United States › North Carolina › Chapel Hill CITY · 2020 ACS
Chapel Hill North Carolina · 61,960 residents · 21.7 sq mi
Time machine
COMPARE TO 1990 Census 2000 Census 2009 ACS 2010 ACS 2011 ACS 2012 ACS 2013 ACS 2014 ACS 2015 ACS 2016 ACS 2017 ACS 2018 ACS 2019 ACS 2021 ACS 2022 ACS 2023 ACS 2024 ACS
The short version
Chapel Hill is a city of 61,960 people in North Carolina. 77% of adults hold a bachelor's degree, against 33% nationally. The median age is 26.5, younger than the US median of 38.8. 67% were living in the same home a year earlier. Owners hold 45% of the housing stock. Home values have more than doubled since 2000, reaching $435,500.
At a glance
Wealthier
above the US median
US median: $66,278
Younger
median age 26.5
US median: 38.8
More educated
77% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 33%
Less affordable
home values up 33%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $265,253
Section 01
Population & growth from 24.0 in 2000
US average: 38.8
Population, 1990 – 2024
36K 43K 50K 57K 64K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Chapel Hill Age distribution, 2020
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy $75,249
+28%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $39,140 in 2000
US average: $66,278
from $24,133 in 2000
US average: $35,364
Households earning $100K+
from 36.8% in 2009
US average: 43.9%
from 21.6% in 2000
US average: 12.8%
Workforce by industry, 2020
Arts, entertainment, food 1.8%
Professional, scientific, technical 0.8%
Transportation & warehousing 0.7%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 0.3%
Education & health services 0.2%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
$435,500
+33%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $217,300 in 2000
US average: $265,253
$1,221
+18%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $690 in 2000
US average: $1,124
from 42.9% in 2000
55.0% rent
2.54 people
+14%since 2009
from 2.22 people in 2009
US average: 2.61
from 7.4 in 2009
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Section 04
Race & ethnicity 2000
White, non-Hispanic 76.1%(37,073)
Hispanic / Latino 3.2%(1,564)
2020
White, non-Hispanic 62.4%(38,678)
Hispanic / Latino 7.6%(4,734)
No data for the years selected.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry Hispanic origin
+ 9 more hispanic origin groups with data Asian origin
+ 3 more asian origin groups with data Ancestry
+ 46 more ancestry groups with data from 73.7% in 2000
US average: 32.9%
High school or higher
from 94.3% in 2000
US average: 88.5%
from 40.5% in 2000
US average: 12.7%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 11.5 min in 2000
US average: 26.9
from 62.4% in 2009
US average: 75.1%
from 10.2% in 2009
US average: 8.4%
Section 07
Work & employment from 5.8% in 2011
US average: 5.4%
from 57.4% in 2011
US average: 63.4%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
US average: 73.3%
from 57.3% in 2009
US average: 39.3%
Section 08
People & community from 14.4% in 2009
US average: 13.5%
from 8.5% in 2013
US average: 8.8%
Computer in household
US average: 91.9%
Marital status (2024)
Men 15+
Never married 56.7%(14,137)
Women 15+
Never married 57.3%(17,038)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 8.5% in 2013
US average: 8.8%
Direct-purchase
US average: 13.7%
VA health care
US average: 2.3%
Any private
US average: 68.1%
Any public
US average: 35.2%
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, 2020
Gulf War (2001 or later) 19.3%(275)
Gulf War (1990s) 23.6%(336)
Share of the 1,423 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
Places similar to Chapel Hill Head to head
Compare Chapel Hill to nearby cities CHAPEL HILL VS
Carrboro
Income $85,743 +14%
Home value $539,400 +24%
Population 20,962 −67%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
CHAPEL HILL VS
Durham
Income $81,619 +8%
Home value $392,800 −10%
Population 305,561 +381%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
CHAPEL HILL VS
Hillsborough
Income $98,163 +30%
Home value $460,100 +6%
Population 9,778 −85%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
CHAPEL HILL VS
Morrisville
Income $125,396 +67%
Home value $518,800 +19%
Population 32,466 −49%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked
How many people live in Chapel Hill, North Carolina? Chapel Hill, North Carolina has about 61,960 residents according to the 2020 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Chapel Hill, North Carolina? The typical household in Chapel Hill, North Carolina earns about $75,249 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 $435,500, and the typical rent is about $1,221 a month.
How educated are people in Chapel Hill, North Carolina? About 76.9% 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 18.5% 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 23,198 residents, a change of about 60 percent over that period.
Keep going
Explore from here 