27981 ZIP Code — Wanchese, NC

Dare County, North Carolina

ZIP code 27981 is located in Wanchese, North Carolina, within Dare County. It covers approximately 9.11 square miles and serves a population of 2,009 residents. This is a standard ZIP code in the Eastern (ET) timezone, served by area code 252.

About ZIP code 27981

The housing stock consists of a higher-than-average concentration of mobile homes. Most homes were built in the 1980s, giving the area an established character. Median home value is $249,700. Owner-occupancy is high at 77%, well above the national average.

Median household income is $71,484. The poverty rate of 5% is below the national average. 36% of households receive Social Security income, suggesting a notable retiree or disability population.

The dominant occupation class is management, business, and professional, with education and healthcare as the leading industry. The average commute of 20 minutes is near the national average.

Educational attainment is near the national average, with 30% of residents holding a bachelor's degree or higher.

Overall, ZIP code 27981 reflects a community defined by high homeownership and a significant Social Security-dependent population.

2,009

population

9.11

sq mi land

Standard

ZIP type

Eastern (ET)

timezone

27981 ZIP code map

Cities in ZIP code 27981

Below are the cities the US Postal Service accepts for ZIP code 27981. Using any city not on this list may result in mail delivery delays.

City	Status
Wanchese	Preferred

Nearby ZIP codes

27959 Nags Head (3.8 mi) 27954 Manteo (4.2 mi) 27953 Manns Harbor (13.8 mi) 27948 Kill Devil Hills (14.4 mi) 27964 Point Harbor (19.3 mi)

Demographics updated 05/2026

Population
Total population	2,009
Population density	221 / sq mi
State FIPS	37
County FIPS	055

Geography
Land area	9.11 sq mi
Water area	3.33 sq mi
Latitude	35.8391
Longitude	-75.6399
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	39.3%	36.4%	44.4%
$50k – $100k	41.5%	35.6%	30.6%
$100k – $200k	16.1%	22.2%	19.1%
Over $200k	3.1%	5.8%	6.0%

Demographics & statistics

2,009

Population

221

People per sq mi

37.6

Median age

$71,484

Median household income

$33,992

Per capita income

$249,700

Median home value

$1,010

Median monthly rent

76.9%

Home ownership

5.0%

Poverty rate

0.8%

Unemployment

625

Housing units

29.6%

Bachelor's or higher

Age distribution

Male Female

Under 5

5–9

113

10–14

116

15–19

20–24

123

25–34

126

155

35–44

159

45–54

55–59

60–64

124

65–74

126

75–84

85+

← Male

Female →

Age summary

Group	Count	%
Under 18	578	28.8%
18 and over	1,431	71.2%
65 and over	342	17.0%
Median age	37.6 years

Race & ethnicity

White 94.4%

Hispanic or Latino 2%

Other race 2%

Two or more races 1.6%

Group	Count	%
White	1,935	94.4%
Hispanic or Latino	41	2%
Other race	41	2%
Two or more races	32	1.6%

Household income

Income range	This ZIP	County avg	State avg
Under $50k	39.3%	36.4%	44.4%
$50k – $100k	41.5%	35.6%	30.6%
$100k – $200k	16.1%	22.2%	19.1%
Over $200k	3.1%	5.8%	6.0%

$15k–$25k 5.7%

$25k–$35k 15.1%

$35k–$50k 11.3%

$50k–$75k 18.8%

$75k–$100k 20.6%

$100k–$150k 17.8%

$150k–$200k 2.2%

$200k+ 8.4%

Range	% of households
$15k–$25k	5.7%
$25k–$35k	15.1%
$35k–$50k	11.3%
$50k–$75k	18.8%
$75k–$100k	20.6%
$100k–$150k	17.8%
$150k–$200k	2.2%
$200k+	8.4%
Median income	$71,484

Housing

Home values

Under $50k 6.1%

$50k–$100k 1.4%

$100k–$150k 1.4%

$150k–$200k 9.4%

$200k–$300k 44.1%

$300k–$500k 32.4%

$500k–$1M 5.2%

Housing overview

Metric	Value
Median home value	$249,700
Median rent / month	$1,010
Owner occupied	76.9%
Renter occupied	23.1%
Vacant	8.7%
Single-family detached	68.3%
Large apartment buildings	0.0%
Mobile homes	31.7%
Median rooms	5.3
Avg household size (owned)	2.52

Year built

Era	%
2020 or later	0.0%
2010–2019	10.0%
2000–2009	7.8%
1990–1999	18.4%
1980–1989	28.7%
1970–1979	13.4%
1960–1969	2.1%
1950–1959	2.1%
1940–1949	4.4%
1939 or earlier	13.0%

Bedrooms

Size	% of units
No bedroom (studio)	0.0%
1 bedroom	0.9%
2 bedrooms	17.3%
3 bedrooms	70.1%
4 bedrooms	9.2%
5+ bedrooms	2.5%

Vehicles per household

Vehicles	% of households
No vehicle	7.2%
1 vehicle	37.1%
2 vehicles	33.6%
3 or more	22.1%

Heating fuel

Fuel type	%
Utility gas	0.8%
Electricity	88.2%
Propane / LP gas	9.8%
Fuel oil	0.7%
No fuel used	0.4%

Households & families

Household type	Count	%
Married-couple family	337	46.6%
Cohabiting couple	111	15.4%
Male householder, no spouse	55	7.6%
Female householder, no spouse	220	30.4%
Households with children under 18	248	34.3%
Households with seniors (65+)	267	36.9%
Average household size	2.77

Marital status

Status	Male	Female
Never married	34.3%	19.8%
Married	53.9%	46.0%
Separated	2.0%	0.0%
Widowed	3.8%	12.2%
Divorced	6.0%	22.0%

Education

Less than 9th grade 2.4%

Some HS, no diploma 6.5%

HS graduate 37.6%

Some college, no degree 17.8%

Associate's degree 6.0%

Bachelor's degree 24.5%

Graduate / professional 5.1%

Metric	%
HS diploma or higher	91.0%
Bachelor's or higher	29.6%

School enrollment (ages 3–17)

Type	Count	%
Nursery / preschool	106	18.6%
Kindergarten	6	1.1%
Elementary school	143	25.1%
High school	193	33.9%
College / grad school	121	21.3%

Employment

Industry of employment

Education & healthcare 16.3%

Arts, food & hospitality 13.5%

Retail trade 12.0%

Other services 11.9%

Agriculture & mining 10.7%

Manufacturing 7.4%

Construction 7.3%

Professional & management 5.5%

Finance & real estate 5.3%

Wholesale trade 3.3%

Public administration 3.1%

Transportation & utilities 2.0%

Information 1.6%

Occupation

Category	%
Management, business & arts	32.6%
Service	17.5%
Sales & office	20.8%
Natural resources & construction	20.2%
Production & transportation	8.9%

Employment type

Type	%
Private sector	66.4%
Government	17.7%
Self-employed	15.9%
Unpaid family workers	0.0%

Commute

Method	%
Drive alone	74.8%
Carpool	18.5%
Public transit	0.5%
Walk	0.5%
Work from home	4.5%
Other means	1.3%
Avg commute (minutes)	20.2

Poverty

All people 5.0%

Under 18 years 1.6%

18 and over 6.4%

Married-couple families 0.0%

Female-led households 16.7%

Income support

Source	% of households
Social Security	35.7%
Retirement income	18.9%
Supplemental Security	0.8%
Cash public assistance	2.4%
Food stamps / SNAP	13.7%

Health indicators

Condition	%
Obesity	29.5%
High blood pressure	32.5%
High cholesterol	34.9%
Diabetes	8.9%
Heart disease	6.4%
Stroke	2.8%
Asthma	8.5%
Arthritis	24.9%
Kidney disease	2.7%
Pulmonary disease	6.4%
Cancer	7.0%

Behavior / access	%
Smoking	17.7%
Binge drinking	17.2%
No physical activity	20.7%
Less than 7 hrs sleep	28.9%
Depression	22.7%
Fair or poor health	11.5%
Poor mental health	13.8%
Poor physical health	9.7%
No health insurance	15.6%
Visited doctor (checkup)	76.2%
Visited dentist	69.8%
Cholesterol screening	90.3%
Teeth loss	12.3%

Veterans & disability

Veterans	Count	%
Civilian veterans	84	5.9%

Disability	%
Any disability	11.3%
Under 18	3.3%
18–64 years	12.5%
65 and over	21.1%

Health insurance coverage

Type	%
Private insurance	73.8%
Public insurance	26.5%
No insurance	13.5%
Uninsured under 19	3.6%

Language & origin

Language spoken at home (age 5+)

Language	Count	%
English only	1,875	93.3%
Spanish	72	3.8%
Other Indo-European	55	2.9%
Asian & Pacific Islander	17	0.9%
Other languages	0	0.0%

Place of birth & citizenship

Origin	Count	%
Native born (US)	1,940	96.6%
Born in same state	1,913	95.2%
Born in different state	1,306	65.0%
Foreign born	27	1.3%
Naturalized citizen	69	3.4%
Not a US citizen	0	0.0%

Ancestry

Ancestry	Count	%
French	546	27.2%
Arab	277	13.8%
Italian	210	10.5%

Ancestry	Count	%
German	24	1.2%
English	19	0.9%
Polish	5	0.2%

Technology access

Metric	% of households
Computer access	36.0%
Internet access	90.2%

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

Frequently asked questions about ZIP code 27981

What city is ZIP code 27981 in?

ZIP code 27981 is primarily assigned to Wanchese, North Carolina.

What county is ZIP code 27981 in?

ZIP code 27981 falls within Dare County, North Carolina.

Does ZIP code 27981 have a large retiree population?

36% of households in ZIP code 27981 receive Social Security income, suggesting a significant retiree or disability population.

What is the population of ZIP code 27981?

ZIP code 27981 has an estimated population of 2,009 residents, with a density of 220 people per square mile.

What is the median household income in ZIP code 27981?

The median household income in ZIP code 27981 is $71,484, below the national median of ~$75,000.

What is the typical home value in ZIP code 27981?

The median home value in ZIP code 27981 is $249,700.

What timezone is ZIP code 27981 in?

ZIP code 27981 observes the EST timezone.