Home Insurance in Dare County, North Carolina
Homes in Dare County carry a median value of $460,400 - 59% higher than the North Carolina median.
Older homes can cost more to insure or rebuild because of aging wiring, roofing and plumbing. The typical home in Dare County was built around 1988. About 6% of homes were built before 1960, about 8 points below North Carolina's 14%.
In Dare County, the housing stock is 81% single-family homes, 9% apartments in buildings with 5+ units and 4% mobile or manufactured homes. Mobile and manufactured homes typically need a manufactured-home (HO-7) policy rather than a standard homeowners policy.
60% of owner-occupied homes in Dare County carry a mortgage, and mortgage lenders require hazard insurance for as long as the loan is active.
Dare County has an owner-occupancy rate of 78% and a vacancy rate of 52%; unoccupied homes typically need a different coverage form.
93% of homes in Dare County are primarily heated with electricity.
FEMA's National Risk Index lists hurricane (Relatively High), winter weather (Relatively High) and coastal flooding (Relatively High) as the leading hazards for Dare County.
As of September 2026, Dare County has 15,396 active NFIP flood insurance policies. Standard homeowners insurance does not cover flood damage, so flood coverage needs a separate NFIP or private flood policy.
In North Carolina, the statewide average premium for a standard HO-3 homeowners policy is $1,852 per year (NAIC, 2023 data).
Key figures
| Median home value | $460,400 |
|---|---|
| Median year built | 1988 |
| Owner-occupied share | 78% |
| Share of owner-occupied homes with a mortgage | 60% |
| Top hazards (FEMA National Risk Index) | Hurricane (Relatively High), Winter Weather (Relatively High), Coastal Flooding (Relatively High) |
| Active NFIP flood policies (county) | 15,396 |
| Home insurance premium | $1,852 - statewide average (NAIC, 2023 data) |
Towns and cities
Smaller communities
-
Duck
- Median home value: $767,500
- Median year built: 1988
- Owner-occupied share: 89%
-
Kill Devil Hills
- Median home value: $442,200
- Median year built: 1985
- Owner-occupied share: 74%
Sources
- U.S. Census Bureau Gazetteer Files (2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-Year Estimates (2024)
- FEMA National Risk Index (December 2025)
- FEMA OpenFEMA NFIP Redacted Policies v3 (2026)
- NAIC Dwelling Fire, Homeowners Owner-Occupied, and Homeowners Tenant and Condominium/Cooperative Unit Owners Insurance: Data for 2023 (published 2026) (2023)