Hampstead

Hampstead is located in Pender County about 20 minutes from Wilmington on US-17. It was once just a few fishing shacks along the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad, but it has since become one of the fastest growing areas in North Carolina.

The official “Seafood Capital of the Carolinas”, Hampstead is home to three seafood companies: Atlantic Seafood Co., J.H. Lea & Sons, and Natures Way. As expected, nature conservation is a popular local interest due to a reliance on fishing and other seafood harvesting. The community celebrates its livelihood with the annual North Carolina Spot Festival.

Fun fact: Hampstead is one of the few places that the Venus Fly-Trap carnivorous plant grows natively. Venus Fly-Traps are endangered with around 30,000+ plants believed to be growing within 74 miles of Wilmington. Most grow in conversation areas and it’s a felony to steal them. So, if you’re lucky to find one growing naturally, leave it be!

Hampstead may be less than a half-hour from Wilmington, but it’s a good pick for anyone who likes a small town community. You get to know your neighbors and you often see a familiar face at the local businesses. People here appreciate the slower pace, but still have the perks of popular local companies, like Port City Java, that have branched out to the town.

Just outside Hampstead on US-17, a weekly farmer’s market is held at Poplar Grove Historic Plantation. It runs April thru December every Wednesday from 8:00am-1:00pm. The fresh produce and homemade products are a welcome site during the warmer months, and is a great way to support local farmers.

For golf enthusiasts, Hampstead has three quality golf courses: Belvedere Plantation Golf & Country Club, Castle Bay Country Club, and Olde Point Golf Course. It’s also located along the Intracoastal Waterway providing opportunities for watersports. For other physical activities, there is the Skate Barn, dance studios, and the Kiwanis Park, which has football, soccer, baseball fields, beach volleyball courts, playgrounds, and more.

Local beaches are a popular destination for residents in our area and Surf City is just 20-25 minutes from Hampstead. Surf City, along with Topsail Beach and North Topsail Beach, provides additional dining, shopping, water sports, and relaxation opportunities. It’s also one of the least crowded beaches in our area.

Hampstead is located in the award winning Topsail School District in Pender County Schools. To see how students perform in Hampstead schools and how teachers compare to others in North Carolina, you can see school and district report cards at the North Carolina Public Schools website.

Like other towns around Wilmington, many residents commute to the larger city for work. Jobs in Hampstead are mainly in sales/office occupations, business and financial, natural resources and construction, and service occupations. Some military families also choose to live in Hampstead and commute to the Jacksonville area as homes here tend to be on larger lots and little more affordable.

If you have questions about living in Hampstead, you are more than welcome to contact us. It’s difficult to get a good feel for the lifestyle of Hampstead online, and we want you to be able to narrow your home search to the best area for YOU. We are happy to help!