Housing data for Southern Shores, NC
Southern Shores, NC has an estimated 3,139 residents and 2,544 homes (US Census Bureau, 2020–2024 American Community Survey).
It is a town in Dare County.
8.7% of households rent.
Its population grew measurably since 2015–2019 (+8.3%).
Figures last updated on .
- Residents
- 3,139 (±15)
- Housing units
- 2,544 (±216)
- Households that rent
- 8.7%
- Residents since 2015–2019
- +8.3%
What stands out in Southern Shores
Homes in buildings of 5 or more units: 0.0% (±2.9 points) in Southern Shores, lower than in Dare County (9.2%).
Median home value: $712,300 (±$63,478) in Southern Shores, higher than in Dare County ($460,400).
Median real estate taxes: $3,770 (±$318) in Southern Shores, higher than in Dare County ($2,391).
Households that rent: 8.7% (±4.4 points) in Southern Shores, lower than in Dare County (21.6%).
Housing in Southern Shores at a glance
- Rent burden: 89.1% of renters pay 30% or more of income (Small sample: wide margin of error)
- Renters and owners: 8.7% of households rent (Small sample: wide margin of error)
- Income and affordability: $131,429 median household income
- Home values: $712,300 median home value
- Homeowner costs: $2,884 median monthly cost with a mortgage
- Property taxes: $3,770 median real estate taxes a year
- Types of homes: 0.0% of homes are in buildings of 5 or more units
- Bedrooms: 98.1% of homes have 3 or more bedrooms (Small sample: wide margin of error)
- Age of homes: 18.8% of homes were built before 1980
- Vacancy rate: 66.0% rental vacancy rate (Small sample: wide margin of error)
- Heating fuel: 97.2% heat with electricity
- Commute and cars: 24.6 minutes average trip to work
- Crime reported to police: 0 violent crimes per 100,000 residents
- Growth: +8.3% residents since 2015–2019
- How long people stay: 23.0% moved in since 2020
- Crowding and facilities: 0.0% of homes have more than 1 person per room (Small sample: wide margin of error)
Southern Shores against Dare County, its state and the nation
| Southern Shores | Dare County | North Carolina | United States | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residents | 3,139 (±15) | 37,875 (exact) | 10,730,404 (exact) | 334,922,499 |
| Housing units | 2,544 (±216) | 35,278 (±74) | 4,895,668 (±642) | 143,775,355 |
| Households that rent | 8.7% (±4.4 points) | 21.6% (±2.4 points) | 33.4% (±0.2 points) | 34.8% |
| Median gross rent | — | $1,345 (±$85) | $1,228 (±$5) | $1,413 |
| Median household income | $131,429 (±$23,323) | $88,994 (±$5,211) | $72,388 (±$324) | $80,734 |
| Median home value | $712,300 (±$63,478) | $460,400 (±$16,420) | $288,900 (±$1,086) | $332,700 |
| Median real estate taxes (a year) | $3,770 (±$318) | $2,391 (±$97) | $1,896 (±$8) | $3,119 |
| Built before 1980 | 18.8% (±7.8 points) | 23.9% (±2.1 points) | 33.9% (±0.2 points) | 49.7% |
| Average commute | 24.6 minutes (±4.5) | 22.4 minutes (±1.7) | 25.1 minutes (±0.1) | 26.4 minutes |
| Households with broadband | 98.5% (±2.3 points) | 91.7% (±2.0 points) | 90.1% (±0.2 points) | 91.0% |
| Median age of residents | 58.7 years (±2.6) | 49.0 years (±0.4) | 39.1 years (±0.2) | 38.9 years |
Southern Shores covers 3.9 square miles of land, about 795 residents per square mile (Census Bureau Gazetteer).
How Southern Shores has changed since 2015–2019
| 2015–2019 | 2020–2024 | Amount of change | Verdict | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residents | 2,899 (±22) | 3,139 (±15) | +8.3% | Measurable increase |
| Housing units | 2,370 (±152) | 2,544 (±216) | +7.3% | Not a measurable change |
| Median home value | $465,200 (±$19,562) | $712,300 (±$63,478) | +53.1% | Up after inflation |
| Median household income | $96,553 (±$12,890) | $131,429 (±$23,323) | +36.1% | No measurable change after inflation |
| Median owner cost with a mortgage | $2,402 (±$188) | $2,884 (±$295) | +20.1% | No measurable change after inflation |
| Median real estate taxes | $2,696 (±$144) | $3,770 (±$318) | +39.8% | Up after inflation |
| Households that rent | 8.5% (±4.0 points) | 8.7% (±4.4 points) | +0.2 percentage points | Not a measurable change |
| Rental vacancy rate | 72.4% (±14.0 points) | 66.0% (±18.1 points) | −6.4 percentage points | Not a measurable change |
The Census Bureau publishes 2015–2019 dollars in 2019 dollars and 2020–2024 dollars in 2024 dollars.
Prices (the CPI-U, US Bureau of Labor Statistics) rose 22.7% between 2019 and 2024, so a dollar figure’s verdict compares the two after raising the earlier one by that much, using the Census Bureau’s test for a difference.
The two periods do not overlap, as the Census Bureau recommends for 5-year estimates.
Crime reported to police in Southern Shores
In 2025, the Southern Shores Police Department reported 0 violent and 830 property crimes per 100,000 residents to the FBI.
ZIP codes in Southern Shores
| ZIP code | Share of the ZIP’s land in this place | Residents | Median gross rent | Median home value | Median household income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 27949 | 26% | 8,251 | $1,306 | $677,600 | $120,662 |
A ZIP code is a mail route rather than a boundary, so the Census Bureau publishes figures for ZIP Code Tabulation Areas built from census blocks; the share column says how much of each one’s land lies in this place.
Places near Southern Shores
| Place | Distance | Median gross rent | Median home value | Households that rent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kitty Hawk | 3.3 mi | $1,309 | $535,000 | 27.4% |
| Duck | 5.0 mi | $1,500 | $767,500 | 11.0% |
| Kill Devil Hills | 7.7 mi | $1,626 | $442,200 | 26.1% |
| Grandy | 12 mi | $1,122 | $306,000 | 27.1% |
| Nags Head | 13 mi | $1,005 | $490,800 | 17.2% |
| Manteo | 16 mi | $1,204 | $444,400 | 36.7% |
| Wanchese | 20 mi | $1,073 | $311,800 | 30.6% |
| Camden | 28 mi | $1,115 | $398,700 | 61.4% |
HUD Fair Market Rent for Southern Shores, fiscal year 2027
| Studio | 1 bedroom | 2 bedrooms | 3 bedrooms | 4 bedrooms |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $1,194 | $1,387 | $1,510 | $1,918 | $2,001 |
HUD income limits for Southern Shores, fiscal year 2026
| Household size | Extremely low (30%) | Very low (50%) | Low (80%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 person | $23,150 | $38,600 | $61,750 |
| 2 people | $26,450 | $44,050 | $70,550 |
| 3 people | $29,750 | $49,600 | $79,350 |
| 4 people | $33,050 | $55,100 | $88,150 |
| 5 people | $38,680 | $59,550 | $95,250 |
| 6 people | $44,360 | $63,950 | $102,300 |
| 7 people | $50,040 | $68,350 | $109,300 |
| 8 people | $55,720 | $72,750 | $116,350 |
These are the limits HUD sets for its housing programs in the Dare County, NC, where HUD’s median family income for fiscal year 2026 is $116,900.
A program can use its own limits; tax-credit and local programs often do.
Survey years: 2020–2024 (American Community Survey 5-year estimates), compared with 2015–2019.
Margins of error are at the 90% confidence level.
What you can do on Seayora in Southern Shores
One account for renting, owning, managing and fixing homes, with these figures beside you.
Own or manage a rental?
List it, sign the lease and collect rent online, with the figures for Southern Shores beside you.
Create a landlord account · See what landlords get
Looking for a place to rent?
Browse homes for rent near Southern Shores, save the ones you like and apply online.
Browse rentals · Create a renter account
Do repairs, renovations or maintenance?
Get found by owners and renters near Southern Shores, and send estimates and invoices from your phone.
Questions about Southern Shores
What is the median household income in Southern Shores?
The median household income in Southern Shores is $131,429 (±$23,323) a year (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
What is the average home value in Southern Shores, NC?
The Census Bureau publishes the median: $712,300 (±$63,478) for owner-occupied homes in Southern Shores (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
What is the average mortgage payment in Southern Shores?
The Census Bureau publishes total owner costs rather than the mortgage alone: the median for owners with a mortgage in Southern Shores, NC is $2,884 (±$295) a month, including taxes, insurance and utilities.
How much are property taxes in Southern Shores?
The median real estate tax paid by homeowners in Southern Shores, NC is $3,770 (±$318) a year (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
How many homes are in Southern Shores?
Southern Shores, NC has an estimated 2,544 (±216) housing units, occupied and vacant (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
How old are most homes in Southern Shores?
18.8% of homes in Southern Shores, NC were built before 1980 (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
Is Southern Shores growing?
In Southern Shores, the number of residents went from 2,899 in 2015–2019 to 3,139 in 2020–2024 (+8.3%), a measurable increase.
What ZIP codes are in Southern Shores?
The ZIP code that covers Southern Shores is 27949.
What is the median rent in ZIP code 27949?
The median gross rent in ZIP Code Tabulation Area 27949 is $1,306 (±$212) a month (2020–2024 American Community Survey).
Sources
- Demographic and Housing Estimates (DP05), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — Southern Shores town, North Carolina
- Selected Housing Characteristics (DP04), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — Southern Shores town, North Carolina
- Selected Economic Characteristics (DP03), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — Southern Shores town, North Carolina
- Median Real Estate Taxes Paid by Mortgage Status (B25103), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — Southern Shores town, North Carolina
- Selected Social Characteristics (DP02), 2020–2024 ACS 5-year estimates — Southern Shores town, North Carolina
- Total Population (B01003), 2015–2019 ACS 5-year estimates — Southern Shores town, North Carolina
- Median Gross Rent (B25064), 2015–2019 ACS 5-year estimates — Southern Shores town, North Carolina
- HUD Fair Market Rents, fiscal year 2027: Dare County, NC
- HUD Income Limits, fiscal year 2026: Dare County, NC
- US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates for ZIP Code Tabulation Areas
- FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program, Crime Data Explorer: Southern Shores Police Department (ORI NC0280400)
- FBI: Uniform Crime Reporting statistics and their proper use
- Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U), US city average, all items, US Bureau of Labor Statistics: annual averages 2019 and 2024
- US Census Bureau, 2024 Gazetteer Files
To check these figures in the Census Bureau’s own API, request the variables below from the 2024 ACS 5-year data profile (acs/acs5/profile) for Southern Shores town, North Carolina (place:63130, in state:37).
Each estimate (E or PE) has a margin of error beside it (M or PM).
The 2015–2019 figures are B01003_001E, B01003_001M, B25064_001E, B25064_001M from the 2019 release.
The API needs a free key.
DP05_0001E, DP05_0001M, DP04_0001E, DP04_0001M, DP04_0047PE, DP04_0047PM, DP04_0134E, DP04_0134M, DP03_0062E, DP03_0062M, DP04_0089E, DP04_0089M
This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.
Figures are published by the US Census Bureau, HUD, the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the FBI; Seayora reproduces them and does not adjust them, except where a sentence says it compares dollar figures after inflation. They describe the whole place, not any one building or street, and are not an appraisal, a rent determination, a tax bill, a safety rating or legal advice.
Figures last updated on .