ZIP Code 27959 — Nags Head town, NC Demographics & Data

ZIP code 27959 covers Nags Head, NC in Dare County with a population of about 3,172.

At a glance, the area shows median age of 59.0 versus a U.S. median of about 38.9.

It sits in telephone area code 252; U.S. House district NC-3; the NORFOLK - PORTSMTH - NEWPT NWS media market.

Nags Head, NC fits a retirement-oriented profile (high share of residents 65+ (42.3%)). Residents and relocators commonly research healthcare access, everyday amenities (dining, personal services), and housing costs rather than tech or campus life.

Median household income in ZIP 27959 is about $87,619 — about 17% above the U.S. median ($75,149).

On socioeconomic markers, US5 shows a poverty rate of 2.6%; unemployment rate near 2.0%; 51.5% of adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher (about 17.8 points above the national share (33.7%)).

Labor and commute patterns include leading industry context around Retail trade, Food services, and Public administration; about 15.1% of workers reporting work-from-home (roughly in line with the U.S. share (15.2%)); a mean commute of about 180.0 minutes (U.S. average near 26.8).

Median home value is about $451,100 — about 30% above the U.S. median home value ($348,079).

Housing tenure and rents show median gross rent around $1,005 (about 14% below the U.S. median rent ($1,163)), and owner-occupancy near 77.6% (about 12.2 points above the national owner-occupancy rate (65.4%)).

To comfortably buy a median-priced home in ZIP 27959 in Nags Head, NC, a household would need roughly $124,000 in annual income under a 20% down, 30-year loan at 6.8% (illustrative), keeping housing costs near 28% of income. Estimated monthly PITI is about $2,898. That is about 42% above the local median household income ($87,619), so the median earner would likely stretch or need a larger down payment. Rates, taxes, insurance, and HOA fees vary — treat this as a planning estimate, not a lender quote.

FEMA’s National Risk Index rates natural-hazard risk for Nags Head town, NC as Relatively Moderate (composite score 89.6), which is elevated versus much of the country. The strongest component scores on US5 are hurricane (97.7) and wildfire (82.7). These scores are county-linked NRI values published for planning context — all ZIP codes in the same county share the same composite score on US5. Useful when comparing insurance and disaster exposure across areas, not a substitute for a parcel-level flood or fire determination.

Climate normals for Nags Head town, NC show little to no average snow and around 46.5 inches of annual precipitation.

IRS migration statistics show a net inflow of about 132 for ZIP 27959 (Nags Head town, NC) on US5’s published series — a signal of people/tax filers moving in relative to those leaving. Inflows often track job growth, housing demand, or lifestyle migration; treat the figure as a directional indicator rather than a precise headcount.