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CITY

Hillsborough

North Carolina · 9,778 residents (2025 est.) · 5.74 sq mi
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The short version

Hillsborough is home to 9,724 people in North Carolina. Since 2000 the city has risen by half, up 4,278 people. 61% of adults hold a bachelor's degree, against 36% nationally. That puts it in the top 8% of US cities for household income. That is roughly 36% ahead of the North Carolina median. At a median age of 42.5, this is an older place than the country as a whole.

At a glance
Wealthier
above the US median
US median: $82,259
Older
median age 42.5
US median: 38.9
More educated
61% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 137%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
9,724
+79%since 2000
from 5,446 in 2000
9,778 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
1990 – 2025
Population density
1,694 / sq mi
+73%since 2009
from 979 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
Median age
42.5
+19%since 2000
from 35.6 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Land area
5.74 sq mi
Population, 1990 – 2024
4K5K7K9K10K19902000201020202024Hillsborough
202410K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2024
Under 57.3%(710)
US avg: 5.6%
5 to 96.8%(660)
US avg: 6%
10 to 144.8%(471)
US avg: 6.4%
15 to 195%(482)
US avg: 6.6%
20 to 243%(293)
US avg: 6.5%
25 to 349.7%(944)
US avg: 13.7%
35 to 4416.6%(1,618)
US avg: 13.2%
45 to 5412.9%(1,251)
US avg: 12.2%
55 to 6416.1%(1,567)
US avg: 12.7%
65 to 7410.3%(1,006)
US avg: 10.2%
75 to 846.1%(595)
US avg: 5.1%
85 and over1.3%(127)
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$98,163
+34%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $40,111 in 2000
US average: $82,259
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$54,038
+148%since 2000
from $21,818 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
56.7%
+29.3 ptssince 2009
from 27.4% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
Poverty rate
8.0%
−4.6 ptssince 2000
from 12.6% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
Income inequality (Gini)
0.462
+6%since 2010
from 0.435 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Information12.7%
US avg: 10.8%
Retail trade7.8%
US avg: 9.9%
Other services4.5%
US avg: 6.7%
Wholesale trade2.9%
US avg: 6.9%
Public administration1.6%
US avg: 4.8%
Arts, entertainment, food1.5%
US avg: 1.9%
Finance & insurance0.6%
US avg: 5.9%
Professional, scientific, technical0.6%
US avg: 5.1%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing0.1%
US avg: 1.6%
Construction0.1%
US avg: 1.2%
Manufacturing0%
US avg: 0.4%
Transportation & warehousing0%
US avg: 2.2%
Education & health services0%
US avg: 0.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$460,100
+137%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $106,400 in 2000
US average: $376,019
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$1,368
+13%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $662 in 2000
US average: $1,442
Owner-occupied
63.8%
+3.2 ptssince 2000
from 60.5% in 2000
36.2% rent
Vacancy rate
8.3%
−6.8 ptssince 2009
from 15.1% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
Persons per household
2.26 people
−5%since 2009
from 2.37 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
Owner cost-burdened
18.3%
−13.4 ptssince 2009
from 31.7% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
Renter cost-burdened
49.6%
−18.3 ptssince 2009
from 67.9% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
Afford Score
4.7
+39%since 2009
from 3.4 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Gentrification Score
92
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic59.3%(3,229)
Black34.8%(1,893)
Hispanic / Latino2.8%(152)
Asian0.6%(31)
Other0%
2024
White, non-Hispanic73.9%(7,188)
Black8.2%(796)
Hispanic / Latino8.2%(796)
Asian2.8%(272)
Other6.9%(672)
Diversity Score
54
−28%since 2009
from 75 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Hispanic origin
Mexican3.6%(353)
Spaniard0.8%(75)
Puerto Rican0.7%(71)
Argentine0.4%(42)
Colombian0.4%(41)
Dominican0.1%(10)
Honduran0.1%(5)
Asian origin
Chinese0.9%(90)
Asian Indian0.6%(55)
Filipino0.2%(20)
Taiwanese0.1%(14)
Korean0.1%(13)
Ancestry
English21.1%(2,047)
Irish12.4%(1,204)
German11.2%(1,092)
Italian6.4%(626)
Scottish6%(584)
Scotch-Irish4.9%(479)
Polish4.1%(402)
American3.3%(321)
Arab2.8%(273)
Norwegian2%(194)
Welsh1.5%(146)
+ 23 more ancestry groups with data
Lebanese1.5%(143)
Russian1.3%(128)
Egyptian1.2%(115)
Austrian1%(98)
British0.9%(90)
Dutch0.9%(84)
Hungarian0.7%(71)
Danish0.7%(67)
Portuguese0.7%(67)
Kenyan0.6%(61)
Swiss0.6%(60)
French0.6%(57)
Ghanaian0.5%(53)
Greek0.4%(42)
Slovak0.4%(38)
Swedish0.4%(38)
Lithuanian0.3%(28)
Ukrainian0.2%(19)
Turkish0.2%(18)
Palestinian0.2%(15)
Canadian0.1%(14)
Romanian0.1%(10)
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
61.4%
+36.3 ptssince 2000
from 25.0% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
93.5%
+22.6 ptssince 2000
from 70.9% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
Graduate degree
31.2%
+19.3 ptssince 2000
from 11.9% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
21.7 min
+34%since 2000
from 16.1 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
Drive alone to work
64.7%
−7.0 ptssince 2009
from 71.8% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
Carpooled to work
3.8%
−9.5 ptssince 2009
from 13.3% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
Public transit
0.8%
−2.6 ptssince 2009
from 3.4% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
Worked from home
29.2%
+25.2 ptssince 2009
from 3.9% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
Walked to work
0.6%
−3.8 ptssince 2009
from 4.4% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
Biked to work
0.5%
+0.5 ptssince 2009
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
No vehicle available
5.3%
−6.8 ptssince 2009
from 12.1% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07

Work & employment

Unemployment rate
4.1%
−5.6 ptssince 2011
from 9.7% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
Labor force participation
65.2%
+2.6 ptssince 2011
from 62.6% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
73.9%
+3.8 ptssince 2020
from 70.1% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
Self-employed
19.8%
−0.5 ptssince 2009
from 20.3% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
Management & professional
64.5%
+21.6 ptssince 2009
from 43.0% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08

People & community

Male
47.0%
−2.5 ptssince 2009
from 49.4% in 2009
Female
53.0%
+2.5 ptssince 2009
from 50.6% in 2009
Foreign born
9.7%
+0.4 ptssince 2009
from 9.3% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
Veterans
6.1%
−4.8 ptssince 2009
from 10.9% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
With a disability
12.0%
+1.2 ptssince 2012
from 10.8% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
Uninsured
4.6%
−4.8 ptssince 2013
from 9.4% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Broadband at home
97.9%
+7.4 ptssince 2017
from 90.5% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
99.7%
+9.9 ptssince 2020
from 89.8% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
Same house as last year
85.6%
+7.9 ptssince 2020
from 77.8% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
English only at home
89.8%
+3.6 ptssince 2016
from 86.2% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
Spanish at home
3.8%
−6.3 ptssince 2016
from 10.1% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married29%(1,082)
Married56.5%(2,105)
Widowed3.4%(125)
Divorced11.1%(413)
Women 15+
Never married24.9%(1,037)
Married52.8%(2,196)
Widowed7.7%(320)
Divorced14.6%(605)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09

Health coverage

Uninsured
4.6%
−4.8 ptssince 2013
from 9.4% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Employer-based
65.9%
+5.7 ptssince 2020
from 60.2% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
13.8%
+0.5 ptssince 2020
from 13.3% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
Medicare
16.7%
−1.7 ptssince 2020
from 18.4% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
Medicaid
10.5%
−1.6 ptssince 2020
from 12.1% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
3.3%
+0.3 ptssince 2020
from 3.0% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
81.0%
+6.6 ptssince 2020
from 74.4% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
26.2%
−4.2 ptssince 2020
from 30.4% 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)28.4%(130)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)40.9%(187)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era36.5%(167)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War2.2%(10)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II0%(0)
US avg: 1%

Share of the 457 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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Compare Hillsborough to nearby cities

HILLSBOROUGH VS
Mebane
Income$83,174−15%
Home value$338,900−26%
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SEE FULL COMPARISON →
HILLSBOROUGH VS
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Income$85,743−13%
Home value$539,400+17%
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HILLSBOROUGH VS
Chapel Hill
Income$85,989−12%
Home value$613,700+33%
Population63,565+550%
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HILLSBOROUGH VS
Durham
Income$81,619−17%
Home value$392,800−15%
Population305,561+3025%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in Hillsborough, North Carolina?

Hillsborough, North Carolina has about 9,724 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.

What is the median household income in Hillsborough, North Carolina?

The typical household in Hillsborough, North Carolina earns about $98,163 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Hillsborough, North Carolina expensive?

In Hillsborough, North Carolina, the median home is worth about $460,100, and the typical rent is about $1,368 a month.

How educated are people in Hillsborough, North Carolina?

About 61.4% of adults age 25 and over in Hillsborough, North Carolina hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Hillsborough, North Carolina?

About 8.0% of people in Hillsborough, North Carolina live below the federal poverty line.

Has Hillsborough, North Carolina grown since 1990?

Yes, Hillsborough, North Carolina has grown since 1990. The population has added about 5,461 residents, a change of about 128 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 →