Dare County, North Carolina
Located in North Carolina, Dare County has a population of 37,875 residents and a median age of 49.0 years, making it the #1,259 most populous county out of 3,222 nationwide. In terms of economic indicators, the county has a poverty rate of 6.6%. The median home value is $460,400, and the median household income is $88,994, which is 18% above the national median.
Demographics
Dare County has a population of 37,875, making it the #1,259 most populous county in the US. The median age is 49.0 years, which is 26.0% above the national median.
Population Trend
Rankings →Year-over-Year Population Growth
Age & Sex Distribution
Race & Ethnicity
Nativity
Geographic Mobility (Past Year)
Economy
The median household income in Dare County is $88,994, ranking #330 out of 3,222 counties — 18.4% above the national median. The poverty rate is 6.6% and unemployment stands at 5.9%.
Median Household Income Trend
Rankings →Income Distribution
Industry of Employment
Occupation
Housing
The median home value in Dare County is $460,400 (+63.3% vs national). Renters pay a median of $1,345/mo and the homeownership rate is 78.4%.
Median Home Value Trend
Rankings →Household Type
Education
In Dare County, 43.2% of adults age 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher, which is 28.2% above the national average, ranking #195 out of 3,222 counties.
Bachelor's Degree or Higher Trend
Rankings →Health & Wellbeing
Life expectancy in Dare County is 78.2 years. 12.3% of adults report poor or fair health and 11.0% lack health insurance. Data from County Health Rankings (2025).
Life Expectancy Trend
Substance Use
11.2% of adults in Dare County smoke , 29.5% are obese , and 24.3% report excessive drinking. The drug overdose death rate is 46.8 per 100,000.
Adult Smoking Trend
Safety
The suicide rate is 15.8 per 100,000. Motor vehicle deaths occur at a rate of 8.1 per 100,000.
Suicide Rate Trend
Families & Children
13.3% of children in Dare County live in poverty . The teen birth rate is 11.7 per 1,000 females age 15–19.
Teen Birth Rate Trend
Civic & Transportation
Voter turnout in Dare County is 84.1%. The mean commute time is 24.2 min, which is 12.2% below the national average.
Voter Turnout Trend
Mean Commute Time Trend
Rankings →Elections
In the 2024 presidential election, Dare County voted Republican with a margin of 18.8%. The vote was 40.1% Dem / 58.9% Rep. Compared to 2020, the margin shifted 2.3 toward Republicans .
Vote Share Over Time
About Dare County, North Carolina
Dare County, North Carolina has a total population of 37,875, making it the 1,259th most populous county in the United States. The median age in Dare County is 49.0 years, which is 26.0% above the national median of 38.9 years.
The median household income in Dare County is $88,994, which ranks #330 of 3,222 counties nationwide. This is 18.4% above the national median of $75,149. The poverty rate is 6.6%, lower than the national rate of 12.6%. The unemployment rate stands at 5.9%.
The median home value in Dare County is $460,400, 63.3% above the national median. Renters in Dare County pay a median gross rent of $1,345 per month. The homeownership rate is 78.4%, compared to the national rate of 64.4%.
In Dare County, 43.2% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 28.2% above the national average of 33.7%. Health insurance coverage stands at 91.4% of the population. The average commute time for workers is 24.2 min.
Dare County is a diverse community. The largest racial or ethnic group is White (non-Hispanic) at 85.4% of the population, followed by Hispanic or Latino (7.4%) and Two or More Races (3.3%).
All data for Dare County, North Carolina comes from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates. These figures are estimates based on survey sampling and are subject to margin of error. For the most detailed and up-to-date data, visit the Census Bureau's official data portal.