Dare County, North Carolina Population

Current Population

38,245

Estimated July 1, 2025

+1,209 residents(+3.3%)since 2020

Latest Official Census

36,915

2020 Census

Population Over Time

Estimated population changed from 37,036 in 2020 to 38,245 in 2025.

Annual population estimates by year.
Year	Population	Change	% change
2020	37,036	—	—
2021	37,908	+872	+2.4%
2022	38,000	+92	+0.2%
2023	38,150	+150	+0.4%
2024	38,228	+78	+0.2%
2025	38,245	+17	0%

2020 Census (official count): 36,915

Sources & Methodology

The current population figure is an annual estimate from the U.S. Census Bureau's Population Estimates Program. The 2020 Census is shown separately as the official benchmark.

Current estimate — 38,245 · July 1, 2025

U.S. Census Bureau — County Resident Population Estimates (CO-EST2025-ALLDATA), Vintage 2025

Official Census — 36,915 · April 1, 2020

U.S. Census Bureau — 2020 Census Redistricting Data (P.L. 94-171), table P1 — county totals (SUMLEV 050)

These figures can differ because the Census and annual population estimates are produced at different times using different methods. Both are shown so you can distinguish the most current estimate from the official Census benchmark.

How the change since 2020 is calculated

Both endpoints come from the same Census Bureau Population Estimates Program release, so the comparison is like for like: 37,036 on July 1, 2020 and 38,245 on July 1, 2025. The change is the later estimate minus the earlier one (+1,209), and the percentage is that change divided by the 2020 estimate (+3.3%). The Decennial Census count is never used as an endpoint here — it is an enumeration on a different reference date, produced by a different method, so subtracting one from the other would measure the difference between two methods as well as the change in population.

U.S. Census Bureau — County Resident Population Estimates (CO-EST2025-ALLDATA), Vintage 2025

Incorporated places in Dare County

6 incorporated places

FIPS code: 37055
Classification: county