COUNTY REPORT NC

New Hanover County, North Carolina

17 ZIP codes · Avg score 95/100 · Grade A · Updated

ZipCheckup grade for New Hanover County: A.

No federal data flags a major home-safety concern for this ZIP.

Throughout New Hanover County, the 17 monitored ZIP codes show low violation rates and healthy safety scores - a pattern that puts the county well above the state baseline for drinking water quality.

How New Hanover County Compares

New Hanover County95/100
North Carolina avg78/100
National avg73/100

How New Hanover County Compares

A
County Grade
95/100
Avg Safety Score
17
ZIP Codes
18
Water Systems

New Hanover County scores 17 points above the North Carolina state average (78/100) and 22 points above the national average (73/100).

Data: ZipCheckup Home Safety Score model 4.0.0; EPA SDWIS, UCMR 5, EPA radon zones, EPA AirData Last verified:

A
County Grade
95
Avg Safety Score
17
ZIP Codes
Best ZIP: 28449 (100/100)
Lowest ZIP: 28401 (80/100)
$343K
Median Home Value
$2,112
Avg Remediation (62% of home value)

ZIP Code Risk Map

Water Quality Map: New Hanover County, North Carolina

Each dot represents a ZIP code. Color indicates water quality grade. Tap a dot for details.

A B C D F

Key Risk Factors

Health risk index: 12.1 (asthma 10.5%, diabetes 10.6%)

Estimated additional annual cost per homeowner: $3,411, driven primarily by flood

45.6% of homes built before 1978 (lead paint era)

County Health Indicators vs National Average

Asthma 10.5% (national: 8.9%)
Diabetes 10.6% (national: 10.5%)
Obesity 31.1% (national: 32.4%)

Black markers indicate national averages. Source: CDC PLACES, Census ACS.

Infrastructure Overview

1984
Median Build Year
45.6%
Pre-1978 Housing
35/100
Infrastructure Stress Indicator
12%
ZIPs with High Infrastructure Stress
Moderate
Lead Pipe Risk

Modeled area-level indicator, not a failure probability. Sources: Census ACS housing age, EPA DWINS infrastructure needs, EPA SDWIS violations, and EPA lead indicators.

Compound Risk Breakdown

Estimated additional annual cost per homeowner: $3,411

Flood $2,014/yr
Sea Level Rise $1,375/yr
Energy Code Gap $303/yr

Bar widths proportional to share of total annual risk cost. Source: compound risk model (FEMA, EPA, USGS).

Housing Age Distribution

117,370 housing units in New Hanover County

Pre-1940 6%
1940–1959 9%
1960–1979 17%
1980–1999 35%
2000+ 33%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS B25034 (Year Structure Built).

Water Safety Affordability

How much it costs to fix water issues relative to home values in New Hanover County

$343K
Median Home Value
$2,112
Est. Remediation Cost
0.6%
of Home Value
Remediation as % of home value low burden

Remediation costs are relatively manageable for most homeowners in New Hanover County, representing a small fraction of property value.

Remediation includes water filtration, lead abatement, radon mitigation, and flood protection where applicable. Source: Census ACS, EPA SDWIS.

Health Outcomes vs National Average

CDC PLACES data for New Hanover County residents

Asthma 10.5% (US avg: 8.9%)
Diabetes 10.6% (US avg: 11%)
Obesity 31.1% (US avg: 32.4%)

Black markers = national averages. Red = above national avg. Green = below. Source: CDC PLACES, Census ACS.

Water systems serving New Hanover County

8 community water systems serving New Hanover County.

Show all 8 water systems

18 total water systems serve New Hanover County.

Systems with the most violations in New Hanover County

5 water systems with recorded EPA violations.

All ZIP Codes in New Hanover County

17 ZIP codes tracked in New Hanover County.

# ZIP Code City Safety Score Grade Violations Home Value
1 28449 Kure Beach 100 A 0 $643K
2 28403 Wilmington 99 A 3 $338K
3 28428 Carolina Beach 99 A 4 $490K
4 28480 Wrightsville Beach 99 A 2 (1 health) $1050K
5 28412 Wilmington 98 A 5 $343K
6 28409 Wilmington 97 A 7 (1 health) $383K
7 28411 Wilmington 95 A 15 (1 health) $364K
8 27830 Fremont 93 A 20 (2 health) $160K
9 28405 Wilmington 92 A 19 (1 health) $337K
10 28429 Castle Hayne 92 A 17 $232K
11 28401 Wilmington 80 B 6 $263K
12 27650 Raleigh
13 28404 Wilmington
14 28406 Wilmington
15 28407 Wilmington
16 28408 Wilmington
17 28410 Wilmington

Recommended Buyer Guides for New Hanover County

If FEMA records flag flood-top-risk status or EPA samples show PFAS exceedances, the matching logic lifts emergency-water and PFAS-rated filtration into the recommendations - federal data drives the order, not retailer arrangements.

Overview

New Hanover County in North Carolina covers 17 tracked ZIP records with an average Home Safety Score of A (95/100) across 11 scored records.

10 of 11 ZIP codes with a reported violation count in the available EPA record have recorded EPA violations. 4 health-based violations appear in the available health breakdown.

← Back to North Carolina Home Safety Profile

Data Sources

Reporting periods vary by source. Missing data is shown as unavailable, not as zero.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is water safe in New Hanover County?
New Hanover County receives a grade of A, indicating generally safe tap water across its 17 ZIP codes.
How many water systems serve New Hanover County?
New Hanover County is served by 18 public water systems that supply drinking water to residents across 17 ZIP codes.
What is the biggest environmental risk in New Hanover County?
The primary environmental risk factor in New Hanover County is flood. This contributes to an estimated additional annual cost of $3,411 per homeowner.
How old are homes in New Hanover County?
The median home build year in New Hanover County is 1984. 45.6% of homes were built before 1978, which means they may contain lead-based paint and older plumbing materials.
How does New Hanover County compare to North Carolina?
New Hanover County has an average Home Safety Score of 95/100 under model 4.0.0, which is above the North Carolina state average of 78/100.

How to cite this page

APA ZipCheckup. (2026). New Hanover County, NC: HSS 95/100; 4 Health Violations. https://zipcheckup.com/county/north-carolina/new-hanover/
BibTeX
@misc{zipcheckup-county-north-carolina-new-hanover,
  author = {{ZipCheckup}},
  title  = {{New Hanover County, NC: HSS 95/100; 4 Health Violations}},
  year   = {2026},
  url    = {https://zipcheckup.com/county/north-carolina/new-hanover/}
}

Page version: August 2026.

Get safety alerts for New Hanover, North Carolina

Free updates when EPA data changes for this area. No spam.

Unsubscribe anytime. Privacy Policy.

Share This Page

X Facebook
Check your water filter options Free tool - no phone call required.