NC 97 is a North Carolina state highway in the northern Coastal Plain region of the state. It is 65 miles (105 km) long and is signed east/west.

NC 97 was originally NC 95 in the 1930s. It was renumbered in 1958 or 1959 to avoid conflict with I-95. In 1975 its western terminus was extended to replace the old alignment of US 64 Bypass north of Wendell; a new US 64 Bypass freeway was built further north of Wendell.