Median Income
$85,940
household / year
Median Home Value
$537,100
owner-occupied
Median Rent
$1,419
gross / month
Cost of Living
97
national avg = 100

Is Chapel Hill, NC a Good Place to Live?

Chapel Hill is a mid-sized city of 58,919 in North Carolina, with a median household income of $85,940 and a 4.7% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 97 (US average = 100), which is 3% below the national average.

Strengths: Chapel Hill 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 Chapel Hill is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.

All Chapel Hill 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

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

Metric Chapel Hill, NC National Avg
Median Home Value $537,100 $244,900
Median Monthly Rent $1,419 $1,163
Homeownership Rate 50.0% 65.9%
Median Household Income $85,940 $74,755

Crime & Safety

Safer than Average

Chapel Hill's violent crime rate is 172.1 per 100,000 residents — 55% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.

Violent Crime
172.1 /100k
Property Crime
2514.6 /100k

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

Schools & Education

Chapel Hill 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 Chapel Hill, 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 77.4% 35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher 95.6% 91.1%

Weather & Climate

Chapel Hill sees average highs of 51.2°F in January and 89.6°F in July, with 43.6 inches of annual precipitation and 2.8 inches of snow per year.

MetricChapel Hill, NC
Average High — January51.2°F
Average High — July89.6°F
Annual Precipitation43.6"
Annual Snowfall2.8"

Demographics

MetricChapel Hill, NCNational Avg
Population58,919—
Median Age25.638.9
Unemployment Rate4.7%3.7%
Avg Commute Time19.6 min26 min
White (non-Hispanic)68.0%59.3%
Black or African American10.5%13.6%
Hispanic or Latino4.2%18.9%
Asian13.4%6.3%
Under 1816.0%22.2%
65 and over11.9%16.8%

Nearby Cities

Carrboro, NC 2 mi Carolina Meadows, NC 5 mi Governors Village, NC 5 mi Governors Club, NC 5 mi Briar Chapel, NC 8 mi

ZIP Codes in Chapel Hill

Chapel Hill, NC is covered by 4 ZIP codes:

27514 27517 27516 27599

Chapel Hill vs Other Cities

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

Frequently Asked Questions

Chapel Hill's cost of living index is 97, where 100 is the national average. That makes Chapel Hill roughly 3% less expensive than a typical US city — a meaningful affordability advantage. The median home price is $537,100 and median rent is $1,419/month.
Chapel Hill's violent crime rate is 172.1 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 2514.6 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.
Public schools in Chapel Hill 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. 77.4% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Chapel Hill, NC has a population of 58,919, a median household income of $85,940, and an unemployment rate of 4.7%. Whether it's right for you depends on your priorities — use the compare tool above to stack it against another city you're considering.
Chapel Hill averages 51.2°F in January and 89.6°F in July. Annual rainfall is 43.6 inches with about 2.8 inches of snow per year. Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
Chapel Hill, NC is covered by 4 ZIP codes: 27514, 27517, 27516, 27599.
The population of Chapel Hill, North Carolina is 58,919 with a median age of 25.6. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in Chapel Hill: cost of living index 97 (100 = US average), median home $537,100, median household income $85,940, crime index 75 (100 = US average, lower is safer), schools rated A. Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Chapel Hill side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.