Living in Southport NC: Historic Waterfront Guide
The short answer: Southport is a small, historic waterfront city at the mouth of the Cape Fear River in Brunswick County, about two miles inland from the Atlantic. You get a walkable old downtown, live oaks, a riverwalk, ferries to Fort Fisher and Bald Head Island, and Oak Island and St. James next door. The tradeoffs are distance from Wilmington, summer crowds, and real hurricane and flood exposure near the water, so check flood zones and insurance before anything else.
Southport's story in a few lines
The town grew up around Fort Johnston, which North Carolina authorized in 1745 to guard the mouth of the Cape Fear. It was founded as Smithville in 1792, at the request of Joshua Potts, who wanted a town next to the fort. It was named for Benjamin Smith, a Continental Army colonel in the Revolutionary War who later became governor of North Carolina, and renamed Southport in 1887 by people who hoped it would become a major shipping port. It served as the Brunswick County seat from 1808 to 1977. The old name lives on in places like the Smithville burying ground.
A pirate story
Southport has its own pirate tale. In 1718, the pirate Stede Bonnet, often called the "gentleman pirate," anchored his ship in the Cape Fear River estuary to repair it and wait out hurricane season. South Carolina sent Colonel William Rhett after him. The battle began at daybreak on September 27, 1718, and after hours stuck on sandbars, the rising tide floated Rhett's sloops free and Bonnet surrendered. He was hanged in Charleston that December. Locals still tell the story, and the North Carolina Maritime Museum at Southport, at 204 E. Moore Street, covers the area's patriots, pirates and shipwrecks. Admission is free, and it's open Tuesday through Saturday.
Southport is still small. The 2020 Census counted 3,971 residents, up from 2,833 in 2010. If its streets look familiar, it may be because they've been in the movies. Crimes of the Heart, I Know What You Did Last Summer, A Walk to Remember and Safe Haven were all filmed here, along with TV series like Under the Dome.
Buddy's take
There's just something about living on the coast, and Southport is one of the best examples of it around here. You can walk to dinner, watch ships come up the river and catch the ferry to the beach. You can do a lot of things here without being caught in a massive crowd, except on the Fourth of July. But I'd rather give you bad news than a pretty story: the water that makes Southport special is also the water that comes up in a storm. Know your flood zone before you fall in love.
Homes and neighborhoods
The historic downtown
The heart of Southport is its grid of older streets near the waterfront: cottages, two-story homes with porches, and restored historic houses under big live oaks. Downtown is part of a National Register historic district listed in 1980.
One recent change matters to buyers. In July 2026, a new state law (Senate Bill 876) abolished Southport's Historic Preservation Commission and barred the city from creating new local historic districts or expanding existing ones. That ended a proposed local historic overlay that would have required design review for exterior changes on 386 downtown parcels. The city has since looked at a voluntary appearance commission instead. Building codes and flood rules still apply, so check with the city's planning office about any project you have in mind.
Outside the historic core
- Newer neighborhoods and subdivisions on the edges of town, many with HOAs.
- Waterfront and marina properties along the river, the Intracoastal Waterway and nearby creeks.
- Condos and townhomes, including lock-and-leave options near the water.
St. James, next door
St. James is its own town, incorporated in 1999, right next to Southport along the Intracoastal Waterway. Much of it is a large gated community with 81 holes of golf and a marina. It has its own town government and a property owners association, so you'll want to read both sets of rules.
Getting around: ferries, bridges and the drive
| Connection | What to know |
|---|---|
| Southport–Fort Fisher Ferry | An NCDOT car ferry across the Cape Fear River to Fort Fisher, Kure Beach and Carolina Beach. The crossing takes about 35 minutes and can carry cars, RVs and trailers for a fee. Summer weekday service runs about every 45 minutes to an hour. Service sometimes pauses for weather or repairs. |
| Bald Head Island Ferry | Passenger ferries leave from Deep Point Marina in Southport. The ride is about 20 minutes. Visitors park on the mainland and get around the island by tram, bike or golf cart. |
| Oak Island bridges | Oak Island sits just west across the Intracoastal Waterway, reached by the G.V. Barbee Bridge and the Swain's Cut Bridge. |
| Driving to Wilmington | Most people head north through Leland. Leland is roughly a half-hour drive, and then you still have the river to cross. Drive it at rush hour before you commit to a daily commute. |
Check current ferry schedules and fares on NCDOT's ferry schedule before you count on them.
Big neighbors: Sunny Point and the nuclear plant
Two large facilities sit near Southport, and buyers should know about both.
- Military Ocean Terminal Sunny Point is a U.S. Army terminal of about 8,500 acres on the west bank of the Cape Fear River, just north of Southport. It opened in 1951 and moves ammunition and military equipment between rail, truck and ship. It has buffer zones around it, so land use near it is limited.
- Duke Energy's Brunswick Nuclear Plant is nearby, with two reactors. Duke shut both reactors down ahead of Hurricane Florence in 2018 as a precaution. If you're buying in the area, it's worth reading Brunswick County's emergency planning information.
Things to do
The NC Fourth of July Festival
Southport is home to the North Carolina Fourth of July Festival. Celebrations here go back as far as a mention in a 1795 newspaper, and today's version took shape in the 1960s. It's now a week of events that includes a naturalization ceremony for new U.S. citizens, a parade and fireworks over the river. It draws tens of thousands of visitors. If you live downtown, plan for the crowds and the traffic that week.
Everyday Southport
- The waterfront and riverwalk along Bay Street, with views of the river mouth, ship traffic and Bald Head Island.
- The Fort Johnston–Southport Museum and Visitor Center on Bay Street, a good first stop for the town's history.
- Old Baldy, across the river on Bald Head Island. Finished in 1817, it's the oldest lighthouse still standing in North Carolina, and it's a short ferry ride away.
- The town's trees. Southport's old live oaks are part of its look, and the city has a Forestry Committee that works to protect and replant the tree canopy. If a big tree is part of a property, ask the city what rules apply before you plan any work around it.
- Downtown shops and restaurants, many within walking distance of the historic neighborhoods, plus seafood spots near the yacht basin.
- Beaches on Oak Island, Caswell Beach and Bald Head Island, and across the ferry at Kure and Carolina Beach.
- Boating and fishing on the river, the Intracoastal and the ocean.
- Golf in St. James and across Brunswick County.
Hurricanes, flooding and insurance
This is the part we never skip. Southport sits where a big river meets the ocean, and that comes with storm risk.
- When Hurricane Isaias hit in 2020, storm surge flooded waterfront restaurants in the yacht basin, and parts of the Bay Street riverwalk sidewalk washed away. The mayor said the waterfront had been "devastated."
- Flood risk can change from street to street. Look up the exact address on the NC Flood Risk Information System or FEMA's Flood Map Service Center.
- Get quotes for homeowners, wind and flood insurance from a licensed agent before you make an offer. Near the water, those costs can change what you can afford.
- Ask for any elevation certificate, roof age and storm history. On older historic homes, have your inspector look closely at foundations, crawlspaces and signs of past water.
Southport is a quaint, locals feeling fishing and riverfront community that still has the small town charm with a few blocks nice owner operated shops, stores and a number of great local dining options, plus it has an easy access to Fort Fisher by Ferry or spend the day over on Bald Head Island
Healthcare close to home
For a town this size, Southport is well served. Dosher Memorial Hospital, at 924 N. Howe Street, is a 25-bed public community hospital with an emergency department. It's an independent critical access hospital, run by an elected board of trustees, and it operates primary care, women's health and urgent care clinics around southern Brunswick County. For bigger needs, Wilmington's larger hospitals are a longer drive north.
Buddy's take
Southport folks are proud of their town's history and character, and they should be. The pirate stories, the old houses, the oaks, the ships coming up the river: you can't build that in a new subdivision. If that's what you're after, Southport is worth the drive. Just come with your eyes open about storms, insurance and the summer crowds.
Schools
Southport is served by Brunswick County Schools. Confirm the assignment for the exact address with the district before you buy.
Before you decide
- Look up the flood zone and get an insurance quote before you offer.
- Visit in July and in January. Southport feels very different in peak season and off season.
- Drive to Leland and Wilmington at rush hour, and check the ferry schedule if you plan to use it.
- For historic homes, ask the city's planning office what rules apply now and get a thorough inspection.
- Read HOA or POA rules, including short-term rental rules if you plan to rent.
- Check the city's rules on short-term rentals and parking, especially downtown.
- Confirm school assignment with Brunswick County Schools.
Keep looking
- Homes for sale in Southport
- Southport waterfront | Southport golf homes
- Oak Island homes | Boiling Spring Lakes homes
- 55+ homes in Brunswick County
- Living in Leland | Living in Carolina Beach & Kure Beach (just across the ferry)
- Before you list on the NC coast | Selling with Buddy
- Trusted local pros | Contact our team
Questions people ask
How long is the Southport–Fort Fisher ferry ride?
About 35 minutes. It carries cars, RVs and trailers between Southport and Fort Fisher, near Kure Beach. Check NCDOT's schedule, because times change by season.
How do you get to Bald Head Island from Southport?
Passenger ferries leave from Deep Point Marina in Southport, and the ride is about 20 minutes. Visitors park on the mainland and get around the island by tram, bike or golf cart.
Does Southport still have historic district rules?
Southport's downtown is on the National Register of Historic Places. In July 2026, a state law abolished the city's Historic Preservation Commission and blocked a new local historic overlay. Building and flood rules still apply. Check with the city for any project.
Does Southport flood?
Low areas near the waterfront can flood in storms, as they did during Hurricane Isaias in 2020. Look up the exact address on flood maps and get insurance quotes before you buy.
Is St. James part of Southport?
No. St. James is its own town, incorporated in 1999, though it shares Southport's mailing area. Much of it is a gated community with golf and a marina.
