Dare’s housing costs, Hyde’s poverty rate highlighted in new report

More than half of Dare County renting households spend more than 30% of their income on rent. More than one-fifth of Hyde County residents live in poverty. And there is one mental health provider in Currituck County for roughly every 2,000 county residents.

These are just some of the findings from the new “county economic snapshots” released by the NC Budget & Tax Center on June 28. The numbers, many of which reflect the period from 2016-2020, come from a variety of sources — including the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey, the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the North Carolina Departments of Public Instruction and Health and Human Services.

The Center’s data on Dare County paint a mixed picture that clearly highlights the much-discussed problem of unaffordable housing in the county. The county’s poverty rate is below the state average overall, but well above the state numbers when it comes to Black residents in poverty. About one-in-eight Dare residents doesn’t have health insurance. On a more positive note, the county exceeds the statewide average when it comes to educational achievements.

You can see the entire report and more county-by-county data by clicking here. NC Budget & Tax Center

Listed below are some of the key numbers in the report for the state as well as Dare, Currituck and Hyde counties.

Rent Affordability

Statewide: The report characterizes rent as unaffordable if a renter household spends more than 30% of its income on rent. Statewide, 47% of renter households spend more than 30% of their income on rent. That number includes 22% of households who spend more than half their income on rent.

Dare County: 53% of renter households in Dare County are spending more than 30% of their income on rent, including 24% that are using more than half of their income on rent.

Currituck County: 47% of renter households are spending more than 30% of their income on rent, with more than half of those (27%) spending more than 50% on rent.

Hyde County: 43% of renter households spend more than 30% of their income on rent, with 28% using more than half their income on rent.

Poverty levels and income

Statewide: According to the report, 14% of the statewide population lives in poverty – with 24% of the Latinx population living in poverty compared with 21% of Black residents and 10% of White residents. The median household income statewide is $56,600. The median worker earnings are $38,500.

Dare County: 8% of Dare County residents live in poverty, but that number soars to 39% among Black residents and stands at 22% for the Latinx population. For White county residents, 7% live in poverty. The Dare County median household income is reported to be $65,400 while the median worker earnings stand at $34,900.

Currituck County: 8% of Currituck County residents live in poverty – including 16% of Black residents, 9% of Latinx residents and 7% of White residents. Median household income is $73,700, with median worker earnings of $44,100.

Hyde County: About one-fifth (22%) of all Hyde County residents live in poverty, including 39% of Black residents and 18% of White residents. Median household income is $46,700 with median worker earnings at $22,300.

Health-related issues

Statewide: 11% of North Carolina residents do not have health insurance. And statewide, there are 360 residents per mental health provider.

Dare County: In Dare County, 13% of residents do not have health insurance. And there is one mental health provider per 540 county residents.

Currituck County: 12% of Currituck County residents are without health insurance. And there are 1,940 Currituck County residents for each health care provider.

Hyde County:  There are 19% of Hyde County residents without health insurance. And the report says there is one mental health care provider for nearly 5,000 residents. (According to the 2020 Census numbers, there are a total of 4,843 residents of Hyde County.)

Educational Levels

Statewide: The high school graduation rate for all of North Carolina is 87%. And about one-third of the state’s residents (32%) have a bachelor’s degree or higher from college.

Dare County: The high school graduation rate here is 93%. And nearly four-in-ten county residents (38%) have at least a bachelor’s degree.

Currituck County:  The county’s high school graduation rate is 84%. And a quarter of the residents (25%) have a bachelor’s degree or higher.

Hyde County: There is no clear number given for the county’s high school graduation rate. And well below the state average, 10% of Hyde County residents have at least a bachelor’s degree.