Cape Carteret offers small-town living in the heart of the Crystal Coast
Resting along the Intracoastal Waterway across from the Bogue Banks barrier island, Cape Carteret is a summer retreat and retirement destination on North Carolina’s famed southern coast. This small community, a few miles’ drive from the Atlantic Ocean, offers a quieter atmosphere than the popular beach towns on the other side of the Emerald Isle Causeway. Around 2,200 people live in Cape Carteret year-round. That number swells during the summer months when tourists and second-home owners visit for vacation. “The whole area is about the water,” says Carla Buckhold, a Realtor with Bogue Banks Realty who grew up nearby in Swansboro. She says Cape Carteret typically attracts two kinds of buyers: “To me, it’s either older retirees who want some of the boat access and easy access to drive to the island or young people and military people who want their children in the school district.” Several military bases are within 35 miles of town, including Camp Lejeune in Jacksonville and the Marine Corps Auxiliary Landing Field in neighboring Bogue.
Cape Carteret homes are close to the waterfront and golf greens
The median price for a single-family home in Cape Carteret is around $460,000. Most homes fall between $245,000 and $610,000, but large homes, often custom-built, start around $650,000 and can exceed $1.2 million. Properties range from small bungalows and low-lying ranch-style homes to farmhouse-inspired Colonial Revivals and towering shingle-sided coastal properties with wrap-around porches. Waterfront homes are sought-after for their private docks and boat lifts, while homes in the Star Hill Golf Club community come with golf course views. Properties in the landlocked Quailwood Village rest on larger lots surrounded by trees.
All properties in Cape Carteret have private wastewater systems on site, as the town does not have a centralized wastewater collection system. Some residential streets are private and maintained by property owners.
Local parks, Emerald Isle beaches and the Croatan National Forest offer recreation
People in Cape Carteret lead active and outdoorsy lives centered around the water. “People love to fish, clam, boat and just cruise around — going to little islands,” Buckhold says. “You can also go offshore and deep-sea fish.” Boaters can apply for annual passes to have access to the Manatee Street public boat ramp. Permit fees start at $225. The town offers 14 residents-only parks, 10 of which are along the Intracoastal Waterway. Ferry Landing Park is one of the largest and features swinging benches and a pergola-covered picnic area. Nearby, kayakers can launch their vessels at the Pettiford Creek Launch Site. With a small stage and open green space, Cape Carteret Community Park hosts concerts and events. One popular celebration is the annual Cape Carteret Fall Festival, which features a BMX exhibition, activities for kids, live music and vendors selling locally made goods. Star Hill Golf Club features a 27-hole course as well as a driving range and a pool.
Outside of Cape Carteret, Emerald Isle offers miles of sandy shoreline for beach days, a long pier for fishing and a 26-mile greenway for bike rides. Quiet nature draws hikers, campers and hunters to the Croatan National Forest, where trails weave through towering pines and wetlands. In contrast, the sound of revving engines and cheering fans fills Carteret County Speedway, which hosts thrilling short-track races from April through December.
Students can attend highly rated public schools
Carteret County Public Schools earns an A-minus overall rating from Niche. The district has around 8,000 students and 18 schools, three of which serve all of Cape Carteret. White Oak Elementary receives an A-minus, while Broad Creek Middle gets an A. Croatan High earns an A-minus and celebrates graduating seniors with a parade down state Highway 24. “The high school has a good reputation,” Buckhold says. Carteret Community College offers nearly 100 associate’s degree programs and workforce training less than 20 miles away.
Shopping and dining options at Carteret Crossing
Lowes Foods and Lowe’s Home Improvement anchor Carteret Crossing, Cape Carteret’s main shopping center along state Highway 24. With banks, pharmacies and gas stations, it’s a one-stop shop for many needs. The retail center also hosts several medical offices, a pet store, a veterinary hospital and a pool supply shop. Restaurants range from national chains like Starbucks and McDonald’s to local chains like Michaelangelo's Pizza & Subs, a casual spot for New York-style pies, and Ribeyes Steakhouse, which offers a laidback atmosphere for surf and turf. For more shopping and dining options, residents drive to neighboring communities. Morehead City offers name-brand and department store shopping at Cypress Bay Plaza and Crystal Coast Plaza, about 15 miles away.
Cape Carteret hosts several family-friendly attractions. Mac Daddy’s is a bowling alley and arcade, while the Golfin’ Dolphin offers a Sky Trail obstacle course, go-karting and mini golf.
There are several ways to get around Carteret County
Walking, biking and driving are all options in Cape Carteret. State Highway 24, a main road linking communities along the Intracoastal Waterway, slices through the middle of town. Cape Carteret Trail runs alongside it. State High 58 crosses Bogue Sound to Emerald Isle and connects with highways farther inland. Interstate 40, which stretches across the state from the Atlantic Ocean to the Blue Ridge Mountains, is around 80 miles away. Buckhold says I-40 is roughly an hour's drive from town. She adds that sedans, trucks and SUVs here share the road with golf carts. “Street-legal golf carts can be used in Cape Carteret, but you can’t go on Highway 24. You can cross it, but you can’t drive down it,” Buckhold says. Coastal Carolina Regional Airport, around a 35-mile drive from town, offers the closest commercial flights.
Important to know
Potential buyers should note that Cape Carteret faces several environmental challenges. Hurricanes and flooding are possible, and the community’s proximity to Bogue Field, a U.S. Marine Corps auxiliary landing field, means seeing and hearing military planes is common. Properties on the far east side of town are the most impacted by aircraft noise.
Cape Carteret receives a CAP Index Crime Score of 1 out of 10, the lowest possible score. In comparison, the national average is 4 out of 10.
