Median Income
$76,933
household / year
Median Home Value
$457,200
owner-occupied
Median Rent
$1,299
gross / month
Cost of Living
97
national avg = 100

Is Carrboro, NC a Good Place to Live?

Carrboro is a small city of 21,242 in North Carolina, with a median household income of $76,933 and a 3.6% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 97 (US average = 100), which is 3% below the national average.

Strengths: Carrboro stands out for an affordable cost of living, lower-than-average crime, solid school ratings (A), a well-educated population, short average commutes.

Trade-offs: Potential downsides include high home prices. Whether Carrboro is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.

All Carrboro city data on this page comes from official government sources — the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.

Cost of Living

Index: 96.6

Carrboro's overall cost of living index is 96.6, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Carrboro costs roughly 3% less than the average American city.

Metric Carrboro, NC National Avg
Median Home Value $457,200 $244,900
Median Monthly Rent $1,299 $1,163
Homeownership Rate 43.5% 65.9%
Median Household Income $76,933 $74,755

Crime & Safety

Safer than Average

Carrboro's violent crime rate is 180.6 per 100,000 residents — 52% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.

Violent Crime
180.6 /100k
Property Crime
1929.2 /100k

Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.

Schools & Education

Carrboro is served primarily by Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 12.7:1 (better than the national average of ~16:1).

Metric Carrboro, NC National Avg
School District Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools —
Elementary Schools 11 —
Middle Schools 4 —
High Schools 4 —
Student/Teacher Ratio 12.7:1 16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 70.5% 35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher 95.9% 91.1%

Weather & Climate

Carrboro sees average highs of 50.7°F in January and 89.5°F in July, with 48.9 inches of annual precipitation and 2.8 inches of snow per year.

MetricCarrboro, NC
Average High — January50.7°F
Average High — July89.5°F
Annual Precipitation48.9"
Annual Snowfall2.8"

Demographics

MetricCarrboro, NCNational Avg
Population21,242—
Median Age33.138.9
Unemployment Rate3.6%3.7%
Avg Commute Time23.5 min26 min
White (non-Hispanic)68.0%59.3%
Black or African American13.6%13.6%
Hispanic or Latino4.7%18.9%
Asian9.0%6.3%
Under 1821.1%22.2%
65 and over10.5%16.8%

Nearby Cities

Chapel Hill, NC 2 mi Carolina Meadows, NC 6 mi Governors Village, NC 6 mi Governors Club, NC 6 mi Briar Chapel, NC 7 mi

ZIP Codes in Carrboro

Carrboro, NC is covered by 1 ZIP code:

27510

Carrboro vs Other Cities

Carrboro, NC vs Chapel Hill, NC Carrboro, NC vs Carolina Meadows, NC Carrboro, NC vs Governors Village, NC Carrboro, NC vs Governors Club, NC Carrboro, NC vs Briar Chapel, NC

Frequently Asked Questions

Carrboro's cost of living index is 97, where 100 is the national average. That makes Carrboro roughly 3% less expensive than a typical US city — a meaningful affordability advantage. The median home price is $457,200 and median rent is $1,299/month.
Carrboro's violent crime rate is 180.6 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 1929.2 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.
Public schools in Carrboro are operated by Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools. The district has 11 elementary, 4 middle, and 4 high schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 12.7:1. 70.5% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Carrboro, NC has a population of 21,242, a median household income of $76,933, and an unemployment rate of 3.6%. Whether it's right for you depends on your priorities — use the compare tool above to stack it against another city you're considering.
Carrboro averages 50.7°F in January and 89.5°F in July. Annual rainfall is 48.9 inches with about 2.8 inches of snow per year. Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
Carrboro, NC is covered by 1 ZIP code: 27510.
The population of Carrboro, North Carolina is 21,242 with a median age of 33.1. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in Carrboro: cost of living index 97 (100 = US average), median home $457,200, median household income $76,933, crime index 65 (100 = US average, lower is safer), schools rated A. Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Carrboro side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.