Home Insurance in Carteret County, North Carolina
With a median home value of $333,300, Carteret County is 15% higher than the North Carolina median.
Older homes can cost more to insure or rebuild because of aging wiring, roofing and plumbing. The typical home in Carteret County was built around 1989. About 11% of homes were built before 1960, about 3 points below North Carolina's 14%.
The housing stock in Carteret County is 65% single-family homes, 13% apartments in buildings with 5+ units and 16% mobile or manufactured homes. Mobile and manufactured homes typically need a manufactured-home (HO-7) policy rather than a standard homeowners policy.
About 55% of owner-occupied homes in Carteret County have a mortgage. Lenders require hazard (homeowners) insurance on any home carrying a mortgage.
The vacancy rate is 39%; vacant or unoccupied homes typically need a different coverage form than an owner-occupied policy. About 75% of occupied homes in Carteret County are owner-occupied.
Most homes in Carteret County - 87% - are primarily heated with electricity. Homes heated with propane can carry added fire risk. Fuel-tank leaks and spills are often excluded from standard homeowners policies.
Per FEMA's National Risk Index, Carteret County's top hazards are hurricane (Very High), winter weather (Relatively High) and wildfire (Relatively Low).
Standard homeowners insurance does not cover flood damage, so flood coverage needs a separate NFIP or private flood policy. As of September 2026, Carteret County has 14,016 active NFIP flood policies on file.
According to the NAIC homeowners insurance report (2023 data), a standard HO-3 homeowners policy in North Carolina carries a statewide average premium of $1,852 per year.
Key figures
| Median home value | $333,300 |
|---|---|
| Median year built | 1989 |
| Owner-occupied share | 75% |
| Share of owner-occupied homes with a mortgage | 55% |
| Top hazards (FEMA National Risk Index) | Hurricane (Very High), Winter Weather (Relatively High), Wildfire (Relatively Low) |
| Active NFIP flood policies (county) | 14,016 |
| Home insurance premium | $1,852 - statewide average (NAIC, 2023 data) |
Towns and cities
- Atlantic Beach
- Beaufort
- Bogue
- Cape Carteret
- Cedar Point
- Emerald Isle
- Indian Beach
- Morehead City
- Newport
- Peletier
- Pine Knoll Shores
Sources
Data last updated: 2026-09-29
- U.S. Census Bureau Gazetteer Files (2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-Year Estimates (2024)
- FEMA National Risk Index (December 2025)
- FEMA OpenFEMA NFIP Redacted Policies v3 (2026)
- NAIC Dwelling Fire, Homeowners Owner-Occupied, and Homeowners Tenant and Condominium/Cooperative Unit Owners Insurance: Data for 2023 (published 2026) (2023)