Hatteras, NC

The affordability dashboard for Hatteras, NC aggregates Census ACS 5-Year Estimates across 1 ZIP code covering 504 residents, then layers in county-level federal data to produce an overall grade of C- (51/100). The headline inputs are median household income of $57,188, median home value of —, median rent of — per month, and 51.2% of adults holding a bachelor's degree or higher. These four metrics alone explain most of the variance between city dashboards.

Cross-agency feeds widen the picture beyond Census demographics. HUD publishes a Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom in this county at $1,430 per month (studio $1,120, 1BR $1,305, 3BR $1,821, 4BR $1,893). Department of Labor data lists infant center-based childcare at $11,967 per year, consuming 21% of the local median household income.

Reading the overall grade requires reading all seven dimensions together. The score weights Income 20%, Safety 20%, Housing 15%, Rent 15%, Education 10%, Commute 10%, and Childcare 10%, with each sub-score benchmarked against national percentiles rather than state averages — so the grade is genuinely comparable across any city in the country. Strengths visible in the raw data for Hatteras, NC include education. Pressure points are childcare. Unemployment currently reads 0.0% and poverty 4.7% — numbers worth keeping alongside the headline grade.