Town · North Carolina
Chapel Hill, North Carolina
Chapel Hill, town, mostly in Orange County (95.3% of its 2020 residents), with a part in Durham County, North Carolina. Chapel Hill had 63,565 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, up 2.1% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 61,960 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 61,607 (±41). GEOID 3711800.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
63,565
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 61,960 · ACS 2020-2024: 61,607 ±41
Median household income
$85,989
±$5,527 (90% margin)
North Carolina: $72,388
Median home value
$613,700
±$21,263 (90% margin)
North Carolina: $288,900
Median gross rent
$1,613
±$56 (90% margin)
North Carolina: $1,228
Where is Chapel Hill and what county is it in?
Chapel Hill is a town mostly in Orange County (95.3% of its 2020 residents), with a part in Durham County, North Carolina. It covers 21.7 square miles of land, 2,856 residents per square mile in 2020.
Chapel Hill is in the Durham-Chapel Hill, NC metropolitan statistical area, which takes in 4 counties (Census Bureau delineation, July 2023).
| County | 2020 residents | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Orange County | 59,054 | 95.3% |
| Durham County | 2,906 | 4.7% |
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Chapel Hill, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 63,565 people lived in Chapel Hill on July 1, 2025, up 2.1% since 2020, slower than North Carolina (+7.2%). The 2020 Census counted 61,960 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 61,607 (±41).
The yearly series starts from the Census Bureau's July 2020 estimate, 57,043, which differs from its April 2020 base of 62,269 (in 2020 the estimates dipped in many college and military towns), so the first step is large; the change since 2020 above is measured from the April base.
| Measure | Chapel Hill | Orange County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 61,607±41 | 149,678 | +609 |
| Households | 21,189±641 | 57,342 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 2.38±0.07 | 2.40 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 23,581±521 | 62,858 | +1,193 |
Chapel Hill's population since 2000
From 48,715 in 2000 to 63,565 in 2025: up 30.5%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Chapel Hill as it was drawn that year: a place that annexed land, or a community that has since incorporated, covered a different area then. The 2005 figure is the Census Bureau's intercensal estimate, revised to fit the 2000 and 2010 counts and drawn on 2010 boundaries; 2015 and 2025 are July 1 estimates made from the census before them.
Source: The 2000, 2010 and 2020 Census counts and the Census Bureau's population estimates (intercensal 2000-2010, Vintage 2020, Vintage 2025) · Census population estimates
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); Census PEP Vintage 2025 (SUB-EST2025, CO-EST2025); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in Chapel Hill?
The median resident of Chapel Hill is 25.8 years old; 14.9% are under 18 and 12.6% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 62.8%, then non-Hispanic Asian residents at 13.4%. 15.3% of residents were born outside the United States.
| Measure | Chapel Hill | Orange County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 25.8±0.6 | 36.1 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 14.9%±0.8 pts | 18.9% | – |
| 65 years and over | 12.6%±0.9 pts | 16.1% | – |
| Male | 47.0%±1.2 pts | 47.8% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 7.6%±0.9 pts | 10.6% | no clear change |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 62.8%±1.8 pts | 66.2% | −4.1 pts |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 11.3%±1.1 pts | 10.1% | no clear change |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 13.4%±0.8 pts | 7.8% | no clear change |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.4%±0.2 pts | 0.2% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0%±0.1 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 4.0%±0.7 pts | 4.5% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.6%±0.3 pts | 0.5% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 15.3%±1.3 pts | 12.9% | no clear change |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 20.0%±1.5 pts | 17.0% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 2.8%±0.5 pts | 4.7% | – |
| With a disability | 7.5%±0.8 pts | 9.1% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 5.1%±1.1 pts | 6.5% | no clear change |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 96.2%±1.3 pts | 93.4% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 76.6%±1.8 pts | 61.8% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 45.2%±2.1 pts | 34.6% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 73.7%±1.9 pts | 82.6% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 5.9%±0.8 pts | 4.6% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profiles DP02, DP05) · Check it at data.census.gov
What do households in Chapel Hill earn?
Half of Chapel Hill's 21,189 households earn less than $85,989 a year (±$5,527), against $90,089 in Orange County and $72,388 in North Carolina. In 2015-2019 it was $90,596 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 18.6% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Chapel Hill | Orange County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $85,989±$5,527 | $90,089 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $145,081±$8,088 | $136,307 | – |
| Per capita income | $51,406±$2,606 | $52,900 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 18.6%±1.8 pts | 12.5% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 6.9%±2.6 pts | 9.6% | no clear change |
| Households receiving SNAP | 5.0%±1.2 pts | 5.8% | – |
| Households with a computer | 98.6%±0.6 pts | 97.4% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 93.3%±1.3 pts | 94.0% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What does housing cost in Chapel Hill?
Owners occupy 47.4% of Chapel Hill's occupied homes and renters 52.6%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $613,700 by its owner (±$21,263). The median renter pays $1,613 a month including utilities, and 51.6% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Chapel Hill | Orange County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $613,700±$21,263 | $459,500 | +$121,792 |
| Median gross rent | $1,613±$56 | $1,496 | +$147 |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 51.6%±3.5 pts | 48.5% | no clear change |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $2,912±$154 | $2,221 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 47.4%±2.1 pts | 63.8% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 52.6%±2.1 pts | 36.2% | – |
| Housing units | 23,581±521 | 62,858 | +1,193 |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.8%±0.8 pts | 1.2% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 6.8%±2.0 pts | 5.5% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 41.2%±2.1 pts | 59.3% | – |
| Mobile homes | 0.6%±0.3 pts | 5.2% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 2.0%±0.7 pts | 2.2% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 12.8%±1.9 pts | 14.2% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 3.2%±0.8 pts | 3.8% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 5.8%±0.9 pts | 4.9% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP04) · Check it at data.census.gov
How many new homes is Chapel Hill building?
Builders took permits for 155 new housing units in Chapel Hill in 2025 (114 in single-family houses), 2.4 per 1,000 residents against 7.7 across North Carolina.
Counts of units in permits a local office issued; not every permitted unit is built. A year marked with months was reported for part of the year.
Source: Building Permits Survey, annual place files 2019-2025, U.S. Census Bureau · Census Building Permits Survey
How do people in Chapel Hill work and get to work?
47.1% of Chapel Hill's workers drive alone and 28.1% work from home. The average trip to work takes 19.5 minutes. The unemployment rate in 2020-2024 averaged 4.5%.
| Measure | Chapel Hill | Orange County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 58.1%±1.5 pts | 61.8% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 4.5%±1.2 pts | 3.6% | no clear change |
| Drove alone to work | 47.1%±2.9 pts | 55.3% | – |
| Carpooled | 5.9%±1.9 pts | 6.2% | – |
| Public transportation | 7.0%±1.2 pts | 4.2% | – |
| Walked | 8.0%±1.3 pts | 4.4% | – |
| Worked from home | 28.1%±2.1 pts | 26.8% | +16.9 pts |
| Mean travel time to work | 19.5 min±0.9 | 23.6 min | no clear change |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What census tracts are in Chapel Hill?
17 census tracts lie mostly in Chapel Hill, and 6 more reach into it (2020 census blocks). Their median household incomes run from $29,226 (Tract 116.02) to $182,321 (Tract 121.02).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 116.02Orange County | 6,842 | $29,226 |
| Tract 117Orange County | 5,804 | $47,955 |
| Tract 119.02Orange County | 4,632 | $92,083 |
| Tract 114Orange County | 4,494 | $58,882 |
| Tract 121.01Orange County | 4,051 | $62,386 |
| Tract 122.02Orange County | 4,929 | $127,143 |
| Tract 118Orange County | 3,298 | $76,083 |
| Tract 112.07Orange County | 4,651 | $100,129 |
| Tract 112.06Orange County | 3,371 | $96,583 |
| Tract 113Orange County | 2,883 | $35,707 |
| Tract 121.03Orange County | 2,767 | $69,628 |
| Tract 122.01Orange County | 3,866 | $168,250 |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 block assignment files (tract share = share of the tract's census blocks in Chapel Hill) · Census block assignment files
How does Chapel Hill compare with other places in North Carolina?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Chapel Hill is the 627th-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 17th-most populous of 549 in North Carolina.
Chapel Hill ranks 107th of 434 places in North Carolina with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population, July 2025 estimate | 17th | 549 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 240th | 331 |
| Residents per square mile | 8th | 443 |
| Median household income | 107th | 434 |
| Per capita income | 67th | 443 |
| Median home value | 14th | 438 |
| Median gross rent | 46th | 395 |
| Poverty rate | 132nd | 341 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 6th | 421 |
| Median age | 430th | 442 |
| Owner-occupied share | 395th | 443 |
| Work from home | 30th | 279 |
| Travel time to work | 369th | 439 |
Chapel Hill's figures with every place in North Carolina (CSV)
Every place in North Carolina, sortable · Compare Chapel Hill with other places
Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) and PEP Vintage 2025 · How ranks are computed
How reliable are the figures for Chapel Hill?
2 of the 57 figures for Chapel Hill on this page carry a coefficient of variation over 40% and are marked with a ring: they come from a small sample, so read them as rough.
The American Community Survey samples about one household in eight over five years, so every figure is an estimate with a 90% margin of error (shown under each value). A ring marks an estimate whose coefficient of variation is over 40%. A change is called only when the gap between the two periods is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins), the Census Bureau's test. How to read a margin of error.
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026): margins of error as published · ACS technical documentation
How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections
Not on this page: crime, weather and schools for Chapel Hill are other agencies' records. Crime: the FBI's Crime Data Explorer · climate: NOAA's U.S. Climate Normals · schools: the National Center for Education Statistics' public schools in Chapel Hill.