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Living in
Chapel Hill.
About
Life in Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill offers the appeal of a college town with real urban amenities, but living here means accepting the trade-offs that come with that identity. The UNC influence shapes everything—the economy, the demographics (a third of residents are 18-24), the housing market, and the cultural calendar. You'll find a genuinely educated community, strong schools through Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools, and a food and music scene that punches above its weight for a town this size, but housing costs are steep: median home prices sit around $613,700 and rent averages $1,613 monthly, more than double the state median for both.
Chapel Hill at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
25.8 yrs
Poverty Rate
18.6%
Foreign-Born
15.3%
Broadband Internet
93.3%
of households
Population Growth
+2.1%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics15.3% foreign-born, most often from China, excluding Hong Kong and Taiwan
Who lives in Chapel Hill: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Chapel Hill, the largest foreign-born group is from China, excluding Hong Kong and Taiwan (20.0%), and 6.3% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
14.9%
of residents
65 and Older
12.6%
of residents
Households with Kids
23.8%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
33.1%
of households
Married Couples
39.1%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.38
people
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic
Top countries of origin (foreign-born)
Languages Spoken at Home
Cost of Livingrent 31% above NC average
Rent, home values, and income in Chapel Hill
In Chapel Hill, rent runs 31% above the NC average, and home values are 112% above the NC average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
57.4%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
33.3%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
97.6
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$7,191
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
47.4%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1988
median year built
Vacant Homes
10.1%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $621,909 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment about average for NC
Unemployment in Chapel Hill and typical pay across the metro area
Unemployment in Chapel Hill is close to the NC average.
Unemployment rate
City-level rate · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
City-level (BLS) · Annual averages
What Chapel Hill Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Median Salary by Occupation · metro area
Durham-Chapel Hill, NC metro area
Commute19.5 min avg
How Chapel Hill residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Chapel Hill, most residents drive alone to work (47%), and 81% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 15 mi
Raleigh-Durham International Airport (RDU)
Medium hub7.7M passengers boarded in 2025
- 116 mi
Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT)
Major hub25.9M passengers boarded in 2025
Straight-line distance. Size is the FAA’s hub category, based on passenger traffic: regional airports may have only a few flights a day.
Safetyviolent crime 74% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Chapel Hill runs 74% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
86.4
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
1,779
per 100,000 residents
Above average (1,552 national, 2025)
Chapel Hill Police Department
Natural DisastersThunderstorm Wind most common — 25 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively Low
79.1 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Orange County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Orange County, which includes Chapel Hill, the most common type is thunderstorm wind, with 25 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 25 | Thunderstorm Wind | $30.8M |
| 2024 | 6 | Flash Flood | $44,000 |
| 2023 | 10 | Thunderstorm Wind | $55,000 |
| 2022 | 24 | Thunderstorm Wind | $1.1M |
| 2021 | 12 | Thunderstorm Wind | $159,000 |
| 2020 | 10 | Thunderstorm Wind | $1.2M |
| 2019 | 11 | Thunderstorm Wind | $2.1M |
| 2018 | 21 | Thunderstorm Wind | $27.0M |
Property damage is the National Weather Service's estimate filed with each event. “None reported” means the events were logged with $0 damage; “Not estimated” means no estimate was filed. Storms covering several counties aren't counted here, since NOAA doesn't split their damage by county.
0 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Orange County, county-wide
Air Quality42 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Durham County, NC (the nearest EPA-monitored county, about 12 miles from Chapel Hill) is typically good — 262 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
42
Good Days
262
per year
Moderate Days
103
per year
Unhealthy Days
0
per year
Nearest EPA monitor county: Durham County, NC (12 mi away)
Climate88°F summers, 33°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Chapel Hill has warm summers (avg high 88°F) and mild winters (avg low 33°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
71°/48°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
88°/68°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
72°/50°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
53°/33°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
43.6"
Annual Snowfall
2.8"
Hot Days/Year
45
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
68
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
131
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 51°F | 32°F | 3.39" |
| Feb | 55°F | 34°F | 2.75" |
| Mar | 63°F | 40°F | 3.94" |
| Apr | 72°F | 48°F | 3.56" |
| May | 79°F | 57°F | 3.46" |
| Jun | 86°F | 65°F | 4.36" |
| Jul | 90°F | 69°F | 4.13" |
| Aug | 88°F | 68°F | 3.81" |
| Sep | 82°F | 62°F | 4.41" |
| Oct | 72°F | 50°F | 3.20" |
| Nov | 62°F | 40°F | 3.20" |
| Dec | 54°F | 35°F | 3.35" |
Healthcare1 hospital, avg 5.0/5
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill has 1 hospital, averaging 5.0 out of 5 on CMS's quality rating — above-average care.
Hospitals
1
within city limits
Uninsured
5.1%
of residents
Avg Hospital Rating
5.0 / 5
Unc Hospitals
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
- Main campus: Unc Hospitals · 101 Manning Drive
- Hospital campus: UNC Hospitals Hillsborough Campus · 430 Waterstone Dr, Hillsborough
Nearby hospitals · within 15 miles
Duke University Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 8 mi away · Durham
Durham VA Medical Center
Acute Care - Veterans Administration · ER available · 8 mi away · Durham
Duke Regional Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 11 mi away · Durham
Adult Health · vs. the typical US place
Share of adults. Modeled estimates, not counted cases. “US” = the typical US place.
Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs. Campus locations © OpenStreetMap contributors.
Education13.1:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill's student/teacher ratio is 13.1:1 (lower than the national average of 16:1), and 76.6% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
16
within city limits
Private Schools
2
within city limits
College Degree Rate
76.6%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
13.1:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges & Universities in Chapel Hill
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Public · 4-year · 20,752 students · in-state tuition $9,095 · 92% graduate · median earnings $81,094 (10 yrs after entry)
Nearby Colleges (within 15 miles)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 6,442 students · in-state tuition $72,795 · 97% graduate · median earnings $113,937 (10 yrs after entry)
North Carolina Central University
8.5 mi awayPublic · 4-year · 6,081 students · in-state tuition $6,733 · 51% graduate · median earnings $46,956 (10 yrs after entry)
Durham Technical Community College
9.4 mi awayPublic · 2-year · 3,890 students · in-state tuition $1,986 · 25% graduate · median earnings $40,827 (10 yrs after entry)
Degree-granting colleges with 100+ students, placed by campus location (main campuses only — branch campuses are reported under their parent school)
Parks & Recreationclosest: Guilford Courthouse National Military Park, 47 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill has 2 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Guilford Courthouse National Military Park (47 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Guilford Courthouse National Military Park
National Military Park
47 mi awayBooker T Washington National Monument
National Monument
91 mi awayPublic Libraries in Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill Public Library
100 Library Dr, Chapel Hill
Cities Near Chapel Hill
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Chapel Hill?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Chapel Hill FAQ
Is Chapel Hill, North Carolina affordable?⌄
Chapel Hill's median rent is $1,613/month, which is close to the national average. The median household income is $85,989/year. Median home value is $613,700.
Is Chapel Hill, North Carolina safe?⌄
Chapel Hill's violent crime rate was 86 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is well below the national average — one of the safer cities in the country of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 1779 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Chapel Hill, North Carolina?⌄
Chapel Hill has an unemployment rate of 3.7%, which is solid, slightly below the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Chapel Hill, North Carolina?⌄
The cost of living in Chapel Hill is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,613/month and median household income is $85,989/year. The median home value is $613,700. About 57% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Chapel Hill, North Carolina?⌄
The average commute in Chapel Hill is 20 minutes, which is shorter than average compared to the national average of 26 minutes.
Data from the US Census Bureau, BLS, FBI, NOAA, EPA, Zillow Research and other public sources. Where our data comes from