Dare County, North Carolina

Dare County, North Carolina

Seal
Map of North Carolina highlighting Dare County
Location in the state of North Carolina
Map of the United States highlighting North Carolina
North Carolina's location in the U.S.
Founded 1870
Named for Virginia Dare
Seat Manteo
Largest town Kill Devil Hills
Area
 • Total 1,563 sq mi (4,048 km2)
 • Land 383 sq mi (992 km2)
 • Water 1,179 sq mi (3,054 km2), 75%
Population
 • (2010) 33,920
 • Density 88/sq mi (34/km²)
Congressional district 3rd
Time zone Eastern: UTC-5/-4
Website www.darenc.com

Dare County is the easternmost county in the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of the 2010 census, the population was 33,920.[1] Its county seat is Manteo.[2] The county is named after Virginia Dare, the first child born in the Americas to English parents, who was born in what is now Dare County.[3]

Dare County is included in the Kill Devil Hills, NC Micropolitan Statistical Area, which is also included in the Virginia Beach-Norfolk, VA-NC Combined Statistical Area.

At one time, the now-abandoned town of Buffalo City was the largest community in the county.[4] Because it includes much of Pamlico Sound, Dare County is the largest county in North Carolina by total area, although if one were to consider land area only, it drops down to 68th in size among the state's 100 counties. This is because, according to the Census Bureau's 2010 statistics, only 24.54% of its area is land, the lowest percentage of all counties in the state. Robeson County is the largest county in North Carolina by land area only.

Geography

Dare County welcome center

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 1,563 square miles (4,050 km2), of which 383 square miles (990 km2) is land and 1,179 square miles (3,050 km2) (75%) is water.[5] It is the largest county in North Carolina by area.

Dare County includes the middle part of the Outer Banks and contains Roanoke Island.

Adjacent counties

National protected areas

Demographics

Historical population
Census Pop. %±
18702,778—
18803,24316.7%
18903,76816.2%
19004,75726.2%
19104,8411.8%
19205,1155.7%
19305,2021.7%
19406,40123.0%
19505,405−15.6%
19605,9359.8%
19706,99517.9%
198013,37791.2%
199022,74670.0%
200029,95931.7%
201033,92013.2%
Est. 201435,104[6]3.5%
U.S. Decennial Census[7]
1790-1960[8] 1900-1990[9]
1990-2000[10] 2010-2013[1]

As of the census[11] of 2010, 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/km²). There were 26,671 housing units at an average density of 70 per square mile (27/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 27.30% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.00% were married couples living together, 8.10% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.40% were non-families. 25.00% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.90% 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 21.40% under the age of 18, 6.30% from 18 to 24, 30.80% from 25 to 44, 27.70% from 45 to 64, and 13.80% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 101.50 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 100.20 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 5.50% of families and 8.00% of the population were below the poverty line, including 9.90% of those under age 18 and 5.30% of those age 65 or over.

Law and government

Dare County is governed by the Dare County Board of Commissioners. Dare County is a part of the Albemarle Commission regional council of

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.

Transportation

Major highways

Airport

Dare County Regional Airport, a general aviation airport, is located in Dare County.

Education

Public education is run by Dare County Schools:

Communities

Map of Dare County, North Carolina With Municipal and Township Labels

Towns

Townships

Census-designated places

Unincorporated communities

See also

Coordinates: 35°41′N 75°44′W / 35.69°N 75.73°W / 35.69; -75.73

References

  1. 1 2 "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved October 19, 2013.
  2. ↑ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved 2011-06-07.
  3. ↑ "About Dare County". Dare County. Retrieved 7 January 2015.
  4. ↑ Degregory, Lane (1994-10-02). "Buffalo City". The Virginian-Pilot. Retrieved 2008-05-06.
  5. ↑ "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Retrieved January 14, 2015.
  6. ↑ "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Incorporated Places: April 1, 2010 to July 1, 2014". Retrieved June 4, 2015.
  7. ↑ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 14, 2015.
  8. ↑ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved January 14, 2015.
  9. ↑ Forstall, Richard L., ed. (March 27, 1995). "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 14, 2015.
  10. ↑ "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. April 2, 2001. Retrieved January 14, 2015.
  11. ↑ "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
 Currituck County
Tyrrell County Atlantic Ocean
   Dare County, North Carolina  
Hyde County Atlantic Ocean
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