Chapel Hill, NC · standard

ZIP Code 27514

Orange County, North Carolina — Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.

32,110
638/sq mi
$92,875
Median income
$663,900
Median home value
79.5%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

Chapel Hill pairs an upper-quartile household income with top-decile home values, in a low-density, mixed-tenure area.

Top 24%
household income, US ZIPs
Top 7%
home value, US ZIPs
638
people per sq mi
49%
owner-occupied homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 27514 against every reporting US ZIP.

ZIP code 27514 is classified by USPS as a standard delivery area and covers roughly 50.4 square miles in Chapel Hill, Orange County, North Carolina. The area is home to 32,110 residents, producing a population density of 638 people per square mile, and falls within the New York time zone. These USPS and Census boundary values drive every downstream statistic on this page, including the benchmarks that compare 27514 against North Carolina and the nation.

On the economic side, the median household income for ZIP 27514 sits at $92,875 (34% above the North Carolina average), while per-capita income is $52,000. The poverty rate stands at 14.9% and the unemployment rate at 2.8%. On housing, the median home value is $663,900 (156% above the state average) with median rent at $1,626 per month, and 48.6% of occupied units are owner-occupied, a direct signal of whether 27514 behaves more like a homeowner neighborhood or a renter-heavy ZIP.

Education and household profile round out the picture: 79.5% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 23.9, and the average commute is 19 minutes. We also surface 9 nearby ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 additional ZIPs sharing Orange County, so you can benchmark 27514 against its immediate geography rather than a national average alone. Every figure is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, HUD Fair Market Rents, and FHFA Home Price Index data, no estimates, no proprietary scoring. Verify with HUD →

Top industries in ZIP 27514

Top 5 sectors by establishment count

Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 27514.

establishments

What this shows Establishment counts come from the Census ZIP Code Business Patterns program, which counts physical business locations rather than employees or revenue.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) As of 2023

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates + ZIP Code Business Patterns + HUD FMR + FHFA HPI ACS demographics, ZBP business establishments, HUD Fair Market Rents, FHFA HPI for ZIP 27514, Chapel Hill, NC · 2023 Census ACS 5-Year Estimates use a rolling 60-month sample for stable small-geography estimates; ZBP updated annually; HUD FMR + FHFA HPI updated quarterly/annually.

Quick Facts

32,110

Population

50.4

Area (sq mi)

638

People / sq mi

New York

Time Zone

standard

ZIP Type

Neighborhood Scorecard
Get an A-F grade across income, safety, housing, rent, education, commute, and childcare for this ZIP code.
View Scorecard →

Who lives in ZIP 27514?

23.9

Median Age

46.3%

Male

53.7%

Female

14.5%

Foreign-Born

White 64.0%
African American 10.8%
Asian 14.4%
American Indian or Alaska Native 0.2%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.0%
Two or More Ethnicities 7.6%
Hispanic or Latino 8.0%

Hispanic or Latino is an ethnicity category from the Census Bureau and may overlap with other categories above.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

How much do residents earn?

$92,875

Median Household Income

+34% vs state

$52,000

Per Capita Income

14.9%

Poverty Rate

2.8%

Unemployment Rate

18.9 min

Mean Commute Time

How ZIP 27514 ranks nationally

Household income vs. every US ZIP code

Median household income — the full national distribution, with this ZIP marked

$92,875 Top 24% higher than 76% of 30,318 US ZIPs

$0–$20,000: 118 US ZIPs (0%). Below this entry. $20,000–$40,000: 1,573 US ZIPs (5%). Below this entry. $40,000–$60,000: 7,092 US ZIPs (23%). Below this entry. $60,000–$80,000: 9,980 US ZIPs (33%). Below this entry. $80,000–$100,000: 5,778 US ZIPs (19%). This entry sits in this band. $100,000–$120,000: 2,855 US ZIPs (9%). Above this entry. $120,000–$140,000: 1,362 US ZIPs (4%). Above this entry. $140,000–$160,000: 686 US ZIPs (2%). Above this entry. $160,000–$180,000: 364 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. $180,000–$200,000: 186 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. $200,000–$220,000: 324 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. This ZIP $0 $200K+ every reporting US ZIP, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US ZIPs. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau — ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2019–2023

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

What is the education profile here?

High School Graduate or Higher 86.2%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 79.5%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

What does housing look like?

11,699

Total Housing Units

10,347

Occupied Units

1,352

Vacant Units

2.27

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 48.6%
Renter 51.4%

$663,900

Median Home Value

+156% vs state

$1,626

Median Rent

1986

Median Year Built

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

FHFA House Price Index, annual appreciation data based on repeat sales and appraisals

+6.2%

YoY Change (2024)

271

HPI Index (2000 = 100)

+171%

Total Change Since 2000

Home values in ZIP 27514 have increased 6.2% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +171% cumulative appreciation.

Year Annual Change HPI Index
2020 +2.0% 172
2021 +9.0% 188
2022 +19.5% 224
2023 +13.9% 256
2024 +6.2% 271

Source: Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) House Price Index, All-Transactions, Five-Digit ZIP Codes (Developmental Index). Index base = 100 in year 2000. Data through 2024. ZIP codes with few transactions may show missing values.

What businesses operate in this ZIP?

Census Bureau data shows 994 business establishments in ZIP 27514, employing approximately 26,445 people with a combined annual payroll of $1,595,540,000.

994

Businesses

26,445

Employees

$1.6B

Annual Payroll

16

Industry Sectors

Industry Establishments % of Total
Health care and social assistance 205 20.6%
Professional, scientific, and technical services 153 15.4%
Accommodation and food services 126 12.7%
Retail trade 106 10.7%
Other services (except public administration) 85 8.6%
Real estate and rental and leasing 74 7.4%
Finance and insurance 63 6.3%
Educational services 36 3.6%
Construction 33 3.3%
Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services 30 3.0%
Information 28 2.8%
Arts, entertainment, and recreation 27 2.7%
Wholesale trade 11 1.1%
Manufacturing 7 0.7%
Transportation and warehousing 4 0.4%
Management of companies and enterprises 4 0.4%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP), 2023. Employment figures may include noise for disclosure avoidance.

Nearby ZIP Codes

Want a side-by-side? Compare 27514 vs 27510 →

ZIP 27514 vs its nearest neighbors, by population

Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.

residents

What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 27514 ranks #5 by population — useful context the national average alone can't give.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 5-Year Estimates As of 2019–2023

ZIP 27514 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income

Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.

median income

What this shows By household income, ZIP 27514 ranks #5 of 9 neighboring ZIPs — local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 5-Year Estimates As of 2019–2023
ZIP Code City Population Distance
27510 Carrboro, NC 14,644 4.1 mi
27707 Durham, NC 45,023 5.1 mi
27705 Durham, NC 46,282 5.5 mi
27517 Chapel Hill, NC 23,346 8.2 mi
27278 Hillsborough, NC 24,286 8.5 mi
27516 Chapel Hill, NC 36,139 7.1 mi
27701 Durham, NC 21,288 8.4 mi
27713 Durham, NC 46,660 8.4 mi
27712 Durham, NC 20,035 12.0 mi

More ZIP Codes in Orange County

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 27514 in?
ZIP code 27514 (Chapel Hill) is located in Orange County, North Carolina. Orange County contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/orange-nc.
What is the population of ZIP code 27514?
ZIP code 27514 in Chapel Hill, NC has a population of 32,110 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 27514?
The median household income in ZIP 27514 is $92,875, which is 22% above the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 27514?
The median home value in ZIP 27514 is $663,900, which is 139% above the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 27514?
The largest racial group in ZIP 27514 is White at 64.0%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 8.0% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 27514?
ZIP code 27514 has 994 business establishments employing approximately 26,445 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 27514?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 27514 are: Health care and social assistance (205), Professional, scientific, and technical services (153), Accommodation and food services (126). There are 16 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 27514?
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 27514 increased by 6.2% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 171%. This is a developmental index based on repeat sales and appraisal data from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.
What is the education level in ZIP code 27514?
In ZIP code 27514, 86.2% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 79.5% hold a bachelor's degree or higher. These figures come from the Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023).
What is the average commute time in ZIP 27514?
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 27514 is 18.9 minutes according to Census ACS data. The national average is roughly 26 minutes, so commuters here spend less time traveling to work than typical.
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 27514?
In ZIP code 27514, approximately 48.6% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 51.4% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 27514?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 27514 is 14.9% according to Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. This measures the percentage of the population living below the federal poverty threshold.

ZIP Code Research Guides

Official Data Resources for Chapel Hill, NC

Verify and explore additional data for this area using these official government sources.