Dare County, North Carolina

15 cities & places have their primary county here.

Population: 37,534
Median household income: $81,214
Median home value: $425,400

Home to 37,534 residents, Dare County is one of North Carolina's counties. 15 cities and places have their primary county here. The median household income of $81,214 is above the North Carolina median ($69,904).

Between 2019 and 2023, Dare County's population grew 3.6% from 36,222 to 37,534, while its median household income rose 36.8% from $59,381 to $81,214.

White (non-Hispanic) residents are the largest group, 86.0% of the population. 73.7% of workers drive to work alone.

Demographics

ACS 2019–2023

Population: 37,534
Median age: 48.5 yrs
Median household income: $81,214
Median home value: $425,400
Median gross rent: $1,307
Housing units: 34,839
Homeownership rate: 77.8%
Bachelor's degree or higher: 42.8%
Unemployment rate: 5.9%

Trends

ACS 5-year · 2019–2023

Population

36,22237,534

Median household income

$59,381$81,214

Median home value

$289,000$425,400

Median gross rent

$1,089$1,307

Year	Population	Median household income	Median home value	Median gross rent
2019	36,222	$59,381	$289,000	$1,089
2020	36,698	$65,420	$297,200	$1,137
2021	36,718	$69,500	$321,400	$1,171
2022	37,160	$79,742	$386,600	$1,259
2023	37,534	$81,214	$425,400	$1,307

Each year is a US Census Bureau ACS 5-year estimate ending that year.

Age distribution

Under 54.1%

5 to 1714.0%

18 to 245.9%

25 to 348.9%

35 to 4412.1%

45 to 5413.5%

55 to 6417.2%

65 to 7416.1%

75 and over8.2%

	Count	Share
Under 5	1,543	4.1%
5 to 17	5,259	14.0%
18 to 24	2,229	5.9%
25 to 34	3,348	8.9%
35 to 44	4,550	12.1%
45 to 54	5,052	13.5%
55 to 64	6,445	17.2%
65 to 74	6,041	16.1%
75 and over	3,067	8.2%

Race & ethnicity

	Count	Share
White (non-Hispanic)	32,294	86.0%
Black or African American	1,052	2.8%
American Indian & Alaska Native	45	0.1%
Asian	174	0.5%
Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander	22	0.1%
Some other race	244	0.7%
Two or more races	1,038	2.8%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)	2,665	7.1%

Educational attainment (age 25+)

No high school diploma4.8%

High school graduate22.3%

Some college or associate's30.1%

Bachelor's degree29.4%

Graduate or professional degree13.4%

	Count	Share
No high school diploma	1,360	4.8%
High school graduate	6,368	22.3%
Some college or associate's	8,573	30.1%
Bachelor's degree	8,376	29.4%
Graduate or professional degree	3,826	13.4%

Commute to work

Mean travel time to work: 22 min

Drove alone73.7%

Carpooled8.1%

Public transit0.0%

Walked2.1%

Bicycle1.0%

Worked from home14.3%

Other means0.8%

How workers get to work

	Count	Share
Drove alone	13,859	73.7%
Carpooled	1,520	8.1%
Public transit	0	0.0%
Walked	389	2.1%
Bicycle	192	1.0%
Worked from home	2,696	14.3%
Other means	149	0.8%

Travel time

	Count	Share
Under 15 min	6,508	40.4%
15 to 29 min	5,615	34.9%
30 to 44 min	2,269	14.1%
45 to 59 min	453	2.8%
60+ min	1,264	7.8%

Households

Average household size: 2.26
Poverty rate: 7.5% (2,817 of 37,352)

	Count	Share
Family households	10,859	65.9%
Nonfamily households	5,624	34.1%

Housing

Median year structure built: 1987

Occupancy

	Count	Share
Occupied	16,483	47.3%
Vacant	18,356	52.7%

Tenure (of occupied units)

	Count	Share
Owner-occupied	12,821	77.8%
Renter-occupied	3,662	22.2%

1-unit, detached78.5%

1-unit, attached0.7%

2 to 4 units5.6%

5 to 19 units7.8%

20 or more units1.9%

Mobile home & other5.5%

Units in structure

	Count	Share
1-unit, detached	27,333	78.5%
1-unit, attached	254	0.7%
2 to 4 units	1,953	5.6%
5 to 19 units	2,721	7.8%
20 or more units	661	1.9%
Mobile home & other	1,917	5.5%

Geography

County GEOID: 37055
State: North Carolina
Land area: 383 sq mi
Water area: 1,159 sq mi
Center point: 35.6063, -75.7675