Dare County, NC Average Home Price (2026)
The average home price in Dare County, North Carolina is about $517,000 (the 2026 median across 14 ZIP codes, at ~$340/sq ft) — 80% more expensive than the North Carolina median and 79% more expensive than the typical U.S. home.
How Dare County compares
Dare County is relatively expensive for housing nationally: its typical home costs $517,000 against $287,000 for North Carolina and $289,000 for the U.S. Within the county, ZIP-level values run from about $334,000 to $781,000.
| Area | Typical value | $ / sq ft |
|---|---|---|
| Dare County | $517,000 | $340 |
| North Carolina | $287,000 | $203 |
| United States | $289,000 | $193 |
Dare County home prices by ZIP code
The 14 most valuable ZIP codes in Dare County (of 14 with data):
| ZIP code | Typical value | $ / sq ft | vs county |
|---|---|---|---|
| 27949 Southern Shores | $781,000 | $413 | +51% |
| 27959 Nags Head | $710,000 | $432 | +37% |
| 27982 Rodanthe | $647,000 | $363 | +25% |
| 27972 Salvo | $630,000 | $331 | +22% |
| 27968 Rodanthe | $587,000 | $291 | +14% |
| 27915 Salvo | $545,000 | $343 | +5% |
| 27948 Kill Devil Hills | $522,000 | $400 | +1% |
| 27954 Manteo | $512,000 | $386 | -1% |
| 27936 Frisco | $511,000 | $299 | -1% |
| 27943 Hatteras | $511,000 | $372 | -1% |
| 27920 Frisco | $457,000 | $290 | -12% |
| 27981 Wanchese | $362,000 | $337 | -30% |
| 27953 Manns Harbor | $338,000 | $272 | -35% |
| 27978 Stumpy Point | $334,000 | $218 | -35% |
Home value appreciation in Dare County
Home prices in Dare County have risen about 112% over the last 10 years (≈7.8% a year) and +68.5% over 20 years, according to the FHFA house price index through 2025. The most recent year came in at +3.7% — still rising. A home worth $517,000 today was worth roughly $243,638 ten years ago.
See where that trend takes a specific home with the home appreciation calculator — statewide, North Carolina is +106.6% over the same 10 years. Past appreciation is a track record, not a forecast; local prices can fall.
Calculators for Dare County
Run the numbers for Dare County with the local rates already filled in — change any input to test your own situation.
Salary needed to buy a home in Dare County
To buy the typical $517,000 home in Dare County with 20% down, you need a household income of roughly $141,000 a year (about $3,280 a month for the mortgage, taxes, and insurance). With 10% down the bar rises to about $167,000, because the loan is bigger and mortgage insurance kicks in.
| Down payment | Cash down | Monthly payment | Income needed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5% (+PMI) | $25,900 | $4,080/mo | $175,000/yr |
| 10% (+PMI) | $51,700 | $3,900/mo | $167,000/yr |
| 20% | $103,400 | $3,280/mo | $141,000/yr |
Assumes a 30-year fixed mortgage at 6.5%, property tax at 1.1% and insurance at 0.45% of value per year, PMI of 0.75% on loans with less than 20% down, and the standard 28% housing-to-income rule. Your rate, taxes, and HOA will move these — run your own numbers in the mortgage calculator.
What your budget buys in Dare County
At about $340 per square foot, here is roughly how much home different budgets get you in Dare County:
| Budget | Approx. size | What that looks like locally |
|---|---|---|
| $250k | 740 sq ft | below the local median — condos, smaller or older homes |
| $300k | 880 sq ft | below the local median — condos, smaller or older homes |
| $400k | 1180 sq ft | below the local median — condos, smaller or older homes |
| $500k | 1470 sq ft | around the typical home here |
| $600k | 1760 sq ft | around the typical home here |
Wondering where that budget goes further? The relocation calculator ranks hundreds of U.S. cities by what the same money buys — it opens filtered to North Carolina.
Estimate a specific home in Dare County
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Dare County home prices: frequently asked
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Browse all North Carolina cities and counties, or look up price per square foot by ZIP code nationwide.
Directional estimates from public market data (Realtor.com & Zillow research; FHFA house price index; Census ZIP-to-county relationships), not appraisals.