Chapel Hill town, North Carolina Demographics & Population 2026

Population Overview

Chapel Hill town is a mid-sized community located in North Carolina, within Orange County. The total population is 59,889. It ranks as the 17th most populous out of 774 cities and towns in North Carolina.

Age Demographics

The median age in Chapel Hill town is 25.8 years. This is 34% lower than the state median of 39.1 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Chapel Hill town is $85,825. This is 23% higher than the state median of $69,904. Compared to the national median of $78,538, household income here is 9% higher. The poverty rate stands at 19.6%. This is 49% higher than the state poverty rate of 13.2%. The unemployment rate is 4.6%. This is 4% lower than the state rate of 4.8%. The median home value is $576,500. Housing costs are 122% higher than the state median of $259,400. The home-value-to-income ratio of 6.7x suggests that housing affordability is a significant concern for many residents. 48.7% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 27% lower than the state average of 66.4%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Chapel Hill town is White (non-Hispanic), making up 63.8% of the population. Asian residents account for 13.1%. The Asian population is significantly higher than the state average (13.1% vs 3.1%).

Education

77.2% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This places Chapel Hill town in the top 10% of all cities in the state for educational attainment. This is 122% higher than the state rate of 34.7%. Nationally, 35.0% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 96.2%. Notably, 45.2% of adults hold a graduate or professional degree, indicating a highly educated workforce.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Chapel Hill town, North Carolina is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023). The ACS collects data from approximately 3.5 million households annually, providing reliable estimates for communities of all sizes. Comparisons are made against North Carolina state averages and national averages calculated from the same dataset. Rankings reflect the city's position among all 774 Census-designated places in North Carolina. For official data, visit data.census.gov.