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CITY · 1990 CENSUS

Chapel Hill

North Carolina · 38,762 residents · 21.7 sq mi
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The short version

Chapel Hill is a city of 38,762 people in North Carolina. 71% of adults hold a bachelor's degree, against 20% nationally. 41% of homes are owner-occupied. The median age is 24.9, younger than the US median of 33.0. Median home value sits at $140,500. There are 9,953 fewer people here than in 2000.

At a glance
Average income
near the US median
US median: $30,130
Younger
median age 24.9
US median: 33.0
More educated
71% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 20%
More affordable
home values down 15%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $93,722
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
38,762
−20%vs 2000
vs 48,715 in 2000
1990 – 2025
Median age
24.9
+4%vs 2000
vs 24.0 in 2000
US average: 33.0
Land area
21.7 sq mi
Population, 1990 – 2024
36K43K50K57K64K19902000201020202024Chapel Hill
202462K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 1990
Under 53.9%(1,517)
US avg: 7.3%
5 to 94.2%(1,617)
US avg: 7.3%
10 to 143.8%(1,474)
US avg: 6.9%
15 to 1914.8%(5,724)
US avg: 7.1%
20 to 2423.7%(9,200)
US avg: 7.5%
25 to 3417.1%(6,610)
US avg: 17.5%
35 to 4411.4%(4,423)
US avg: 15.1%
45 to 547.5%(2,904)
US avg: 10.2%
55 to 644.9%(1,915)
US avg: 8.5%
65 to 744.9%(1,890)
US avg: 7.3%
75 to 842.7%(1,045)
US avg: 4%
85 and over1.1%(443)
US avg: 1.2%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$30,489
+3%inflation adjusted, since 2000
vs $39,140 in 2000
US average: $30,130
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$16,288
−33%vs 2000
vs $24,133 in 2000
US average: $14,340
Poverty rate
16.1%
−5.4 ptsvs 2000
vs 21.6% in 2000
US average: 13.2%
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$140,500
−15%inflation adjusted, since 2000
vs $217,300 in 2000
US average: $93,722
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$489
−7%inflation adjusted, since 2000
vs $690 in 2000
US average: $450
Owner-occupied
40.6%
−2.2 ptsvs 2000
vs 42.9% in 2000
59.4% rent
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic76.1%(37,073)
Black11.3%(5,517)
Hispanic / Latino3.2%(1,564)
Asian7.2%(3,496)
Other0%
1990
White, non-Hispanic82.3%(31,903)
Black12.5%(4,854)
Hispanic / Latino1.5%(573)
Asian4.3%(1,677)
Other0.8%(328)

No data for the years selected.

Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Detailed origin tables are available for 2024; showing 2024 data.

Hispanic origin
Mexican2.4%(1,484)
Central American1.6%(1,005)
Guatemalan0.8%(480)
Honduran0.7%(417)
Colombian0.5%(288)
Puerto Rican0.4%(227)
Argentine0.3%(163)
Cuban0.3%(158)
Venezuelan0.2%(149)
Spaniard0.2%(123)
Ecuadorian0.2%(109)
+ 7 more hispanic origin groups with data
Dominican0.2%(104)
Salvadoran0.1%(55)
Costa Rican0.1%(42)
Peruvian0%(19)
Chilean0%(16)
Uruguayan0%(10)
Asian origin
Chinese4.7%(2,867)
Asian Indian3.2%(1,989)
Korean1.4%(890)
Vietnamese0.7%(450)
Japanese0.5%(300)
Filipino0.5%(286)
Taiwanese0.4%(227)
Pakistani0.2%(120)
Burmese0.1%(81)
Sri Lankan0.1%(64)
Malaysian0.1%(31)
Hmong0%(13)
+ 3 more asian origin groups with data
Laotian0%(9)
Thai0%(2)
Pacific Islander origin
Samoan0.2%(101)
Ancestry
English13.5%(8,303)
German10.2%(6,279)
Irish8.9%(5,457)
Italian4.3%(2,663)
American3.4%(2,125)
Scottish2.9%(1,771)
Polish2.5%(1,543)
Scotch-Irish1.7%(1,072)
French1.6%(1,007)
Norwegian1%(630)
Dutch1%(620)
+ 45 more ancestry groups with data
Russian1%(613)
British1%(595)
Welsh0.9%(575)
Arab0.8%(520)
Swedish0.8%(518)
Ukrainian0.8%(468)
Greek0.6%(354)
Hungarian0.5%(329)
Turkish0.4%(223)
Slovak0.4%(218)
Nigerian0.3%(201)
Czech0.3%(179)
Danish0.3%(171)
Iranian0.3%(171)
Austrian0.3%(170)
Finnish0.3%(160)
West Indian0.2%(154)
Romanian0.2%(149)
Swiss0.2%(131)
Lithuanian0.2%(128)
Ghanaian0.2%(107)
Portuguese0.2%(106)
Lebanese0.2%(104)
Croatian0.1%(83)
Canadian0.1%(79)
Serbian0.1%(78)
Palestinian0.1%(71)
Brazilian0.1%(68)
Belgian0.1%(54)
Egyptian0.1%(51)
Syrian0.1%(50)
Kenyan0.1%(49)
Haitian0.1%(49)
Ethiopian0.1%(47)
Latvian0.1%(44)
Jamaican0.1%(34)
Slovene0%(24)
Israeli0%(20)
Barbadian0%(18)
Armenian0%(14)
Bulgarian0%(12)
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
71.2%
−2.5 ptsvs 2000
vs 73.7% in 2000
US average: 20.3%
High school or higher
93.4%
−0.9 ptsvs 2000
vs 94.3% in 2000
US average: 75.2%
Graduate degree
38.7%
−1.8 ptsvs 2000
vs 40.5% in 2000
US average: 7.1%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
16.7 min
+45%vs 2000
vs 11.5 min in 2000
US average: 21.9
Section 07

Work & employment

No data for the years selected.

Section 08

People & community

No data for the years selected.

Marital status (2024)
Men 15+
Never married56.7%(14,137)
Married36.5%(9,097)
Widowed1.7%(435)
Divorced5.1%(1,285)
Women 15+
Never married57.3%(17,038)
Married32.6%(9,678)
Widowed4.3%(1,269)
Divorced5.8%(1,736)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09

Health coverage

Showing 2024 (the nearest year with coverage data).

Uninsured
5.1%
−3.4 ptssince 2013
from 8.5% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Employer-based
69.8%
−0.2 ptssince 2020
from 70.0% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
17.8%
−2.1 ptssince 2020
from 19.9% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
Medicare
12.4%
+1.4 ptssince 2020
from 11.0% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
Medicaid
7.0%
−0.2 ptssince 2020
from 7.2% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
1.0%
+0.2 ptssince 2020
from 0.8% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
85.1%
−2.1 ptssince 2020
from 87.2% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
18.4%
+0.9 ptssince 2020
from 17.5% in 2020
US average: 36.7%

Shares are "alone or in combination": a person with both Medicare and Medicaid counts in each, so categories overlap and do not sum to 100%.

Section 09 · Service history

Veterans

Veterans by period of service, 2024
Gulf War (2001 or later)26.1%(378)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)27.3%(395)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era37.3%(540)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War2.4%(35)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II0.7%(10)
US avg: 1%

Share of the 1,448 veterans here. A veteran who served across eras counts in each, so shares can total more than 100%. Peacetime-only service is included in the total but not shown as an era.

BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Drill deeper

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Head to head

Compare Chapel Hill to nearby cities

CHAPEL HILL VS
Carrboro
Income$85,743+181%
Home value$539,400+284%
Population20,962−67%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
CHAPEL HILL VS
Durham
Income$81,619+168%
Home value$392,800+180%
Population305,561+381%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
CHAPEL HILL VS
Hillsborough
Income$98,163+222%
Home value$460,100+227%
Population9,778−85%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
CHAPEL HILL VS
Morrisville
Income$125,396+311%
Home value$518,800+269%
Population32,466−49%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in Chapel Hill, North Carolina?

Chapel Hill, North Carolina has about 38,762 residents according to the 1990 Census.

What is the median household income in Chapel Hill, North Carolina?

The typical household in Chapel Hill, North Carolina earns about $30,489 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Chapel Hill, North Carolina expensive?

In Chapel Hill, North Carolina, the median home is worth about $140,500, and the typical rent is about $489 a month.

How educated are people in Chapel Hill, North Carolina?

About 71.2% of adults age 25 and over in Chapel Hill, North Carolina hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Chapel Hill, North Carolina?

About 16.1% of people in Chapel Hill, North Carolina live below the federal poverty line.

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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · UPDATED 2024

How we source and harmonize this data →