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COUNTY · 2020 ACS

Chatham County

North Carolina · 76,285 residents · 681 sq mi
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The short version

Chatham County is home to 76,285 people in North Carolina. The median age is 48.0, about 9 years above the US median. The population has risen by half since 2000, adding 26,956 people. 79% of homes are owner-occupied. About 44% of adults have finished a four-year degree. That is roughly 23% ahead of the North Carolina median.

At a glance
Wealthier
above the US median
US median: $66,278
Older
median age 48.0
US median: 38.8
More educated
44% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 33%
Less affordable
home values up 82%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $265,253
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
76,285
+55%since 2000
from 49,329 in 2000
1990 – 2025
Median age
48.0
+24%since 2000
from 38.8 in 2000
US average: 38.8
Land area
681 sq mi
Population, 1990 – 2024
35K47K59K72K84K19902000201020202024Chatham County
202480K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2020
Under 54.7%(3,592)
US avg: 5.6%
5 to 95.5%(4,195)
US avg: 6.1%
10 to 146.3%(4,777)
US avg: 6.5%
15 to 195.9%(4,467)
US avg: 6.6%
20 to 244.1%(3,156)
US avg: 6.7%
25 to 348.7%(6,635)
US avg: 13.5%
35 to 4411.2%(8,531)
US avg: 12.7%
45 to 5413.2%(10,078)
US avg: 12.3%
55 to 6415%(11,467)
US avg: 13.1%
65 to 7414.5%(11,070)
US avg: 10%
75 to 848.1%(6,174)
US avg: 4.9%
85 and over2.8%(2,143)
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$69,799
+8%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $42,851 in 2000
US average: $66,278
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$45,036
+93%since 2000
from $23,355 in 2000
US average: $35,364
Households earning $100K+
47.3%
+12.6 ptssince 2009
from 34.7% in 2009
US average: 43.9%
Poverty rate
10.7%
+1.0 ptssince 2000
from 9.7% in 2000
US average: 12.8%
Workforce by industry, 2020
Retail trade12.4%
US avg: 10%
Information10.1%
US avg: 11.1%
Wholesale trade7.8%
US avg: 6.7%
Other services4.3%
US avg: 6.6%
Finance & insurance3.3%
US avg: 5.5%
Public administration3%
US avg: 4.7%
Professional, scientific, technical2.5%
US avg: 4.7%
Transportation & warehousing1.8%
US avg: 2.5%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing1.8%
US avg: 1.7%
Construction1.7%
US avg: 1.2%
Arts, entertainment, food1.6%
US avg: 2%
Education & health services0.8%
US avg: 0.8%
Manufacturing0%
US avg: 0.5%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$310,000
+82%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $113,300 in 2000
US average: $265,253
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$873
Unchangedinflation adjusted, since 2000
from $579 in 2000
US average: $1,124
Owner-occupied
79.0%
+1.8 ptssince 2000
from 77.2% in 2000
21.0% rent
Persons per household
2.41 people
−8%since 2009
from 2.63 people in 2009
US average: 2.61
Afford Score
4.4
+34%since 2009
from 3.3 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.
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic71.6%(35,322)
Black16.9%(8,355)
Hispanic / Latino9.6%(4,743)
Asian0.6%(286)
Other0%
2020
White, non-Hispanic69.6%(53,087)
Black10.2%(7,768)
Hispanic / Latino13.6%(10,372)
Asian2.1%(1,616)
Other3.1%(2,385)
Segregation Score
34
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means White and non-White residents are more separated across neighborhoods.
Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Hispanic origin
Mexican7.1%(5,143)
Central American2.5%(1,794)
Guatemalan1%(739)
Salvadoran0.9%(633)
Honduran0.5%(399)
Puerto Rican0.5%(348)
Colombian0.5%(332)
Cuban0.4%(275)
Spaniard0.2%(153)
Peruvian0.1%(77)
Venezuelan0.1%(70)
+ 3 more hispanic origin groups with data
Argentine0.1%(44)
Chilean0%(19)
Asian origin
Chinese0.7%(528)
Asian Indian0.4%(271)
Filipino0.2%(137)
Vietnamese0.1%(70)
Thai0.1%(60)
Korean0.1%(49)
Japanese0%(13)
Pacific Islander origin
Chamorro0%(13)
Ancestry
English13.9%(10,125)
German11%(8,046)
Irish10.1%(7,357)
American7.8%(5,691)
Italian4%(2,917)
Scottish3.2%(2,323)
Scotch-Irish3%(2,206)
Polish2.7%(1,940)
French2.5%(1,839)
Dutch1.3%(937)
Welsh0.9%(664)
Russian0.9%(658)
+ 34 more ancestry groups with data
British0.8%(601)
Swedish0.6%(426)
Norwegian0.5%(356)
Danish0.5%(328)
Belgian0.4%(325)
Hungarian0.4%(267)
Czech0.3%(229)
Lithuanian0.3%(209)
Greek0.3%(203)
Finnish0.3%(189)
Romanian0.2%(178)
Swiss0.2%(156)
West Indian0.2%(149)
Armenian0.2%(133)
Portuguese0.2%(130)
Austrian0.2%(122)
Ukrainian0.2%(117)
Canadian0.1%(98)
Slovak0.1%(89)
Croatian0.1%(81)
Iranian0.1%(66)
Jamaican0.1%(43)
Serbian0%(35)
Turkish0%(35)
Egyptian0%(28)
Brazilian0%(28)
Ghanaian0%(21)
Lebanese0%(16)
Israeli0%(16)
Latvian0%(9)
Slovene0%(8)
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
43.7%
+16.1 ptssince 2000
from 27.6% in 2000
US average: 32.9%
High school or higher
89.1%
+11.2 ptssince 2000
from 77.9% in 2000
US average: 88.5%
Graduate degree
20.1%
+8.5 ptssince 2000
from 11.6% in 2000
US average: 12.7%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
29.3 min
+52%since 2000
from 19.2 min in 2000
US average: 26.9
Drive alone to work
75.7%
−0.5 ptssince 2009
from 76.2% in 2009
US average: 75.1%
No vehicle available
4.1%
−0.9 ptssince 2009
from 4.9% in 2009
US average: 8.4%
Section 07

Work & employment

Unemployment rate
4.4%
−3.5 ptssince 2011
from 7.9% in 2011
US average: 5.4%
Labor force participation
57.7%
−5.7 ptssince 2011
from 63.4% in 2011
US average: 63.4%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
70.2%
US average: 73.3%
Management & professional
46.1%
+7.4 ptssince 2009
from 38.7% in 2009
US average: 39.3%
Section 08

People & community

Male
47.6%
−1.3 ptssince 2009
from 48.9% in 2009
Female
52.4%
+1.3 ptssince 2009
from 51.1% in 2009
Foreign born
9.3%
−1.6 ptssince 2009
from 11.0% in 2009
US average: 13.5%
Uninsured
9.9%
−4.7 ptssince 2013
from 14.6% in 2013
US average: 8.8%
Computer in household
90.9%
US average: 91.9%
Same house as last year
89.9%
US average: 86.2%
Marital status (2024)
Men 15+
Never married26.3%(8,525)
Married63.5%(20,588)
Widowed2.9%(937)
Divorced7.3%(2,373)
Women 15+
Never married23.3%(8,194)
Married56.8%(19,969)
Widowed8.6%(3,016)
Divorced11.4%(3,994)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09

Health coverage

Uninsured
9.9%
−4.7 ptssince 2013
from 14.6% in 2013
US average: 8.8%
Employer-based
57.1%
US average: 55.4%
Direct-purchase
18.5%
US average: 13.7%
Medicare
25.0%
US average: 17.6%
Medicaid
13.0%
US average: 20.0%
VA health care
1.8%
US average: 2.3%
Any private
71.8%
US average: 68.1%
Any public
36.3%
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)9.3%(397)
US avg: 20.6%
Gulf War (1990s)15.3%(652)
US avg: 21.4%
Vietnam era38%(1,622)
US avg: 35.2%
Korean War16.1%(687)
US avg: 7.6%
World War II3.4%(146)
US avg: 2.9%

Share of the 4,271 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 Chatham County to nearby counties

CHATHAM COUNTY VS
Lee County
Income$65,387−6%
Home value$240,200−23%
Population70,258−17%
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CHATHAM COUNTY VS
Alamance County
Income$65,651−6%
Home value$241,500−22%
Population186,177+119%
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CHATHAM COUNTY VS
Orange County
Income$90,089+29%
Home value$459,500+48%
Population152,498+79%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
CHATHAM COUNTY VS
Moore County
Income$86,080+23%
Home value$351,400+13%
Population110,619+30%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in Chatham County, North Carolina?

Chatham County, North Carolina has about 76,285 residents according to the 2020 American Community Survey.

What is the median household income in Chatham County, North Carolina?

The typical household in Chatham County, North Carolina earns about $69,799 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Chatham County, North Carolina expensive?

In Chatham County, North Carolina, the median home is worth about $310,000, and the typical rent is about $873 a month.

How educated are people in Chatham County, North Carolina?

About 43.7% of adults age 25 and over in Chatham County, North Carolina hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Chatham County, North Carolina?

About 10.7% of people in Chatham County, North Carolina live below the federal poverty line.

Has Chatham County, North Carolina grown since 1990?

Yes, Chatham County, North Carolina has grown since 1990. The population has added about 37,526 residents, a change of about 97 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 →