Beaufort, North Carolina
Beaufort is a town of 4,689 people in Carteret County, North Carolina, founded in 1709.
Why visit Beaufort
Townapedia lists 14 museums and landmarks, 15 parks and trails, 29 places to eat, 4 places to stay and 1 attraction in and around town.
Highlights include North Carolina Maritime Museum, Beaufort Historic District and Rachel Carson North Carolina National Estuarine Research Reserve.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 87°F; January lows average 38°F.
Weather in Beaufort
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Beaufort
Beaufort is a town in and the county seat of Carteret County, North Carolina, United States. Founded in 1709, Established in 1713 and incorporated in 1723, Beaufort is the third oldest town in North Carolina (after Bath, New Bern). The population was 4,464 at the 2020 census.
From the Wikipedia article Beaufort, North Carolina (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do1
Museums and landmarks14
North Carolina Maritime Museum
Museum · 1.0 mi
315 Front Street, Beaufort
Mo-Sa 10:00-17:00; Su 12:00-17:00
Beaufort Historic District
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.1 mi
Historic district in North Carolina, United States
Carteret County Home
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places
Historic poorhouse located at Beaufort, Carteret County, North Carolina
Gibbs House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.9 mi
Listed on the NRHP in Carteret County, North Carolina
Jacob Henry House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.1 mi
Building in Beaufort, North Carolina, United States
Morehead City Historic District
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 3.7 mi
Historic district in North Carolina, United States
Morehead City Municipal Building
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 3.6 mi
Rathaus in Morehead City, United States of America
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Old Burying Ground
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.9 mi
Cemetery in Beaufort, North Carolina, USA
Queen Anne's Revenge
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.4 mi
Pirate Blackbeard's ship
Harvey W. Smith Watercraft Center
Museum · 1.1 mi
322 Front Street, Beaufort
Mo-Sa 10:00-17:00; Su 12:00-17:00
2 more on the map.
Parks, trails and playgrounds15
Rachel Carson North Carolina National Estuarine Research Reserve
Park · 1.5 mi
Nature reserve in Carteret County, North Carolina, USA
3 more on the map.
Restaurants and cafes29
Clawson's 1905 Restaurant
Restaurant · 1.0 mi
425 Front Street, Beaufort
Mo-Th 11:30-21:00; Fr-Sa 11:30-22:00; Su 12:00-20:00
Beaufort Grocery
Restaurant · Regional · 0.9 mi
Regional delicatessen
117 Queen Street, Beaufort
Blackbeard's Grill and Steam Bar
Restaurant · Seafood · 0.6 mi
1644 Live Oak Street, Beaufort
No Name Pizza and Subs
Restaurant · Pizza · 0.6 mi
408 Live Oak Street, Beaufort
34° North Restaurant
Restaurant · 1.5 mi
2440 Lennoxville Road, Beaufort
350° Cheese Straws
Bakery · 0.4 mi
1003 Lennoxville Road, Beaufort
17 more on the map.
History
The Beaufort Historic District, Carteret County Home, Duncan House, Gibbs House, Jacob Henry House, and Old Burying Ground are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. In June 1718, Blackbeard ran his flagship, the Queen Anne's Revenge and his sloop Adventure, aground near present-day Beaufort Inlet. The Queen Anne's Revenge was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2004 with the reference number 04000148. Thirty-two years later, in August 1750, at least three Spanish merchantmen ran aground in North Carolina during a hurricane. One of the three, the El Salvador, sank near Cape Lookout.
Beaufort was established by European settlers in about 1709 on the site of a former Coree Native American village, Cwarioc. The town was surveyed and laid out in 1713 following the end of the Tuscarora War. Subordinates of the lords proprietors of the Province of Carolina designated Beaufort a port for unloading ships on April 4, 1722. In the colonial period, Port Beaufort exported tar, pitch, turpentine, crafts of wood, and corn, especially to the West Indies. The town was incorporated on November 23, 1723. Its boundaries were expanded and new lots sold in 1728, but its population remained small. It was briefly occupied by Spanish privateers in 1747.
From the History section of Beaufort, North Carolina on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay4
Beaufort Hotel Nc, Ascend Hotel Collection
Motel and hotel · 1.5 mi
2440 Lennoxville Road, Beaufort
Churches and places of worship13
Saint Paul's Episcopal Church
Church · Episcopal · 1.0 mi
215 Ann Street, Beaufort
Purvis Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church
Church · African Methodist Episcopal Zion · 0.9 mi
Shopping8
Downton Antiques & Woodcraft, LLC
Shop · 1.3 mi
106 Professional Park Drive, Beaufort
Gas and EV charging2
Schools, colleges and libraries12
Healthcare1
Map of Beaufort
99 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 55°F | 38°F | 4.2 in |
| Feb | 57°F | 39°F | 3.3 in |
| Mar | 63°F | 45°F | 3.3 in |
| Apr | 70°F | 54°F | 3.4 in |
| May | 78°F | 63°F | 3.9 in |
| Jun | 84°F | 71°F | 4.1 in |
| Jul | 87°F | 74°F | 5.8 in |
| Aug | 86°F | 73°F | 7.3 in |
| Sep | 82°F | 68°F | 8.5 in |
| Oct | 74°F | 57°F | 4.1 in |
| Nov | 66°F | 47°F | 4.0 in |
| Dec | 59°F | 41°F | 3.8 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Beaufort Michael J Smith Fld (1 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Carteret County has had 22 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for hurricanes.
- 2026-01-24: Severe Winter Storm (Winter Storm)
- 2024-10-19: Potential Tropical Cyclone Eight (Tropical Storm)
- 2024-09-26: Hurricane Helene (Tropical Storm)
- 2024-08-06: Tropical Storm Debby (Tropical Storm)
- 2022-10-01: Hurricane Ian (Hurricane)
- 2020-10-14: Hurricane Isaias (Hurricane)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Marine Corps Outlying Field (MCOF) Atlantic (12NC) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 21 miles away.
- Atlantic Beach 5 mi west, about 9 min by car
- Morehead City 5 mi west, about 8 min by car
- Gloucester 6 mi east, about 10 min by car
- Harkers Island 7 mi east, about 12 min by car
- Marshallberg 8 mi east, about 12 min by car
- Havelock 19 mi northwest, about 31 min by car
- Bayboro 30 mi north, about 49 min by car
- New Bern 35 mi northwest, about 56 min by car
- Piney Green 38 mi west, about 1 h by car
- Jacksonville 42 mi west, about 1 h 15 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Grayden Paul Drawbridge in Beaufort, North Carolina, in 2011, suttonls, CC BY 2.0
- Old Burying Ground Beaufort, North Carolina, Carl Griffith, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Morehead City Historic District (Carteret County, North Carolina) 1, Carl Griffith, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Morehead City Municipal Building, Carl Griffith, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Gibbs House, Carl Griffith, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Jacob Henry House, Carl Griffith, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Historical Beaufort NC, Carl Griffith, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Carteret County Home, Carl Griffith, CC BY-SA 3.0
Page built October 30, 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us or suggest a place.