Cape Carteret is a town in Carteret County, North Carolina, home to about 2,703 people across 2.5 square miles. It has no ZIP code of its own: it’s part of 28584.
Homes sold for a median of $221 per square foot in the three months ending August 2026, a seller’s market.
Mostly Swansboro; part is in Cape Carteret
Each card is that ZIP code’s whole market, including any part outside Cape Carteret. Seller’s market: under 4 months of supply; buyer’s market: over 6. Methodology
We’re writing up Cape Carteret’s story and what everyday life there is like, for people thinking about moving in.
Are you a local agent who knows Cape Carteret well? Agents who advertise here will be able to write the guide. Advertise on OfferBacked
| Nearest major airport | Raleigh-Durham International Airport (RDU)124 miles away |
|---|---|
| Closer regional airport | Coastal Carolina Regional Airport (EWN)26 miles away |
| Nearest city of 250,000+ | Raleigh, NC115 miles away |
| Nearest city of 1 million+ | Philadelphia, PA383 miles away |
Straight-line distances from the center of Cape Carteret; driving is longer.
Source: Airports from OurAirports (scheduled passenger service); city centers and populations from the U.S. Census Bureau.
Source: Members of Congress from the congress-legislators project; districts from the Census Bureau’s relationship files; governor and mayor from Wikidata.
Cape Carteret had 2,224 residents in the 2020 census, up 83% since 2000.
It’s the 280th largest of 771 towns in North Carolina by population.
Carteret County grew from 11,811 residents in 1900 to 67,686 in 2020.
Carteret County, 1900–2020
Source: U.S. Census Bureau decennial censuses (counties 1900–1990 from the Bureau’s historical county file).
Average highs peak around 88°F in summer, and winter lows average 32°F. About 60.3 inches of rain and melted snow fall in a typical year.
Source: NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals, Hofmann Forest, NC weather station (13 miles away).
21,789 jobs at 2,249 businesses in Carteret County. The biggest industries by employees:
Source: U.S. Census Bureau County Business Patterns 2022 (private employers; jobs counted where people work).
103 doctors and other health care providers list an office in Cape Carteret.
Nearest hospitals
Providers with an office here
| Primary care doctors | 11 |
|---|---|
| Specialist doctors | 5 |
| Dentists | 12 |
| Nurse practitioners and physician assistants | 19 |
| Mental health providers | 30 |
| Physical and occupational therapists | 15 |
| Optometrists | 6 |
| Chiropractors | 5 |
| Pharmacies | 5 |
Source: Hospitals from CMS Hospital General Information (ratings are CMS overall star ratings); straight-line distances; providers from the CMS National Plan and Provider Enumeration System (NPPES), by practice address and primary specialty.
Parks (4 nearby)
Grocery stores (3 nearby)
Pharmacies (1 nearby)
Libraries
Counts are within about 1.5 miles of the center of town.
Source: Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors (openstreetmap.org/copyright), as mapped by volunteers; it can miss places or include closed ones.
Established in 1959.
Source: Wikidata (wikidata.org), the free knowledge base; people are listed by place of birth.
Public schools here are run by Onslow County Schools, Carteret County Public Schools. Check each district’s attendance zones for a specific address.
| School | Grades | Students | Type | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Queens Creek ElementarySwansboro | Pre-K–5 | 706 | Public | 1.1 mi |
| White Oak ElementaryCape Carteret | Pre-K–5 | 784 | Public | 4.3 mi |
| Swansboro ElementarySwansboro | K–5 | 592 | Public | 0.4 mi |
| Swansboro MiddleSwansboro | 6–8 | 1,052 | Public | 1.1 mi |
| Swansboro HighSwansboro | 9–12 | 1,232 | Public | 1.1 mi |
| School | Grades | Students | Affiliation | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Salt and Light AcademySwansboro | 1–12 | 16 | Other religious | 0.5 mi |
Source: U.S. Department of Education, NCES: Common Core of Data (2024-2025) for public schools; Private School Universe Survey (2023-2024) for private schools. Listed by address; we don’t rate schools.
Buying or selling around Cape Carteret? Tell us what you need and when. No agents advertise here yet, so we’ll keep your request for up to 30 days and send it to local agents who join. No obligation, and you choose who to work with.
Loading map…
Shares ZIP codes with Swansboro, Cedar Point and Peletier.
Town boundaries don’t always match ZIP codes: a ZIP code can cross into neighboring towns, and a town can share a ZIP code with its neighbors. Facts describe the town itself; market figures describe whole ZIP codes.