Carrboro and Mebane 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
Mebane
Opportunity
62 · Top 38%
vs59 · Top 44%
Growth
41 · Bottom 33%
vs57 · Top 37%
Climate
77 · Top 24%
vs71 · Top 49%
Physical resilience
60 · Top 48%
vs59 · Top 49%
Housing affordability
64 · Bottom 26%
vs87 · Top 39%
Access
92 · Top 49%
vs81 · Bottom 24%
Economic stability
64 · Top 42%
vs68 · Top 33%
Measured values
| Metric | Carrboro | Mebane | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 21,204 | 19,538 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $85,743 | $83,174 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $55,875 | $42,148 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 3,271/sq mi | 1,598/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $539,400 | $338,900 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,470 | $1,283 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 43.5% | 60.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.3% | 3.3% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.8% | -1.8% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 69.9% | 40.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 12.2% | 7.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 26 | 257 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 1.2 | 13.2 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 116.7% | -44.8% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 90°F | 91°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 32°F | 30°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 43.6" | 43.3" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 17 mi | 31 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 24.9 min | 30.7 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 33.4 | 38.5 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 2 | 7 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 13.46 | 17.60 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 31.2% | 74.6% | 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.
Mebane
No hazard reaches elevated exposure.
Full profiles: Carrboro, NC · Mebane, NC · How this is calculated: methodology