Dare County, North Carolina

{{Short description |County in North Carolina, United States}} {{Use American English|date=June 2025}} {{Use mdy dates|date=April 2024}} {{Infobox U.S. county | county = Dare County | state = North Carolina | ex image = Dare County Courthouse.jpg | ex image cap = Dare County Administration Building | seal = County of Dare.png | founded = 1870 | named for = Virginia Dare | seat wl = Manteo | largest city wl = Kill Devil Hills | city type = municipality | area_total_sq_mi = 1541.74 | area_land_sq_mi = 383.23 | area_water_sq_mi = 1158.51 | area percentage = 75.14 | population_as_of = 2020 | population_total = 36915 | pop_est_as_of = 2025 | population_est = 38245 {{gain}} | population_density_sq_mi = 96.33 | mapframe = yes | mapframe-marker = none | coordinates = {{coord|35.61|-75.77|type:adm2nd_region:US-NC_source:USCensusBureau2020gazetteerfiles|display=inline,title}} | web = https://www.darenc.gov/ | district = 3rd | time zone = Eastern | flag = Dare County Flag.gif | nickname = Land of Beginnings | motto = "Caring for our Community: A Nurturing Place Where We All Can Live and Grow." }}

'''Dare County''' is the easternmost county in the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of the 2020 census, the population was 36,915.<ref name="2020CensusQuickFacts"/> Its county seat is Manteo.<ref name="GR6">{{cite web|url=http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx |access-date=June 7, 2011 |title=Find a County |publisher=National Association of Counties |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110531210815/http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx |archive-date=May 31, 2011 }}</ref>

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.<ref name="2023OMB">{{Cite web |date=July 21, 2023 |title=OMB Bulletin No. 23-01: Revised Delineations of Metropolitan Statistical Areas, Micropolitan Statistical Areas, and Combined Statistical Areas, and Guidance on Uses of the Delineations of These Areas |url=https://bidenwhitehouse.archives.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/OMB-Bulletin-23-01.pdf |access-date=August 10, 2023 |website=United States Office of Management and Budget}}</ref>

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.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=North Carolina Land Area County Rank |url=http://www.usa.com/rank/north-carolina-state--land-area--county-rank.htm |access-date=May 24, 2022 |website=www.usa.com}}</ref>

==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.<ref>{{cite web |title=About Dare County |url=http://www.darenc.com/general/mainabout.asp |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120403130938/http://www.darenc.com/general/mainabout.asp |archive-date=April 3, 2012 |access-date=January 7, 2015 |work=Dare County}}</ref> Founded in 1870 from parts of Tyrrell, Currituck and Hyde counties, it consists of a large segment of the Outer Banks of North Carolina,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Dare County {{!}} NCpedia |url=https://www.ncpedia.org/geography/dare |access-date=May 24, 2022 |website=www.ncpedia.org}}</ref> 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.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Tourists flock to Outer Banks in record numbers |url=https://www.pilotonline.com/news/article_8168ed68-e37f-5449-b4fe-6a80d12f7014.html |access-date=May 24, 2022 |website=The Virginian-Pilot |language=en}}</ref>

At one time, the now-abandoned town of Buffalo City was the largest community in the county.<ref name="Buffalo">{{cite news |last=Degregory |first=Lane |date=October 2, 1994 |title=Buffalo City |newspaper=The Virginian-Pilot |url=http://scholar.lib.vt.edu/VA-news/VA-Pilot/issues/1994/vp941002/09300159.htm |url-status=dead |access-date=May 6, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080517191103/http://scholar.lib.vt.edu/VA-news/VA-Pilot/issues/1994/vp941002/09300159.htm |archive-date=May 17, 2008}}</ref>

==Geography== thumbnail|Dare County welcome center According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of {{convert|1541.74|sqmi}}, of which {{convert|383.23|sqmi}} is land and {{convert|1158.51|sqmi}} (75.14%) is water.<ref>{{Cite web |date=August 23, 2022 |title=2020 County Gazetteer Files – North Carolina |url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2020_Gazetteer/2020_gaz_counties_37.txt |access-date=September 9, 2023 |publisher=United States Census Bureau}}</ref> 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=== * Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge (part) * Cape Hatteras National Seashore (part) * Fort Raleigh National Historic Site * Monitor National Marine Sanctuary * Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge * Wright Brothers National Memorial

===State and local protected areas/sites=== * Bodie Island Lighthouse * Buxton Woods Coastal Reserve Dedicated Nature Preserve * Buxton Woods Game Land<ref name="NCWRC Game Lands">{{Cite web |title=NCWRC Game Lands |url=https://www.ncpaws.org/ncwrcmaps/gamelands |access-date=March 30, 2023 |website=www.ncpaws.org}}</ref> * Cape Hatteras Lighthouse * Dare Game Land (part)<ref name="NCWRC Game Lands"/> * 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<ref>{{Cite web |title=Roanoke Island Maritime Museum {{!}} Town of Manteo, North Carolina |url=https://www.manteonc.gov/departments/waterfront-operations/roanoke-island-maritime-museum |access-date=May 1, 2023 |website=www.manteonc.gov |language=en}}</ref> * Roanoke Island Marshes Dedicated Nature Preserve * Roanoke Island Marshes Game Land<ref name="NCWRC Game Lands"/> * 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<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |title=Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge - Milltail Creek & Sawyer Lake |url=https://www.outerbanks.org/listing/alligator-river-national-wildlife-refuge-milltail-creek-%26-sawyer-lake/1107/ |access-date=May 1, 2023 |website=www.outerbanks.org |language=en-us}}</ref> * Oregon Inlet * Pamlico Sound * Raleigh Bay * Roanoke Sound * Sawyer Lake<ref name=":1"/> * Shallowbag Bay * South Lake

===Adjacent counties=== * Currituck County – north * Hyde County – southwest * Tyrrell County – west

===Major highways=== * {{Jct|state=NC|US|64}} * {{Jct|state=NC|US-Byp|64|dab1=Manteo}} * {{Jct|state=NC|US|158}} * {{Jct|state=NC|US|264}} * {{Jct|state=NC|NC|12}} * {{Jct|state=NC|NC|345}} * {{Jct|state=NC|NC|400}}

===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== {{US Census population | 1870 = 2778 | 1880 = 3243 | 1890 = 3768 | 1900 = 4757 | 1910 = 4841 | 1920 = 5115 | 1930 = 5202 | 1940 = 6401 | 1950 = 5405 | 1960 = 5935 | 1970 = 6995 | 1980 = 13377 | 1990 = 22746 | 2000 = 29967 | 2010 = 33920 | 2020 = 36915 | estyear = 2025 | estimate = 38245 | estref = <ref name="USCensusEst2025">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/data/tables/time-series/demo/popest/2020s-counties-total.html|title=County Population Totals and Components of Change: 2020-2025|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=April 6, 2026}}</ref> {{increase}} | align-fn = center | footnote = U.S. Decennial Census<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=U.S. Decennial Census|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=January 14, 2015}}</ref> 1790–1960<ref>{{cite web|url=http://mapserver.lib.virginia.edu/|title=Historical Census Browser|publisher=University of Virginia Library|access-date=January 14, 2015|archive-date=August 11, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120811110448/http://mapserver.lib.virginia.edu/|url-status=dead}}</ref> 1900–1990<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/population/cencounts/nc190090.txt|title=Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990|publisher=United States Census Bureau|editor-last=Forstall|editor-first=Richard L.|date=March 27, 1995|access-date=January 14, 2015}}</ref> 1990–2000<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/population/www/cen2000/briefs/phc-t4/tables/tab02.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100327165705/http://www.census.gov/population/www/cen2000/briefs/phc-t4/tables/tab02.pdf |archive-date=March 27, 2010 |url-status=live|title=Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000|publisher=United States Census Bureau|date=April 2, 2001|access-date=January 14, 2015}}</ref> 2010<ref name="QF">{{cite web|title=State & County QuickFacts|url=http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/37/37055.html|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=October 19, 2013|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110606235248/http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/37/37055.html|archive-date=June 6, 2011}}</ref> 2020<ref name="2020CensusQuickFacts">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/darecountynorthcarolina|title=QuickFacts: Dare County, North Carolina|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=March 21, 2024}}</ref> | align = right }} thumb|2020 population density of Dare County NC by census block<ref>{{Cite web |title=2025 TIGER/Line® Shapefiles |url=https://www.census.gov/cgi-bin/geo/shapefiles/index.php?year=2025&layergroup=Blocks+(2020) |access-date=2026-04-13 |website=www.census.gov}}</ref>

===2020 census=== {| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;" |+'''Dare County, North Carolina – Racial and ethnic composition''' {{nobold|''Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos may be of any race.''}} !Race / Ethnicity (''NH = Non-Hispanic'') !Pop 1980<ref name=1980Census>{{Cite web|title=1980 Census of Population - General Social and Economic Characteristics - North Carolina - Table 15 - Persons by Race: 1980 and Table 16 - Persons by Spanish Origin, Race, and Sex: 1980 |url=https://www2.census.gov/prod2/decennial/documents/1980a_ncABC-02.pdf|website=United States Census Bureau|page=14-25|via= WayBack Machine|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250228195108/https://www2.census.gov/prod2/decennial/documents/1980a_ncABC-02.pdf| archive-date=February 28, 2025}}</ref> !Pop 1990<ref>{{Cite web |title=1990 Census of Population - General Population Characteristics - North Carolina: Table 3 - Race and Hispanic Origin |website=United States Census Bureau|url=https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/1990/cp-1/cp-1-35.pdf|access-date=|page=15-64|via= WayBack Machine|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250320045449/https://www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/1990/cp-1/cp-1-35.pdf| archive-date=March 20, 2025}}</ref> !Pop 2000<ref name=2000CensusP004>{{Cite web|title=P004: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2000: DEC Summary File 1 – Dare County, North Carolina|url=https://data.census.gov/table?g=050XX00US37055&tid=DECENNIALSF12000.P004|website=United States Census Bureau |access-date= }}</ref> !Pop 2010<ref name=2010CensusP2>{{Cite web|title=P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Dare County, North Carolina|url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?q=p2&g=050XX00US37055&tid=DECENNIALPL2010.P2|website=United States Census Bureau |access-date= }}</ref> !style="background-color: #ffffb3;" | Pop 2020<ref name=2020CensusP2>{{Cite web|title=P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Dare County, North Carolina|url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?q=p2&g=050XX00US37055&tid=DECENNIALPL2020.P2|website=United States Census Bureau |access-date= }}</ref> !% 1980 !% 1990 !% 2000 !% 2010 !style="background-color: #ffffb3;" |% 2020 |- |White alone (NH) |12,428 |21,626 |28,028 |30,061 |style='background: #ffffe6; |31,921 |92.91% |95.08% |93.53% |88.62% |style='background: #ffffe6; |86.47% |- |Black or African American alone (NH) |817 |807 |793 |812 |style='background: #ffffe6; |678 |6.11% |3.55% |2.65% |2.39% |style='background: #ffffe6; |1.84% |- |Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) |18 |37 |76 |101 |style='background: #ffffe6; |99 |0.13% |0.16% |0.25% |0.30% |style='background: #ffffe6; |0.27% |- |Asian alone (NH) |40 |76 |110 |211 |style='background: #ffffe6; |260 |0.30% |0.33% |0.37% |0.62% |style='background: #ffffe6; |0.70% |- |Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander alone (NH) |x <ref>included in the Asian category in the 1980 Census</ref> |x <ref>included in the Asian category in the 1990 Census</ref> |11 |10 |style='background: #ffffe6; |10 |x |x |0.04% |0.03% |style='background: #ffffe6; |0.03% |- |Other race alone (NH) |18 |1 |14 |14 |style='background: #ffffe6; |140 |0.13% |0.00% |0.05% |0.04% |style='background: #ffffe6; |0.38% |- |Mixed race or Multiracial (NH) |x <ref>not an option in the 1980 Census</ref> |x <ref>not an option in the 1990 Census</ref> |269 |501 |style='background: #ffffe6; |1,253 |x |x |0.90% |1.48% |style='background: #ffffe6; |3.39% |- |Hispanic or Latino (any race) |56 |199 |666 |2,210 |style='background: #ffffe6; |2,554 |0.42% |0.87% |2.22% |6.52% |style='background: #ffffe6; |6.92% |- |'''Total''' |'''13,377''' |'''22,746''' |'''29,967''' |'''33,920''' |style='background: #ffffe6; |'''36,915 ''' |'''100.00%''' |'''100.00%''' |'''100.00%''' |'''100.00%''' |style='background: #ffffe6; |'''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.<ref name="Census2020DP">{{cite web|title=2020 Decennial Census Demographic Profile (DP1)|url=https://api.census.gov/data/2020/dec/dp?get=NAME,DP1_0021P,DP1_0024P,DP1_0025C,DP1_0049C,DP1_0045C,DP1_0069C,DP1_0073C,DP1_0125P,DP1_0126P,DP1_0129P,DP1_0133P,DP1_0137P,DP1_0138P,DP1_0139P,DP1_0141P,DP1_0142P,DP1_0143P,DP1_0145P,DP1_0146P,DP1_0147C,DP1_0148C,DP1_0149C,DP1_0156C,DP1_0157C,DP1_0158C,DP1_0159P,DP1_0160P&for=county%3A055&in=state%3A37|website=United States Census Bureau|year=2021|access-date=December 26, 2025|df=mdy}}</ref>

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.<ref name="Census2020PL">{{cite web|title=2020 Decennial Census Redistricting Data (Public Law 94-171)|url=https://api.census.gov/data/2020/dec/pl?get=NAME,P1_001N,P1_003N,P1_004N,P1_005N,P1_006N,P1_007N,P1_008N,P1_009N,P2_001N,P2_002N,H1_001N,H1_002N&for=county%3A055&in=state%3A37|website=United States Census Bureau|year=2021|access-date=December 26, 2025|df=mdy}}</ref>

77.9% of residents lived in urban areas, while 22.1% lived in rural areas.<ref name="Census2020DHC">{{cite web|title=2020 Decennial Census Demographic and Housing Characteristics (DHC)|url=https://api.census.gov/data/2020/dec/dhc?get=NAME,P2_002N,P2_003N&for=county%3A055&in=state%3A37|website=United States Census Bureau|year=2023|access-date=December 26, 2025|df=mdy}}</ref>

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.<ref name="Census2020DP"/>

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%.<ref name="Census2020DP"/>

===2010 census=== At the 2010 census,<ref name="GR2">{{cite web |url=https://www.census.gov |publisher=United States Census Bureau |access-date=January 31, 2008 |title=U.S. Census website}}</ref> there were 33,920 people, 12,690 households, and 8,450 families residing in the county. The population density was {{convert|78|/mi2|/km2|disp=preunit|people |people}}. There were 26,671 housing units at an average density of {{convert|70|/mi2|/km2|disp=preunit|units |units|}}. 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:<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/10_5YR/DP02/0500000US37055|title=American FactFinder - Results|publisher=United States Census Bureau|website=factfinder.census.gov|language=en|access-date=March 15, 2018|archive-url=https://archive.today/20200213040256/https://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/10_5YR/DP02/0500000US37055|archive-date=February 13, 2020|url-status=dead}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable sortable collapsible" style="font-size: 90%;" |- ! Ancestry !! Percent (2010) |- | English {{flagicon|England}} || 22.0% |- | German {{flagicon|Germany}} || 18.4% |- | Irish {{flagicon|Ireland}} || 15.3% |- | American {{flagicon|United States}} || 8.7% |- | Italian {{flagicon|Italy}} || 6.2% |- | Scottish {{flagicon|Scotland}} || 4.8% |- | Scotch-Irish {{flagicon|Ulster}} || 4.0% |- | Polish {{flagicon|Poland}} || 3.0% |- | Dutch {{flagicon|Netherlands}} || 1.8% |- | Welsh {{flagicon|Wales}} || 1.2% |}

==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.

{{PresHead|place=Dare County, North Carolina|source=<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS|title=Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections|last=Leip|first=David|website=uselectionatlas.org|access-date=March 15, 2018}}</ref>}}  {{PresRow|1880|Democratic|274|288|0|North Carolina}} {{PresRow|1884|Republican|291|255|0|North Carolina}} {{PresRow|1888|Republican|337|321|0|North Carolina}} {{PresRow|1892|Republican|356|335|0|North Carolina}} {{PresRow|1896|Republican|471|408|0|North Carolina}} {{PresRow|1900|Democratic|331|404|0|North Carolina}} {{PresRow|1904|Democratic|350|415|0|North Carolina}} {{PresRow|1908|Democratic|370|416|0|North Carolina}} {{PresRow|1912|Democratic|238|397|80|North Carolina}} {{PresRow|1916|Democratic|363|470|0|North Carolina}} {{PresRow|1920|Democratic|632|825|0|North Carolina}} {{PresRow|1924|Democratic|629|826|2|North Carolina}} {{PresRow|1928|Democratic|814|883|0|North Carolina}} {{PresRow|1932|Democratic|497|1,241|6|North Carolina}} {{PresRow|1936|Democratic|542|1,389|0|North Carolina}} {{PresRow|1940|Democratic|315|1,214|0|North Carolina}} {{PresRow|1944|Democratic|259|966|0|North Carolina}} {{PresRow|1948|Democratic|373|802|39|North Carolina}} {{PresRow|1952|Democratic|767|959|0|North Carolina}} {{PresRow|1956|Republican|1,028|839|0|North Carolina}} {{PresRow|1960|Democratic|1,058|1,247|0|North Carolina}} {{PresRow|1964|Democratic|867|1,476|0|North Carolina}} {{PresRow|1968|Republican|1,035|700|844|North Carolina}} {{PresRow|1972|Republican|1,986|634|21|North Carolina}} {{PresRow|1976|Democratic|1,680|2,191|20|North Carolina}} {{PresRow|1980|Republican|2,794|2,497|324|North Carolina}} {{PresRow|1984|Republican|4,738|1,839|19|North Carolina}} {{PresRow|1988|Republican|5,234|2,806|31|North Carolina}} {{PresRow|1992|Republican|4,357|3,925|2,414|North Carolina}} {{PresRow|1996|Republican|4,977|4,522|1,321|North Carolina}} {{PresRow|2000|Republican|7,301|5,589|112|North Carolina}} {{PresRow|2004|Republican|9,345|6,136|67|North Carolina}} {{PresRow|2008|Republican|9,745|8,074|229|North Carolina}} {{PresRow|2012|Republican|10,248|7,393|333|North Carolina}} {{PresRow|2016|Republican|11,460|7,222|927|North Carolina}} {{PresRow|2020|Republican|13,938|9,936|358|North Carolina}} {{PresRow|2024|Republican|14,792|10,074|330|North Carolina}} {{PresFoot}}

==Education== Public education is run by Dare County Schools. There are three public high schools/secondary schools with high school components: * Cape Hatteras Secondary School * First Flight High School * Manteo High School

College of The Albemarle is the local community college, with a Dare campus in Manteo.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.albemarle.edu|title=Home|publisher=College of The Albemarle|accessdate=April 12, 2021|quote=COA – Dare 132 Russell Twiford Rd Manteo, NC 27954}}</ref>

Dare County Library has branches in Manteo, Kill Devil Hills, and Hatteras.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.darenc.com/departments/libraries|title=Home|publisher=Dare County Library |accessdate=April 13, 2021}}</ref>

==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.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Wright Brothers Monument (U.S. National Park Service) |url=https://www.nps.gov/articles/000/wright-brothers-monument.htm |access-date=May 24, 2022 |website=www.nps.gov |language=en}}</ref>

==Communities== <imagemap> File:Dare County.png|450px|right|thumb|Clickable map of Dare County

rect 311 22 350 36 Duck rect 414 89 492 103 Kill Devil Hills rect 386 66 446 80 Kitty Hawk rect 94 115 172 127 Manteo rect 429 140 497 156 Nags Head rect 338 44 434 56 Southern Shores rect 415 442 558 456 Cape Hatteras Lighthouse rect 30 295 241 308 Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge rect 414 275 593 291 Cape Hatteras National Seashore rect 397 226 588 241 Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge

desc bottom-left </imagemap>

===Towns=== * Duck * Kill Devil Hills (largest municipality) * Kitty Hawk * Manteo (county seat) * Nags Head * Southern Shores

===Census-designated places=== {{div col}} * Avon * Buxton * Frisco * Hatteras * Manns Harbor * Rodanthe * Salvo * Wanchese * Waves {{div col end}}

===Unincorporated communities=== {{div col}} * Colington Island * East Lake * Little Kinnakeet * Martins Point * Stumpy Point {{div col end}}

===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

==References== {{reflist}}

==External links== {{Commons category}} * {{osmrelation|1232267}} * {{Official website|https://www.darenc.gov/}}

{{Geographic Location |Centre = Dare County, North Carolina |North = Currituck County |Northeast = |East = Atlantic Ocean |Southeast = |South = Atlantic Ocean |Southwest = Hyde County |West = Tyrrell County |Northwest = }} {{Dare County, North Carolina}} {{Outer Banks}} {{North Carolina}} {{Authority control}}

Category:Dare County, North Carolina Category:Outer Banks Category:1870 establishments in North Carolina Category:Populated places in the United States established in 1870