City profile · North Carolina · Census ACS 2023

Kill Devil Hills, NC

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Kill Devil Hills - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

7,727
Residents
$85,747
Median income
$401,700
Median home
$1,430
Median rent (state)

Kill Devil Hills - the verdict

Measured against every US city with at least 1,000 residents, Kill Devil Hills lands in the 67th percentile for household income and the 39th percentile for safety. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

67th
percentile, household income
77th
percentile, home value
56th
percentile, median rent
39th
percentile, safety
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Kill Devil Hills, NC

7,727 people live in Kill Devil Hills, North Carolina - a small town by U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. Kill Devil Hills households earn a median of $85,747 annually, above the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 5.0%. Kill Devil Hills's housing stock carries a median value of $401,700, and the median resident age is 48.6 years. 44.1% of adults here have a bachelor's degree or higher; 65.8% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

Housing supply pressure shows in Census Building Permit Survey data: 61 residential units were authorized in 2024 (Stable), down 3% from five years earlier. Kill Devil Hills reports a comparatively low crime rate: the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program logs 1714.2 total incidents per 100,000 residents here, below the national average (agency reporting is voluntary, so this measures reporting activity, not a definitive danger score).

Living costs in North Carolina run below the national norm: on BEA's 100-equals-national-average cost index, North Carolina scores 94.3 (Below Average), per the 2024 Regional Price Parities release. HUD Fair Market Rent for a typical two-bedroom in this state is $1,430 per month. Statewide, average monthly utility bills in North Carolina run around $215, per EIA 2023 residential energy data. On FEMA's National Risk Index, this area rates 89.6 out of 100 for natural-hazard exposure (Very High).

Population

7,727 residents

Census ACS 2023 - North Carolina

Median Household Income

$85,747 /yr

Poverty 5.0%

Cost of Living Index (state)

94.3 (US=100)

Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, North Carolina average

How does Kill Devil Hills compare to other US cities?

Where Kill Devil Hills sits among all US cities (population 1,000+) on each measure, computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 67% higher than other cities
Home value 77% pricier than other cities
Median rent 56% pricier than other cities
Safety 39% safer than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

Zoom in to just North Carolina and the picture shifts: Kill Devil Hills ranks #58 of 195 North Carolina cities by lowest crime rate, a different read than the national percentile above.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

For each metric we count every US city with population 1,000+ and a non-null value, then compute what share of them fall below Kill Devil Hills's value: round(cities-below ÷ total × 100). Safety is inverted (percentile = share of cities with a higher crime rate) so a higher number always means safer. The in-state rank narrows that same crime-rate comparison to only the cities PlainCities tracks in North Carolina, breaking ties alphabetically. See the methodology page for the full source-to-figure lineage.

67thIncome percentile
39thSafety percentile

67th percentile nationally for median household income · 39th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Kill Devil Hills's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Kill Devil Hills's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 47 Avg. percentile National median
Kill Devil Hills's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How Kill Devil Hills's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$401,700 23rd percentile more affordable than 23% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Below this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Below this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). This entry sits in this band. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Kill Devil Hills $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Kill Devil Hills, NC Kill Devil Hills, NC's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Kill Devil Hills, NC-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Kill Devil Hills, NC median $85,747/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Kill Devil Hills, NC's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Kill Devil Hills, NC. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 44.1%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 5.0%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 65.8%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
7,727
Median Income
$85,747
Median Home Value
$401,700
Median Age
48.6
Poverty Rate
5.0%
Labor force participation
65.8%
Bachelor's Degree+
44.1%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
1714.2
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
217.5
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
1496.7
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Schools

Total Schools
3
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
7,600 residents7,650 residents7,700 residents7,750 residents7,800 residents7,850 residents 202020212022202320242025 7,661 residents 7,731 residents ▲ +0.9%
Kill Devil Hills's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

🏗️ Stable
Total Permits (2024)
61
housing units authorized
Single-Family
61
detached homes
Multifamily
0
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
7.9
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 63
2020 74
2021 112
2022 90
2023 57
2024 61

Permit volume decreased 3% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
75.9%
Carpool
7.5%
Public Transit
0.0%
Walk
1.8%
Work from Home
13.4%
Other
1.4%

Based on 4,306 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for North Carolina - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$115
avg/month
Natural Gas
$55
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$45
avg/month
Total Utilities
$215
estimated/month

Estimates reflect North Carolina state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a North Carolina state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Kill Devil Hills sits in

Cost of Living Index
94.3
Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,430/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
89.6 / 100
Very High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in North Carolina

Etowah
7,765 people
Half Moon
7,780 people
Oak Ridge
7,660 people
Brevard
7,795 people
Marion
7,594 people
Siler City
7,905 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Kill Devil Hills's 7,727 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Sky Lake, FL
7,728 people
Park City, KS
7,726 people
Manhasset, NY
7,730 people
Ancient Oaks, PA
7,731 people
Baldwinsville, NY
7,732 people
Jennings Lodge, OR
7,732 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Kill Devil Hills's $85,747 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Wainwright, AK
$85,750 median income
Rising Sun, MD
$85,750 median income
Rio Rancho, NM
$85,755 median income
New Windsor, NY
$85,755 median income
Conesus Lake, NY
$85,761 median income
Lake Stickney, WA
$85,762 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Kill Devil Hills, NC Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Kill Devil Hills, NC - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 83.7% 8.2% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 9.8% White 83.7% Black or African American 1.2% Asian 1.3% American Indian 0.3% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 5.4% Two or more races 8.2% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Kill Devil Hills compares to nearby North Carolina cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Kill Devil Hills (this city) 7,727 $85,747
Etowah 7,765 $73,000
Half Moon 7,780 $61,848
Oak Ridge 7,660 $140,583
Census ACS 5-year FIPS NC FBI UCR NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Kill Devil Hills, NC?

What is the population of Kill Devil Hills, NC? +

7,727 people live in Kill Devil Hills, NC according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Kill Devil Hills, NC? +

Kill Devil Hills households earn a median of $85,747 annually, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Kill Devil Hills? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Kill Devil Hills; the closest available measure is the North Carolina state average, a cost of living index of 94.3 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Below Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within North Carolina vary by metro area.

Is Kill Devil Hills, NC safe? +

Kill Devil Hills has a total crime rate of 1714.2 per 100,000 residents, which is below the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in Kill Devil Hills, NC? +

Kill Devil Hills's median home value sits at $401,700, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities Editorial

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.