United States › North Carolina › Nags Head CITY
Nags Head North Carolina · 3,117 residents (2025 est.) · 6.62 sq mi
Time machine
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The short version
Nags Head is home to 3,160 people in North Carolina. The median age is 58.4, about 19 years above the US median. Owners hold 83% of the housing stock. Few US cities rank higher on income. This is an unusually credentialed place: 51% of adults have a four-year degree. 2% of locals were born outside the United States.
At a glance
Wealthier
above the US median
US median: $82,259
Older
median age 58.4
US median: 38.9
More educated
51% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 88%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01
Population & growth from 2,700 in 2000
3,117 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
from 460 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
from 42.7 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
2K 2K 3K 3K 3K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Nags Head Age distribution, 2024
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy $91,264
−6%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $53,095 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $30,157 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 30.1% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 6.1% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.357 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Transportation & warehousing 5.7%
Public administration 4.3%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 0.8%
Professional, scientific, technical 0.6%
Arts, entertainment, food 0.6%
Education & health services 0%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
$490,800
+88%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $143,400 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$1,005
−23%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $714 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 73.6% in 2000
17.2% rent
from 72.1% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
from 2.12 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 27.0% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 57.3% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
from 6.5 in 2009
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04
Race & ethnicity 2000
White, non-Hispanic 96%(2,593)
Hispanic / Latino 1.4%(39)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 93.6%(2,957)
Hispanic / Latino 2.9%(91)
from 33 in 2009
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry Ancestry
+ 10 more ancestry groups with data from 34.7% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 94.0% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 10.5% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 14.5 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 71.9% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 10.5% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 13.4% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 1.5% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 2.3% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 2.4% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 7.9% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 70.5% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 91.3% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 14.5% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 38.3% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 6.8% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 16.3% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 9.6% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 13.6% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 91.1% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 91.2% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 86.6% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 93.8% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 3.3% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 13.6% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 60.2% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 23.1% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 34.0% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 8.2% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 0.9% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 81.1% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 39.6% in 2020
US average: 36.7%
Shares are "alone or in combination": a person with both Medicare and Medicaid counts in each, so categories overlap and do not sum to 100%.
Section 09 · Service history
Veterans Veterans by period of service, 2024
Gulf War (2001 or later) 16.8%(49)
Share of the 291 veterans here. A veteran who served across eras counts in each, so shares can total more than 100%. Peacetime-only service is included in the total but not shown as an era.
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Frequently asked
How many people live in Nags Head, North Carolina? Nags Head, North Carolina has about 3,160 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Nags Head, North Carolina? The typical household in Nags Head, North Carolina earns about $91,264 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Nags Head, North Carolina expensive? In Nags Head, North Carolina, the median home is worth about $490,800, and the typical rent is about $1,005 a month.
How educated are people in Nags Head, North Carolina? About 50.9% of adults age 25 and over in Nags Head, North Carolina hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Nags Head, North Carolina? About 2.4% of people in Nags Head, North Carolina live below the federal poverty line.
Has Nags Head, North Carolina grown since 1990? Yes, Nags Head, North Carolina has grown since 1990. The population has added about 1,322 residents, a change of about 72 percent over that period.
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