Durham-Chapel Hill, NC Metro Area

Metro Area

Population: 594,291 (2023 estimate)

Core-Based Statistical Area (CBSA)

Metro area data from the U.S. Census Bureau. Core-Based Statistical Areas (CBSAs) are defined by the Office of Management and Budget and group counties with a central urban core plus surrounding communities that are economically tied to it. Metro areas often cross county and state lines, making them the best unit for understanding regional labor markets, housing costs, and commute patterns.

Metro income rankings Compare to another metro

Trends 2017–2023

Income Poverty Home Values Rent Homeownership Education Unemployment Commute Time Work From Home Foreign-Born Uninsured

Data: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023 (released December 2024).

Quick Facts — Durham-Chapel Hill, NC Metro Area

What is the median household income in Durham-Chapel Hill, NC Metro Area?: The median household income in Durham-Chapel Hill, NC Metro Area is $81,017 (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023).
What is the poverty rate in Durham-Chapel Hill, NC Metro Area?: The poverty rate in Durham-Chapel Hill, NC Metro Area is 8.0% (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023).
What is the median home value in Durham-Chapel Hill, NC Metro Area?: $359,400 (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023).
What is the average rent in Durham-Chapel Hill, NC Metro Area?: The median gross rent in Durham-Chapel Hill, NC Metro Area is $1,374 per month (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023).
What percentage of Durham-Chapel Hill, NC Metro Area residents have a college degree?: 52.3% of adults in Durham-Chapel Hill, NC Metro Area hold a bachelor's degree or higher (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023).

Population

594,291

Median Income

$81,017

Median Home Value

$359,400

Poverty Rate

8.0%

Unemployment (ACS 2023)

3.9%

Median Age

37.0 yrs

Since 2019 Median Income: +$18,728 (+30.1%) Home Value: +$133,300 (+59%) Poverty Rate: -1.3 pp (-14%) Bachelor's+: +7.0 pp (+15.5%) Unemployment: -0.6 pp (-13.3%)

Demographics

Total Population 594,291

Median Age 37.0

Female 52.0%

Race & Ethnicity

Hispanic or Latino 13.2% White (non-Hisp.) 53.3% Black 24.0% Asian 5.1% Two or More 7.8% Other 5.9%

Asian Subgroups (% of total pop.)

Chinese

1.7%

Indian

1.3%

Filipino

0.5%

Korean

0.3%

Vietnamese

0.3%

Japanese

0.2%

Hispanic Subgroups (% of total pop.)

Mexican

6.3%

Puerto Rican

0.8%

Cuban

0.4%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023

Income & Poverty

Median Household Income $81,017 ±$1,656

Per Capita Income $115,547

Median Family Income $107,059

Poverty Rate 8.0%

Child Poverty Rate 13.2%

Working-Age Poverty Rate —

SNAP Recipients 8.6%

Social Security Income —

Retirement Income 23.6%

Household Income Distribution

< $10k

4.8%

$10–15k

3.0%

$15–25k

6.2%

$25–35k

6.4%

$35–50k

10.3%

$50–75k

16.0%

$75–100k

12.0%

$100–150k

17.3%

$150–200k

9.4%

$200k+

14.5%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023

Housing

Total Housing Units 264,772

Owner-Occupied 61.9%

Renter-Occupied 38.1%

Vacancy Rate 8.1%

Median Home Value $359,400

Median Gross Rent $1,374

Owner Cost Burden (30%+) 16.5%

Renter Cost Burden (30%+) 38.8%

Home Value Distribution

< $50k

3.5%

$50–100k

3.3%

$100–200k

5.5%

$200–300k

19.0%

$300–500k

33.6%

$500k–$1M

23.7%

$1M+

4.1%

Gross Rent Distribution

< $500

5.0%

$500–1k

18.6%

$1–1.5k

36.6%

$1.5–2k

26.5%

$2–2.5k

8.7%

$2.5–3.5k

2.4%

$3.5k+

2.3%

Vehicle Availability

No vehicle

5.8%

1 vehicle

34.2%

2 vehicles

39.1%

21.0%

Housing Type

Single-fam. det.

60.3%

Single-fam. att.

7.6%

2–4 units

2.2%

5–19 units

5.2%

20+ units

9.0%

Mobile home

5.1%

Housing Age

Pre-1940

4.7%

1940–1969

2.9%

1970–1999

11.4%

2000–2009

17.1%

2010+

17.4%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023

Education

High School or Higher 91.1%

Bachelor's or Higher 52.3%

Graduate Degree 26.0%

Some College / Associate 14.3%

Less Than High School 4.4%

Enrolled in School —

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023

Employment

Labor Force Participation 64.4%

Unemployment Rate 3.9%

Work from Home 20.6%

Self-Employed 5.2%

Government Workers 17.7%

Private For-Profit 77.0%

Industry

Edu/Health

33.2%

Prof. Services

16.3%

Retail

8.4%

Manufacturing

7.9%

Arts/Entmt.

7.8%

Construction

6.2%

Finance

5.4%

Public Admin

3.7%

Transportation

2.9%

Information

1.7%

Wholesale

1.4%

Agriculture

0.6%

Occupation

Management

55.4%

Sales

15.6%

Food Prep

13.9%

Production

8.1%

Construction

7.0%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023

Commute

Median Travel Time 24.1 min

Drove Alone 65.1%

Carpool 7.4%

Public Transit 2.2%

Work from Home 20.6%

Walked 2.5%

Bicycle —

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023

Households & Families

Total Households 243,422

Avg. Household Size 2.00

Avg. Family Size —

Married-Couple Households 44.3%

Single-Mother Households —

Single-Father Households —

Living Alone —

Households with Children 16.4%

Multigenerational —

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023

Age Distribution

Under 5

5.3%

5–9

5.1%

10–14

6.0%

15–19

7.4%

20–24

7.7%

25–34

14.9%

35–44

13.0%

45–54

12.2%

55–64

6.0%

65–74

6.1%

75–84

10.0%

85+

4.7%

Under 18: 19.9% Working age (18–64): 80.1% 65 and over: 16.3%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023

Social Characteristics

Immigration

Foreign Born 13.2%

Naturalized Citizen 39.3%

Speaks English Less Than Very Well 6.6%

Foreign-Born Origin

Latin America

49.3%

Asia

27.9%

Europe

11.9%

Africa

8.6%

Veterans & Disability

Veteran 5.5%

With a Disability 10.4%

Cognitive Difficulty —

Ambulatory Difficulty —

Health Insurance

Insured 90.2%

Uninsured 9.8%

Employer Insurance —

Medicaid —

Medicare —

Technology & Mobility

Broadband Internet 91.8%

Has a Computer 96.5%

Same House 1 Year Ago 83.8%

Moved from Abroad 1.1%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023