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North Carolina›Dare County
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WavesNC

Population 153: a town settled in 1939.

Population
153
Census survey, 2020–24
Median age
63.4
years
Land area
1 sq mi

Is Waves a good place to live?

Waves’ age of the median resident is 63.4 years, above both North Carolina’s towns (40.1 years) and U.S. towns (40.5 years). Of the 291 North Carolina towns we compare, none has a higher home-ownership rate than Waves. Waves’ concentration of trails is 1.9 miles per square mile, where North Carolina’s towns sit at 0.2 and U.S. towns at 0.4. The biggest place to walk is Cape Hatteras National Seashore, 46 acres with 1.2 miles of trail. Waves has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.

By the sea

Waves 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
  • Cape Hatteras National Seashore

FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA · OpenStreetMap

Nearby attractions

Cape Hatteras National Seashore and 6 more within 40 miles

Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Waves. Close and well known come first.

All 8 attractions →
in town National SeashoreCape Hatteras National Seashore2.7M visitors a year22 mi LighthouseCape Hatteras Lighthouse33 mi National MemorialWright Brothers National Memorial342K visitors a year18 mi LighthouseBodie Island Light2 mi MuseumChicamacomico Life-Saving Station28 mi National Historic SiteFort Raleigh National Historic Site267K visitors a year
Sources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits

Cape Hatteras National Seashore: Vbofficial, Public domain · Cape Hatteras Lighthouse: Henryhartley, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wright Brothers National Memorial: Ken Thomas, Public domain · Bodie Island Light: RyanGRodgers, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Chicamacomico Life-Saving Station: Elizabeth from burlington, CC BY 2.0 · Fort Raleigh National Historic Site: Sarah Stierch, CC BY 4.0

Getting set up

Moving to Waves: who provides what

Waves is unincorporated, so Dare County and regional agencies provide most services.

PowerDominion Energy12.7¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterDare Co-Rws Water SystemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet4 providers89% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & county servicesDare CountyDare County provides services here
SchoolsDare County SchoolsWhich school depends on your addressNCES
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.gov
Who runs elections hereDare County Board of ElectionsDare County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Jun 2023
ZIP codes27982, 2797227982 77% · 27972 23%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 Waves.

Natural hazards

The FEMA risk score in Waves is higher than in most of North Carolina or the rest of the country

FEMA puts just over four fifths of Waves’s expected hazard losses down to hurricanes, and 11% to coastal flooding. Federal disaster aid has reached households in Waves after 3 declared disasters, most recently in 2016. Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 100% of U.S. communities.

100risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
100Very high riskLowerHigher
HurricanesCoastal flooding
3
federal disasters paid out here
Full pageWaves’ hazards pageOpen the page
What it facesVery high riskFlood claims0 paid flood claims · No paid flood claims on recordPast disasters3 federal disasters · Paid out in WavesGet ready0.5 events a year, on average · Ready for hurricanes

FEMA disaster declarations and aid · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA

Climate

Waves: four seasons and pleasant summers

For Waves, the midsummer high is 86°F.

86°summer high

Typical low → high °F

Winter40–55°
Spring53–67°
Summer72–85°
Fall60–73°
Dec 20
typical first frost
Mar 1
typical last frost
+0.9°
vs. the 20th-century average
86°
typical summer high
Full pageWaves’ climate pageOpen the page
A year of weatherJuly highs 86°, January lows 38°Rain & snow55″ of rain a year · Rain a yearHeating & coolingBoth heating and coolingThen and now+0.9° vs. the 20th century · Warmer than the 20th-century average

NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020

Outdoors

Conserved land covers 14.7% of Waves

In 1 park or preserve, walkers have 1.3 miles of trail.

14.7%conserved
14.7%
conserved · 64 of 437 acres
1.3 mi
of trails · 1.9 per sq mi
Biggest places to walkTrailsAcres
1. Cape Hatteras National Seashore1.2 mi46
Full pageWaves’ outdoors pageOpen the page
Trail map1.3 miles of trail, mappedPick a walk1.2 miles of trail · Cape Hatteras National SeashoreConserved land14.7% conserved · 64 acres protectedQuestions“Where can I hike in Waves?”

Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US

Health

How healthy Waves is

Waves: a third of adults have obesity. On the CDC’s 32 measures, Waves is ahead of North Carolina on 11 and behind on 3. 28% of adults in Waves feel lonely; 14% report frequent mental distress. Only 10 of the 290 North Carolina towns we compare have a lower share of adults who sleep under 7 hours than Waves.

WavesNorth Carolina townsU.S. towns
Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES)27%34%36%
Feel lonely (CDC PLACES)28%33%33%
Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES)14%17%17%
High blood pressure (CDC PLACES)41%38%35%
32 measures vs. North Carolina
11 better18 too close to call3 worse
What stands outWavesNC
Fewer adults facing housing insecurity7.1%12.2%
Fewer adults facing food insecurity9%15.2%
More adults who have had cancer11.4%7.9%
The Outer Banks Hospital
27.1 mi away · emergency room
1 of 3
care shortages: mental health
Full pageWaves’ health reportOpen the page
Everyday habitsFewer adults sleeping under 7 hoursHospitals & doctors nearby27.1 miles to an ER · The Outer Banks HospitalHow adults are doingFewer adults lacking emotional supportEvery CDC estimateBetter than NC on 11 of 32

CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA

$640Kmedian sale price
2
homes sold in September
Full pageWaves’ housing & cost-of-living pageOpen the page
Prices over the yearsPrices over the yearsYears of income to buyYears of income to buyRentsRentsVs. the neighbors2 bordering towns

Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center

Keep exploring

Everything we know about Waves

14pages on Waves
The big questions
HealthBetter than NC on 11 of 32 CDC measuresCost of livingNatural hazardsFEMA risk higher than 100% of U.S. communities · hurricanes
Out and about
Outdoors1 mi of trails · 15% conserved landPlacesAttractions8 nearby · Cape Hatteras National Seashore under 1 miLibraryDare County Library
The story
HistorySettled 1939Climate86° summer highs
Day to day
NewsWeatherHandbookZIP code 27982Town SquareNeighbors
After high school

Colleges nearby

None within 15 miles of Waves; the nearest are

Elizabeth City State UniversityUniversity or college · Public · Elizabeth City64.4 mi$6,536 in-state tuitionCollege of the AlbemarleCommunity college · Public · Elizabeth City67.1 mi$2,242 in-state tuition

About 6 of every 100 Waves residents are enrolled in college, about the same as North Carolina.

Prices by family income, graduation and earnings →

Small town

153 people, and everyone knows the way

In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.

RodantheSalvoRodantheSalvoWaves

About Waves

Census-designated place in North Carolina, United States

Waves is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) in Dare County, North Carolina, United States. It is on Hatteras Island, part of North Carolina's Outer Banks. As of the 2020 census, Waves had a population of 172. Waves, along with Rodanthe and Salvo, are part of the settlement of Chicamacomico. The residents of Waves are governed by the Dare County Board of Commissioners. Waves is part of District 4, along with Avon, Buxton, Frisco, Hatteras, Rodanthe and Salvo.

From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)

Area
0.6 sq mi
Elevation
7 ft
ZIP code
27982

Questions about Waves

Short answers, built from the data on this page.

Is Waves, NC a good place to live?

Waves has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.