Carrboro and Chapel Hill receive effectively the same standardized Area Score. Which fits you better depends on which dimensions you weight — the differences below are where they actually diverge.
Signals
Carrboro
Chapel Hill
Opportunity
62 · Top 38%
vs58 · Top 46%
Growth
41 · Bottom 33%
vs41 · Bottom 34%
Climate
77 · Top 24%
vs77 · Top 24%
Physical resilience
60 · Top 48%
vs60 · Top 49%
Housing affordability
64 · Bottom 26%
vs55 · Bottom 15%
Access
92 · Top 49%
vs94 · Top 42%
Economic stability
64 · Top 42%
vs38 · Bottom 14%
Measured values
| Metric | Carrboro | Chapel Hill | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 21,204 | 61,607 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $85,743 | $85,989 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $55,875 | $51,406 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 3,271/sq mi | 2,840/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $539,400 | $613,700 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,470 | $1,613 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 43.5% | 47.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.3% | 3.8% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.8% | -1.8% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 69.9% | 76.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 12.2% | 18.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 26 | 137 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 1.2 | 2.2 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 116.7% | -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 | 17 mi | 15 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 24.9 min | 21.3 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 33.4 | 25.8 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 2 | 22 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 13.46 | 13.19 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 31.2% | 34.7% | 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
Carrboro
Elevated or high exposure: inland flooding.
Chapel Hill
Elevated or high exposure: inland flooding.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Carrboro
66
Your Score
63
Area Score
Chapel Hill
63
Your Score
62
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Carrboro, NC · Chapel Hill, NC · How this is calculated: methodology