If you've driven through Hampstead on U.S. 17, you've probably hit traffic. But where exactly are you most likely to get caught in it?
Hampstead is infamous for its traffic, and that reputation is well
earned. Traffic data from the N.C. Department of Transportation shows that parts of Hampstead carry as many vehicles as anywhere in the Wilmington area.
That should soon change, as NCDOT is working on a bypass that will redirect commuters around Hampstead rather than through it -- but the first segment isn't expected to open until late 2027. In the meantime, the most traveled and traffic-laden parts of Hampstead will stay that way.
Where is traffic worst in Hampstead?
NCDOT collects data on the annual average daily traffic. The data is collected throughout the year and accounts for factors such as seasonal fluctuations and special events.
According to NCDOT's data, the most-traveled stretch of road in Hampstead is around where N.C. 210 connects with U.S. 17, a busy commercial area.
The average daily traffic -- which accounts for lanes moving in both directions -- was 51,500 in 2025, the highest it has ever been recorded. That was up from 47,500 in 2024 -- an increase of 4,000 vehicles.
A glimpse back at the data shows just how much Hampstead has grown. In 2005, the average daily traffic volume was 34,000.
Where else is traffic bad in Hampstead?
The connection between N.C. 210 and U.S. 17 gets the award for the most traveled stretch of Hampstead -- but not by a wide margin. A few miles north, a monitoring station near Country Club Drive recorded 51,000 daily vehicles. And a couple years prior, that stretch was even busier, with an average daily traffic of 52,500 in 2023.
While Hampstead isn't nearly as large as Wilmington, those traffic volumes rival almost anywhere in the Port City, only behind the Cape Fear Memorial Bridge and I-40 entering Wilmington.
Charlie Kingree is the Pender County and trending topics reporter for the StarNews. He can be reached at ckingree@usatodayco.com.
This article originally appeared on Wilmington StarNews: Traffic through Hampstead is worst at this one spot, data shows | Exclusive
