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Home insurance & natural hazards in Dare County, NC

Calm, plain facts for homeowners in Dare County: what neighbors have paid for coverage, what flood insurance costs, and which weather hazards matter most here.

  • Typical premiums from U.S. Treasury insurance data
  • Flood insurance costs from 12,247 FEMA NFIP policies
  • 15 natural hazards rated by the FEMA National Risk Index
See the numbers

Historical averages, not a quote. Updated Oct 2026.

Illustration of a house on a hill in front of a large shield

Dare at a glance

Four numbers most homeowners ask about first.

$1,292
Typical home premium

Per policy per year in 2022, median of 8 ZIP codes (inflation-adjusted).

$971
Avg. flood policy

Average full cost of a single-family NFIP policy that took effect in 2025.

4.10%
Nonrenewal rate

Share of policies insurers chose not to renew in 2022, median ZIP. Typical U.S. ZIP: 0.81%.

Rel. moderate
FEMA risk rating

Overall National Risk Index rating, higher than 89.6% of U.S. counties.

Dare County in numbers
36,860
residents (2020 Census)
1.6%
of policies had a paid claim (2022, median ZIP)
$13,985
average paid claim (2022, median ZIP)
12,247
single-family NFIP flood policies (2025)

What homeowners here pay

Each block pairs a short explanation with the data behind it.

Homeowners insurance

U.S. Treasury FIO, HO-3/HO-5 policies, 2018–2022

Typical premiums in Dare County were $1,292 per policy in 2022, about the same as the typical North Carolina ZIP code ($1,319) and 17% below the typical U.S. ZIP code ($1,551). After adjusting for inflation, local premiums rose 25% between 2018 and 2022.

Premiums by ZIP

Typical premium per policy

Inflation-adjusted dollars, median across ZIP codes
DareNorth CarolinaU.S. typical ZIP

Flood insurance

FEMA NFIP single-family policies, 2022–2025

Standard home policies don't cover floods. The average single-family NFIP policy that took effect here in 2025 cost $971, compared with $814 in 2022. About 57% of local policies are for homes in high-risk A or V zones and 43% in moderate- to lower-risk zones.

Flood costs by ZIP

Average flood policy cost

Full cost incl. fees, by year the policy took effect

Policies by flood zone, 2025

12,247 policies
A zones 47%X/B/C zones 43%V zones 10%

Natural hazards

FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025

Bars show how Dare compares with every U.S. county for each hazard (100 = highest). Hurricane, lightning and winter weather rank highest here. A high rank doesn't mean an event is likely in any given year. It shows where preparation and the right coverage matter most.

How the ratings work

Hazard risk, national percentile

Higher than X% of U.S. counties

Compare nearby

Neighboring counties

Typical premium 2022 (Treasury FIO), nonrenewal 2022, avg. flood policy 2025 (NFIP)
CountyPremiumNonrenewalFlood
Hyde County$1,4365.73%$966
Dare County$1,2924.10%$971
Currituck County$1,2263.25%$1,066
Tyrrell County$9194.99%$1,035

Flood insurance by ZIP, 2025

FEMA NFIP, single-family homes, ZIPs with the most policies
ZIPPoliciesAvg. cost
27949 Kitty Hawk3,025$976
27948 Kill Devil Hills2,577$823
27959 Nags Head2,059$999
27915 Avon998$1,142
27954 Manteo855$805
27936 Frisco712$1,102
27943 Hatteras499$1,150
27972 Salvo413$1,132

ZIP code pages in Dare County

27915 Avon27920 Buxton27936 Frisco27943 Hatteras27948 Kill Devil Hills27949 Kitty Hawk27954 Manteo27959 Nags Head27968 Rodanthe27972 Salvo

Practical next steps

Simple things Dare homeowners can do with this information.

Check your flood zone. Look up your address on FEMA's Flood Map Service Center (msc.fema.gov). Standard home policies don't cover flood damage, and flood insurance usually has a 30-day waiting period, so it's worth sorting out before storm season.
Ask about wind mitigation credits. Features like hurricane straps, a newer roof and impact-rated windows or shutters can lower premiums. Ask your insurer which upgrades earn a discount and what paperwork it needs.
Create defensible space. Clearing dry brush and debris within 30 feet of the house and using ember-resistant vents can lower wildfire exposure. Some insurers and states recognize mitigation work with discounts.
Compare at renewal. Premiums vary widely by ZIP code, home and insurer. Use these averages as a reference point, not a price, and compare a few quotes at renewal.

Historical averages, not a quote. Homeowners figures are inflation-adjusted averages from the U.S. Treasury Federal Insurance Office "Supporting Underlying Metrics" (2018–2022, published January 2025). They cover HO-3/HO-5 policies from participating private insurers and exclude state residual-market plans (such as FAIR plans and Citizens), surplus-lines and flood coverage. Treasury notes that individual ZIP codes can contain data anomalies. Your price depends on your home, coverage and insurer.

Sources: U.S. Treasury FIO; FEMA OpenFEMA NFIP Redacted Policies v3 (data as of Sep 8, 2026); FEMA National Risk Index (December 2025); U.S. Census Bureau ZCTA-to-county relationship file (2020) and county adjacency file; GeoNames place names. How we calculate these numbers.

This product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API and National Risk Index data, but is not endorsed by FEMA. The Federal Government or FEMA cannot vouch for the data or analyses derived from these data after the data have been retrieved from the Agency's website(s). SafeHomeFacts is independent and not affiliated with the U.S. Treasury, FEMA or any insurer.