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City · 61,607 residents · Orange County, North Carolina

Chapel Hill , North Carolina

In Chapel Hill, a typical home is worth $613,700 and typical rent is $1,613 a month. Compared with all of Orange County, the typical home value is 34% higher, typical rent is 8% higher, and the share of households that own their home is 16 points lower.

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  • Typical home value

    $613,700

    34% above the county

    112% above North Carolina

    • Chapel Hill
    • Orange
    • North Carolina

  • Typical rent

    $1,613a month

    8% above the county

    31% above North Carolina

    • Chapel Hill
    • Orange
    • North Carolina

  • Typical household income

    $85,989a year

    5% below the county

    19% above North Carolina

    • Chapel Hill
    • Orange
    • North Carolina

  • Households that own their home

    47%

    16 points below the county

    19 points below North Carolina

    • Chapel Hill
    • Orange
    • North Carolina

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Average 2020–2024

Market now, with Zillow data

Zillow data
Typical home value
$621,909
0.7% less than 12 months ago
Typical rent
$1,723 a month
1.1% more than 12 months ago

From Zillow (ZHVI/ZORI), September 2026. The Census figures above are 5-year averages (2020–2024).

Chapel Hill is in Orange County. The FHA loan limit ($634,800 for a one-unit home), the fair market rents and the help on this page are those of all of Orange County. See the county

Data updated: October 1, 2026 11 official sources

Only here

What sets Chapel Hill apart

What this place has that others do not, from public data, most unusual first.

  1. Chapel Hill has the 6th highest typical home value of the 166 cities in North Carolina with more than 5,000 people ($613,700).

  2. Nearby, in Durham, the typical home value is $392,800: 36% less than in Chapel Hill ($613,700).

  3. 47% of households in Chapel Hill own their home, against 64% in Orange County.

  4. Nearby, in Hillsborough, the typical rent is $1,368: 15% less than in Chapel Hill ($1,613).

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau (Average 2020–2024).

The homes here

Housing in Chapel Hill

What homes there are in Chapel Hill, what they cost, how that changed and how people live, from Census figures (2020–2024).

What homes there are

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

Kind of home

In Chapel Hill there is a bit of everything: no kind of home reaches half. The most common are detached houses (41%); in Orange County, 59%.

Year built

The typical year built in Chapel Hill is 1988, about the same as in Orange County (1990).

In Chapel Hill, 18% of homes have 1 bedroom or none (studios); 51% have 3 bedrooms or more, against 62% in Orange County.

All homes, occupied or empty. A figure the Census cannot measure precisely enough here is not shown.

Census tables: B25024, B25034, B25035, B25041

What it costs here

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

Value of owner-occupied homes
Monthly rent with utilities

With a mortgage

$2,912 a month

Orange County: $2,221 a month

Without a mortgage

$977 a month

Orange County: $713 a month

Owners with a mortgage

57%

Orange County: 61%

Owning costs more in Chapel Hill: with a mortgage, the typical cost is $2,912 a month; in Orange County, $2,221. Without one, $977.

Value: what owners think their home is worth. Rent: rent plus utilities, for homes of every size. The FHA limit is the most an FHA loan (Federal Housing Administration) lends for a one-unit home; the fair market rent (FMR) is the one HUD uses for housing vouchers.

Census tables: B25075, B25063, B25088, B25081

How it changed

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2015–2019 and 2020–2024

Change since 2015–2019

From 2015–2019 to 2020–2024, the typical home value in Chapel Hill rose 54%; in Orange County, it rose 49%.

The typical rent in Chapel Hill rose 35% since 2015–2019, about the same as in Orange County (37%).

The typical household income in Chapel Hill rose 17%: less than home values (+54%) and rent (+35%).

Change between two 5-year periods that do not overlap, in each period's dollars, not adjusted for inflation.

Census tables: B25077, B25064, B19013

How people live

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

MeasureChapel HillOrange CountyNorth CarolinaUnited States
Rental vacancy 6.8%5.5%7.1%5.5%
Homeowner vacancy Unreliable estimate1.2%1.3%0.9%
More than one person per room 1.7%2.2%2.2%3.4%
People per household 2.382.402.442.53
Drive alone 47%55%72%69%
Carpool 6%6%9%9%
Public transit 7%4%1%3%
Walk or bike 11%6%2%3%
Work from home 28%27%16%15%
Other means 1%1%1%2%
Typical commute 10 to 19 minutes20 to 29 minutes20 to 29 minutes20 to 29 minutes

In Chapel Hill, the rental vacancy rate is 6.8%; in Orange County, 5.5%.

In Chapel Hill, 1.7% of households live with more than one person per room, about the same as in Orange County.

By size, households in Chapel Hill look like those in Orange County: 2.38 people on average.

More people walk or bike to work in Chapel Hill: 11%, against 6% in Orange County.

Vacancy: empty homes offered for rent or for sale. Rooms: every room in the home, not only bedrooms. Commute: the minute range of the typical worker.

Census tables: B25004, B25003, B25014, B25010, B08301, B08303

Do the math

What would you pay each month for a home in Chapel Hill?

A typical home costs more than the typical income allows

We start with a typical home in Chapel Hill, worth $613,700, an FHA loan with 3.5% down and the latest average rate (7.18%). That payment would take 73% of the typical household income in Chapel Hill, which is $85,989 a year. For that payment to be 28% of income, a household would need to earn about $223,184 a year.

The calculator's FHA and conventional loan limits are those of all of Orange County.

Your numbers

Local data
$

Starts at the typical home value in Chapel Hill. Change it to the price you have in mind.

Loan type
Your credit score

Your score changes which loans apply and FHA's minimum down payment. Your real rate also depends on your credit.

Down payment
%

That is $21,480 (3.5% of the price). The usual minimum for this loan is 3.5%.

This week's average ± a quarter or half point.

Term

National average as of November 5, 2026 (Freddie Mac); your rate may be different.

Adjust advanced details

Estimated monthly payment

Local data

$5,208

at 7.18% · 30 years

Loan amount
$602,584
Total interest
$866,977
Paid off in
November 2056

Includes $10,364 FHA upfront mortgage insurance premium.

Does it fit the income?

  • Comfortable

    up to $2,006 a month

  • Tight

    $2,006 to $2,580 a month

  • Hard

    more than $2,580 a month

    Your payment · 73%

Compared with the typical household income in Chapel Hill ($85,989 a year). Reference: HUD calls paying more than 30% of income for housing a cost burden.

Show the result as
per month$5,208
Principal & interest$4,082
Property tax$598
Home insurance$256
FHA mortgage insurance (MIP)$271

You need at least $21,480 for the down payment, plus closing costs.

Next step

This is an estimate to give you an idea, not a loan offer. Your real payment depends on your rate, your credit, and the insurance and taxes on the home you buy.

The city and its county

Chapel Hill and Orange County

Chapel Hill is in Orange County, North Carolina. The U.S. Census Bureau publishes its own numbers for the city: home values, rent, household income, how many households own their home and the property tax. They are American Community Survey estimates (average 2020–2024).

Chapel Hill's own numbers

Typical home value
$613,700
Typical monthly rent
$1,613
Typical yearly household income
$85,989
Households that own their home
47%
Effective property tax rate
1.17%

U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (average 2020–2024).

Numbers for all of Orange County

FHA limit, one-unit home
$634,800
Conventional limit, one unit
$832,750
HUD fair market rent, 2 bedrooms
$1,745
Price change over 5 years (FHFA)
+61%
Homes in a high flood-risk zone
1%

HUD, FHFA and FEMA don't publish these numbers by city.

Other numbers are not published by city, only for the whole county: FHA and conventional loan limits, HUD’s fair market rents, FHFA’s price index and FEMA’s flood data. On this page, those numbers always say they are for all of Orange County.

Everything about Orange County

Buying

Buying a home in Chapel Hill

A typical home in Chapel Hill is worth $613,700: 34% above the county and 112% above North Carolina. With the typical household income in Chapel Hill ($85,989 a year), a typical home costs 7.1 times what the household earns in a year.

Years of income to pay for a typical home

The typical home value divided by the typical household income for one year. The lower it is, the less buying weighs.

  • Chapel Hill 7.1 years
  • Orange 5.1 years
  • North Carolina 4.0 years
  • United States 4.1 years
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Average 2020–2024

How prices have changed in Orange County

According to FHFA’s house price index, home prices in Orange County rose 97% in the 10 years through 2025.

FHFA does not publish this index by city: these are the numbers for all of Orange County.

Period County North Carolina U.S.
Last year (2025) +3.3% +2.5% +2.9%
5 years (2020–2025) +61% +60% +47%
10 years (2015–2025) +97% +107% +85%

The index follows the price of the same homes over time (sales and appraisals with Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac loans). It is not the average price of a home. FHFA considers its annual county indexes experimental. Source: FHFA, 2025 data

Chapel Hill next to Orange County, North Carolina and the U.S.

Three numbers side by side. “Typical” means the median: half are above it and half below.

Typical home value
  • Chapel Hill $613,700
  • Orange $459,500
  • North Carolina $288,900
  • United States $332,700
Typical monthly rent
  • Chapel Hill $1,613
  • Orange $1,496
  • North Carolina $1,228
  • United States $1,413
Typical yearly household income
  • Chapel Hill $85,989
  • Orange $90,089
  • North Carolina $72,388
  • United States $80,734
See the full table
Chapel Hill next to Orange County and North Carolina
Measure Chapel Hill Orange County North Carolina U.S.
Typical home value $613,700 $459,500 $288,900 $332,700
Typical monthly rent $1,613 $1,496 $1,228 $1,413
Typical yearly household income $85,989 $90,089 $72,388 $80,734
Households that own their home 47% 64% 67% 65%
Typical yearly property tax $7,191 $4,162 $1,896 $3,119
Effective property tax rate 1.17% 0.91% 0.66% 0.94%
Renters with high rent for their income 61% 58% 49% 51%

“Typical” means the median: half are above and half are below. ▲ and ▼ say whether the city is above or below Orange County. “High rent” is the Census measure: renter households that pay 30% or more of their income in rent.

Four ways to pay for a typical home in Chapel Hill

For a typical $613,700 home in Chapel Hill, at Freddie Mac's average rate (7.18% as of November 5, 2026) over 30 years. The monthly payment adds principal and interest, Chapel Hill's typical property tax, an example home insurance and mortgage insurance when it applies.

  • FHA, 3.5% down $5,208a month

    Least cash to close
    Down payment
    $21,480
    Cash to close
    $39,891
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    FHA MIP · $271

  • Conventional, 5% down $5,095a month

    Down payment
    $30,685
    Cash to close
    $49,096
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    PMI · $292

  • Conventional, 20% down, no PMI $4,180a month

    Down payment
    $122,740
    Cash to close
    $141,151
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    None

  • ITIN, 15% down (example) $4,747a month

    Down payment
    $92,055
    Cash to close
    $110,466
    Rate
    8.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    None

The option that asks for the least cash to close is FHA, 3.5% down.

  • Cash to close = down payment plus 3% of the price in closing costs (example).
  • Minimum score: FHA requires 580 or higher for the minimum down payment (HUD Handbook 4000.1). * Fannie Mae requires 620 when a loan is underwritten by hand; its automated system has no fixed minimum.
  • The ITIN row is an example with a rate 1 percentage point higher: ITIN loans follow no federal rule and each lender sets its own down payment and rate. Nothing in this table promises an approval.

How much house can I afford? Estimate closing costs

Taxes and floods

Two costs that change from place to place

Property tax and flood insurance raise or lower what you pay each month. Here are the numbers for Chapel Hill and for Orange County.

Property tax

Effective rate in Chapel Hill

1.17%of the home’s value each year

$7,191 a year for the typical owner in Chapel Hill.

  • Chapel Hill 1.17%
  • Orange 0.91%
  • North Carolina 0.66%

What North Carolina publishes Elderly or Disabled Homestead Exclusion (North Carolina General Assembly (statute))

Exemptions and deadlines in North Carolina

Flood risk in Orange County

FEMA does not publish these numbers by city: they are for all of Orange County.

Homes in the high-risk zone
1%
409
Of those, with NFIP insurance
50%
County North Carolina U.S.
Homes in the high-risk zone 1% 2.8% 3.5%
Of those, with NFIP insurance 50% 53% 48%

Most homeowners insurance policies do not cover flood damage.

Look up your address on FEMA’s map

Renting

Renting in Chapel Hill

Typical rent in Chapel Hill is $1,613 a month: 8% above the county. In Chapel Hill, 61% of renter households pay 30% or more of their income in rent.

HUD publishes a fair market rent for all of Orange County, by unit size. To pay the 2-bedroom one ($1,745 a month) without spending more than 30% of your income, you would need to earn $33.56 an hour working full time.

HUD fair market rent for all of Orange County

What you need to earn to pay it without spending more than 30% of income, working full time.

Size Fair rent a month Hourly wage Yearly income
Studio $1,498 $28.81 $59,920
1 bedroom $1,554 $29.88 $62,160
2 bedrooms $1,745 $33.56 $69,800
3 bedrooms $2,161 $41.56 $86,440
4 bedrooms $2,486 $47.81 $99,440

Includes basic utilities. It isn't the lowest or highest rent: it's a reference point. Source: HUD, Fiscal year 2027

By ZIP code

Fair market rent by ZIP code in Chapel Hill

HUD also publishes a fair market rent for each ZIP code (Small Area FMR, fiscal year 2027). Chapel Hill has 4 ZIP codes with their own.

For 2 bedrooms it runs from $1,750 in 27516 to $1,980 in 27514.

4 of the 4 are above the fair market rent for Orange County ($1,745).

  • 27514 $1,980$2,450
  • 27516 $1,750$2,170
  • 27517 $1,890$2,340
  • 27599 $1,760$2,180

3 of these ZIP codes cross the city line: HUD sets the rent by ZIP code, not by city. A ZIP code counts for Chapel Hill when at least 50% of its land is inside the city or it covers at least 15% of the city (Census 2020 boundaries). Source: Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) Fiscal year 2027 Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) Source: Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file Data from 2020 data Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file

Is your rent high for your ZIP?

Low-income apartments

Low-income apartments in Chapel Hill

HUD lists 16 buildings with rents for lower incomes in Chapel Hill. These are the largest.

  • Lindsay - North Columbia 708 Church St, Chapel Hill 27516 122 homes, 121 low-income · Run by Town of Chapel Hill Department of Housing · Average payment: $534 a month · Average wait: 49 months · Homes at several sites (919) 968-2850
  • Greenfield Place 150 Formosa Ln, Chapel Hill 27517 80 low-income homes · 1 bd: 14 · 2 bd: 52 · 3 bd: 14 · In service since 2017 · For families
  • First Baptist and Manley Estates 805 S Merritt Mill Rd, Chapel Hill 27516 41 low-income homes · For older adults (919) 968-9778
  • Greenfield Commons 500 Formosa Ln, Chapel Hill 27517 69 low-income homes · 1 bd: 55 · 2 bd: 14 · In service since 2018 · For older adults
  • Dobbins Hill 1749 1 B Dobbins Drive, Chapel Hill 27514 55 low-income homes · 2 bd: 28 · 3 bd: 24 · 4 bd: 3 · In service since 1994 · For families

See all 28 buildings in Orange County Source: HUD, Retrieved November 6, 2026

Free help

Help to buy or rent in Chapel Hill

You do not have to do this alone. A HUD-approved housing counseling agency helps for free or at low cost: getting ready to buy, understanding your credit, or solving a problem with your rent.

There are 2 HUD-approved agencies with an office in Orange County; none says it serves in Spanish.

A man shakes hands with the specialist who helped him with his loan, in the kitchen of his new home.

HUD counseling is free or low-cost

Assistance programs in Chapel Hill

No down payment, repair or rent-help program on our list is for Chapel Hill or Orange County. The ones below are statewide in North Carolina: they work in Chapel Hill the same as in the rest of the state.

Which programs do I qualify for? All programs in North Carolina

  • NC Home Advantage Mortgage

    Statewide in North Carolina

    NCHFA fixed-rate mortgage with down payment assistance, for first-time buyers and for people who have owned a home before, in North Carolina. Offered by North Carolina Housing Finance Agency (NCHFA).

    Forgivable

    See the program Official page

  • NC 1st Home Advantage Down Payment

    Statewide in North Carolina

    A fixed amount of NCHFA down payment assistance for first-time buyers and veterans in North Carolina. Offered by North Carolina Housing Finance Agency (NCHFA).

    Type not stated

    See the program Official page

  • Community Partners Loan Pool (CPLP)

    Statewide in North Carolina

    NCHFA interest-free loan with deferred payments of up to 25% of the price (maximum $50,000) for the down payment of low- and moderate-income buyers in North Carolina; you apply through a member organization. Offered by North Carolina Housing Finance Agency (NCHFA).

    Deferred

    See the program Official page

Housing counselors near Chapel Hill

The HUD-approved agencies closest to the center of Chapel Hill, in a straight line, nearest first. If one says it serves in Spanish, its card says so.

  • Empowerment Incorporated

    109 N Graham St Ste 200, Chapel Hill · 2 miles away

    • Mortgage delinquency and default
    • Mortgage delinquency workshops
    • and 8 more
    (919) 967-8779

  • North Carolina Housing Coalition

    3608 University Dr Ste 201, Durham · 6 miles away

    (919) 881-0707

  • Centre for Home Ownership & Economic Development Corporation

    960 Corporate Dr Ste 405, Hillsborough · 10 miles away

    • Mortgage delinquency and default
    • Mortgage delinquency workshops
    • and 12 more
    (919) 322-8118

Every agency in Orange County All counseling agencies in North Carolina

Help in Spanish near Chapel Hill

None of the 3 agencies on this list say they serve in Spanish.

Ask for service in Spanish

When you call, say “Spanish, please” or ask if someone speaks Spanish. If not, ask whether they offer an interpreter.

Housing authorities of Chapel Hill

HUD’s record names them for Chapel Hill or Orange County. They run public housing or Section 8 vouchers. Ask whether their waiting list is open.

All housing agencies in North Carolina Source: HUD

Cities

Other cities in Orange County

These cities are also in Orange County. They share its loan limits and fair market rents, but home values and rent change from one to the next.

Everything about Orange County Housing in North Carolina

Nearby cities

The cities closest to Chapel Hill, with the typical home value.

Neighboring counties

If Orange County is out of reach, look next door. Each number is that county's own.

Keep going

Guides for your next step

Short explanations, in plain language and with official sources, for buying or renting in Chapel Hill.

All guides
A father, a mother and their daughter smile among the avocado trees by their home in Somis, California.

Questions

Housing questions about Chapel Hill

Short answers with the numbers for Chapel Hill and all of Orange County. If your case is different, a HUD-approved counseling agency can guide you for free or at low cost.

How much does a typical home cost in Chapel Hill?

The typical home value in Chapel Hill is $613,700, according to the U.S. Census Bureau (average 2020–2024). For comparison, in Orange County it is $459,500.

How much does it cost to rent in Chapel Hill?

Typical rent in Chapel Hill is $1,613 a month, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. HUD’s fair market rent for 2 bedrooms in Orange County is $1,745.

What is the FHA loan limit in Chapel Hill?

Chapel Hill uses the FHA limit for all of Orange County (2026): $634,800 for a one-unit home and $1,220,800 for a four-unit home.

How much property tax do owners pay in Chapel Hill?

The typical homeowner in Chapel Hill pays $7,191 a year, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. That is 1.17% of the home’s value; in Orange County, the rate is 0.91%.

Where can I find free help to buy or rent in Chapel Hill?

There are 2 HUD-approved counseling agencies with an office in Orange County. They can help you get ready to buy, with your credit, or with rent.

Sources: American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates (Average 2020–2024); FHA mortgage limits (HUD) (2026 data); Conforming loan limits (FHFA) (2026 data); Fair Market Rents (HUD) (Fiscal year 2027); Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) (Fiscal year 2027); Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file (2020 data); HUD-approved housing counseling agencies (Retrieved November 6, 2026); Public Housing Agencies (HUD) (Retrieved November 6, 2026); Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey (PMMS) (As of November 5, 2026); FHFA House Price Index (HPI) (2025 data); Homes with flood insurance (NFIP, FEMA) (As of August 3, 2026).