Dare County, North Carolina
County in North Carolina, United States
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Dare County is the easternmost county in the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of the 2020 census, the population was 36,915.[1] Its county seat is Manteo.[2]
Dare County, North Carolina | |
|---|---|
Dare County Administration Building | |
 Flag  Seal | |
| Nickname: Land of Beginnings | |
| Motto(s): "Caring for our Community: A Nurturing Place Where We All Can Live and Grow." | |
 Location within the U.S. state of North Carolina | |
 Interactive map of Dare County, North Carolina | |
| Coordinates: 35.61°N 75.77°W | |
| Country |  United States |
| State |  North Carolina |
| Founded | 1870 |
| Named after | Virginia Dare |
| Seat | Manteo |
| Largest municipality | Kill Devil Hills |
| Area | |
• Total | 1,541.74 sq mi (3,993.1 km2) |
| • Land | 383.23 sq mi (992.6 km2) |
| • Water | 1,158.51 sq mi (3,000.5 km2) 75.14% |
| Population (2020) | |
• Total | 36,915 |
• Estimate (2024) | 38,183  |
| • Density | 96.33/sq mi (37.19/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−5 (Eastern) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−4 (EDT) |
| Congressional district | 3rd |
| Website | www |
Dare County is included in the Kill Devil Hills, NC Micropolitan Statistical Area, which is also included in the Virginia Beach-Chesapeake, VA-NC Combined Statistical Area.[3]
Because it includes much of Pamlico Sound, Dare County is the largest county in North Carolina by total area, although if considering land area only, it drops down to 68th in size among the state's 100 counties.[4]
History
Dare County is named after Virginia Dare, the first child born in the Americas to English parents, who was born within the county's current borders.[5] Founded in 1870 from parts of Tyrrell, Currituck and Hyde counties, it consists of a large segment of the Outer Banks of North Carolina,[6] along with Roanoke Island and a peninsula of land attached to the mainland. Most of the county consists of a string of resort communities along the Outer Banks. While lightly populated by year-round residents, the population swells during the summer with vacationers.[7]
At one time, the now-abandoned town of Buffalo City was the largest community in the county.[8]
Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 1,541.74 square miles (3,993.1 km2), of which 383.23 square miles (992.6 km2) is land and 1,158.51 square miles (3,000.5 km2) (75.14%) is water.[9] It is the largest county in North Carolina by total area.
Dare County includes the middle part of the Outer Banks and contains Roanoke Island.
National protected areas
State and local protected areas/sites
- Bodie Island Lighthouse
- Buxton Woods Coastal Reserve Dedicated Nature Preserve
- Buxton Woods Game Land[10]
- Cape Hatteras Lighthouse
- Dare Game Land (part)[10]
- Graveyard of the Atlantic Museum
- Hatteras Inlet Crab Spawning Sanctuary (part)
- Jennette's Pier
- Jockey's Ridge State Park
- Kitty Hawk Woods Coastal Reserve
- Kitty Hawk Woods Reserve
- Nags Head Woods Preserve Dedicated Nature Preserve
- North Carolina Aquarium on Roanoke Island
- Oregon Inlet Crab Spawning Sanctuary
- Pamlico Sound Mechanical Harvesting of Oysters Prohibited Area
- Roanoke Island Festival Park
- Roanoke Island Maritime Museum[11]
- Roanoke Island Marshes Dedicated Nature Preserve
- Roanoke Island Marshes Game Land[10]
- Run Hill State Natural Area
- Run Hill State Natural Area Dedicated Nature Preserve
- Sandy Run Park
Major water bodies
- Albemarle Sound
- Alligator River
- Atlantic Ocean (North Atlantic Ocean)
- Broad Creek
- Croatan Sound
- Currituck Sound
- East Lake
- Hatteras Bight
- Hatteras Inlet
- Intracoastal Waterway
- Long Shoal River
- Milltail Creek[12]
- Oregon Inlet
- Pamlico Sound
- Raleigh Bay
- Roanoke Sound
- Sawyer Lake[12]
- Shallowbag Bay
- South Lake
Adjacent counties
- Currituck County – north
- Hyde County – southwest
- Tyrrell County – west
Major highways
Major infrastructure
- Dare County Bombing Range, within Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge
- Dare County Regional Airport, general aviation airport
- First Flight Airport, inside Wright Brothers National Memorial
- Hatteras–Ocracoke Ferry (to Hyde County)
- Stumpy Point–Rodanthe Ferry, emergency ferry service typically used for hurricane evacuations or when NC 12 is damaged after a storm
Demographics
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1870 | 2,778 | — | |
| 1880 | 3,243 | 16.7% | |
| 1890 | 3,768 | 16.2% | |
| 1900 | 4,757 | 26.2% | |
| 1910 | 4,841 | 1.8% | |
| 1920 | 5,115 | 5.7% | |
| 1930 | 5,202 | 1.7% | |
| 1940 | 6,401 | 23.0% | |
| 1950 | 5,405 | −15.6% | |
| 1960 | 5,935 | 9.8% | |
| 1970 | 6,995 | 17.9% | |
| 1980 | 13,377 | 91.2% | |
| 1990 | 22,746 | 70.0% | |
| 2000 | 29,967 | 31.7% | |
| 2010 | 33,920 | 13.2% | |
| 2020 | 36,915 | 8.8% | |
| 2024 (est.) | 38,183 | [13] | 3.4% |
| U.S. Decennial Census[14] 1790–1960[15] 1900–1990[16] 1990–2000[17] 2010[18] 2020[1] | |||
2020 census
| Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic) | Pop 1980[19] | Pop 1990[20] | Pop 2000[21] | Pop 2010[22] | Pop 2020[23] | % 1980 | % 1990 | % 2000 | % 2010 | % 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| White alone (NH) | 12,428 | 21,626 | 28,028 | 30,061 | 31,921 | 92.91% | 95.08% | 93.53% | 88.62% | 86.47% |
| Black or African American alone (NH) | 817 | 807 | 793 | 812 | 678 | 6.11% | 3.55% | 2.65% | 2.39% | 1.84% |
| Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) | 18 | 37 | 76 | 101 | 99 | 0.13% | 0.16% | 0.25% | 0.30% | 0.27% |
| Asian alone (NH) | 40 | 76 | 110 | 211 | 260 | 0.30% | 0.33% | 0.37% | 0.62% | 0.70% |
| Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander alone (NH) | x [24] | x [25] | 11 | 10 | 10 | x | x | 0.04% | 0.03% | 0.03% |
| Other race alone (NH) | 18 | 1 | 14 | 14 | 140 | 0.13% | 0.00% | 0.05% | 0.04% | 0.38% |
| Mixed race or Multiracial (NH) | x [26] | x [27] | 269 | 501 | 1,253 | x | x | 0.90% | 1.48% | 3.39% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 56 | 199 | 666 | 2,210 | 2,554 | 0.42% | 0.87% | 2.22% | 6.52% | 6.92% |
| Total | 13,377 | 22,746 | 29,967 | 33,920 | 36,915 | 100.00% | 100.00% | 100.00% | 100.00% | 100.00% |
As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 36,915, 15,966 households, and 10,281 families residing in the county. The median age was 49.7 years; 17.5% of residents were under the age of 18 and 24.7% were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 97.2 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 95.3 males age 18 and over.[28]
The racial makeup of the county was 87.8% White, 1.9% Black or African American, 0.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% Asian, <0.1% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 3.2% from some other race, and 5.9% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 6.9% of the population.[29]
77.9% of residents lived in urban areas, while 22.1% lived in rural areas.[30]
There were 15,966 households in the county, of which 23.5% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 51.6% were married-couple households, 17.2% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 23.8% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 27.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.[28]
There were 34,237 housing units, of which 53.4% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 77.4% were owner-occupied and 22.6% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.6% and the rental vacancy rate was 20.7%.[28]
2010 census
At the 2010 census,[31] there were 33,920 people, 12,690 households, and 8,450 families residing in the county. The population density was 78 people per square mile (30 people/km2). There were 26,671 housing units at an average density of 70 units per square mile (27 units/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 92.3% White, 2.5% Black or African American, 0.4% Native American, 0.6% Asian, 0.0% Pacific Islander, 2.4% from other races, and 1.8% from two or more races. 6.5% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There were 12,690 households, out of which 27.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.0% were married couples living together, 8.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.4% were non-families. 25.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.34 and the average family size was 2.79.
In the county, the population was spread out, with 21.4% under the age of 18, 6.3% from 18 to 24, 30.8% from 25 to 44, 27.7% from 45 to 64, and 13.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 101.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 100.2 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $42,411, and the median income for a family was $49,302. Males had a median income of $31,240 versus $24,318 for females. The per capita income for the county was $23,614. About 5.5% of families and 8.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 9.9% of those under age 18 and 5.3% of those age 65 or over.
Ancestry
As of 2010, the largest self-reported ancestry groups in Dare County were:[32]
Government and politics
Dare County is presently a Republican county, having voted Republican since the 1980 election, though the Republican margins of victory are significantly smaller than most Southern largely-white counties. No Democratic presidential nominee has carried Dare County since Jimmy Carter did so in 1976. Before the 1950s, it was mostly a typical "Solid South" Democratic county, that did not vote Republican between 1900 and 1952, albeit by significantly smaller margins than much of the rest of the Solid South. Dare County is governed by the Dare County Board of Commissioners. Dare County is a part of the Albemarle Commission regional council of governments.
| Year | Republican | Democratic | Third party(ies) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
| 1880 | 274 | 48.75% | 288 | 51.25% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1884 | 291 | 53.30% | 255 | 46.70% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1888 | 337 | 51.22% | 321 | 48.78% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1892 | 356 | 51.52% | 335 | 48.48% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1896 | 471 | 53.58% | 408 | 46.42% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1900 | 331 | 45.03% | 404 | 54.97% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1904 | 350 | 45.75% | 415 | 54.25% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1908 | 370 | 47.07% | 416 | 52.93% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1912 | 238 | 33.29% | 397 | 55.52% | 80 | 11.19% |
| 1916 | 363 | 43.58% | 470 | 56.42% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1920 | 632 | 43.38% | 825 | 56.62% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1924 | 629 | 43.17% | 826 | 56.69% | 2 | 0.14% |
| 1928 | 814 | 47.97% | 883 | 52.03% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1932 | 497 | 28.50% | 1,241 | 71.16% | 6 | 0.34% |
| 1936 | 542 | 28.07% | 1,389 | 71.93% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1940 | 315 | 20.60% | 1,214 | 79.40% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1944 | 259 | 21.14% | 966 | 78.86% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1948 | 373 | 30.72% | 802 | 66.06% | 39 | 3.21% |
| 1952 | 767 | 44.44% | 959 | 55.56% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1956 | 1,028 | 55.06% | 839 | 44.94% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1960 | 1,058 | 45.90% | 1,247 | 54.10% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1964 | 867 | 37.00% | 1,476 | 63.00% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1968 | 1,035 | 40.13% | 700 | 27.14% | 844 | 32.73% |
| 1972 | 1,986 | 75.20% | 634 | 24.01% | 21 | 0.80% |
| 1976 | 1,680 | 43.18% | 2,191 | 56.31% | 20 | 0.51% |
| 1980 | 2,794 | 49.76% | 2,497 | 44.47% | 324 | 5.77% |
| 1984 | 4,738 | 71.83% | 1,839 | 27.88% | 19 | 0.29% |
| 1988 | 5,234 | 64.85% | 2,806 | 34.77% | 31 | 0.38% |
| 1992 | 4,357 | 40.73% | 3,925 | 36.70% | 2,414 | 22.57% |
| 1996 | 4,977 | 46.00% | 4,522 | 41.79% | 1,321 | 12.21% |
| 2000 | 7,301 | 56.15% | 5,589 | 42.99% | 112 | 0.86% |
| 2004 | 9,345 | 60.10% | 6,136 | 39.46% | 67 | 0.43% |
| 2008 | 9,745 | 53.99% | 8,074 | 44.74% | 229 | 1.27% |
| 2012 | 10,248 | 57.02% | 7,393 | 41.13% | 333 | 1.85% |
| 2016 | 11,460 | 58.44% | 7,222 | 36.83% | 927 | 4.73% |
| 2020 | 13,938 | 57.52% | 9,936 | 41.00% | 358 | 1.48% |
| 2024 | 14,792 | 58.71% | 10,074 | 39.98% | 330 | 1.31% |
Education
Public education is run by Dare County Schools. There are three public high schools/secondary schools with high school components:
College of The Albemarle is the local community college, with a Dare campus in Manteo.[34]
Dare County Library has branches in Manteo, Kill Devil Hills, and Hatteras.[35]
Lighthouses
Dare County is home to two popular lighthouses: The Cape Hatteras Lighthouse and the Bodie Island Lighthouse. There is also a beacon atop the Wright Brothers Memorial. A third lighthouse was built by the Town of Manteo and dedicated on September 25, 2004. The Roanoke Marshes Lighthouse is an exterior recreation of the 1877 screwpile lighthouse of the same name and is located on the Manteo waterfront. It serves as exhibit space for the N.C. Maritime Museum on Roanoke Island.[36]
Communities
Towns
- Duck
- Kill Devil Hills (largest municipality)
- Kitty Hawk
- Manteo (county seat)
- Nags Head
- Southern Shores
Census-designated places
Unincorporated communities
- Colington Island
- East Lake
- Little Kinnakeet
- Martins Point
- Stumpy Point
Townships
- Atlantic
- Croatan
- East Lake
- Hatteras
- Kinnekeet
- Nags Head
Ghost towns
- Buffalo City (est: 1870s) (abandoned: 1950s), highest population: 3,000 (early 20th century)
- Burptoe Village (est: 1892) (abandoned: 1950), highest population: 616 (1942)
- Port Frenz (est: 1862 as Fort Frent) (abandoned: 1932), highest population: 602 (1924) (named as Fort Frent until 1865)
See also
- List of counties in North Carolina
- National Register of Historic Places listings in Dare County, North Carolina
- List of ghost towns in North Carolina
- Roanoke Colony, first attempted permanent English settlement in the Americas
- Hurricane Isabel, worst hurricane to hit Dare County to-date; caused widespread damage in the county
