Population 149,678 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Orange County
Household size in Orange County
| Period | Orange County | Chapel Hill area | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.45 | 2.40 | 2.53 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.49 | 2.44 | 2.58 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.52 | 2.43 | 2.56 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.49 | 2.40 | 2.52 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.04 | +0.00 | −0.01 | −0.03 |
Households in Orange County run a little small, averaging 2.49 people against 2.65 nationally, which usually means more singles and couples and fewer children. Still, the typical household here is bigger than in the Chapel Hill area as a whole, where it has 2.40 people. Since 2006–10, household size has crept up from 2.45, even as the national average fell.
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 Orange County
| Period | Orange County | Chapel Hill area | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 36.3 | 36.9 | 37.9 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 36.9 | 37.7 | 38.9 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 38.1 | 39.2 | 40.2 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 38.7 | 39.9 | 40.3 | 40.1 |
| Change | +2.4 | +2.9 | +2.3 | +2.3 |
Half of the people in Orange County are younger than 38.7 and half are older, close to the national median of 40.1. The median age has climbed from 36.3 in 2006–10, in line with the national trend. The youngest areas are in the southeast, the oldest in the west.
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 Orange County
| Period | Orange County | Chapel Hill area | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.2% | 12.0% | 12.3% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 8.8% | 12.0% | 12.5% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 7.7% | 11.0% | 11.6% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 8.2% | 10.2% | 11.4% | 11.6% |
| Change | −1.0 pts | −1.8 pts | −1.0 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are relatively rare in Orange County: 8.2% of households, against 11.6% nationally. The single-parent share is down 1.0 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country. Orange County has a lower share of single-parent households than at least four in five North Carolina counties.
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 Orange County
Renters in Orange County
| Period | Orange County | Chapel Hill area | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 39.4% | 38.7% | 31.9% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 39.7% | 39.8% | 34.2% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 37.4% | 39.3% | 34.8% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 36.2% | 37.8% | 33.4% | 34.8% |
| Change | −3.3 pts | −0.9 pts | +1.4 pts | +1.5 pts |
More than a third of households in Orange County rent their homes (36.2%), close to the national share of 34.8%. Among homeowners, 41.0% have no mortgage at all, about the same as nationally. Rentals cluster in the south; owners are most common in the northwest. The renter share has fallen 3.3 points since 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 Orange County
| Period | Orange County | Chapel Hill area | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.3% | 11.2% | 12.8% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 8.5% | 9.6% | 12.8% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 10.2% | 9.8% | 12.5% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 10.3% | 9.2% | 11.4% | 9.6% |
| Change | +1.0 pts | −2.0 pts | −1.5 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy in Orange County is close to the national rate: 10.3% of homes are empty, against 9.6%. Vacancy is up 1.0 points from 2006–10, even as the national rate fell.
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 Orange County
| Period | Orange County | Chapel Hill area | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1983 | 1983 | 1983 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1983 | 1984 | 1985 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1986 | 1986 | 1986 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1991 | 1991 | 1990 | 1980 |
| Change | +8 | +8 | +7 | +6 |
Much of the housing in Orange County is relatively new: half of its homes were built after 1991, compared with 1980 for the U.S. as a whole. The median year built has moved up from 1983 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. Newer construction is concentrated in the center, while the southeast 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 Orange County
| Period | Orange County | Chapel Hill area | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $908 | $889 | $789 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $990 | $951 | $868 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,124 | $1,102 | $981 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,507 | $1,501 | $1,317 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$599 | +$612 | +$528 | +$606 |
Rent in Orange County runs $1,507 a month at the median, utilities included, close to the U.S. median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $599 a month since 2006–10, up 66%, faster than rents rose nationally. The typical renter here spends 34.9% of household income on rent, well over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, so many renters here are stretched. The priciest rents are in the center; the most affordable are in the northwest.
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 Orange County
Bachelor's degrees in Orange County
| Period | Orange County | Chapel Hill area | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 56.5% | 43.7% | 27.8% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 58.5% | 45.7% | 29.0% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 60.5% | 48.5% | 32.0% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 62.6% | 53.9% | 36.2% | 35.6% |
| Change | +6.1 pts | +10.2 pts | +8.4 pts | +7.2 pts |
Orange County is highly educated: just over six in ten adults 25 and older (62.6%) hold at least a bachelor's degree, far above the national share of 35.6%. The share with a degree is up 6.1 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend. No other North Carolina county has 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 Orange County
| Period | Orange County | Chapel Hill area | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 90.9% | 86.9% | 84.5% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 92.5% | 88.4% | 86.0% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 93.3% | 89.4% | 88.1% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 93.5% | 91.5% | 90.2% | 89.3% |
| Change | +2.6 pts | +4.7 pts | +5.7 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion in Orange County is above the national rate: 93.5% of adults have a diploma, against 89.3%. The share with a diploma has risen 2.6 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend. Of North Carolina's 100 counties, only seven have a higher share of high school graduates.
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 Orange County
| Period | Orange County | Chapel Hill area | North Carolina | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.4% | 7.8% | 8.8% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 7.8% | 8.6% | 10.6% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 3.6% | 4.5% | 5.7% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 3.4% | 4.0% | 4.8% | 5.4% |
| Change | −3.0 pts | −3.8 pts | −4.0 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Orange County runs below the national rate: 3.4% of the labor force was out of work and looking, against 5.4% nationally. Unemployment has fallen 3.0 points since 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).
Orange County compared with nearby counties
| County | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Orange County | 2.49 | 38.7 | 8.2% | 36.2% | 10.3% | 1991 | $1,507 | 62.6% | 93.5% | 3.4% |
| Durham County | 2.32 | 38.2 | 11.5% | 44.5% | 8.5% | 1990 | $1,573 | 55.0% | 91.1% | 4.2% |
| Alamance County | 2.51 | 39.6 | 12.2% | 35.0% | 9.7% | 1986 | $1,093 | 28.6% | 88.2% | 5.2% |
| Franklin County | 2.57 | 41.9 | 10.9% | 21.4% | 8.7% | 1997 | $1,106 | 27.8% | 89.2% | 4.8% |
| Guilford County | 2.44 | 38.6 | 12.8% | 40.1% | 10.2% | 1984 | $1,268 | 38.9% | 90.7% | 4.7% |
| Davidson County | 2.49 | 42.7 | 11.7% | 25.6% | 9.5% | 1985 | $980 | 21.5% | 88.4% | 4.3% |
| Nash County | 2.49 | 42.5 | 13.0% | 36.4% | 11.6% | 1985 | $918 | 21.9% | 87.0% | 4.6% |
| Edgecombe County | 2.49 | 41.1 | 18.5% | 39.2% | 17.3% | 1977 | $891 | 17.6% | 84.9% | 8.5% |
| Davie County | 2.61 | 44.3 | 8.4% | 17.8% | 10.8% | 1988 | $908 | 27.3% | 91.1% | 4.8% |
| Martin County | 2.30 | 45.5 | 11.6% | 33.2% | 13.6% | 1978 | $770 | 16.9% | 85.1% | 5.7% |
| Alexander County | 2.48 | 45.1 | 10.7% | 19.3% | 14.4% | 1985 | $774 | 16.9% | 85.7% | 4.6% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: Bibb County, GA · Coconino County, AZ · Coweta County, GA · Douglas County, GA · Penobscot County, ME · Wright County, MN · Randall County, TX · Randolph County, NC · Rankin County, MS · Rock Island County, IL
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 Orange County. 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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