Morgan House · National Register of Historic Places
South Mills’s story
186 years in pictures
The archive holds 3 maps from 1940 on.
3 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
- 1840South Mills is settled
South MillsNC
It counts 3 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
Photo: Photogeographer · CC BY-SA 4.0
Population
230
Census survey, 2020–24
Typical home
$416K
+2.3% in a year
Median age
29.5
years
Jobs based here
17
A commuter town
Is South Mills a good place to live?
100% of households live in a home they own in South Mills, above both the North Carolina town median (67%) and the median of U.S. towns (73%). Its National Register listings include Dismal Swamp Canal and Morgan House. South Mills has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
What makes South Mills stand out
Where South Mills beats most towns.
Small town
230 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
Getting set up
Moving to South Mills: who provides what
South Mills is unincorporated, so Camden County and regional agencies provide most services.
PowerDominion Energy12.7¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterPasquotank County Water SystemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet5 providers98% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & county servicesCamden CountyCamden 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 hereCamden County Board of ElectionsCamden County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, May 2019
ZIP code2797627976 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 South Mills.
Work & commute
South Mills has 0.1 jobs for every working resident, so most commute out
The top destinations are Elizabeth City (15%), Chesapeake (12%) and Virginia Beach (9%). For half of commuters, work is under 29 miles away.
0%work in town
Where working residents work
In South Mills0%
Elizabeth City15%
Chesapeake12%
Virginia Beach9%
Norfolk9%
29 mi
median commute distance
17
jobs based in South Mills
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Housing
Homes in South Mills are worth about $416K, by Zillow’s estimate
On the market in South Mills: a median 158 days to sell. Typical home values rose 2.3% in the year to September 2026. Bidding over the asking price: a third of homes sold in the town.
$416KZillow home value
Typical home value
South Mills$416K
North Carolina$332K
Market temperature
158
days on market
99.8%
sale-to-list price
+2.3%
value change, 1 year
5
homes sold in September
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Climate
In South Mills, expect mild winters and hot summers
July afternoons reach 89°, January nights drop to 31° and snow is almost unheard of.
89°summer high
Typical low → high °F
Winter33–54°
Spring47–70°
Summer67–87°
Fall51–72°
Nov 17
typical first frost
Mar 27
typical last frost
+1.3°
vs. the 20th-century average
89°
typical summer high
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Health
How healthy South Mills is
Just over one in ten adults have diabetes in South Mills. The town beats the North Carolina average on 6 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 1. In South Mills, 30% of adults feel lonely, and 20% get no exercise outside work.
| South Mills | North Carolina towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 17% | 15% | 16% |
| Feel lonely (CDC PLACES) | 30% | 33% | 33% |
| Get no exercise (CDC PLACES) | 20% | 24% | 25% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 15% | 17% | 17% |
32 measures vs. North Carolina
6 better25 too close to call1 worse
| What stands out | South Mills | NC |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults facing food insecurity | 10.3% | 15.2% |
| Fewer uninsured adults | 7.5% | 10.4% |
| More binge drinkers | 17.2% | 14.7% |
Sentara Albemarle Medical Center
10.9 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Natural hazards
The biggest natural risk in South Mills is inland flooding, at a moderate overall level
For South Mills, the natural-hazard score from FEMA is 58 of 100. Households here have drawn federal disaster aid in 4 declared disasters, most recently in 2016. Of the losses FEMA expects in the town, 45% come from inland flooding and 29% from hurricanes.
58risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingHurricanes
4
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA disaster declarations and aid · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Keep exploring
Everything we know about South Mills
16pages on South Mills
The big questions
Out and about
The story
After high school
Colleges nearby
3 within 15 miles of the center of South Mills
College of the AlbemarleCommunity college · Public · Elizabeth City10 mi$2,242 in-state tuitionMid-Atlantic Christian UniversityUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Elizabeth City11.2 mi$17,280 tuitionElizabeth City State UniversityUniversity or college · Public · Elizabeth City12.8 mi$6,536 in-state tuition
About 13 of every 100 South Mills residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across North Carolina.
A commuter town
100% of working residents leave South Mills for work
Where South Mills’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
17jobs based in South Mills
0%of working residents work in town
29 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
Landmarks
3 places in South Mills on the National Register of Historic Places.
About South Mills
Census-designated place in North Carolina, United States
South Mills is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) in Camden County, North Carolina, United States. As of the 2020 census, South Mills had a population of 362. South Mills has a post office with ZIP code 27976, which opened on March 2, 1840. The community is located near U.S. Route 17, and U.S. Route 17 Business and North Carolina Highway 343, and future Interstate 87 (North Carolina) pass through the community. The community derived its name from a watermill which operated near the original town site. The William Riley Abbott House, Dismal Swamp Canal, and Morgan House are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 1.8 sq mi
- Elevation
- 13 ft
- ZIP code
- 27976
- Area code
- 252
Questions about South Mills
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is South Mills, NC a good place to live?
South Mills has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real. It counts 3 places on the National Register of Historic Places.