Hatteras Weather Bureau Station · National Register of Historic Places
Hatteras’s story
168 years in pictures
2 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
- 1858Hatteras is settled
HatterasNC
2 of its places are on the National Register of Historic Places.
Ellsworth and Lovie Ballance House · Photo: Jasonspsyche · CC BY-SA 3.0
Population
152
Census survey, 2020–24
Typical home
$507K
−2.2% in a year
Household income
$57K
median
Median age
61.3
years
Jobs based here
178
Balanced
Is Hatteras a good place to live?
Hatteras’ age of the median resident is 61.3 years, against 40.1 years in North Carolina’s towns and 40.5 years across U.S. towns. Of the 291 North Carolina towns we compare, none has a higher owner-occupancy rate than Hatteras. Hatteras’ density of trails is 1.2 miles per square mile, against 0.2 in North Carolina’s towns and 0.4 across U.S. towns. Its National Register listings include Hatteras Weather Bureau Station and Ellsworth and Lovie Ballance House. Hatteras has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
What makes Hatteras stand out
Where Hatteras beats most towns.
By the sea
Hatteras lives by the ocean
Coastal flooding makes up 11% of the storm damage FEMA expects here.
11%of expected storm damage is coastal flooding
100thpercentile for coastal flood risk nationally
3storm & flood disasters paid out here
On the water
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA · OpenStreetMap
Nearby attractions
All 8 attractions →Cape Hatteras Lighthouse and 3 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Hatteras. Close and well known come first.
9 mi LighthouseCape Hatteras Lighthouse
in town National SeashoreCape Hatteras National Seashore2.7M visitors a year
23 mi National SeashoreCape Lookout National Seashore513K visitors a year
29 mi MuseumChicamacomico Life-Saving StationSources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits
Cape Hatteras Lighthouse: Henryhartley, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Cape Hatteras National Seashore: Vbofficial, Public domain · Cape Lookout National Seashore: Jarek Tuszyński, CC BY 3.0 · Chicamacomico Life-Saving Station: Elizabeth from burlington, CC BY 2.0
Getting set up
Moving to Hatteras: who provides what
Hatteras is unincorporated, so Dare County and regional agencies provide most services.
PowerDominion Energy12.7¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterDare Co-Cape Hatteras WaterNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet4 providers87% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & county servicesDare CountyDare County provides services here
Register to voteOnlineIn North Carolina you can register online until 25 days before Election Day, in person with same-day registration during the early voting period, or by mail (postmarked 25 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereDare County Board of ElectionsDare County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jun 2023
ZIP code2794327943 100%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Hatteras.
Natural hazards
In Hatteras, the FEMA risk score runs higher than in the typical North Carolina or U.S. town
Households in Hatteras have drawn federal disaster aid in 3 declared disasters, most recently in 2016. FEMA puts 82% of the town’s expected hazard losses down to hurricanes, and 11% to coastal flooding. Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 100% of U.S. communities.
100risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
HurricanesCoastal flooding
3
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA disaster declarations and aid · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Housing
The typical home in Hatteras: about $507K
A home in Hatteras typically sold within 123 days of listing. Typical home values fell 2.2% in the year to September 2026. In Hatteras, the typical sale closed at 96.1% of the list price.
$507KZillow home value
Typical home value
Hatteras$507K
North Carolina$332K
Market temperature
123
days on market
96.1%
sale-to-list price
−2.2%
value change, 1 year
8
homes sold in May
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Climate
Mild winters and pleasant summers: that is Hatteras’ year
For Hatteras, the typical July afternoon high is 87°F.
2″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter41–56°
Spring54–69°
Summer73–86°
Fall60–74°
Dec 22
typical first frost
Mar 4
typical last frost
+0.9°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Work & commute
Compared with most of North Carolina and the rest of the country, the average trip to work in Hatteras is shorter
For most workers, Hatteras is a place to come home to: only 9% work in town. Hatteras: 4.7% of residents live below the poverty line. Half commute less than 27 miles. The top destinations are Buxton (19%), Avon (12%) and Frisco (6%).
9%work in town
| Hatteras | North Carolina towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 17 minutes | 24 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Below the poverty line | 4.7% | 13% | 9.6% |
| Median household income | $57,000 | $69,000 | $80,000 |
Where working residents work
In Hatteras9%
Buxton19%
Avon12%
Frisco6%
Greenville4%
27 mi
median commute distance
178
jobs based in Hatteras
Balanced
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Health
How healthy Hatteras is
Among adults in Hatteras, 27% sleep under 7 hours. The town beats the North Carolina average on 10 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 3. 29% of adults in Hatteras feel lonely; 14% report frequent mental distress.
| Hatteras | North Carolina towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 27% | 34% | 36% |
| Feel lonely (CDC PLACES) | 29% | 33% | 33% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 14% | 17% | 17% |
| Food insecurity (CDC PLACES) | 8.9% | 15% | 14% |
32 measures vs. North Carolina
10 better19 too close to call3 worse
| What stands out | Hatteras | NC |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults facing a utility shut-off | 4.4% | 8.1% |
| Fewer adults facing housing insecurity | 6.8% | 12.2% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 11.6% | 7.9% |
The Outer Banks Hospital
49.9 mi away · emergency room
1 of 3
care shortages: mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Outdoors
Conserved land covers 7.9% of Hatteras
The biggest place to walk is Cape Hatteras National Seashore, 54 acres with 2.3 miles of trail. 2.9 miles of trail wind through 2 parks and preserves. Parks and preserves locally: 2, covering 60 acres.
7.9%conserved
7.9%
conserved · 125 of 1,574 acres
2.9 mi
of trails · 1.2 per sq mi
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Cape Hatteras National Seashore | 2.3 mi | 54 |
| 2. Hatteras Village Park | 0.2 mi | 6 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Hatteras
15pages on Hatteras
The big questions
Out and about
After high school
Colleges nearby
None within 15 miles of Hatteras; the nearest are
Pamlico Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · Grantsboro65.8 mi$1,867 in-state tuitionElizabeth City State UniversityUniversity or college · Public · Elizabeth City78.8 mi$6,536 in-state tuition
About 0 of every 100 Hatteras residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across North Carolina.
Small town
152 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Landmarks
2 places in Hatteras on the National Register of Historic Places.
About Hatteras
Census-designated place in North Carolina, United States of America
Hatteras is an unincorporated village and census-designated place (CDP) in Dare County, North Carolina, United States, on the Outer Banks island of Hatteras, at its extreme southwestern tip. As of the 2020 census, Hatteras had a population of 577. Immediately to the west of the village of Hatteras is Hatteras Inlet which separates Hatteras Island from the neighboring Ocracoke Island. North Carolina Highway 12 passes through the community linking it to Frisco to the east and Ocracoke to the west (via a ferry across Hatteras Inlet). The residents of Hatteras are governed by the Dare County Board of Commissioners. Hatteras is part of District 4, along with Avon, Buxton, Frisco, Rodanthe, Waves…
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 1.7 sq mi
- Elevation
- 3 ft
- ZIP code
- 27943
Questions about Hatteras
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Hatteras, NC a good place to live?
Hatteras has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real. 2 of its places are on the National Register of Historic Places.