Hampstead

What is Hampstead, NC like, neighborhood by neighborhood? Hampstead is an unincorporated part of Pender County along US 17, about 17 miles northeast of Wilmington. Its neighborhoods split into two groups. Sound-side communities sit between US 17 and the Intracoastal Waterway. Inland subdivisions sit away from the water, west of the highway and out along NC 210 toward Topsail Island. Which side you pick shapes your water access, flood checks and daily drive more than almost anything else.

I’m Tabi, a REALTOR® with Coldwell Banker Sea Coast Advantage, and this page is the street-level guide to Hampstead: its named communities, the sound side versus inland, where the public water access is, and how you get to Topsail Island. If you want the big picture (2026 home values, the tax math, the US 17 bypass timeline, schools planning and utilities), read my full post, Is Hampstead, NC a good place to live? This page builds on it and doesn’t repeat it.

Where Hampstead is and what’s nearby

Hampstead has no town government. It’s a census-designated place of about 20 square miles in Pender County, on US 17 between Wilmington and Jacksonville. It was known as Sloop Point before it took the name of a 1740 plantation, and Sloop Point Loop Road still carries the old name.

Here’s the easiest way to picture it. US 17 runs roughly parallel to the Intracoastal Waterway (ICW), a short distance inland. Everything between the highway and the water is the sound side: tidal creeks, marsh and the waterway, with Topsail Sound and the back side of Topsail Island beyond. Everything west of the highway is inland, which is mostly pine woods and newer subdivisions. NC 210 branches off toward Surf City and the bridge to Topsail Island.

Close by: Novant Health Scotts Hill Medical Center, which opened July 2, 2026, is just south along US 17. Porters Neck and the north end of Wilmington are next as you head south. Surf City and the Topsail Island towns are to the northeast.

Moving to Wilmington?

Tell me a little about what you’re looking for, sound side or inland, and I’ll send over the Hampstead homes that fit, plus my honest take on each one.

Homes in Hampstead

Hampstead has a bit of everything. You’ll find older ranch homes on wooded lots, golf-course neighborhoods from the late 20th century, waterfront and marsh-front homes on the sound side, and a steady run of new builder communities. Lot sizes vary a lot. Some older sound-side parcels run an acre or more, while newer subdivisions tend to have smaller homesites. Here are the named communities I get asked about most. I’ve confirmed that each one exists, but details change, so check the specifics for any lot.

Sound-side communities

• Olde Point: an established neighborhood around the Olde Point golf course, east of US 17 off Olde Point Road. Lots range from golf-front homesites to larger parcels with marsh views. Some listings mention deeded boat-ramp access. Confirm what a specific lot actually includes.
• Belvedere Plantation: an older planned community that was built with a golf course and a marina. Today it’s divided into several sections, each with its own owners’ association. Harbour Village Marina, on the ICW, sits within the original plan.
• Salters Haven at Lea Marina: a newer community off Factory Road at Leas Lane with 308 homesites, a 75-slip community marina, a pool and a clubhouse, according to the developer. Slips are sold separately, so ask whether one conveys with the home.
• East Wynd: a newer gated community off Sloop Point Road with a waterfront gazebo on the Intracoastal Waterway. Mungo Homes, Charter Building Group and Hagood Homes are among the builders listed there.

Inland and NC 210 communities

• Magnolia Reserve: off NC 210 at Bachmans Trail, on the Surf City side of Hampstead, with a community pool. Several builders are active there.
• Sawyer’s Run: a Stevens Fine Homes community with homesites of a quarter acre or more, according to the builder, and plans from about 1,400 to 3,200 square feet.
• Southwater Village: an LGI Homes community with a playground, picnic areas and walking trails. It has one- and two-story plans from about 1,300 to 2,000 square feet.

For current builder starting prices across these communities, see my new construction homes in and around Wilmington guide. Builder pricing changes often, sometimes mid-month.

Market snapshot: Zillow’s typical home value for ZIP 28443 was about $493,400 in September 2026. Redfin reported a median sale price of about $481,900 for the three months ending September 2026, down 3.6% from a year earlier, with homes selling after about 82 days on market on average (62 a year earlier). Both are ZIP-level numbers, and waterfront homes on the sound side can sit well above them. My full Hampstead post has the trend details.

What my MLS shows

Here’s what my MLS showed for Hampstead on October 17, 2026. These are houses sold from January through September 2026.

• Typical sale price: $489,275. Half sold for more, half for less. In September alone it was $519,900.
• Price per square foot: $235.
• Homes sold: 620.
• Time to sell: about 66 days.

September’s typical price was 8.5% higher than September 2025. The average sale price, $564,100, runs well above the typical price. That’s the east-of-17 effect: homes on the water pull the average up, while most of the homes under the typical price are on the inland side of the highway.

Taxes, utilities and flood risk

Taxes: Hampstead is unincorporated, so there’s no town tax. For FY2026–27 the stack is Pender County’s 73.75¢ per $100, plus the countywide EMS rate of 9.25¢, plus the Hampstead fire district’s 9.5¢. That comes to about 92.5¢ per $100 of assessed value. On a home assessed at $400,000, that’s roughly $3,700 a year. Pender adopted this budget on its 2025 values after pausing its 2026 revaluation, so the assessed value on the tax card may not match what a home sells for. I cover the details in Wilmington-area county taxes.

Water and sewer: Public water in the Hampstead area comes from Pender Water & Sewer. Port City Daily reported that the county’s FY2026–27 budget included a 13.2% water rate increase. Public sewer isn’t everywhere. Depending on the address, a home may be on public sewer, a community system or a private septic system, and some rural lots use private wells. Ask for the utility details on every property, and read my Pender County water quality guide.

Flood: This is where sound side and inland really differ. Homes near the ICW, the marsh or a tidal creek need a close look. Check the address on FEMA’s Flood Map Service Center and on North Carolina’s Flood Risk Information System (FRIS). Then get insurance quotes before you’re under contract. Inland lots can also sit near low ground or drainage ways, so check every address. My flood zones guide and homeowners insurance guide walk through both steps.

Parks and outdoor life

Public water access

The main public launch in Hampstead is the Hampstead Boating Access Area at 613 Lewis Road, run by the NC Wildlife Resources Commission. It’s on the Intracoastal Waterway, has a boat ramp and canoe/kayak access, and is listed as universally accessible. From there you can reach Topsail Sound to the north and the waterway toward Figure Eight Island and Wrightsville Beach to the south. Other public ramps nearby are in Surf City and Topsail Beach.

Private marinas on the sound side, such as Harbour Village Marina, offer slips and services. Community marinas like the one at Salters Haven are for owners in those neighborhoods. If a boat is part of your plan, ask whether a slip is deeded, leased or just “access” before you fall in love with a house.

Parks, trails and the library

• Hampstead Kiwanis Park (586 Sloop Point Loop Rd): a 53-acre Pender County park with lighted ball fields, multi-purpose fields, 6 tennis courts, 4 pickleball courts, 2 basketball courts, sand volleyball, 2 playgrounds, picnic shelters and a walking trail with fitness stations.
• Abbey Nature Preserve: a 62-acre preserve run by Pender County, just south of Hampstead near Poplar Grove. It has a nature trail, an overlook deck and gravel parking. The trail is part of the Gullah Geechee Cultural Heritage Corridor.
• Hampstead Branch Library: a new 20,000-square-foot branch, the Judy Holly Sidbury Hampstead Branch Library, is under construction at 15146 US 17 next to the county annex. Work started in April 2026, and the library says it’s scheduled for completion in summer 2027.

The drive to Topsail Island

From Hampstead, NC 210 heads northeast toward Surf City and the NC 50/210 high-rise bridge onto Topsail Island. NCDOT opened that 65-foot fixed bridge on December 4, 2018. It replaced a 1955 swing bridge, so there are no more waits for bridge openings, and it has bike lanes and a multi-use path. Depending on where you start in Hampstead, plan on roughly 10–25 minutes to the bridge, and more on summer weekends. Once you’re across, Surf City is right there, with Topsail Beach to the south and North Topsail Beach to the north.

Getting around

US 17 is Hampstead’s main street, and most errands happen along it. Rough drive times, depending on traffic and where you start:

• Porters Neck and Scotts Hill: roughly 10–20 minutes
• Mayfaire and Wrightsville Beach: roughly 25–40 minutes
• Downtown Wilmington: roughly 30–45 minutes
• Surf City bridge: roughly 10–25 minutes

The big project is NCDOT’s US 17 Hampstead Bypass (R-3300), which will carry through traffic west of the current highway. The northern section is expected to finish in 2027, and the full bypass around 2030. Expect construction traffic along the corridor until then. My 2026 road projects guide tracks it with the other regional work.

Schools

Hampstead addresses are served by Pender County Schools. Assignments are set by address and can change, and the district is running growth planning in fall 2026. Confirm the current assignment for any specific address directly with the district before you rely on it. There’s more on the planning timeline in my Hampstead post.

Is Hampstead a good match for what you want?

Hampstead may fit if you want:

• A mainland home with a public ICW boat ramp close by, or a sound-side lot with marsh or waterway frontage
• A short drive to Topsail Island over a fixed bridge, while still being within driving distance of Wilmington
• A choice between golf-course neighborhoods, new builder communities and larger wooded lots
• Unincorporated living with no town tax layer

It may be less of a fit if you need a short, predictable daily drive to downtown Wilmington during bypass construction, public sewer at every address, or a walkable town center.

Keep researching: Is Hampstead, NC a good place to live? · Moving to Pender County · New construction near Wilmington · Places to live near Wilmington · How to research a neighborhood · Buying a home in Wilmington.

Frequently asked questions

Which parts of Hampstead are on the water?

The sound side, meaning the land between US 17 and the Intracoastal Waterway, holds most of Hampstead’s waterfront and marsh-front homes. That includes areas around Olde Point, Belvedere Plantation’s Harbour Village, Salters Haven and East Wynd. Inland neighborhoods west of US 17 generally don’t have direct water frontage.

Is there a public boat ramp in Hampstead, NC?

Yes. The NC Wildlife Resources Commission’s Hampstead Boating Access Area at 613 Lewis Road has a boat ramp and canoe/kayak access on the Intracoastal Waterway, and it’s listed as universally accessible.

How far is Hampstead from Topsail Island?

Most of Hampstead is roughly 10–25 minutes from the Surf City bridge by way of NC 210, depending on where you start and on traffic. The bridge is a 65-foot fixed span that NCDOT opened in December 2018.

What is the property tax rate in Hampstead, NC?

For FY2026–27 it’s about 92.5 cents per $100 of assessed value. That’s Pender County’s 73.75 cents, plus 9.25 cents for countywide EMS, plus 9.5 cents for the Hampstead fire district. There’s no town tax because Hampstead is unincorporated.

Do homes in Hampstead have public sewer?

Not all of them. Public water comes from Pender Water & Sewer, but depending on the address a home may use public sewer, a community system or a private septic system. Confirm utilities for each property.

Nearby Neighborhoods

Comparing Hampstead with other places north of Wilmington? Take a look at Porters Neck, Rocky Point and Figure Eight Island.

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Tabetha Klein, REALTOR® | Coldwell Banker Sea Coast Advantage · 910-983-8963 · www.makingilmhome.com. Each office is independently owned and operated. Equal Housing Opportunity. Figures reflect sources available as of October 2026 (Zillow and Redfin, data through September 2026; Pender County, Port City Daily, NC Wildlife Resources Commission, NCDOT, Pender County Public Library, developer and builder sites) and change often. Verify taxes, utilities, flood zone and school assignment for any specific property. This page describes places and public amenities only.

Sources: Zillow Home Value Index (ZIP 28443) · Redfin 28443 housing market · Port City Daily, June 19, 2026 · Pender County: Hampstead Kiwanis Park · Pender County: Abbey Nature Preserve · Coastal Review: Abbey Nature Preserve · NC Wildlife Resources Commission boating access areas · NCDOT: Surf City bridge opening · NCDOT: US 17 Hampstead Bypass · Pender County Public Library: new Hampstead branch · Logan Developers: Salters Haven · East Wynd · Stevens Fine Homes: Sawyer’s Run · LGI Homes: Southwater Village · Belvedere Plantation POA · FEMA Flood Map Service Center · NC FRIS · Pender County Schools