Population 22,352 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Carrboro
Household size in Carrboro
| Period | Carrboro | Chapel Hill area | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.39 | 2.40 | 2.53 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.42 | 2.44 | 2.58 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.37 | 2.43 | 2.56 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.34 | 2.40 | 2.52 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.04 | +0.00 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
Carrboro is a place of small households, averaging 2.34 people against 2.65 for the U.S., which points to many singles, couples and roommates and relatively few children. Since 2006–10, household size has edged down from 2.39, as it has nationally. Households are largest in the northwest and smallest in the south.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Carrboro
| Period | Carrboro | Chapel Hill area | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 33.1 | 36.9 | 37.9 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 34.0 | 37.7 | 38.9 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 35.1 | 39.2 | 40.2 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 36.2 | 39.9 | 40.3 | 40.1 |
| Change | +3.0 | +2.9 | +2.3 | +2.3 |
Carrboro is younger than the country as a whole: its median age is 36.2, against 40.1 nationally. The median age has climbed from 33.1 in 2006–10, mirroring the country. Only 31 of the 332 North Carolina cities with 5,000+ people are younger.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Carrboro
| Period | Carrboro | Chapel Hill area | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.9% | 12.0% | 12.3% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 9.3% | 12.0% | 12.5% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 7.8% | 11.0% | 11.6% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 6.5% | 10.2% | 11.4% | 11.6% |
| Change | −3.3 pts | −1.8 pts | −1.0 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head only 6.5% of households in Carrboro, well below the national share of 11.6%. The single-parent share is down 3.3 points from 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally. Carrboro has a lower share of single-parent households than at least four in five North Carolina cities.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Carrboro
Renters in Carrboro
| Period | Carrboro | Chapel Hill area | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 61.7% | 38.7% | 31.9% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 61.4% | 39.8% | 34.2% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 56.0% | 39.3% | 34.8% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 54.5% | 37.8% | 33.4% | 34.8% |
| Change | −7.2 pts | −0.9 pts | +1.4 pts | +1.5 pts |
Most households in Carrboro rent: 54.5% of occupied homes are rented, far above the national share of 34.8%. Expect more apartments, and more turnover, than in owner-heavy areas. Among owners, 46.2% have paid off their mortgages, above the national share of 39.8%. Since 2006–10, the renter share has fallen 7.2 points, even as the national share rose.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Carrboro
| Period | Carrboro | Chapel Hill area | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.7% | 11.2% | 12.8% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 7.6% | 9.6% | 12.8% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 8.0% | 9.8% | 12.5% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 7.1% | 9.2% | 11.4% | 9.6% |
| Change | −1.5 pts | −2.0 pts | −1.5 pts | −1.8 pts |
Fewer homes sit empty in Carrboro than nationally: 7.1%, against 9.6% for the U.S. Since 2006–10, vacancy has fallen 1.5 points, in line with the national trend. Carrboro has a lower vacancy rate than the great majority of North Carolina cities.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Carrboro
| Period | Carrboro | Chapel Hill area | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1984 | 1983 | 1983 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1982 | 1984 | 1985 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1986 | 1986 | 1986 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1989 | 1991 | 1990 | 1980 |
| Change | +5 | +8 | +7 | +6 |
Carrboro has newer housing than the country as a whole: the median home was built in 1989, versus 1980 nationally. The median year built has moved up from 1984 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. The newest homes are mostly in the northwest, the oldest in the center.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Carrboro
| Period | Carrboro | Chapel Hill area | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $943 | $889 | $789 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,053 | $951 | $868 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,285 | $1,102 | $981 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,758 | $1,501 | $1,317 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$816 | +$612 | +$528 | +$606 |
The median renter in Carrboro pays $1,758 a month for rent and utilities, above the national median of $1,571. Rents are up $816 a month from 2006–10, an 87% jump, faster than rents rose nationally. The typical renter here spends 33.5% of household income on rent, well over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, so many renters here are stretched. Renters on a budget will find the lowest rents in the southwest; the highest are in the center.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Carrboro
Bachelor's degrees in Carrboro
| Period | Carrboro | Chapel Hill area | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 65.9% | 43.7% | 27.8% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 66.3% | 45.7% | 29.0% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 68.6% | 48.5% | 32.0% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 70.6% | 53.9% | 36.2% | 35.6% |
| Change | +4.6 pts | +10.2 pts | +8.4 pts | +7.2 pts |
College graduates are unusually common in Carrboro: 70.6% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's degree or higher, against 35.6% nationally. Education tends to track local incomes and the kinds of jobs nearby. The share with a degree is up 4.6 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend. Only two of the 332 North Carolina cities with 5,000+ people have a higher share of college graduates.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Carrboro
| Period | Carrboro | Chapel Hill area | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 91.6% | 86.9% | 84.5% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 93.3% | 88.4% | 86.0% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 95.0% | 89.4% | 88.1% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 94.6% | 91.5% | 90.2% | 89.3% |
| Change | +3.0 pts | +4.7 pts | +5.7 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion is high in Carrboro: 94.6% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. Since 2006–10, the share with a diploma has risen 3.0 points, in line with the national trend. Carrboro has a higher share of high school graduates than at least four in five North Carolina cities.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Carrboro
| Period | Carrboro | Chapel Hill area | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.0% | 7.8% | 8.8% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 4.6% | 8.6% | 10.6% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 4.2% | 4.5% | 5.7% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 3.5% | 4.0% | 4.8% | 5.4% |
| Change | −2.5 pts | −3.8 pts | −4.0 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Carrboro runs below the national rate: 3.5% of the labor force was out of work and looking, against 5.4% nationally. Unemployment is down 2.5 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country. Because the Census pools five years of responses (2020–24), these rates smooth over short swings and lag the current job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Carrboro compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carrboro | 2.34 | 36.2 | 6.5% | 54.5% | 7.1% | 1989 | $1,758 | 70.6% | 94.6% | 3.5% |
| Chapel Hill area | 2.40 | 39.9 | 10.2% | 37.8% | 9.2% | 1991 | $1,501 | 53.9% | 91.5% | 4.0% |
| Orange Grove | 2.65 | 48.2 | 4.5% | 10.8% | 22.1% | 1991 | $1,389 | 42.7% | 89.0% | 2.2% |
| Hillsborough | 2.52 | 43.1 | 10.9% | 22.5% | 7.9% | 1996 | $1,367 | 53.4% | 90.0% | 2.6% |
| Durham | 2.36 | 38.4 | 11.5% | 43.7% | 8.4% | 1990 | $1,548 | 54.6% | 90.8% | 4.2% |
| Saxapahaw | 2.63 | 37.9 | 12.0% | 20.8% | 8.4% | 1997 | $874 | 26.5% | 86.0% | 3.2% |
| Efland | 3.00 | 37.8 | 21.9% | 12.6% | 16.9% | 1986 | $1,081 | 38.3% | 96.2% | 2.0% |
| Morrisville | 2.47 | 34.9 | 6.0% | 55.3% | 8.9% | 2008 | $1,900 | 73.3% | 96.8% | 3.1% |
| Mebane | 2.52 | 40.8 | 9.5% | 31.3% | 8.6% | 1998 | $1,248 | 35.9% | 90.7% | 3.6% |
| Swepsonville | 2.52 | 46.6 | 5.1% | 12.7% | 5.9% | 1992 | $949 | 31.8% | 91.3% | 3.2% |
| Haw River | 2.78 | 37.0 | 14.2% | 23.3% | 10.4% | 1989 | $917 | 21.8% | 80.3% | 3.9% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Seaford, DE · Jollyville, TX · Livingston, TX · Mamaroneck, NY · Roselle, NJ · Rotterdam, NY · Roxboro, NC · Salem, OH · Santa Fe, TX · Sartell, MN
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Carrboro. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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