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CITY · 2000 CENSUS

Chapel Hill

North Carolina · 48,715 residents · 21.7 sq mi
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The short version

Chapel Hill is home to 48,715 people in North Carolina. 74% of adults hold a bachelor's degree, against 24% nationally. The median age is 24.0, younger than the US median of 35.2. Owners hold 43% of the housing stock. Home values have risen by half since 1990, reaching $217,300. 21.6% of residents live below the federal poverty line.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $42,589
Younger
median age 24.0
US median: 35.2
More educated
74% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 24%
Stable housing
home values roughly flat, inflation adjusted
US median home: $120,530
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
48,715
+26%since 1990
from 38,762 in 1990
1990 – 2025
Median age
24.0
−4%since 1990
from 24.9 in 1990
US average: 35.2
Land area
21.7 sq mi
Population, 1990 – 2024
36K43K50K57K64K19902000201020202024Chapel Hill
202462K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2000
Under 53.6%(1,754)
US avg: 6.8%
5 to 94.2%(2,067)
US avg: 7.3%
10 to 144.6%(2,236)
US avg: 7.3%
15 to 1916.2%(7,876)
US avg: 7.2%
20 to 2423.5%(11,469)
US avg: 6.7%
25 to 3414.2%(6,934)
US avg: 14.2%
35 to 4410.2%(4,992)
US avg: 16%
45 to 549.9%(4,802)
US avg: 13.4%
55 to 645.5%(2,664)
US avg: 8.6%
65 to 743.9%(1,897)
US avg: 6.5%
75 to 843%(1,482)
US avg: 4.4%
85 and over1.1%(542)
US avg: 1.5%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$39,140
−3%inflation adjusted, since 1990
from $30,489 in 1990
US average: $42,589
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$24,133
+48%since 1990
from $16,288 in 1990
US average: $21,522
Poverty rate
21.6%
+5.4 ptssince 1990
from 16.1% in 1990
US average: 12.4%
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$217,300
+17%inflation adjusted, since 1990
from $140,500 in 1990
US average: $120,530
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$690
+7%inflation adjusted, since 1990
from $489 in 1990
US average: $602
Owner-occupied
42.9%
+2.2 ptssince 1990
from 40.6% in 1990
57.1% rent
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

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

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
73.7%
+2.5 ptssince 1990
from 71.2% in 1990
US average: 24.4%
High school or higher
94.3%
+0.9 ptssince 1990
from 93.4% in 1990
US average: 80.3%
Graduate degree
40.5%
+1.8 ptssince 1990
from 38.7% in 1990
US average: 8.8%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
11.5 min
−31%since 1990
from 16.7 min in 1990
US average: 17.6
Section 07

Work & employment

No data for the years selected.

Section 08

People & community

No data for the years selected.

Marital status
Men 15+
Never married55.5%(10,489)
Married39.3%(7,428)
Widowed1.3%(245)
Divorced3.8%(726)
Women 15+
Never married57.5%(13,842)
Married31.5%(7,577)
Widowed5.4%(1,304)
Divorced5.7%(1,368)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2000
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+119%
Home value$539,400+148%
Population20,962−67%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
CHAPEL HILL VS
Durham
Income$81,619+109%
Home value$392,800+81%
Population305,561+381%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
CHAPEL HILL VS
Hillsborough
Income$98,163+151%
Home value$460,100+112%
Population9,778−85%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
CHAPEL HILL VS
Morrisville
Income$125,396+220%
Home value$518,800+139%
Population32,466−49%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in Chapel Hill, North Carolina?

Chapel Hill, North Carolina has about 48,715 residents according to the 2000 Census.

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

The typical household in Chapel Hill, North Carolina earns about $39,140 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 $217,300, and the typical rent is about $690 a month.

How educated are people in Chapel Hill, North Carolina?

About 73.7% 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 21.6% of people in Chapel Hill, North Carolina live below the federal poverty line.

Has Chapel Hill, North Carolina grown since 1990?

Yes, Chapel Hill, North Carolina has grown since 1990. The population has added about 9,953 residents, a change of about 26 percent over that period.

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

How we source and harmonize this data →