27517 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
27517
27516
Opportunity
63 · Top 32%
vs62 · Top 35%
Growth
38 · Bottom 31%
vs38 · Bottom 31%
Climate
77 · Top 24%
vs77 · Top 24%
Physical resilience
60 · Top 47%
vs59 · Top 49%
Housing affordability
81 · Top 49%
vs76 · Bottom 43%
Schools
90 · Top 3%
vs84 · Top 9%
Access
94 · Top 44%
vs90 · Bottom 40%
Economic stability
65 · Top 40%
vs48 · Bottom 31%
Measured values
| Metric | 27517 | 27516 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 29,564 | 47,358 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $128,683 | $106,353 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $78,220 | $58,731 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 643/sq mi | 507/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $608,100 | $567,200 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,638 | $1,564 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 67.4% | 70.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.8% | 3.8% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.8% | -1.8% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 74.1% | 72.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 5.6% | 15.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 137 | 137 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 2.2 | 2.2 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -51.8% | -51.8% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 90°F | 90°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 32°F | 32°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 43.6" | 43.6" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 14 mi | 21 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 22.6 min | 25.9 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 43.4 | 36.9 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 4 | 13 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 12.80 | 13.16 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 62.7% | 51.7% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 64.0% | 67.3% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 54.3% | 28.3% | 2024-25 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
27517
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
27516
Elevated or high exposure: inland flooding.
Full profiles: 27517 — Chapel Hill, NC · 27516 — Chapel Hill, NC · How this is calculated: methodology