ZIP Code 28531 — Harkers Island CDP, NC Demographics & Data

ZIP code 28531 covers Harkers Island, NC in Carteret County with a population of about 1,080.

At a glance, the area shows median age of 59.5 versus a U.S. median of about 38.9.

It sits in telephone area code 252; U.S. House district NC-3; the GREENVILLE - N. BERN - WASHNGTN media market.

Harkers Island, NC fits a retirement-oriented profile (older median age or known retirement-community context). 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 28531 is about $58,750 — about 22% below the U.S. median ($75,149).

On socioeconomic markers, US5 shows a poverty rate of 11.9%; unemployment rate near 0.5%; 23.2% of adults with a bachelor’s degree or higher (about 10.5 points below the national share (33.7%)).

Labor and commute patterns include leading industry context around Education, Other services, and Public administration; about 5.4% of workers reporting work-from-home (about 9.8 points below 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 $295,500 — about 15% below the U.S. median home value ($348,079).

Housing tenure and rents show median gross rent around $716 (about 38% below the U.S. median rent ($1,163)), and owner-occupancy near 84.2% (about 18.8 points above the national owner-occupancy rate (65.4%)).

To comfortably buy a median-priced home in ZIP 28531 in Harkers Island, NC, a household would need roughly $81,000 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 $1,898. That is about 38% above the local median household income ($58,750), 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 Harkers Island CDP, NC as Relatively Moderate (composite score 93.5), which is among the highest nationally. The strongest component scores on US5 are hurricane (98.7) and wildfire (88.6). 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 Harkers Island CDP, NC show little to no average snow and around 55.7 inches of annual precipitation.

IRS migration statistics show a net inflow of about 45 for ZIP 28531 (Harkers Island CDP, 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.