Real Estate Investing in Elizabeth City, North Carolina (27909)

Everything the listing leaves out — vacancy, rent trend, cap rate, landlord climate. All free.

Pasquotank County • Population: 40,878 • Data updated: September 2026

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Should you buy in 27909 (Elizabeth City, NC)? Our answer, based on the numbers below.

🏠 For Homebuyers
GOOD FIT
Grade B (70/100)

Solid choice — values are growing steadily and the market is stable enough to buy with confidence.

📈 For Investors
MIXED
3.0 / 5 (52/100)

A middle-of-the-road market. Workable, but the best opportunities may be nearby ZIPs rather than this one.

⚠️ Risks to Know
1 flag
  • Elevated vacancy: 11.6% vacancy may signal weakening demand.

What’s happening in Elizabeth City, NC (27909)?

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3.0/ 5

Investability

Overall investment appeal

3.0/ 5

Appreciation

Long-term value growth

4.0/ 5

Cashflow ROI

Rental yield potential

Avg Home Value $270,386
Avg Monthly Rent $1,524
1% Rule ✗ Does Not Meet
Median Income $61,499
% Renters 35.8%

Market Analysis: 27909 Elizabeth City

Investors eyeing 27909 need to respect the fundamentals at play. Home values of $270K come alongside slower price movement and elevated management overhead.

If the plan assumes clean turnover, on-time rent, and low maintenance on a $270K asset, 27909 is the wrong submarket. If the plan prices in friction, the yield can still work.

Statewide comparisons place 27909 among NC's softer markets. That context does not make the ZIP uninvestable, but it does raise the bar for due diligence.

Resident income in 27909 sits below the county median. That reality colors rent collection, vacancy, and reinvestment math in ways that outside investors often underestimate.

The right play in 27909 usually involves deep tenant screening, aggressive delinquency response, and a conservative capex buffer. Anything less, and the discount can turn into a trap.

Explore the Data — Click a Tab Below
🏦 Current 30-yr Fixed Mortgage Rate: 6.76% as of Sep 10 Source: Freddie Mac PMMS

Here's what matters if you're considering buying a home in Elizabeth City:

B Good
Buy Confidence Score: 71/100
Affordability
15/25
Appreciation
22/25
Stability
13/20
Timing
6/15
Rental backup
15/15
Affordability
Moderate
Homes cost 4.4× the median income
Value Trend
Rising (+4.1%)
How home values changed in the past year
Rental Backup
Strong
Could rent for $1,524/mo if you need to move
Market Conditions
WARM
Seller-favorable conditions, steady activity
Bottom Line: Mixed signals in this market. Research specific properties carefully and be prepared to negotiate.
☀️
WARM MARKET
Elizabeth City, NC Metro Area
Seller-favorable conditions, steady activity
0 days
Average time to sell
Very Fast
8.7%
Listings with price cuts
Few Cuts
0.0%
Sale price vs asking
Below Ask
0.0%
Income needed for mortgage
Affordable
📅 Market conditions as of August 29, 2026 — updated weekly from Elizabeth City, NC metro data
🏠

Property Strategy for 27909

Which property type performs best in this market?

Best for Cash Flow
2BR
5.6% cap rate
Best for Appreciation
2BR
+10.1% 5yr CAGR
Best Overall Value
2BR
$75,840/bedroom
📊 Compare All Property Types →
Type Median Value Est. Rent Cap Rate 5yr CAGR $/Bedroom
2BR $151,679 $1,190 5.6% +10.1% $75,840
3BR $260,044 $1,600 4.4% +9.2% $86,681
4BR $357,191 $1,860 3.7% +8.9% $89,298
5BR $401,948 +8.4% $80,390

Market Trends

Home Value History (with trend line)

$282K$250K$217K$185K$152K$120KJan 2009Oct 2017Jul 2026

Rent History (with trend line)

$1,620$1,541$1,462$1,383$1,305$1,226Dec 2022Oct 2024Jul 2026

📊 How Does 27909 Compare?

Metric 27909 Elizabeth City Elizabeth City, NC North Carolina
Home Value $270,386 $270,386 N/A $330,565
5-Year CAGR 6.7% 6.7% N/A 7.8%
Avg Rent $1,524 $1,524 N/A -
Cap Rate 4.4% 4.4% - -
💡 Why Invest in 27909? Click to expand

With a 3/5 investability rating, this ZIP shows solid fundamentals for buy-and-hold investors.

A healthy rental market with 36% renter-occupied households ensures tenant availability.

📊 See where this ZIP ranks in our Best-of lists →
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Landlord Ground Truth

Real numbers from people who own or manage rentals in ZIP 27909 (Elizabeth City, NC). Anonymous, moderated, never written by AI.

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Investability
Good
Cap Rate
4.4%
Fair
5yr Growth
+6.7%
Strong

📉 Market Crash Risk Index

Based on Elizabeth City, NC metro

0/10
Low Risk
Price YoY
0/3
N/A
Rent YoY
0/2
N/A
Below List
0/3
36%
Days Pending
0/2
0 days

View all metro crash risk rankings →

📊 Market Snapshot

Home Value $270,386
Monthly Rent $1,524
Price-to-Rent 14.8:1
1% Rule ✗ Fails

💰 Return Metrics

Gross Yield 6.8%
Cap Rate 4.4%
5-Year IRR 11.1%

📈 Home Appreciation

1-Year +4.1% ▲
3-Year CAGR +5.0% ▲
5-Year CAGR +6.7% ▲
10-Year CAGR +6.8% ▲

🏠 Rent Trends

1-Year +0.5% ▲
3-Year CAGR +5.1% ▲
5-Year CAGR N/A
Negative Leverage — IRR / Tax Play Cap Rate: 4.4%  |  30yr Rate: 6.8%
Leverage reduces cash returns at current rates.

The current 30-yr mortgage rate (6.8%) exceeds the estimated cap rate (4.4%). Financing reduces your cash-on-cash return below the cap rate. Markets like this may still make sense as IRR plays — factoring in appreciation, depreciation, and a future refinance when rates drop.

Run an IRR Analysis →

⚠️ Risk Signals

Composite view of factors that can impact a ZIP's stability and your downside risk.

Vacancy
11.6%
Moderate risk
Landlord Climate
4.0/5
Friendly
Value Trend (5yr)
+6.7%
Growing
Eviction process: Moderate Rent control: Favorable

Demographics in 27909

Population: 40,878

💰 Median Household Income
$61,499
This area
$61,499
State
$63,256
USA
$74,580
🏠 Renter Occupied
35.8%
This area
35.8%
State
27.8%
USA
34.0%
💼 Unemployment Rate
3.4%
This area
3.4%
State
-19.3%
USA
3.7%
🎓 College Educated
26.1%
This area
26.1%
State
0.5%
USA
33.7%
👤 Median Age
39.1 years
This area
39.1 years
State
6.5 years
USA
38.9 years
🏚️ Vacancy Rate
11.6%
This area
11.6%
State
19.4%
USA
10.5%
👥 Population by Ethnicity
White 56.6%
Black/African American 35.5%
Other/Mixed 6.6%
Hispanic/Latino 2.4%
Asian 1.3%
👶 Under 18
21.6%
This area
21.6%
USA
22.0%
👴 65 and Over
17.7%
This area
17.7%
USA
17.3%
📊 Poverty Rate
8.4%
This area
8.4%
USA
11.5%

Crime & Safety

🚧

Crime & Safety Data Coming Soon

We're integrating comprehensive crime statistics including violent crime rates, property crime, and safety scores to help you make informed investment decisions.

Expected: Q1 2025

🎓 Schools in 27909

B Avg School Grade
14 Schools
15.4:1 Avg Class Size
$13,398 Avg Per Pupil

Schools in This ZIP Code

B+ Above Average

Pasquotank Elementary

📚 K – 05 Elementary
👥
254 Students
👨‍🏫
11.6:1 Class Size
💰
$13,578 Per Student
B+ Above Average

Elizabeth City Middle

📚 06 – 08 Middle
👥
472 Students
👨‍🏫
14.3:1 Class Size
💰
$13,578 Per Student
B+ Above Average

J C Sawyer Elementary

📚 K – 05 Elementary
👥
372 Students
👨‍🏫
14.3:1 Class Size
💰
$13,578 Per Student
B+ Above Average

Northside Elementary

📚 K – 05 Elementary
👥
411 Students
👨‍🏫
13.7:1 Class Size
💰
$13,578 Per Student
B+ Above Average

P W Moore Elementary

📚 K – 05 Elementary
👥
337 Students
👨‍🏫
14.2:1 Class Size
💰
$13,578 Per Student
B+ Above Average

Weeksville Elementary

📚 K – 05 Elementary
👥
216 Students
👨‍🏫
13.5:1 Class Size
💰
$13,578 Per Student
B Good

Central Elementary

📚 K – 05 Elementary
👥
328 Students
👨‍🏫
15.6:1 Class Size
💰
$13,578 Per Student
B Good

Northeastern High

📚 09 – 12 High School
👥
666 Students
👨‍🏫
15.8:1 Class Size
💰
$13,578 Per Student
B Good

Pasquotank County High

📚 09 – 12 High School
👥
616 Students
👨‍🏫
15.8:1 Class Size
💰
$13,578 Per Student
B Good

River Road Middle

📚 06 – 08 Middle
👥
428 Students
👨‍🏫
16.0:1 Class Size
💰
$13,578 Per Student
B Good

Sheep-Harney Elementary

📚 Pre-K – 05 Elementary
👥
468 Students
👨‍🏫
16.1:1 Class Size
💰
$13,578 Per Student
C+ Average

Northeast Academy of Aerospace & AdvTech

📚 05 – 12 High School Charter
👥
761 Students
👨‍🏫
18.8:1 Class Size
💰
$11,063 Per Student
C+ Average

H L Trigg Community

📚 06 – 12 High School
👥
38 Students
👨‍🏫
7.8:1 Class Size
💰
$13,578 Per Student
C Below Average

Elizabeth City Pasquotank Early College

📚 09 – 12 High School
👥
113 Students
👨‍🏫
28.3:1 Class Size
💰
$13,578 Per Student
About Repit School Scores

Traditional school ratings rely heavily on standardized test scores, which often reflect family income more than school quality. Repit takes a different approach.

We evaluate schools based on factors that research shows actually impact educational outcomes:

  • Class Size — Smaller classes mean more individual attention
  • School Funding — Resources available for programs, staff, and facilities
  • Community Factors — Neighborhood characteristics that influence student success
  • School Environment — Size, type, and structure

Scores are updated annually using federal education data.

🎓 Nearby Colleges & Universities

3 Nearby 984 Off-Campus Students
C
Mid-Atlantic Christian University
177 students · 3.8 mi
C+
Elizabeth City State University
2,165 students · 4.1 mi
C
College of the Albemarle
2,582 students · 4.1 mi

Investor Insight: With 984 students living off-campus nearby, this area has strong rental demand from the college population.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is vacancy a concern in Elizabeth City, NC?

Elizabeth City, NC vacancy trends elevated. Investors running standard buy-and-hold plays see reasonable downtime between tenants.

How much is rent in Elizabeth City, NC?

Average rent in Elizabeth City, NC is approximately $1,524/mo per month. Against $270K home values that yields a reasonable rent-to-price ratio.

Is it easy to find good tenants in Elizabeth City, NC?

Tenant quality in Elizabeth City, NC ranks as solid. Landlords generally report stable occupancy at market rents of $1,524/mo.

How should investors approach Elizabeth City, NC?

A careful cash-flow rentals with hands-on management strategy Elizabeth City, NC best. The market produces consistent results for that approach at the $270K price point.

Is Elizabeth City, NC a good place for real estate investing?

With a 3.0/5 investability score, Elizabeth City, NC ranks as a solid market for rental property investors. Median prices of $270K and rents of $1,524/mo drive the underlying numbers.

You know 27909 now. You don’t know where it ranks.

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