The Census Bureau today released demographic information on the North Carolina and Virginia coastal communities potentially impacted by Hurricane Earl.

    Based on the current projected path of Hurricane Earl, currently a Category 3 storm, the U.S. Census Bureau calculates that 1.8 million people in 22 counties in North Carolina and Virginia could face hurricane and tropical storm conditions within the next 48 hours. This figure comes from the Census Bureau's 2009 population estimates.

    According to the latest National Hurricane Center advisory today (11 a.m. EDT), Hurricane Earl, centered about 725 miles south-southeast of Cape Hatteras with maximum sustained winds of 125 miles per hour, is projected to brush the North Carolina and Virginia coasts Thursday night. The National Hurricane Center indicates that area residents may experience heavy rains, high winds and coastal flooding.

    The Census Bureau produces timely local data that are critical to emergency planning, preparedness and recovery efforts.

     According to the latest Census Bureau statistics, the median housing value for Dare County, where Cape Hatteras is located, was $355,700. Additionally, about two-thirds of all housing units were built before 1990. The median household income was $54,600. About 9 percent of the population lived in poverty. These data come from the 2006-2008 American Community Survey 3-year estimates.

     Furthermore, 15.1 percent of the residents of Dare County were 65 years and older, according to 2009 population estimates.

     There were 1,967 business establishments in Dare County, which employed 14,986 workers. The total annual payroll for these businesses was $425 million. The health care and social assistance, retail trade, and accommodation and food services sectors employed about 55 percent of all workers in Dare County. These statistics come from the 2008 County Business Patterns program.

     To view more detailed population and economic data, please visit the Census Bureau's American FactFinder application at <http://factfinder.census.gov/home/saff/main.html?_lang=en>.

     As the 2010 hurricane season progresses, the Census Bureau will continue to post information about the affected areas on its Census Bureau Data and Emergency Preparedness website at <http://www.census.gov/newsroom/emergencies/>.

     Please visit our "OnTheMap for Emergency Management: Hurricanes" application at <http://lehdmap4.did.census.gov/themap4/em/index.html> to view the relationship between where people work and where they live and the characteristics of the local workforce.

     For current forecast and status of Hurricane Earl, please visit the National Hurricane Center website at <http://www.nhc.noaa.gov>.