Along the coast of North Carolina, development has put tremendous stress on already delicate natural systems. Consisting almost entirely of barrier islands, this region is highly dynamic and subject to a variety of acute and chronic natural hazards. In order to continue to enjoy these areas for recreation and reap the economic benefits that they bring, it will be essential to strike a balance between human activity and nature. This can only be accomplished through effective planning and coastal management. It is argued here that resilient coastal communities result from the combination of relatively low natural vulnerability as well as planning and management strategies aimed at effectively adapting to different types of hazards. Taking both vulnerability and planning into account, a resilience index has been devised and is used to compare three different communities along the North Carolina coast. The results suggest that traditional mitigation strategies are insufficient and that more adaptive approaches will be necessary to sustain these communities.