Population 15,295 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Hillsborough
Household size in Hillsborough
| Period | Hillsborough | Raleigh area | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1.52 | 2.63 | 2.53 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 1.80 | 2.70 | 2.58 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 1.75 | 2.70 | 2.56 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 1.83 | 2.64 | 2.52 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.31 | +0.01 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
Households in Hillsborough are small: just 1.83 people on average, compared with 2.65 nationally. That is typical of places where many people live alone or as couples, and fewer have children at home. Since 2006–10, household size has climbed from 1.52, even as the national average fell. Of Raleigh's 18 neighborhoods, only two have smaller households.
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 | Raleigh area | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 29.9 | 35.7 | 37.9 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 29.5 | 36.7 | 38.9 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 26.8 | 38.1 | 40.2 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 28.2 | 38.4 | 40.3 | 40.1 |
| Change | −1.7 | +2.7 | +2.3 | +2.3 |
With a median age of just 28.2, Hillsborough is far younger than the country as a whole (40.1), a population that tilts toward young adults, many of them living alone or as couples. Since 2006–10, the median age has dropped from 29.9, even as the national median rose. Hillsborough has the youngest population of any Raleigh neighborhood.
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 | Raleigh area | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 5.4% | 10.9% | 12.3% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 7.8% | 11.5% | 12.5% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 4.7% | 10.7% | 11.6% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 5.1% | 9.4% | 11.4% | 11.6% |
| Change | −0.3 pts | −1.5 pts | −1.0 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are relatively rare in Hillsborough: 5.1% of households, against 11.6% nationally. Hillsborough has a lower share of single-parent households than at least four in five Raleigh neighborhoods.
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 | Raleigh area | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 75.5% | 32.1% | 31.9% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 75.7% | 33.7% | 34.2% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 82.7% | 34.3% | 34.8% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 79.3% | 33.4% | 33.4% | 34.8% |
| Change | +3.8 pts | +1.3 pts | +1.4 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renters far outnumber owners in Hillsborough: 79.3% of households rent their homes, against 34.8% nationally. Among homeowners, 28.8% have no mortgage at all, well below the national share of 39.8%. The renter share has risen 3.8 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend. Only one other Raleigh neighborhood has a higher share of renters.
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 | Raleigh area | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 23.9% | 9.4% | 12.8% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 12.4% | 8.6% | 12.8% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 11.6% | 7.8% | 12.5% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 11.7% | 7.6% | 11.4% | 9.6% |
| Change | −12.2 pts | −1.7 pts | −1.5 pts | −1.8 pts |
A few more homes sit empty in Hillsborough than nationally: 11.7%, against 9.6%. The count includes vacation homes and homes between owners or tenants, not just abandoned ones. Vacancy has fallen 12.2 points since 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally.
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 | Raleigh area | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1957 | 1990 | 1983 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1965 | 1992 | 1985 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1978 | 1994 | 1986 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1984 | 1999 | 1990 | 1980 |
| Change | +27 | +9 | +7 | +6 |
The housing in Hillsborough is a little younger than the country's: half of it was built after 1984, against 1980 nationally. Even so, homes here are older than in the Raleigh area as a whole, where the median home dates to 1999. The median year built has moved up from 1957 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. Newer construction is concentrated in the east, while the southwest 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 | Raleigh area | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $606 | $923 | $789 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $751 | $1,018 | $868 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,036 | $1,207 | $981 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,365 | $1,666 | $1,317 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$759 | +$743 | +$528 | +$606 |
The median renter in Hillsborough pays $1,365 a month for rent and utilities, below the national median of $1,571. Rents are up $759 a month from 2006–10, a 125% jump, faster than rents rose nationally. Rent takes 34.3% of the typical renter's income, 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 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 | Raleigh area | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 52.6% | 41.7% | 27.8% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 49.7% | 43.0% | 29.0% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 74.5% | 47.3% | 32.0% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 72.1% | 51.6% | 36.2% | 35.6% |
| Change | +19.5 pts | +9.8 pts | +8.4 pts | +7.2 pts |
Hillsborough is highly educated: about seven in ten adults 25 and older (72.1%) hold at least a bachelor's degree, far above the national share of 35.6%. The share with a degree is up 19.5 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend. College graduates are most concentrated in the west and least in the south.
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 | Raleigh area | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 92.1% | 89.9% | 84.5% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 92.2% | 90.6% | 86.0% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 95.4% | 92.0% | 88.1% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 95.7% | 93.3% | 90.2% | 89.3% |
| Change | +3.5 pts | +3.4 pts | +5.7 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion is high in Hillsborough: 95.7% 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 3.5 points, mirroring the country.
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 | Raleigh area | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.8% | 6.7% | 8.8% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 9.2% | 7.9% | 10.6% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 3.0% | 4.2% | 5.7% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.2% | 4.1% | 4.8% | 5.4% |
| Change | −3.5 pts | −2.6 pts | −4.0 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Hillsborough runs below the national rate: 4.2% of the labor force was out of work and looking, against 5.4% nationally. Since 2006–10, unemployment has fallen 3.5 points, in line with the national trend. Each figure pools five years of surveys (2020–24), so it describes that whole stretch rather than today's 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 neighborhoods
| Neighborhood | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hillsborough | 1.83 | 28.2 | 5.1% | 79.3% | 11.7% | 1984 | $1,365 | 72.1% | 95.7% | 4.2% |
| Wade | 2.17 | 32.5 | 4.4% | 40.0% | 12.3% | 1975 | $1,393 | 74.0% | 93.8% | 4.2% |
| Central | 1.61 | 33.3 | 6.6% | 80.3% | 12.9% | 1996 | $1,604 | 56.5% | 90.8% | 7.1% |
| Five Points | 2.39 | 38.9 | 8.2% | 30.6% | 8.1% | 1963 | $1,773 | 85.2% | 98.7% | 3.4% |
| Mordecai | 1.88 | 36.0 | 5.5% | 28.7% | 9.8% | 1977 | $1,791 | 78.6% | 97.8% | 2.6% |
| North Central | 1.80 | 30.4 | 8.8% | 63.8% | 22.9% | 1993 | $1,554 | 63.2% | 89.5% | 6.1% |
| Southwest Raleigh | 2.34 | 30.8 | 9.6% | 64.4% | 12.7% | 1994 | $1,416 | 52.2% | 89.9% | 6.1% |
| Glenwood | 2.42 | 41.7 | 3.6% | 34.6% | 7.8% | 1979 | $2,204 | 83.3% | 98.2% | 3.3% |
| South Central | 2.23 | 37.8 | 15.6% | 58.8% | 8.2% | 1983 | $1,101 | 25.7% | 83.5% | 11.6% |
| West | 2.09 | 29.6 | 8.5% | 73.1% | 13.9% | 1994 | $1,519 | 58.8% | 92.7% | 5.5% |
| East Raleigh | 2.55 | 36.0 | 23.7% | 51.7% | 8.7% | 1973 | $1,260 | 37.6% | 90.4% | 8.5% |
All figures 2020–24.
Neighborhoods with similar populations: Emmons Orchard, Lincoln Park, MI · Ludlow, Yonkers, NY · Love Field Area, Dallas, TX · Juanita, Kirkland, WA · Glencliff, Nashville, TN · Glenbrook, Stamford, CT · Garrison Park, Austin, TX · Fremont, Seattle, WA · Four Corners, Antioch, TN · Forest Park, Portland, OR
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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