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COUNTY · 2020 ACS

Dare County

North Carolina · 36,915 residents · 383 sq mi
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The short version

With 36,915 people, Dare County is a county in North Carolina. The median age is 49.7, about 11 years above the US median. Owners hold 77% of the housing stock. 5% of people here were born outside the United States. The population is up 23% since 2000. About 38% of adults have finished a four-year degree.

At a glance
Average income
near the US median
US median: $66,278
Older
median age 49.7
US median: 38.8
More educated
38% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 33%
Less affordable
home values up 54%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $265,253
Section 01

Population & growth

36,915
+23%since 2000
from 29,967 in 2000
1990 – 2025
49.7
+23%since 2000
from 40.4 in 2000
US average: 38.8
Land area
383 sq mi
Population, 19902024
21K26K30K35K39K19902000201020202024Dare County
202438K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2020
Under 53.9%(1,427)
US avg: 5.6%
5 to 94.8%(1,760)
US avg: 6.1%
10 to 145.4%(1,989)
US avg: 6.5%
15 to 195.2%(1,932)
US avg: 6.6%
20 to 244.1%(1,516)
US avg: 6.7%
25 to 349.3%(3,422)
US avg: 13.5%
35 to 4411.6%(4,300)
US avg: 12.7%
45 to 5413%(4,793)
US avg: 12.3%
55 to 6418.1%(6,670)
US avg: 13.1%
65 to 7416.2%(5,969)
US avg: 10%
75 to 846.6%(2,422)
US avg: 4.9%
85 and over1.9%(715)
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

$65,420
+3%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $42,411 in 2000
US average: $66,278
1990 – 2024
$36,532
+55%since 2000
from $23,614 in 2000
US average: $35,364
Households earning $100K+
42.0%
+12.0 ptssince 2009
from 30.0% in 2009
US average: 43.9%
8.2%
+0.2 ptssince 2000
from 8.0% in 2000
US average: 12.8%
Workforce by industry, 2020
Information14.7%
US avg: 11.1%
Wholesale trade10.7%
US avg: 6.7%
Other services7.4%
US avg: 6.6%
Retail trade4.9%
US avg: 10%
Finance & insurance2.7%
US avg: 5.5%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing2.2%
US avg: 1.7%
Construction2.2%
US avg: 1.2%
Public administration2.2%
US avg: 4.7%
Professional, scientific, technical1.9%
US avg: 4.7%
Transportation & warehousing1.3%
US avg: 2.5%
Arts, entertainment, food0.8%
US avg: 2%
Education & health services0.8%
US avg: 0.8%
Manufacturing0%
US avg: 0.5%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

$297,200
+54%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $128,600 in 2000
US average: $265,253
1990 – 2024
$1,137
+19%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $638 in 2000
US average: $1,124
77.4%
+2.8 ptssince 2000
from 74.5% in 2000
22.6% rent
2.31 people
+8%since 2009
from 2.14 people in 2009
US average: 2.61
4.5
−31%since 2009
from 6.6 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic93.5%(28,028)
Black2.6%(793)
Hispanic / Latino2.2%(666)
Asian0.4%(110)
Other0%
2020
White, non-Hispanic86.5%(31,921)
Black1.8%(678)
Hispanic / Latino6.9%(2,554)
Asian0.7%(260)
Other2.2%(811)
34
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means White and non-White residents are more separated across neighborhoods.
Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Hispanic origin
Mexican3.4%(1,255)
Peruvian1.1%(386)
Puerto Rican0.6%(233)
Guatemalan0.6%(215)
Honduran0.5%(185)
Nicaraguan0.5%(183)
Cuban0.2%(76)
Spaniard0.1%(53)
Salvadoran0.1%(45)
Argentine0%(18)
+ 2 more hispanic origin groups with data
Asian origin
Chinese0.2%(63)
Filipino0.2%(56)
Vietnamese0.1%(41)
Cambodian0.1%(30)
Korean0%(10)
Pacific Islander origin
Ancestry
English19.3%(7,074)
American15.5%(5,705)
German14.1%(5,170)
Irish12.3%(4,514)
Italian6.1%(2,239)
Scotch-Irish2.7%(1,009)
Scottish2.6%(937)
French2.5%(901)
Polish1.8%(648)
Welsh1.6%(569)
Swedish1.2%(436)
Dutch1%(378)
+ 32 more ancestry groups with data
Norwegian0.6%(230)
Lebanese0.4%(154)
Hungarian0.4%(153)
British0.4%(144)
Greek0.3%(125)
Portuguese0.3%(121)
Russian0.3%(98)
Swiss0.2%(71)
Austrian0.2%(66)
Lithuanian0.2%(64)
Slovak0.2%(57)
Danish0.2%(56)
Canadian0.1%(41)
Finnish0.1%(30)
Ukrainian0.1%(28)
Kenyan0.1%(27)
Slovene0.1%(25)
Syrian0%(14)
Romanian0%(14)
Brazilian0%(13)
Turkish0%(12)
Croatian0%(11)
Czech0%(8)
Serbian0%(8)
Belgian0%(7)
Latvian0%(1)
Section 05

Education

38.3%
+10.7 ptssince 2000
from 27.7% in 2000
US average: 32.9%
High school or higher
94.4%
+5.9 ptssince 2000
from 88.6% in 2000
US average: 88.5%
12.7%
+4.3 ptssince 2000
from 8.4% in 2000
US average: 12.7%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

22.5 min
+62%since 2000
from 13.9 min in 2000
US average: 26.9
77.3%
+1.3 ptssince 2009
from 76.1% in 2009
US average: 75.1%
2.6%
+0.3 ptssince 2009
from 2.4% in 2009
US average: 8.4%
Section 07

Work & employment

5.6%
−1.3 ptssince 2011
from 6.9% in 2011
US average: 5.4%
64.6%
−6.2 ptssince 2011
from 70.8% in 2011
US average: 63.4%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
79.1%
US average: 73.3%
36.6%
+5.1 ptssince 2009
from 31.5% in 2009
US average: 39.3%
Section 08

People & community

50.1%
−0.6 ptssince 2009
from 50.7% in 2009
49.9%
+0.6 ptssince 2009
from 49.3% in 2009
4.6%
+1.0 ptssince 2009
from 3.6% in 2009
US average: 13.5%
12.5%
−7.5 ptssince 2013
from 20.0% in 2013
US average: 8.8%
Computer in household
96.0%
US average: 91.9%
89.6%
US average: 86.2%
Marital status (2024)
Men 15+
Never married27.9%(4,456)
Married57.6%(9,211)
Widowed4.5%(725)
Divorced10%(1,604)
Women 15+
Never married21.3%(3,527)
Married56.1%(9,293)
Widowed11%(1,823)
Divorced11.6%(1,913)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09

Health coverage

12.5%
−7.5 ptssince 2013
from 20.0% in 2013
US average: 8.8%
47.1%
US average: 55.4%
Direct-purchase
27.0%
US average: 13.7%
22.1%
US average: 17.6%
10.9%
US average: 20.0%
VA health care
2.1%
US average: 2.3%
Any private
73.8%
US average: 68.1%
Any public
32.1%
US average: 35.2%

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, 2020
Gulf War (2001 or later)18.1%(570)
US avg: 20.6%
Gulf War (1990s)17.5%(552)
US avg: 21.4%
Vietnam era46.1%(1,449)
US avg: 35.2%
Korean War6.1%(191)
US avg: 7.6%
World War II0.8%(25)
US avg: 2.9%

Share of the 3,146 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.

BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
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Frequently asked

How many people live in Dare County, North Carolina?

Dare County, North Carolina has about 36,915 residents according to the 2020 American Community Survey.

What is the median household income in Dare County, North Carolina?

The typical household in Dare County, North Carolina earns about $65,420 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Dare County, North Carolina expensive?

In Dare County, North Carolina, the median home is worth about $297,200, and the typical rent is about $1,137 a month.

How educated are people in Dare County, North Carolina?

About 38.3% of adults age 25 and over in Dare County, North Carolina hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Dare County, North Carolina?

About 8.2% of people in Dare County, North Carolina live below the federal poverty line.

Has Dare County, North Carolina grown since 1990?

Yes, Dare County, North Carolina has grown since 1990. The population has added about 14,169 residents, a change of about 62 percent over that period.

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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · UPDATED 2024

How we source and harmonize this data →