Real Estate Investing in Hampstead, North Carolina (28443)

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

Pender County • Population: 27,203 • Data updated: September 2026

☆ Watch this market Free account

Should you buy in 28443 (Hampstead, NC)? Our answer, based on the numbers below.

🏠 For Homebuyers
CAUTION
Grade D (52/100)

Proceed carefully. Weak appreciation or affordability makes this a harder case for most buyers.

📈 For Investors
MIXED
3.0 / 5 (47/100)

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

⚠️ Risks to Know
1 flag
  • High vacancy: 14.0% of homes vacant — above national norms.

What’s happening in Hampstead, NC (28443)?

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3.0/ 5

Investability

Overall investment appeal

3.0/ 5

Appreciation

Long-term value growth

3.0/ 5

Cashflow ROI

Rental yield potential

Avg Home Value $496,025
Avg Monthly Rent $1,990
1% Rule ✗ Does Not Meet
Median Income $86,162
% Renters 16.9%

Market Analysis: 28443 Hampstead

This part of Pender County is not an easy win. The 28443 ZIP shows softness in key indicators, and the playbook that works in cleaner markets often stalls here.

Distressed does not mean uninvestable. It means the margin for error is thinner. ZIP 28443 rewards the prepared, punishes the overconfident, and leaves the math unchanged either way.

Within NC, ZIP 28443 trails on several market indicators that neighboring Pender County submarkets outperform. The gap is real and solid enough to shape underwriting.

The 28443 ZIP's population of 27,203 has faced economic pressure over the last decade. That pressure shows up in rent delinquency patterns that shows the need for careful underwriting.

New investors are better served looking at Hampstead's stable or hybrid ZIPs before stepping into 28443. The learning curve here is expensive when the lesson is wrong.

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 Hampstead:

B Good
Buy Confidence Score: 70/100
Affordability
10/25
Appreciation
22/25
Stability
13/20
Timing
10/15
Rental backup
15/15
Affordability
Expensive
Homes cost 5.8× the median income
Value Trend
Stable (+1.0%)
How home values changed in the past year
Rental Backup
Strong
Could rent for $1,990/mo if you need to move
Market Conditions
COOL
More inventory, negotiating room for buyers
Bottom Line: Mixed signals in this market. Research specific properties carefully and be prepared to negotiate.
❄️
COOL MARKET
Wilmington, NC Metro Area
More inventory, negotiating room for buyers
60 days
Average time to sell
Average
10.1%
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 Wilmington, NC metro data
🏠

Property Strategy for 28443

Which property type performs best in this market?

Best for Cash Flow
2BR
4.2% cap rate
Best for Appreciation
2BR
+8.4% 5yr CAGR
Best Overall Value
5BR
$129,803/bedroom
📊 Compare All Property Types →
Type Median Value Est. Rent Cap Rate 5yr CAGR $/Bedroom
2BR $268,386 $1,560 4.2% +8.4% $134,193
3BR $441,273 $2,170 3.5% +8.2% $147,091
4BR $569,265 $2,620 3.3% +7.7% $142,316
5BR $649,014 +7.4% $129,803

Market Trends

Home Value History (with trend line)

$517K$457K$397K$338K$278K$219KJan 2009Oct 2017Jul 2026

Rent History (with trend line)

$2,017$1,939$1,862$1,784$1,707$1,629Oct 2022Sep 2024Jul 2026

📊 How Does 28443 Compare?

Metric 28443 Hampstead Wilmington, NC North Carolina
Home Value $496,025 $496,025 N/A $330,565
5-Year CAGR 5.1% 5.1% N/A 7.8%
Avg Rent $1,990 $1,990 N/A -
Cap Rate 3.1% 3.1% - -
💡 Why Invest in 28443? Click to expand

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

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Landlord Ground Truth

Real numbers from people who own or manage rentals in ZIP 28443 (Hampstead, NC). Anonymous, moderated, never written by AI.

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Investability
Good
Cap Rate
3.1%
Low
5yr Growth
+5.1%
Moderate

📉 Market Crash Risk Index

Based on Wilmington, NC metro

3/10
Moderate Risk
Price YoY
0/3
N/A
Rent YoY
0/2
N/A
Below List
2/3
66%
Days Pending
1/2
60 days

View all metro crash risk rankings →

📊 Market Snapshot

Home Value $496,025
Monthly Rent $1,990
Price-to-Rent 20.8:1
1% Rule ✗ Fails

💰 Return Metrics

Gross Yield 4.8%
Cap Rate 3.1%
5-Year IRR 8.3%

📈 Home Appreciation

1-Year +1.0% ▲
3-Year CAGR +1.3% ▲
5-Year CAGR +5.1% ▲
10-Year CAGR +6.1% ▲

🏠 Rent Trends

1-Year +12.2% ▲
3-Year CAGR +4.4% ▲
5-Year CAGR N/A
Negative Leverage — IRR / Tax Play Cap Rate: 3.1%  |  30yr Rate: 6.8%
Leverage reduces cash returns at current rates.

The current 30-yr mortgage rate (6.8%) exceeds the estimated cap rate (3.1%). 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
14.0%
Moderate risk
Landlord Climate
4.0/5
Friendly
Value Trend (5yr)
+5.1%
Stable
Eviction process: Moderate Rent control: Favorable

Demographics in 28443

Population: 27,203

💰 Median Household Income
$86,162
This area
$86,162
State
$63,256
USA
$74,580
🏠 Renter Occupied
16.9%
This area
16.9%
State
27.8%
USA
34.0%
💼 Unemployment Rate
3.9%
This area
3.9%
State
-19.3%
USA
3.7%
🎓 College Educated
38.5%
This area
38.5%
State
0.5%
USA
33.7%
👤 Median Age
41.5 years
This area
41.5 years
State
6.5 years
USA
38.9 years
🏚️ Vacancy Rate
14.0%
This area
14.0%
State
19.4%
USA
10.5%
👥 Population by Ethnicity
White 85.5%
Other/Mixed 8.6%
Black/African American 4.7%
Hispanic/Latino 4.5%
Asian 1.1%
👶 Under 18
25.2%
This area
25.2%
USA
22.0%
👴 65 and Over
18.2%
This area
18.2%
USA
17.3%
📊 Poverty Rate
5.7%
This area
5.7%
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 28443

B Avg School Grade
6 Schools
17.9:1 Avg Class Size
$12,071 Avg Per Pupil

Schools in This ZIP Code

B+ Above Average

Topsail Annandale Elementary School

📚 Pre-K – 04 Elementary
👥
587 Students
👨‍🏫
13.7:1 Class Size
💰
$12,071 Per Student
B Good

North Topsail Elementary

📚 Pre-K – 05 Elementary
👥
565 Students
👨‍🏫
15.9:1 Class Size
💰
$12,071 Per Student
B Good

South Topsail Elementary

📚 Pre-K – 05 Elementary
👥
610 Students
👨‍🏫
16.1:1 Class Size
💰
$12,071 Per Student
B Good

Surf City Middle

📚 06 – 08 Middle
👥
750 Students
👨‍🏫
20.9:1 Class Size
💰
$12,071 Per Student
C+ Average

Topsail Middle

📚 05 – 08 School
👥
855 Students
👨‍🏫
19.6:1 Class Size
💰
$12,071 Per Student
C+ Average

Topsail High

📚 09 – 12 High School
👥
1,888 Students
👨‍🏫
21.5:1 Class Size
💰
$12,071 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.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is NC a landlord-friendly state?

Landlord-friendliness in Hampstead, NC is landlord-friendly. Eviction timelines and lease enforcement are considered reasonable by most property managers.

How qualified is the tenant pool in Hampstead, NC?

The tenant pool in Hampstead, NC is solid, supported by local employment and population fundamentals. Rents of $1,990/mo are well-absorbed by the market.

How strong is Hampstead, NC for real estate investors?

Hampstead, NC scores 3.0/5 for investability. Home values sit at $496K and rents near $1,990/mo, which keeps the rent-to-price ratio in reasonable territory for buy-and-hold investors.

Is Hampstead, NC good for house hacking?

House hacking in Hampstead, NC is a challenging. With home values around $496K and rents at $1,990/mo, owner-occupants can offset a meaningful share of PITI.

Is housing expensive in Hampstead, NC?

Hampstead, NC home values average about $496K. That price point suits investors targeting rentals with $1,990/mo in monthly income.

You know 28443 now. You don’t know where it ranks.

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How 28443 ranks in Wilmington, NC

Every ZIP in this metro, ranked. Free.

Cash Flow → Appreciation → Affordable →
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