island (11.6 mi) 27965 Poplar Branch (12.9 mi) 27939 Grandy (12.9 mi) 27927 Corolla (14 mi)

Demographics updated 05/2026

Population
Total population	1,266
Population density	34 / sq mi
State FIPS	37
County FIPS	053

Geography
Land area	37.12 sq mi
Water area	0.06 sq mi
Latitude	36.3590
Longitude	-76.0867
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	42.3%	31.0%	44.4%
$50k – $100k	34.6%	37.1%	30.6%
$100k – $200k	20.7%	26.5%	19.1%
Over $200k	2.3%	5.5%	6.0%

Demographics & statistics

1,266

Population

People per sq mi

38.8

Median age

$68,214

Median household income

$30,440

Per capita income

$246,400

Median home value

$1,122

Median monthly rent

76.8%

Home ownership

26.5%

Poverty rate

4.5%

Unemployment

451

Housing units

13.4%

Bachelor's or higher

Age distribution

Male Female

Under 5

5–9

10–14

15–19

20–24

120

25–34

108

35–44

45–54

55–59

60–64

65–74

75–84

85+

← Male

Female →

Age summary

Group	Count	%
Under 18	253	20.0%
18 and over	1,013	80.0%
65 and over	251	19.8%
Median age	38.8 years

Race & ethnicity

White 78%

Black or African American 13.4%

Two or more races 6.3%

American Indian / Alaska Native 2.2%

Group	Count	%
White	988	78%
Black or African American	170	13.4%
Two or more races	80	6.3%
American Indian / Alaska Native	28	2.2%

Household income

Income range	This ZIP	County avg	State avg
Under $50k	42.3%	31.0%	44.4%
$50k – $100k	34.6%	37.1%	30.6%
$100k – $200k	20.7%	26.5%	19.1%
Over $200k	2.3%	5.5%	6.0%

Under $10k 5.6%

$10k–$15k 3.1%

$15k–$25k 20.1%

$25k–$35k 16.0%

$35k–$50k 2.0%

$50k–$75k 8.3%

$75k–$100k 24.8%

$100k–$150k 16.0%

$150k–$200k 1.6%

$200k+ 2.5%

Range	% of households
Under $10k	5.6%
$10k–$15k	3.1%
$15k–$25k	20.1%
$25k–$35k	16.0%
$35k–$50k	2.0%
$50k–$75k	8.3%
$75k–$100k	24.8%
$100k–$150k	16.0%
$150k–$200k	1.6%
$200k+	2.5%
Median income	$68,214

Housing

Home values

$50k–$100k 2.8%

$100k–$150k 15.7%

$150k–$200k 17.8%

$200k–$300k 20.6%

$300k–$500k 41.5%

$500k–$1M 1.6%

Housing overview

Metric	Value
Median home value	$246,400
Median rent / month	$1,122
Owner occupied	76.8%
Renter occupied	23.2%
Vacant	4.1%
Single-family detached	87.2%
Large apartment buildings	0.0%
Mobile homes	12.8%
Median rooms	6.0
Avg household size (owned)	2.30

Year built

Era	%
2020 or later	2.4%
2010–2019	9.7%
2000–2009	11.4%
1990–1999	14.5%
1980–1989	18.4%
1970–1979	23.8%
1960–1969	2.8%
1950–1959	2.9%
1940–1949	4.0%
1939 or earlier	10.2%

Bedrooms

Size	% of units
No bedroom (studio)	0.0%
1 bedroom	0.0%
2 bedrooms	21.2%
3 bedrooms	52.9%
4 bedrooms	24.3%
5+ bedrooms	1.6%

Vehicles per household

Vehicles	% of households
No vehicle	0.0%
1 vehicle	31.8%
2 vehicles	24.1%
3 or more	44.1%

Heating fuel

Fuel type	%
Electricity	89.9%
Propane / LP gas	4.9%
Wood	2.5%
No fuel used	2.7%

Households & families

Household type	Count	%
Married-couple family	297	53.4%
Cohabiting couple	7	1.3%
Male householder, no spouse	153	27.5%
Female householder, no spouse	99	17.8%
Households with children under 18	192	34.5%
Households with seniors (65+)	193	34.7%
Average household size	2.28

Marital status

Status	Male	Female
Never married	28.8%	14.1%
Married	54.3%	64.1%
Separated	7.8%	2.1%
Widowed	1.7%	15.6%
Divorced	7.3%	4.1%

Education

Less than 9th grade 0.0%

Some HS, no diploma 9.7%

HS graduate 23.0%

Some college, no degree 33.1%

Associate's degree 20.9%

Bachelor's degree 11.1%

Graduate / professional 2.3%

Metric	%
HS diploma or higher	90.3%
Bachelor's or higher	13.4%

School enrollment (ages 3–17)

Type	Count	%
Nursery / preschool	0	0.0%
Kindergarten	78	35.3%
Elementary school	83	37.6%
High school	42	19.0%
College / grad school	18	8.1%

Employment

Industry of employment

Arts, food & hospitality 21.1%

Professional & management 16.6%

Education & healthcare 16.3%

Public administration 9.6%

Construction 7.3%

Manufacturing 7.0%

Transportation & utilities 7.0%

Finance & real estate 6.2%

Other services 5.9%

Agriculture & mining 3.0%

Occupation

Category	%
Management, business & arts	45.3%
Service	30.2%
Sales & office	4.6%
Natural resources & construction	14.6%
Production & transportation	5.3%

Employment type

Type	%
Private sector	59.3%
Government	29.3%
Self-employed	11.4%
Unpaid family workers	0.0%

Commute

Method	%
Drive alone	74.3%
Carpool	9.4%
Public transit	0.0%
Walk	0.0%
Work from home	13.5%
Other means	2.7%
Avg commute (minutes)	30.8

Poverty

All people 26.5%

Under 18 years 49.0%

18 and over 20.8%

Married-couple families 10.4%

Female-led households 45.9%

Income support

Source	% of households
Social Security	40.3%
Retirement income	33.8%
Supplemental Security	0.7%
Cash public assistance	0.0%
Food stamps / SNAP	17.6%

Health indicators

Condition	%
Obesity	33.2%
High blood pressure	32.7%
High cholesterol	33.8%
Diabetes	9.6%
Heart disease	6.1%
Stroke	2.9%
Asthma	9.0%
Arthritis	25.2%
Kidney disease	2.7%
Pulmonary disease	6.7%
Cancer	6.4%

Behavior / access	%
Smoking	19.4%
Binge drinking	17.1%
No physical activity	21.9%
Less than 7 hrs sleep	31.8%
Depression	23.6%
Fair or poor health	12.7%
Poor mental health	14.4%
Poor physical health	10.2%
No health insurance	16.9%
Visited doctor (checkup)	76.6%
Visited dentist	64.7%
Cholesterol screening	89.9%
Teeth loss	12.7%

Veterans & disability

Veterans	Count	%
Civilian veterans	87	8.6%

Disability	%
Any disability	16.4%
Under 18	0.0%
18–64 years	16.0%
65 and over	33.9%

Health insurance coverage

Type	%
Private insurance	64.5%
Public insurance	32.7%
No insurance	14.4%
Uninsured under 19	5.5%

Language & origin

Language spoken at home (age 5+)

Language	Count	%
English only	1,164	91.9%
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)	1,266	100.0%
Born in same state	1,266	100.0%
Born in different state	651	51.4%
Foreign born	0	0.0%
Naturalized citizen	0	0.0%
Not a US citizen	0	0.0%

Ancestry

Ancestry	Count	%
Italian	156	12.3%
French	128	10.1%

Ancestry	Count	%
Arab	77	6.1%

Technology access

Metric	% of households
Computer access	43.9%
Internet access	91.7%

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

Frequently asked questions about ZIP code 27973

What city is ZIP code 27973 in?

ZIP code 27973 is primarily assigned to Shawboro, North Carolina.

What county is ZIP code 27973 in?

ZIP code 27973 falls within Camden County, North Carolina.

What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 27973?

27% of residents in ZIP code 27973 live below the poverty line, above the national average.

How educated is the population of ZIP code 27973?

13% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher — below the national average of ~33%, consistent with a trades-oriented local economy.

Does ZIP code 27973 have a large retiree population?

40% of households in ZIP code 27973 receive Social Security income, suggesting a significant retiree or disability population.

What is the population of ZIP code 27973?

ZIP code 27973 has an estimated population of 1,266 residents, with a density of 34 people per square mile.

What timezone is ZIP code 27973 in?

ZIP code 27973 observes the EST timezone.