Nags Head, North Carolina

Nags Head, North Carolina
Town
Location in Dare County and the state of North Carolina.
Coordinates:
Country	United States
State	North Carolina
County	Dare
Area
• Total	6.6 sq mi (17.2 km2)
• Land	6.6 sq mi (17.0 km2)
• Water	0.08 sq mi (0.2 km2)
Elevation	3 ft (1 m)
Population (2010)
• Total	2,757
• Density	419/sq mi (161.7/km2)
Time zone	Eastern (EST) (UTC-5)
• Summer (DST)	EDT (UTC-4)
ZIP code	27959
Area code(s)	252
FIPS code	37-45880
GNIS feature ID	1021599
Website	townofnagshead.net

Nags Head is a town in Dare County, North Carolina, United States. It is a busy vacation spot because of its beaches and sand dunes of Jockey's Ridge. The population was 2,757 at the 2010 census.

History

Early maps of the area show Nags Head as a promontory of land characterized by high sand dunes visible from miles at sea. The origin of the town's name is obscure, but it is likely to have been named after any one of the Nag's Heads on the English coast.

A folkloric explanation claims that mules or horses (nags) would have lights hung on their heads by nefarious wreckers in order to trick ships into running aground and then loot the ships of their valuables. The town's emblem depicts one such equine accomplice from the tale.

Around 1830, Nags Head became known as a resort area, and so remains today. Jockey's Ridge is the last vestige of the sand dunes seen by the first explorers, as the area is now highly developed. The town incorporated in 1961.

Geography

Nags Head is located at (35.932004, -75.615085).

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 6.6 square miles (17.2 km²), of which 6.6 square miles (17.0 km²) is land and 0.1 square miles (0.2 km²), or 1.15%, is water.

Demographics

Historical population
Census	Pop.		%±
1970	414		—
1980	1,020		146.4%
1990	1,838		80.2%
2000	2,700		46.9%
2010	2,757		2.1%
Est. 2014	2,840		3.0%
sources:

As of the census of 2010, there were 2,757 people, 1,223 households, and 741 families residing in the town. The population density was 413.2 people per square mile (159.4/km²). There were 4,884 housing units at an average density of 634.9 per square mile (244.9/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 94.6% White, 1.6% African American, 0.15% Native American, 0.3% Asian, 1.4% from other races, and 1.5% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.44% of the population.

There were 1,223 households out of which 23.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.2% were married couples living together, 7.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 39.4% were non-families. 29.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.19 and the average family size was 2.65.

In the town the population was spread out with 19.2% under the age of 18, 5.1% from 18 to 24, 30.7% from 25 to 44, 28.0% from 45 to 64, and 17.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 43 years. For every 100 females there were 98.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 99.4 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $53,095, and the median income for a family was $61,302. Males had a median income of $33,289 versus $30,139 for females. The per capita income for the town was $30,157. About 4.4% of families and 6.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 7.9% of those under age 18 and 4.3% of those age 65 or over.

Beach houses along the Atlantic Ocean in Nags Head

Attractions

Located in Nags Head is the largest sand dune on the East Coast, Jockey's Ridge. The sand dune has migrated over the years from wind and erosion, and has buried a miniature golf course along the way. Also buried is the old Nags Head Hotel. The area surrounding Jockey's Ridge is good for biking, or hiking. Jockey's Ridge has been popular with hang-gliders since the advent of the sport, as well as kite flyers and sand gliders. The Ridge includes an informative museum with exhibits on sand, weather, and area animals. The creatures outside are numerous and includes bird species, foxes, mice, squirrels, occasional deer and friendly wild rabbits.

One of the most exciting features of the Ridge is its capriciousness. Annual visitors find that lagoons can spring up, and the sand can shift, making for a fresh experience every time. From the top of the Ridge, the ocean as well as the sound can be seen. Jockey's Ridge has a sound beach on the Roanoke Sound side that visitors can swim in.

The Nags Head Woods Ecological Preserve is 1,092 acres (4.42 km²) and lies North of Jockey's Ridge and east of Roanoke Sound. It was designated a National Natural Landmark in 1974.

As in any other beach town, the ocean and shoreline are the major attractions, providing beaches for swimming, sunbathing, and a variety of water sports. A series of historic cottages overlook the beach in sections. There are three piers popular for fishing: Nags Head Pier, Jennette's Pier (destroyed by Hurricane Isabel in 2003, bought and renovated by the North Carolina Aquariums, reopened in May 2011), and Outer Banks Pier. The town also features miniature golf courses and small amusement centers with go-karts and bumper cars for family entertainment.

Nags Head was the location of a CIA fake defectors programme.

Other attractions include various National Register of Historic Places in or near Nags Head, such as the following:

Landmark name	Image	Date listed	Location	Notes
Bodie Island Lifesaving and Coast Guard Station		February 9, 1979	S of Nags Head on NC 12
Bodie Island Light Station		July 4, 2003	Off NC 12
First Colony Inn		January 21, 1993	6720 S. Virginia Dare Trail
Markham-Albertson-Stinson Cottage		January 13, 2006	4300 W. Soundside Rd.	Destroyed by Hurricane Irene
Mattie Midgett Store and House		December 23, 2004	4008 S. Virginia Dare Trail
Nags Head Beach Cottages Historic District		August 19, 1977	U.S. 158
Sea Foam Motel		December 23, 2004	7111 S. Virginia Dare Trail
USS Huron (1875)		November 15, 1991	Address restricted	wrecked in the area, 1877

External links

• Official website
• Webcams: Nags Head - East and Nags Head - West from outerbanks.net