PlainZIP

Manteo, NC · standard

ZIP Code 27954

Dare County, North Carolina - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.

6,111
267/sq mi
$80,587
Median income
$418,400
Median home value
38.0%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Manteo pairs an above-median household income with upper-quartile home values, in a low-density, homeowner-dominated area.

Top 37%
household income, US ZIPs
Top 19%
home value, US ZIPs
267
people per sq mi
82%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 27954 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 27954 is a mid-sized community (a standard USPS delivery area) in Manteo, Dare County, North Carolina, home to 6,111 residents across 22.9 square miles, a density of 267 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.

ZIP 27954 lands in the middle-income range, with a median household income of $80,587 (17% above the North Carolina average), while per-capita income is $46,544. Poverty here runs at 7.4%, with unemployment measured at 2.7%. The typical home here is valued at $418,400 (61% above the state average); renters pay a median of $1,243 monthly, and 81.8% of units are owner-occupied.

A solid share of residents have a four-year degree: 38.0% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 44.1, and the average commute is 20 minutes. Beyond these figures, 3 nearby ZIP codes within about 10 miles are surfaced below, along with 6 more sharing Dare County, letting you compare 27954 to its immediate surroundings rather than a national baseline alone.

Every figure on this page is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates (including median rent) and the FHFA House Price Index, no estimates, no proprietary scoring. Verify with Census →

Top industries in ZIP 27954

Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Manteo, NC

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 27954.

establishments

What this shows Establishment counts come from the Census ZIP Code Business Patterns program, which counts physical business locations rather than employees or revenue.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) As of 2023

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates + ZIP Code Business Patterns + FHFA HPI ACS demographics and median rent, ZBP business establishments, FHFA HPI for ZIP 27954, Manteo, NC · 2023 Census ACS 5-Year Estimates use a rolling 60-month sample for stable small-geography estimates; ZBP updated annually; FHFA HPI updated quarterly/annually.

Quick Facts

6,111

Population

22.9

Area (sq mi)

267

People / sq mi

New York

Time Zone

standard

ZIP Type

Neighborhood Scorecard
Get an A-F grade across income, safety, housing, rent, education, commute, and childcare for this ZIP code.
View Scorecard →

Who lives in ZIP 27954?

44.1

Median Age

47.1%

Male

52.9%

Female

5.9%

Foreign-Born

White 76.9%
African American 11.7%
Asian 0.2%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.0%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.1%
Two or More Ethnicities 3.7%
Hispanic or Latino 9.1%

Hispanic or Latino is an ethnicity category from the Census Bureau and may overlap with other categories above.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

How much do residents earn?

$80,587

Median Household Income

+17% vs state

$46,544

Per Capita Income

7.4%

Poverty Rate

2.7%

Unemployment Rate

20.2 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 27954 ranks nationally

Manteo, NC household income vs. every US ZIP code

Median household income, the full national distribution, with this ZIP marked

$80,587 Top 37% higher than 63% of 30,318 US ZIPs

$0–$20,000: 118 US ZIPs (0%). Below this entry. $20,000–$40,000: 1,573 US ZIPs (5%). Below this entry. $40,000–$60,000: 7,092 US ZIPs (23%). Below this entry. $60,000–$80,000: 9,980 US ZIPs (33%). Below this entry. $80,000–$100,000: 5,778 US ZIPs (19%). This entry sits in this band. $100,000–$120,000: 2,855 US ZIPs (9%). Above this entry. $120,000–$140,000: 1,362 US ZIPs (4%). Above this entry. $140,000–$160,000: 686 US ZIPs (2%). Above this entry. $160,000–$180,000: 364 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. $180,000–$200,000: 186 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. $200,000–$220,000: 324 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. This ZIP $0 $200K+ every reporting US ZIP, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US ZIPs. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2019–2023

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

What is the education profile here?

High School Graduate or Higher 63.2%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 38.0%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

What does housing look like?

3,680

Total Housing Units

2,983

Occupied Units

697

Vacant Units

2.41

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 81.8%
Renter 18.2%

$418,400

Median Home Value

+61% vs state

$1,243

Median Rent

1994

Median Year Built

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

How have home values changed over time?

FHFA House Price Index, annual appreciation data based on repeat sales and appraisals

+9.2%

YoY Change (2024)

330

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+230%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 27954 have increased 9.2% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +230% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +4.6% 197
2021 +14.8% 226
2022 +24.9% 282
2023 +6.9% 302
2024 +9.2% 330

Source: Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) House Price Index, All-Transactions, Five-Digit ZIP Codes (Developmental Index). Index base = 100 in year 2000. Data through 2024. ZIP codes with few transactions may show missing values.

What businesses operate in this ZIP?

Census Bureau data shows 244 business establishments in ZIP 27954, employing approximately 1,512 people with a combined annual payroll of $65,046,000.

244

Businesses

1,512

Employees

$65.0M

Annual Payroll

14

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Retail trade 53 21.7%
Construction 25 10.3%
Accommodation and food services 25 10.3%
Other services (except public administration) 23 9.4%
Real estate and rental and leasing 20 8.2%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 18 7.4%
Transportation and warehousing 17 7.0%
Health care and social assistance 13 5.3%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 13 5.3%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 11 4.5%
Finance and insurance 10 4.1%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting 6 2.5%
Wholesale trade 4 1.6%
Information 3 1.2%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP), 2023. Employment figures may include noise for disclosure avoidance.

Nearby ZIP Codes

Want a side-by-side? Compare 27954 vs 27981 →

ZIP 27954 vs its nearest neighbors, by population

Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.

residents

What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 27954 ranks #2 by population - useful context the national average alone can't give.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 5-Year Estimates As of 2019–2023

ZIP 27954 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income

Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.

median income

What this shows By household income, ZIP 27954 ranks #4 of 4 neighboring ZIPs, local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 5-Year Estimates As of 2019–2023
ZIP Code City Population Distance
27981 Wanchese, NC 1,643 4.5 mi
27959 Nags Head, NC 2,789 5.1 mi
27948 Kill Devil Hills, NC 10,862 7.4 mi

More ZIP Codes in Dare County

27948 standard
Kill Devil Hills, NC
Pop: 10,862
27949 standard
Kitty Hawk, NC
Pop: 6,947
27959 standard
Nags Head, NC
Pop: 2,789
27981 standard
Wanchese, NC
Pop: 1,643
27920 standard
Buxton, NC
Pop: 1,326
27936 standard
Frisco, NC
Pop: 1,091

Related Areas

Dare County Manteo, NC North Carolina

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 27954 in? ▼
ZIP code 27954 (Manteo) is located in Dare County, North Carolina. Dare County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/dare-nc.
What is the population of ZIP code 27954? ▼
ZIP code 27954 in Manteo, NC has a population of 6,111 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 27954? ▼
The median household income in ZIP 27954 is $80,587, which is 6% above the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 27954? ▼
The median home value in ZIP 27954 is $418,400, which is 50% above the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 27954? ▼
The largest racial group in ZIP 27954 is White at 76.9%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 9.1% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 27954? ▼
ZIP code 27954 has 244 business establishments employing approximately 1,512 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 27954? ▼
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 27954 are: Retail trade (53), Construction (25), Accommodation and food services (25). There are 14 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 27954? ▼
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 27954 increased by 9.2% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 230%. This is a developmental index based on repeat sales and appraisal data from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.
What is the education level in ZIP code 27954? ▼
In ZIP code 27954, 63.2% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 38.0% hold a bachelor's degree or higher. These figures come from the Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023).
What is the average commute time in ZIP 27954? ▼
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 27954 is 20.2 minutes according to Census ACS data. The national average is roughly 26 minutes, so commuters here spend less time traveling to work than typical.
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 27954? ▼
In ZIP code 27954, approximately 81.8% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 18.2% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 27954? ▼
The poverty rate in ZIP code 27954 is 7.4% according to Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. This measures the percentage of the population living below the federal poverty threshold.

Read our methodology to see how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.