Population 28,588 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Hillsborough
Household size in Hillsborough
| Period | Hillsborough | Chapel Hill area | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.53 | 2.40 | 2.53 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.56 | 2.44 | 2.58 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.51 | 2.43 | 2.56 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.52 | 2.40 | 2.52 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.01 | +0.00 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
Households in Hillsborough run a little small, averaging 2.52 people against 2.65 nationally, which usually means more singles and couples and fewer children. Even so, the typical household here is bigger than in the wider Chapel Hill area, where it has 2.40 people. Households are largest in the southeast and smallest in the west.
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 Hillsborough
| Period | Hillsborough | Chapel Hill area | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 40.6 | 36.9 | 37.9 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 41.1 | 37.7 | 38.9 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 44.5 | 39.2 | 40.2 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 43.1 | 39.9 | 40.3 | 40.1 |
| Change | +2.5 | +2.9 | +2.3 | +2.3 |
Hillsborough skews older than the country: its median age is 43.1, against 40.1 nationally. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 40.6, as it has nationally. The youngest areas are in the southeast, the oldest in the northeast.
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 Hillsborough
| Period | Hillsborough | Chapel Hill area | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 10.6% | 12.0% | 12.3% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 9.8% | 12.0% | 12.5% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 9.5% | 11.0% | 11.6% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 10.9% | 10.2% | 11.4% | 11.6% |
| Change | +0.3 pts | −1.8 pts | −1.0 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head just over one in ten households in Hillsborough (10.9%), close to the national share of 11.6%. The single-parent share has barely moved since 2006–10, while the national share fell.
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 Hillsborough
Renters in Hillsborough
| Period | Hillsborough | Chapel Hill area | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 24.6% | 38.7% | 31.9% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 24.3% | 39.8% | 34.2% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 21.8% | 39.3% | 34.8% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 22.5% | 37.8% | 33.4% | 34.8% |
| Change | −2.1 pts | −0.9 pts | +1.4 pts | +1.5 pts |
Only 22.5% of households in Hillsborough rent their homes, far below the national share of 34.8%, so most residents are owners who tend to stay put. Among homeowners, 32.4% have no mortgage at all, below the national share of 39.8%. Renting is most common in the west and least common in the northeast. The renter share is down 2.1 points from 2006–10, 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 Hillsborough
| Period | Hillsborough | Chapel Hill area | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 10.7% | 11.2% | 12.8% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 8.0% | 9.6% | 12.8% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 7.8% | 9.8% | 12.5% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 7.9% | 9.2% | 11.4% | 9.6% |
| Change | −2.9 pts | −2.0 pts | −1.5 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is on the low side in Hillsborough: 7.9% of homes sit empty, against 9.6% nationally, which points to steady demand for housing. The picture is much the same across the Chapel Hill area. Vacancy is down 2.9 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend.
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 Hillsborough
| Period | Hillsborough | Chapel Hill area | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1986 | 1983 | 1983 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1986 | 1984 | 1985 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1988 | 1986 | 1986 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1996 | 1991 | 1990 | 1980 |
| Change | +10 | +8 | +7 | +6 |
Hillsborough has newer housing than the country as a whole: the median home was built in 1996, versus 1980 nationally. The median year built has moved up from 1986 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. Newer construction is concentrated in the east, while the center has the oldest housing.
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 Hillsborough
| Period | Hillsborough | Chapel Hill area | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $865 | $889 | $789 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $910 | $951 | $868 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $981 | $1,102 | $981 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,367 | $1,501 | $1,317 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$503 | +$612 | +$528 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Hillsborough costs $1,367 a month with utilities, below the national median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $503 a month since 2006–10, up 58%, a slower climb than the nation's. The typical renter here spends 30.8% of household income on rent, just over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. Rents run highest in the south and lowest in the north.
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 Hillsborough
Bachelor's degrees in Hillsborough
| Period | Hillsborough | Chapel Hill area | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 35.2% | 43.7% | 27.8% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 41.4% | 45.7% | 29.0% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 50.2% | 48.5% | 32.0% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 53.4% | 53.9% | 36.2% | 35.6% |
| Change | +18.2 pts | +10.2 pts | +8.4 pts | +7.2 pts |
Hillsborough is highly educated: just over half of adults 25 and older (53.4%) hold at least a bachelor's degree, far above the national share of 35.6%. The share with a degree is up 18.2 points from 2006–10, as it has nationally. Of the 332 North Carolina cities with 5,000+ people, only 24 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 Hillsborough
| Period | Hillsborough | Chapel Hill area | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 84.7% | 86.9% | 84.5% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 89.4% | 88.4% | 86.0% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 89.5% | 89.4% | 88.1% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 90.0% | 91.5% | 90.2% | 89.3% |
| Change | +5.3 pts | +4.7 pts | +5.7 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion in Hillsborough is close to the national rate: 90.0% of adults have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3%. The rate is lower than in the wider Chapel Hill area (91.5%). The share with a diploma has risen 5.3 points since 2006–10, as it has nationally.
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 Hillsborough
| Period | Hillsborough | Chapel Hill area | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.7% | 7.8% | 8.8% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 9.5% | 8.6% | 10.6% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 3.8% | 4.5% | 5.7% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 2.6% | 4.0% | 4.8% | 5.4% |
| Change | −5.1 pts | −3.8 pts | −4.0 pts | −2.7 pts |
The job market in Hillsborough has been strong: just 2.6% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well below the national rate of 5.4%. Unemployment is down 5.1 points from 2006–10, as it has nationally. 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).
Hillsborough 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hillsborough | 2.52 | 43.1 | 10.9% | 22.5% | 7.9% | 1996 | $1,367 | 53.4% | 90.0% | 2.6% |
| Schley | 2.29 | 54.8 | 1.3% | 12.2% | 5.6% | 1996 | $1,151 | 65.0% | 95.1% | 1.4% |
| Efland | 3.00 | 37.8 | 21.9% | 12.6% | 16.9% | 1986 | $1,081 | 38.3% | 96.2% | 2.0% |
| Cedar Grove | 2.40 | 47.7 | 7.3% | 13.0% | 10.6% | 1987 | $948 | 35.4% | 90.7% | 3.0% |
| Orange Grove | 2.65 | 48.2 | 4.5% | 10.8% | 22.1% | 1991 | $1,389 | 42.7% | 89.0% | 2.2% |
| Mebane | 2.52 | 40.8 | 9.5% | 31.3% | 8.6% | 1998 | $1,248 | 35.9% | 90.7% | 3.6% |
| 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% |
| Durham | 2.36 | 38.4 | 11.5% | 43.7% | 8.4% | 1990 | $1,548 | 54.6% | 90.8% | 4.2% |
| Orange Factory | 2.70 | 47.1 | 4.1% | 4.7% | 1.9% | 1995 | $1,540 | 50.1% | 97.3% | 0.9% |
| Bahama | 2.33 | 51.5 | 6.7% | 8.4% | 4.2% | 1986 | $1,618 | 47.3% | 91.4% | 0.1% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Randallstown, MD · Moscow, ID · Moultrie, GA · Mustang, OK · Oxford, OH · Plainview, NY · Ponca City, OK · Pooler, GA · Puerto Real, PR · Rahway, NJ
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 Hillsborough. 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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