Dare County, North Carolina
Among the top 11% of US counties for lifestyle & connectivity.
AffordabilityAffordability: grade D, better than 20% of US counties
WeatherWeather: grade B, better than 59% of US counties
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade D, better than 10% of US counties
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade B+, better than 81% of US counties
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade A, better than 89% of US counties
- top 4% for broadband access
- top 4% for park & nature access
- bottom 10% for monthly owner costs
Dare County is a county in North Carolina with about 37,000 residents. It grades A for lifestyle & connectivity and D for safety & wellbeing. Standout strengths include broadband access, park & nature access, and comfortable days. It rates lower on monthly rent and monthly owner costs.
Official websitedarenc.gov (opens in new tab)
Climate
Warm, humid summers · Cool winters · Moderate rain
cold
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comf.
warm
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64%57%clearovercast
Precipitation 5.2 in3.5 in
muggy 78%dry
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$80k87th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$55kbetter than 11% of US counties
Home Value$387k94th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$1kbetter than 10% of US counties
Monthly Owner Costs$2kbetter than 10% of US counties
Property Tax Rate0.55%better than 81% of US counties
Income Tax4.50%better than 62% of US counties
Sales Tax7.00%better than 61% of US counties
Estimated total tax burden9.48%better than 49% of US counties
Unemployment5.1%better than 43% of US counties
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)44°F76th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)80°F68th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation48.2 in66th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall1.2 inbetter than 76% of US counties
Sunny Days200 daysbetter than 16% of US counties
Summer Humidity70°Fbetter than 21% of US counties
Comfortable Days102 daysbetter than 93% of US counties
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk89.6better than 10% of US counties
School Quality45.2better than 28% of US counties
Violent Crime1130/100kbetter than 29% of US counties
Property Crime1462/100kbetter than 27% of US counties
Community
Population37,16060th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age48.190th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.2242nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio1.0047th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningR+1728th percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)85.8%60th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)3.0%57th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)7.6%65th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)0.5%40th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)3.1%43rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time23 minbetter than 61% of US counties
Walkability7.8/20better than 85% of US counties
Airport Distance90 mibetter than 55% of US counties
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access92.8%better than 96% of US counties
Amenities Nearby0.27better than 26% of US counties
Park & Nature AccessExcellentbetter than 96% of US counties
Frequently asked questions
- Is Dare County an affordable place to live?
- Dare County is relatively expensive. Its cost-of-living index is $55k, better than 11% of comparable areas.
- What is the median home value in Dare County?
- The median home value in Dare County is $387k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- What is the median household income in Dare County?
- Median household income in Dare County is $80k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- How much is rent in Dare County?
- Median gross rent in Dare County is $1k a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Is Dare County safe?
- Dare County is higher-crime than most comparable areas, with a violent crime rate of 1130/100k (better than 29%). Property crime is 1462/100k.
- What is the weather like in Dare County?
- Dare County averages 80°F in July and 44°F in January, with 48.2 in of annual precipitation and about 200 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in Dare County?
- Public-school quality in Dare County is below average, scoring better than 28% of comparable areas on a composite of graduation rates, spending, and student-teacher ratio.
- How long is the commute in Dare County?
- The average one-way commute in Dare County is 23 min.
Other counties in North Carolina
Explore North Carolina
Data sources
- EPA Smart Location Database
- EPI Family Budget Calculator
- FAA airport enplanements
- FBI Uniform Crime Reports
- FEMA National Risk Index
- MIT Election Data Lab (2020)
- NCES School Finance Survey
- NOAA Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA nClimGrid
- OpenStreetMap
- Tax Foundation + state revenue depts
- U.S. Census ACS (5-Year)
- USGS Protected Areas (PAD-US)