Dare County, North Carolina Demographics 2026

Name: Dare County, North Carolina Demographics
Creator: U.S. Census Bureau
License: https://www.census.gov/data/developers/about/terms-of-service.html

Dare County, North Carolina has a population of 37,875, the 65th most populous county in North Carolina. The median household income is $88,994 and the median home value is $460,400. The poverty rate is 6.6%.

Data vintage: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates · refreshed July 2026 · Methodology & source notes

Dare County Quick Facts

Population 37,875

Median Household Income $88,994

Median Home Value $460,400

Poverty Rate 6.6%

Unemployment Rate 5.9%

Median Age 49.0 years

Homeownership Rate 78.4%

Affordability Ratio 5.2x

Bachelor's Degree+ 43.2%

High School Graduation 94.7%

Cities/Places 15

Population 37,875 65th of 100

Median Income $88,994 23% higher than state

Poverty Rate 6.6%

Unemployment 5.9%

How Dare County Changed

Change from the 2019–2023 ACS period to 2020–2024. These are rolling five-year estimates, not year-over-year measurements.

Metric	2019–2023	2020–2024	Change
Population	37,534	37,875	+0.9%
Median household income	$81,214	$88,994	+9.6%
Median home value	$425,400	$460,400	+8.2%

Median Household Income

Dare

$88,994

$72,388

National

$80,734

Median Home Value

Dare

$460,400

$288,900

National

$332,700

Economy & Housing

Household Income Distribution

Under $25K 9.3%

$25K-$50K 16.6%

$50K-$100K 29.8%

$100K+ 44.2%

Detailed income brackets

Under $10K

2.8%

$10K-$15K

1.6%

$15K-$20K

2.4%

$20K-$25K

2.5%

$25K-$30K

3.3%

$30K-$35K

4.3%

$35K-$40K

3.7%

$40K-$45K

2.3%

$45K-$50K

3.0%

$50K-$60K

5.8%

$60K-$75K

9.9%

$75K-$100K

14.0%

$100K-$125K

12.1%

$125K-$150K

7.1%

$150K-$200K

11.2%

$200K+

13.9%

Employment

5.9% Unemployment Rate State: 4.7%|National: 5.2%

63.9% Labor Force Participation

Housing Overview

Owner 78.4%

Renter 21.6%

Affordability Index Expensive

5.2x home value to income ratio

Median gross rent $1,345/mo 18.1% of median household income annually

People & Demographics

Age Distribution

Under 18

17.9%

18-34

14.9%

35-54

25.2%

55-74

33.3%

75+

8.7%

Race & Ethnicity

Diversity Index

Low Diversity

A less diverse community where one racial or ethnic group represents a large majority.

State average: 58 | National average: 61

Education

Educational Attainment (Adults 25+)

Cities & Places in Dare County

City	Population	Median Income	Poverty	Home Value
Kill Devil Hills	7,761	$89,773	9.2%	$442,200
Kitty Hawk	3,724	$94,450	4.7%	$535,000
Nags Head	3,160	$91,264	2.4%	$490,800
Southern Shores	3,139	$131,429	0.6%	$712,300
Manteo	2,020	$83,777	19.2%	$444,400
Wanchese	1,956	$88,750	6.3%	$311,800
Buxton	1,267	N/A	6.7%	$409,900
Manns Harbor	926	$51,800	25.1%	$253,000
Rodanthe	781	N/A	2.3%	N/A
Duck	669	$136,250	10.8%	$767,500
Frisco	664	$43,846	1.1%	$439,600
Avon	339	$35,365	18.0%	$400,500
Salvo	220	N/A	0.0%	N/A
Waves	153	N/A	0.0%	N/A
Hatteras	152	$57,188	4.7%	N/A

Explore North Carolina Rankings

Cities by Population All cities ranked by size Richest Cities Ranked by median income Most Educated By bachelor's degree rate Most Affordable By housing affordability

Population Overview

Dare County is located in North Carolina with a total population of 37,875. It is the 65th most populous county out of 100 in North Carolina. The county encompasses 15 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Dare County is 49.0 years. This is 25% higher than the state median of 39.1 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Dare County is $88,994. This is 23% higher than the state median of $72,388. It is also 10% higher than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 6.6%. This is 49% lower than the state poverty rate of 13.0%. The unemployment rate is 5.9%. This is 26% higher than the state rate of 4.7%. The median home value is $460,400. Housing costs are 59% higher than the state median of $288,900. The home-value-to-income ratio is 5.2x. 78.4% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 18% higher than the state average of 66.6%.

Race & Ethnicity

Dare County has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 85.4% of all residents. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 7.4%. The Black or African American population (2.5%) is well below the state average of 20.0%. The Asian population (0.4%) is well below the state average of 3.3%.

Education

43.2% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This places Dare County in the top 10% of all counties in the state for educational attainment. This is 21% higher than the state rate of 35.6%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 94.7%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Dare County come from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates, with comparisons drawn against North Carolina and national averages from the same dataset. See our methodology page for how each metric is defined, or data.census.gov for official tables with margins of error.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the population of Dare County, North Carolina?

Dare County has a population of 37,875, making it the 65th most populous county in North Carolina.

What is the median income in Dare County?

The median household income in Dare County is $88,994 with a poverty rate of 6.6%.

How many cities are in Dare County, North Carolina?

Dare County contains 15 Census-designated places.