Statistical and Demographic Data

Year Incorporated:  Kitty Hawk was established in the early 18th century as Chickahawk.  The Town incorporated in 1981.

Form of Government:  A five-member Town Council, including a Mayor, is elected at-large to establish policy for the Town.  A Town Manager appointed by Council implements that policy in running the Town’s government.

Geography/Location:  Kitty Hawk is a Town in Dare County North Carolina and is part of what is known as North Carolina’s Outer Banks.  Kitty Hawk is located on the East Coast of the United States and is part of a string of barrier islands.  The city is surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean to the East and the Albemarle Sound to the West.

Size:  The Town’s corporate boundary encompasses 5,248 acres (8.2 square miles), of which 5,235 acres (8.18 square miles) are land and 30.46 acres (.0476 square miles).

Topography:  The topography of Kitty Hawk is relatively flat, with elevations ranging from 4 to 38 feet above mean sea level (MSL) per the North American Vertical Datum of 1988.  The Town is approximately 3 miles wide from the Atlantic Ocean to the Currituck Sound at the widest point and approximately ¾ of a mile wide at its narrowest point.

Shoreline:  There are approximately 10.7 miles of shoreline in the Town, including 3.6 miles of Atlantic Ocean beach, 3.3 miles of Kitty Hawk Bay shoreline, and 3.8 miles of shoreline fronting the Albemarle Sound.

Climate:  Kitty Hawk, NC climate is warm during summer when temperatures tend to be in the high 70’s to high 80’s and cold during winter when temperatures tend to be in the 40’s.

The warmest month of the year is July with an average maximum temperature of 86.40 degrees Fahrenheit, while the coldest month of the year is January with an average minimum temperature of 35.80 degrees Fahrenheit.

The annual average precipitation at Kitty Hawk is 49 Inches. Rainfall in is fairly evenly distributed throughout the year. The wettest month of the year is August with an average rainfall of 5.64 Inches.

Population:  According to the 2020 United States Census the population was 3,689.

Demographics (2020 U.S. Census):

  • Of the Town’s total population (3,689):
    • 3.2% are younger than 5 years old;
    • 16.5% between ages of 5 to 19 years old;
    • 57.8% between ages of 20 to 64 years old;
    • 22.4% are 65 years and over.

Income in 2022 (2018-2022 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates): Median household income was $85,700

  • 2.5% of families made less than $10,000
  • 18.5% of families made between $10,000 and $50,000.
  • 35.5% of families made between $50,000 and $100,000.
  • 43.4% of families made more than $100,000.

 Race/Ethnicity (2010 U.S. Census)

  • 90.1% White
  • 4.9% Hispanic
  • .49% Black or African American
  • .1% American Indian and Alaska Native
  • .68% Asian
  • .08% Native Hawaiian and Another Pacific Islander
  • .02% Some Other Race