27978 ZIP Code — Stumpy Point, NC

Dare County, North Carolina

ZIP code 27978 is located in Stumpy Point, North Carolina, within Dare County. It covers approximately 29.38 square miles and serves a population of 341 residents. This is a standard ZIP code in the Eastern (ET) timezone, served by area code 252.

About ZIP code 27978

The housing stock consists of a higher-than-average concentration of mobile homes. Most homes were built in the 1970s, giving the area an established character. Owner-occupancy sits near the national average at 51%.

Median household income is $46,532. Poverty affects 28% of residents, above the national average. SNAP benefit usage at 21% of households reflects economic stress in the area. 45% of households receive Social Security income, suggesting a notable retiree or disability population.

The dominant occupation class is production, transportation, and material moving, with manufacturing as the leading industry.

College attainment at 10% is below the national average, consistent with a trades and production-oriented local economy.

Health indicators show elevated rates of smoking (21%) compared to national benchmarks. 29% of residents lack health insurance, above the national average.

Notable community characteristics include disability rates above the national average at 29%.

Overall, ZIP code 27978 reflects a community defined by a trades-oriented workforce, economic challenges above the national average, a significant Social Security-dependent population, and elevated reliance on food assistance.

341

population

29.38

sq mi land

Standard

ZIP type

Eastern (ET)

timezone

27978 ZIP code map

Cities in ZIP code 27978

Below are the cities the US Postal Service accepts for ZIP code 27978. Using any city not on this list may result in mail delivery delays.

City	Status
Stumpy Point	Acceptable

Demographics updated 05/2026

Population
Total population	341
Population density	12 / sq mi
State FIPS	37
County FIPS	055

Geography
Land area	29.38 sq mi
Water area	7.23 sq mi
Latitude	35.7741
Longitude	-75.8314
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	60.4%	36.4%	44.4%
$50k – $100k	39.6%	35.6%	30.6%
$100k – $200k	0.0%	22.2%	19.1%
Over $200k	0.0%	5.8%	6.0%

Demographics & statistics

341

Population

People per sq mi

45.2

Median age

$46,532

Median household income

$18,881

Per capita income

Median home value

Median monthly rent

50.8%

Home ownership

27.9%

Poverty rate

13.4%

Unemployment

129

Housing units

10.0%

Bachelor's or higher

Age distribution

Male Female

Under 5

10–14

15–19

20–24

25–34

35–44

45–54

55–59

60–64

65–74

75–84

85+

← Male

Female →

Age summary

Group	Count	%
Under 18	67	19.6%
18 and over	274	80.4%
65 and over	86	25.2%
Median age	45.2 years

Race & ethnicity

White 78.5%

Hispanic or Latino 10.7%

Two or more races 10.7%

Group	Count	%
White	300	78.5%
Hispanic or Latino	41	10.7%
Two or more races	41	10.7%

Household income

Income range	This ZIP	County avg	State avg
Under $50k	60.4%	36.4%	44.4%
$50k – $100k	39.6%	35.6%	30.6%
$100k – $200k	0.0%	22.2%	19.1%
Over $200k	0.0%	5.8%	6.0%

$15k–$25k 21.3%

$25k–$35k 4.9%

$35k–$50k 33.6%

$50k–$75k 18.0%

$75k–$100k 15.6%

$100k–$150k 6.6%

Range	% of households
$15k–$25k	21.3%
$25k–$35k	4.9%
$35k–$50k	33.6%
$50k–$75k	18.0%
$75k–$100k	15.6%
$100k–$150k	6.6%
Median income	$46,532

Housing

Home values

$50k–$100k 32.3%

$100k–$150k 14.5%

$200k–$300k 25.8%

$300k–$500k 27.4%

Housing overview

Metric	Value
Median home value	$0
Median rent / month	$0
Owner occupied	50.8%
Renter occupied	49.2%
Vacant	35.4%
Single-family detached	60.8%
Large apartment buildings	0.0%
Mobile homes	39.2%
Median rooms	5.3
Avg household size (owned)	2.82

Year built

Era	%
2020 or later	0.0%
2010–2019	8.5%
2000–2009	7.4%
1990–1999	7.4%
1980–1989	19.6%
1970–1979	34.9%
1960–1969	15.3%
1950–1959	0.0%
1940–1949	0.0%
1939 or earlier	6.9%

Bedrooms

Size	% of units
No bedroom (studio)	0.0%
1 bedroom	0.0%
2 bedrooms	27.5%
3 bedrooms	68.3%
4 bedrooms	4.2%
5+ bedrooms	0.0%

Vehicles per household

Vehicles	% of households
No vehicle	0.0%
1 vehicle	35.2%
2 vehicles	50.0%
3 or more	14.8%

Heating fuel

Fuel type	%
Electricity	77.0%
Propane / LP gas	23.0%

Households & families

Household type	Count	%
Married-couple family	85	69.7%
Cohabiting couple	7	5.7%
Male householder, no spouse	30	24.6%
Female householder, no spouse	0	0.0%
Households with children under 18	46	37.7%
Households with seniors (65+)	45	36.9%
Average household size	2.80

Marital status

Status	Male	Female
Never married	38.5%	14.6%
Married	50.6%	63.8%
Separated	0.0%	13.8%
Widowed	1.9%	0.0%
Divorced	9.0%	7.7%

Education

Less than 9th grade 8.8%

Some HS, no diploma 9.6%

HS graduate 35.8%

Some college, no degree 25.0%

Associate's degree 10.8%

Bachelor's degree 7.1%

Graduate / professional 2.9%

Metric	%
HS diploma or higher	81.7%
Bachelor's or higher	10.0%

School enrollment (ages 3–17)

Type	Count	%
Nursery / preschool	0	0.0%
Kindergarten	0	0.0%
Elementary school	9	42.9%
High school	12	57.1%
College / grad school	0	0.0%

Employment

Industry of employment

Manufacturing 47.3%

Retail trade 19.1%

Professional & management 18.2%

Education & healthcare 9.1%

Public administration 6.4%

Occupation

Category	%
Management, business & arts	15.5%
Service	18.2%
Sales & office	19.1%
Natural resources & construction	10.0%
Production & transportation	37.3%

Employment type

Type	%
Private sector	87.3%
Government	6.4%
Self-employed	6.4%
Unpaid family workers	0.0%

Commute

Method	%
Drive alone	50.0%
Carpool	0.0%
Public transit	0.0%
Walk	0.0%
Work from home	12.7%
Other means	37.3%
Avg commute (minutes)	0.0

Poverty

All people 27.9%

Under 18 years 56.7%

18 and over 20.8%

Married-couple families 30.6%

Female-led households 0.0%

Income support

Source	% of households
Social Security	45.1%
Retirement income	45.1%
Supplemental Security	10.7%
Cash public assistance	0.0%
Food stamps / SNAP	21.3%

Health indicators

Condition	%
Obesity	31.4%
High blood pressure	40.1%
High cholesterol	41.0%
Diabetes	12.3%
Heart disease	9.0%
Stroke	4.0%
Asthma	9.3%
Arthritis	31.9%
Kidney disease	3.6%
Pulmonary disease	9.7%
Cancer	8.5%

Behavior / access	%
Smoking	21.0%
Binge drinking	14.4%
No physical activity	25.2%
Less than 7 hrs sleep	29.2%
Depression	23.9%
Fair or poor health	16.2%
Poor mental health	14.2%
Poor physical health	12.9%
No health insurance	16.9%
Visited doctor (checkup)	78.5%
Visited dentist	64.9%
Cholesterol screening	91.1%
Teeth loss	15.6%

Veterans & disability

Veterans	Count	%
Civilian veterans	26	9.5%

Disability	%
Any disability	28.7%
Under 18	13.4%
18–64 years	29.3%
65 and over	39.5%

Health insurance coverage

Type	%
Private insurance	37.5%
Public insurance	48.7%
No insurance	29.3%
Uninsured under 19	10.7%

Language & origin

Language spoken at home (age 5+)

Language	Count	%
English only	295	86.5%
Spanish	41	13.9%
Other Indo-European	41	13.9%
Asian & Pacific Islander	0	0.0%
Other languages	0	0.0%

Place of birth & citizenship

Origin	Count	%
Native born (US)	300	88.0%
Born in same state	300	88.0%
Born in different state	147	43.1%
Foreign born	0	0.0%
Naturalized citizen	41	12.0%
Not a US citizen	0	0.0%

Ancestry

Ancestry	Count	%
Arab	72	21.1%
French	60	17.6%

Ancestry	Count	%
Italian	24	7%

Technology access

Metric	% of households
Computer access	35.8%
Internet access	86.9%

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

Frequently asked questions about ZIP code 27978

What city is ZIP code 27978 in?

ZIP code 27978 is primarily assigned to Stumpy Point, North Carolina.

What county is ZIP code 27978 in?

ZIP code 27978 falls within Dare County, North Carolina.

What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 27978?

28% of residents in ZIP code 27978 live below the poverty line, above the national average.

Does ZIP code 27978 have an older population?

25% of residents in ZIP code 27978 are 65 or older, above the national average of ~17%.

How educated is the population of ZIP code 27978?

10% 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 27978 have a large retiree population?

45% of households in ZIP code 27978 receive Social Security income, suggesting a significant retiree or disability population.

What timezone is ZIP code 27978 in?

ZIP code 27978 observes the EST timezone.