Town · North Carolina
Nags Head, North Carolina
Nags Head, town, in Dare County, North Carolina. Nags Head had 3,117 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, down 1.9% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 3,168 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 3,160 (±17). GEOID 3745880.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
3,117
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 3,168 · ACS 2020-2024: 3,160 ±17
Median household income
$91,264
±$15,374 (90% margin)
North Carolina: $72,388
Median home value
$490,800
±$81,751 (90% margin)
North Carolina: $288,900
Median gross rent
$1,005
±$428 (90% margin)
North Carolina: $1,228
Where is Nags Head and what county is it in?
Nags Head is a town in Dare County, North Carolina. It covers 6.6 square miles of land, 479 residents per square mile in 2020.
Nags Head is in the Kill Devil Hills, NC micropolitan statistical area (Census Bureau delineation, July 2023).
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Nags Head, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 3,117 people lived in Nags Head on July 1, 2025, down 1.9% since 2020, while North Carolina grew 7.2%. The 2020 Census counted 3,168 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 3,160 (±17).
| Measure | Nags Head | Dare County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 3,160 ±17 | 37,875 | +237 |
| Households | 1,586 ±164 | 16,836 | +284 |
| Average household size | 1.95 ±0.20 | 2.24 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 5,275 ±196 | 35,278 | +436 |
Nags Head's population since 2000
From 2,700 in 2000 to 3,117 in 2025: up 15.4%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Nags Head as it was drawn that year: a place that annexed land, or a community that has since incorporated, covered a different area then. The 2005 figure is the Census Bureau's intercensal estimate, revised to fit the 2000 and 2010 counts and drawn on 2010 boundaries; 2015 and 2025 are July 1 estimates made from the census before them.
Source: The 2000, 2010 and 2020 Census counts and the Census Bureau's population estimates (intercensal 2000-2010, Vintage 2020, Vintage 2025) · Census population estimates
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); Census PEP Vintage 2025 (SUB-EST2025, CO-EST2025); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in Nags Head?
The median resident of Nags Head is 58.4 years old; 11.4% are under 18 and 40.0% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 93.6%, then Hispanic or Latino residents (of any race) at 2.9%.
| Measure | Nags Head | Dare County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 58.4 ±6.1 | 49.0 | +8.8 |
| Under 18 years | 11.4% ±4.2 pts | 17.9% | – |
| 65 years and over | 40.0% ±8.5 pts | 25.2% | – |
| Male | 49.7% ±5.8 pts | 49.3% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 2.9% ±2.1 pts | 7.4% | – |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 93.6% ±3.2 pts | 85.4% | no clear change |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 0.7% ±1.2 pts | 2.5% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 1.1% ±1.0 pts | 0.4% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±1.3 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±1.3 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 1.8% ±1.5 pts | 3.3% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±1.3 pts | 1.0% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 2.4% ±1.6 pts | 4.7% | – |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 3.0% ±2.1 pts | 8.6% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 10.4% ±4.2 pts | 8.1% | – |
| With a disability | 8.3% ±3.3 pts | 10.8% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 3.5% ±3.1 pts | 8.6% | – |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 94.9% ±4.0 pts | 94.7% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 50.9% ±10.6 pts | 43.2% | +12.8 pts |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 15.1% ±5.8 pts | 13.2% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 84.6% ±7.1 pts | 90.0% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 11.2% ±7.5 pts | 4.9% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profiles DP02, DP05) · Check it at data.census.gov
What do households in Nags Head earn?
Half of Nags Head's 1,586 households earn less than $91,264 a year (±$15,374), against $88,994 in Dare County and $72,388 in North Carolina. In 2015-2019 it was $81,186 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart.
| Measure | Nags Head | Dare County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $91,264 ±$15,374 | $88,994 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $122,042 ±$19,153 | $129,955 | – |
| Per capita income | $60,017 ±$7,385 | $56,589 | +$13,515 |
| People below the poverty line | 2.4% ±1.8 pts | 6.6% | – |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 0.0% ±11.2 pts | 8.6% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 0.0% ±2.6 pts | 5.1% | – |
| Households with a computer | 96.1% ±5.1 pts | 97.9% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 94.2% ±4.9 pts | 91.7% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What does housing cost in Nags Head?
Owners occupy 82.8% of Nags Head's occupied homes and renters 17.2%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $490,800 by its owner (±$81,751). The median renter pays $1,005 a month including utilities, and 59.2% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Nags Head | Dare County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $490,800 ±$81,751 | $460,400 | no clear change |
| Median gross rent | $1,005 ±$428 | $1,345 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 59.2% ±30.2 pts | 39.8% | no clear change |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,851 ±$186 | $2,051 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 82.8% ±7.3 pts | 78.4% | +12.1 pts |
| Renter-occupied homes | 17.2% ±7.3 pts | 21.6% | – |
| Housing units | 5,275 ±196 | 35,278 | +436 |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.0% ±3.2 pts | 0.2% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 86.7% ±5.9 pts | 65.6% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 80.5% ±6.0 pts | 79.7% | – |
| Mobile homes | 0.0% ±0.8 pts | 4.3% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.0% ±0.8 pts | 1.2% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 2.0% ±1.6 pts | 5.8% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 3.6% ±2.3 pts | 2.4% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 1.3% ±1.5 pts | 2.7% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP04) · Check it at data.census.gov
How many new homes is Nags Head building?
Builders took permits for 21 new housing units in Nags Head in 2025 (21 in single-family houses), 6.7 per 1,000 residents against 7.7 across North Carolina.
Counts of units in permits a local office issued; not every permitted unit is built. A year marked with months was reported for part of the year.
Source: Building Permits Survey, annual place files 2019-2025, U.S. Census Bureau · Census Building Permits Survey
How do people in Nags Head work and get to work?
84.3% of Nags Head's workers drive alone and 10.9% work from home. The average trip to work takes 22.6 minutes.
| Measure | Nags Head | Dare County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 56.7% ±9.8 pts | 64.0% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 1.0% ±1.7 pts | 5.9% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 84.3% ±7.3 pts | 72.7% | – |
| Carpooled | 4.4% ±4.1 pts | 8.5% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.0% ±2.6 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Walked | 0.0% ±2.6 pts | 2.9% | – |
| Worked from home | 10.9% ±5.9 pts | 14.2% | – |
| Mean travel time to work | 22.6 min ±7.5 | 22.4 min | no clear change |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What census tracts are in Nags Head?
1 census tract lies mostly in Nags Head (2020 census blocks).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 9704Dare County | 3,170 | $91,264 |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 block assignment files (tract share = share of the tract's census blocks in Nags Head) · Census block assignment files
How does Nags Head compare with other places in North Carolina?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Nags Head is the 6,215th-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 212th-most populous of 549 in North Carolina.
Nags Head ranks 81st of 434 places in North Carolina with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population, July 2025 estimate | 212th | 549 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 307th | 331 |
| Residents per square mile | 365th | 443 |
| Median household income | 81st | 434 |
| Per capita income | 40th | 443 |
| Median home value | 39th | 438 |
| Median gross rent | 200th | 395 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 68th | 421 |
| Median age | 25th | 442 |
| Owner-occupied share | 98th | 443 |
| Work from home | 186th | 279 |
| Travel time to work | 276th | 439 |
Nags Head's figures with every place in North Carolina (CSV)
Every place in North Carolina, sortable · Compare Nags Head with other places
Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) and PEP Vintage 2025 · How ranks are computed
How reliable are the figures for Nags Head?
23 of the 57 figures for Nags Head on this page carry a coefficient of variation over 40% and are marked with a ring: they come from a small sample, so read them as rough.
The American Community Survey samples about one household in eight over five years, so every figure is an estimate with a 90% margin of error (shown under each value). A ring marks an estimate whose coefficient of variation is over 40%. A change is called only when the gap between the two periods is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins), the Census Bureau's test. How to read a margin of error.
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026): margins of error as published · ACS technical documentation
How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections
Not on this page: crime, weather and schools for Nags Head are other agencies' records. Crime: the FBI's Crime Data Explorer · climate: NOAA's U.S. Climate Normals · schools: the National Center for Education Statistics' public schools in Nags Head.