Hampstead, NC Homes For Sale & Real Estate

Q: What is the median home price in Hampstead NC?

The median sale price in Hampstead NC was $391,241 over the three months ending August 2026, down 22.3% year-over-year, at $212 per square foot (up 11.6% YOY). Median days on market ran 93 days over that period, reflecting a market that has cooled since the prior year. ICW waterfront communities carry a substantial premium above these non-waterfront figures, with select 2025 waterfront sales reaching $3 million.

Q: How far is Hampstead NC from the beach?

Hampstead is about 9 miles from Topsail Island's beaches, a 15 to 20 minute drive via US-17 and NC-50 to the Surf City Bridge. Topsail Island offers 26 miles of Atlantic oceanfront across three towns and is known for a quieter, more local character than Myrtle Beach or the Outer Banks. Residents can also reach Lea-Hutaff Island, a permanently protected, undeveloped barrier island, by boat.

Q: Is Hampstead NC good for military families?

Yes. Hampstead has a veteran population well above the national average, and Camp Lejeune's main gate is about 33 miles north, roughly a 1-hour drive. Military families often choose Hampstead over Jacksonville for Pender County Schools, Intracoastal Waterway and beach access, and proximity to Wilmington's job market for working spouses.

Hampstead NC Real Estate | Homes for Sale | Savannah Holman

Hampstead NC Real Estate: Coastal Living on the Intracoastal Waterway

Hampstead NC real estate sits directly on the Intracoastal Waterway, about 15 minutes from Topsail Island's 26 miles of Atlantic beach and 25 minutes from Wilmington's hospitals, employers, and airport. The community has grown fast, roughly from 7,000 residents in 2020 to over 11,000 today, with Pender County among North Carolina's fastest-growing counties and a median household income of $91,745.

The residential market spans a wide range, from first-time buyer communities under $400,000 to ultra-luxury Intracoastal Waterway estates at Sloop Point Plantation reaching well above $3 million. Savannah Holman relocated to Hampstead as a military spouse and brings that firsthand relocation experience to every buyer conversation, especially for military families and out-of-state buyers.

Hampstead NC Real Estate: Quick Facts	Detail
Median Home Price	$391,241 median sale, three months ending August 2026 (-22.3% YOY, Redfin); $212/sqft (+11.6% YOY); waterfront and ICW-direct estates command a substantial premium, with select 2025 sales reaching $3 million-plus
Market Conditions	93 median days on market (Redfin, Aug 2026), longer than the prior year, giving buyers real room to negotiate; well-priced ICW waterfront homes remain the exception, continuing to see faster, more competitive activity
Location	Pender County, NC; unincorporated community on the Intracoastal Waterway; 18 miles north of Wilmington (25 min); 9 miles from Topsail Island's Surf City Bridge (15-20 min to the beach); 33 miles south of Camp Lejeune's main gate (~1 hour); 23 miles from Wilmington International Airport (27 min)
Key Amenities	Intracoastal Waterway with multiple marinas (Sloop Point Marina, Harbour Village Marina); Topsail Island beach 15-20 min; Lea-Hutaff Island (boat-access protected barrier island); Poplar Grove Plantation (National Register, weekly market); Kiwanis Park (53 acres); Olde Point Country Club (semi-private golf); annual NC Spot Festival
Schools	Pender County Schools (pender.k12.nc.us); Topsail Elementary, Topsail Middle, and Topsail High School (96% graduation rate vs. 86% NC average); new K-8 school planned to open Fall 2027; Topsail Montessori is the only private school in the 28443 zip
Demographics	Population approximately 11,400 (2026 estimate), up from 7,016 in 2020; median age 35.8; median household income $91,745 (NC: $72,388); veteran population well above the national average
Savannah Holman	savannahholman.com \| Coldwell Banker \| Coastal NC Specialist \| (910) 799-3435 \| Hampstead, Topsail Island, Surf City, Holly Ridge, Wilmington, Figure Eight Island

Hampstead NC Real Estate · Explore the Community

Topsail Island

26 Miles of Beach

Sloop Point

ICW Marina

Lea-Hutaff

Protected Island

Poplar Grove

Historic Plantation

Kiwanis Park

53-Acre County Park

Olde Point

Semi-Private Golf

Pender Schools

96% Graduation Rate

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Overview

Why Buyers Choose Hampstead

The Intracoastal Waterway is the organizing feature of Hampstead's lifestyle, with Sloop Point Marina, Harbour Village Marina, and Harbour Village Yacht Club anchoring daily boating life. A morning on the ICW, an afternoon on Topsail Island's beach, and an evening at a local restaurant are all part of the same easy day here.

Pender County is one of North Carolina's fastest-growing counties, and Hampstead's own population has grown from about 7,000 in 2020 to over 11,000 today. Savannah Holman relocated here as a military spouse herself and brings that lived experience to every Hampstead buyer conversation.

Neighborhoods

Hampstead NC Neighborhoods and Communities

Hampstead's residential market divides by water access. Non-waterfront communities run roughly $350,000 to $600,000, water-access neighborhoods with docks or ramps run $400,000 to $900,000, and direct ICW communities start around $600,000 and reach well past $1.5 million for the largest estates.

Pecan Grove Plantation ($600K-$1M+, ICW Gated)

Pecan Grove Plantation is a gated master-planned community on the Intracoastal Waterway, with pool, clubhouses, boat ramps, tennis, and pickleball among its amenities. All homes are custom built, so buyers should evaluate each property individually rather than relying on the community name alone.

Sloop Point Plantation ($1.5M-$3M+, Ultra-Luxury ICW)

Sloop Point Plantation is Hampstead's top-of-market address, with estate homesites directly on the Intracoastal Waterway and among the highest sale prices in Pender County. A 2025 sale here, a large ICW estate on 3 acres, closed at $3,000,000, and cash buyers and private banking financing dominate this tier.

Crown Pointe ($400K-$785K, Water Access)

Crown Pointe is an established water-access neighborhood on the north side of Hampstead with a pool, clubhouse, waterfront dock, and kayak launch. It offers genuine water access and community amenities without the full ICW-direct premium of Pecan Grove or Sloop Point.

Pelican Reef ($369K-$725K+, Gated Virginia Creek)

Pelican Reef is a gated community of more than 225 properties on Virginia Creek, combining real water access with a full amenity package including a pool, tennis courts, and a community pier. It's one of the more accessible entry points into Hampstead's waterfront lifestyle.

Lifestyle

Living in Hampstead

Intracoastal Waterway and Marina Life

Sloop Point Marina, Harbour Village Marina, and Harbour Village Yacht Club serve Hampstead's boating community at different price points and boat sizes. Private docks, community day docks, kayak launches, and boat ramps throughout the area make the ICW a daily-use amenity for most waterfront residents.

Topsail Island and Lea-Hutaff Island

Topsail Island's 26 miles of Atlantic beach are about 9 miles and 15 to 20 minutes away, crossing the Surf City Bridge that opened in December 2018. For a quieter escape, Lea-Hutaff Island, a roughly 1,000-acre stretch of marsh, hammock, and beach permanently protected by the NC Coastal Land Trust in 2021, is reachable by boat from Hampstead's marinas.

Poplar Grove Plantation and Community Events

Poplar Grove Plantation, on the National Register of Historic Places, runs a weekly open-air market and hosts seasonal festivals throughout the year. Kiwanis Park's 53 acres anchor the community's athletic life with ball fields, tennis, and pickleball, and the annual NC Spot Festival is Hampstead's signature community event each November.

Dining, Golf, and Wilmington Access

Local dining along the US-17 corridor and the clubhouse restaurant at Olde Point Country Club cover everyday needs, while Wilmington's Mayfaire Town Center, 20 to 25 minutes south, adds broader retail and restaurant options. Olde Point Country Club anchors the area's golf scene, and Wilmington International Airport is about 23 miles south with nonstop flights to several major hubs.

Market

Hampstead NC Real Estate Market: 2025-2026

The Hampstead market has cooled meaningfully into 2026, with the median sale price down 22.3% year-over-year and days on market stretching to 93, giving most buyers real negotiating room. The exception is Intracoastal Waterway waterfront, where well-priced, move-in-ready homes continue to see faster, more competitive activity.

The structural case for Hampstead still rests on factors that don't move with any single rate cycle: irreplaceable ICW access paired with Topsail Island beach proximity, sustained in-migration from higher-cost markets, and a deep new-construction pipeline across price points. Buyers evaluating Hampstead today should lean on current numbers rather than the stronger appreciation the market saw a year or two ago.

$391,241

Median Sold Price

$212/sqft

Median Price / Sq Ft

-22.3% YOY

Median Sale Price Change

93 Days

Median Days on Market

$92K

Median HH Income

Getting Here

Getting To and Around Hampstead

By Air

Wilmington International Airport (ILM) is about 23 miles south of Hampstead, a 27-minute drive, with nonstop service to Charlotte, Atlanta, Philadelphia, and Washington D.C. Charlotte Douglas, about 2.5 hours by car, provides a full international hub for longer-haul travel.

By Car: US-17 and Key Routes

US-17 is Hampstead's primary route, running about 25 minutes south to Wilmington and about 55 minutes north to Jacksonville, with NC-50 and NC-210 providing the east corridor to Topsail Island. No public transit serves Hampstead, so a car is a daily necessity, though 17.2% of the workforce works from home.

Camp Lejeune and Military Access

Camp Lejeune's main gate is about 33 miles north of Hampstead, roughly a 1-hour drive via US-17 and NC-172. Military families who choose Hampstead over Jacksonville typically prioritize Pender County schools, ICW and beach access, and proximity to Wilmington's job market for working spouses.

Schools

Schools Serving Hampstead NC

Hampstead is served by Pender County Schools. The schools carry the "Topsail" name because Hampstead sits in Topsail Township within Pender County, and a new K-8 school is under construction off Highway 210 to open Fall 2027.

Topsail Elementary School

Topsail Elementary serves grades PreK through 4 with strong state math and reading proficiency scores well above state averages. Niche grades the school A- overall for 2026.

Topsail Middle School

Topsail Middle serves grades 5 through 8 and offers an AIG program with accelerated coursework for qualifying students. Niche grades the school A- overall for 2026, ranking it among the top middle schools in the Wilmington area.

Topsail High School

Topsail High serves grades 9 through 12 with a GreatSchools rating of 8 out of 10 and a 96% graduation rate against an 86% North Carolina average. Growth in the Hampstead area has pushed the student-teacher ratio higher, which the planned new K-8 school aims to help relieve at the earlier grade levels.

Hampstead NC Real Estate

Savannah Holman: Your Hampstead Real Estate Expert

Savannah Holman relocated to Hampstead as a military spouse and built her practice around making that same process easier for the families who come after her. She knows the difference between an ICW-direct lot at Pecan Grove and a water-view home at Crown Pointe, and how to structure an offer in a market where conventional buyers now have leverage and waterfront sellers still do.

Contact Savannah Holman and start your Hampstead home search today.

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Hampstead NC Real Estate: Frequently Asked Questions

What is the median home price in Hampstead NC?

The median sale price in Hampstead was $391,241 over the three months ending August 2026, down 22.3% year-over-year, at $212 per square foot. Median days on market ran 93 days, and ICW waterfront homes carry a substantial premium above these figures.

Is Hampstead NC a good place to live?

Yes. Hampstead combines Intracoastal Waterway and Topsail Island beach access with a median household income of $91,745, well above the North Carolina median. Wilmington's hospitals, employers, and airport are 18 miles south, and Topsail High School posts a 96% graduation rate against an 86% state average.

What school district is Hampstead NC in?

Hampstead is served by Pender County Schools. The schools carry the "Topsail" name because Hampstead sits in Topsail Township, and a new K-8 school opens Fall 2027; Topsail Montessori is the only private school in the 28443 zip.

How far is Hampstead NC from the beach?

Hampstead is about 9 miles from Topsail Island, a 15 to 20 minute drive via US-17 and NC-50 to the Surf City Bridge. Residents can also reach Lea-Hutaff Island, a permanently protected, undeveloped barrier island, by boat from Hampstead's marinas.

Is Hampstead NC good for military families?

Yes. Camp Lejeune is about 33 miles north, roughly a 1-hour drive, and Hampstead's veteran population runs well above the national average. Families who choose Hampstead over Jacksonville typically prioritize Pender County schools, coastal lifestyle, and Wilmington employment access for working spouses.

Savannah Holman | Coldwell Banker

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Browse current Hampstead listings or connect with Savannah, whether you're looking at ICW waterfront communities, established neighborhoods like Crown Pointe and Pelican Reef, or new construction across the area.

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