Chapel Hill, NC · standard
ZIP Code 27517
Orange County, North Carolina - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 23,346
- 196/sq mi High-density area
- $128,683
- Median income Above-median income area
- $608,100
- Median home value Above-median home value
- 74.1%
- Bachelor's or higher Above-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
Chapel Hill pairs a top-decile household income with top-decile home values, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.
- Top 7%
- household income, US ZIPs
- Top 9%
- home value, US ZIPs
- 196
- people per sq mi
- 67%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 27517 against every reporting US ZIP.
FHFA HPI release change
What changed in the latest House Price Index year
- FHFA House Price Index values in ZIP 27517 (Chapel Hill, NC) rose +4.5% from 2023 to 2024. The all-transactions index moved from 250.5 in 2023 to 261.8 in 2024 (2000 = 100).
ZIP code 27517 is a densely settled ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Chapel Hill, Orange County, North Carolina, with 23,346 residents across 119.1 square miles, a density of 196 people per square mile, in the New York time zone.
ZIP 27517 skews affluent, with a median household income of $128,683 (86% above the average North Carolina ZIP), while per-capita income is $78,220. Both reported hardship measures are comparatively low in absolute terms: poverty is 5.6% and unemployment is 2.5%. Housing is both higher-cost and owner-heavy: median home value is $608,100 (134% above the average North Carolina ZIP), while 67.4% of occupied homes are owner-occupied and median rent is $1,638.
This is a highly-educated ZIP: 74.1% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 43.4, and the average commute is 21 minutes. The page also surfaces 9 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 6 more in Orange County, so 27517 can be compared with both its immediate and county-level context.
Every figure on this page is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates (including median rent) and the FHFA House Price Index, no estimates, no proprietary scoring. Verify with Census →
Top industries in ZIP 27517
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Chapel Hill, NC
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 27517.
- Professional, scientific, and technical services
Professional, scientific, and technical services
171 establishments
- Health care and social assistance
Health care and social assistance
120 establishments
- Finance and insurance
Finance and insurance
84 establishments
- Real estate and rental and leasing 66
Real estate and rental and leasing
66 establishments
- Retail trade 55
Retail trade
55 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, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates + ZIP Code Business Patterns + FHFA HPI ACS demographics and median rent, ZBP business establishments, FHFA HPI for ZIP 27517, Chapel Hill, NC · 2023 Census ACS 5-Year Estimates use a rolling 60-month sample for stable small-geography estimates; ZBP updated annually; FHFA HPI updated quarterly/annually.
Quick Facts
23,346
Population
119.1
Area (sq mi)
196
People / sq mi
New York
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 27517?
43.4
Median Age
49.4%
Male
50.6%
Female
14.9%
Foreign-Born
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?
$128,683
Median Household Income
+86% vs state ZIP avg
$78,220
Per Capita Income
5.6%
Poverty Rate
2.5%
Unemployment Rate
21.2 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 27517 ranks among North Carolina ZIPs
Chapel Hill, NC household income vs. every North Carolina ZIP code
Median household income among 749 reporting North Carolina ZIPs (this ZIP's population is too small for a reliable national-corpus placement)
$128,683 Top 4% higher than 96% of 749 North Carolina ZIPs
Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more North Carolina 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?
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
What does housing look like?
Housing stock: occupied vs vacant
13,437housing units
13,437
Total Housing Units
12,608
Occupied Units
829
Vacant Units
2.32
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$608,100
Median Home Value
+134% vs state ZIP avg
$1,638
Median Rent
1998
Median Year Built
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
How have home values changed over time?
FHFA House Price Index, annual appreciation data based on repeat sales and appraisals
+4.5%
YoY Change (2024)
262
HPI Index (2000 = 100)
+162%
Total Change Since 2000
Home values in ZIP 27517 have increased 4.5% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +162% cumulative appreciation.
| Year | Annual Change | HPI Index |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | +2.9% | 170 |
| 2021 | +8.3% | 184 |
| 2022 | +23.9% | 228 |
| 2023 | +9.8% | 251 |
| 2024 | +4.5% | 262 |
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 793 business establishments in ZIP 27517, employing approximately 8,767 people with a combined annual payroll of $586,170,000.
793
Businesses
8,767
Employees
$586.2M
Annual Payroll
16
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 171 | 21.6% |
| Health care and social assistance | 120 | 15.1% |
| Finance and insurance | 84 | 10.6% |
| Real estate and rental and leasing | 66 | 8.3% |
| Retail trade | 55 | 6.9% |
| Construction | 52 | 6.6% |
| Other services (except public administration) | 49 | 6.2% |
| Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services | 45 | 5.7% |
| Accommodation and food services | 45 | 5.7% |
| Arts, entertainment, and recreation | 28 | 3.5% |
| Wholesale trade | 22 | 2.8% |
| Educational services | 19 | 2.4% |
| Information | 16 | 2.0% |
| Transportation and warehousing | 8 | 1.0% |
| Manufacturing | 5 | 0.6% |
| Management of companies and enterprises | 5 | 0.6% |
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 27517 vs 27510 →
ZIP 27517 vs its nearest neighbors, by population
Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 27713
Durham (27713)
46,660 residents
- 27707
Durham (27707)
45,023 residents
- 27519
Cary (27519)
39,178 residents
- 27516
Chapel Hill (27516)
36,139 residents
- 27514
Chapel Hill (27514)
32,110 residents
- 27502
Apex (27502)
30,831 residents
- 27517
Chapel Hill (27517)
23,346 residents
- 27701
Durham (27701)
21,288 residents
- 27510 14,644
Carrboro (27510)
14,644 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 27517 ranks #7 by population - useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 27517 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 27519
Cary (27519)
$165,586 median income
- 27502
Apex (27502)
$143,922 median income
- 27523
Apex (27523)
$135,625 median income
- 27517
Chapel Hill (27517)
$128,683 median income
- 27516
Chapel Hill (27516)
$106,353 median income
- 27713
Durham (27713)
$100,676 median income
- 27514
Chapel Hill (27514)
$92,875 median income
- 27707
Durham (27707)
$74,406 median income
- 27701
Durham (27701)
$69,740 median income
What this shows By household income, ZIP 27517 ranks #4 of 9 neighboring ZIPs, local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.
| ZIP Code | City | Population | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| 27510 | Carrboro, NC | 14,644 | 5.5 mi |
| 27514 | Chapel Hill, NC | 32,110 | 8.2 mi |
| 27523 | Apex, NC | 9,552 | 6.5 mi |
| 27713 | Durham, NC | 46,660 | 6.5 mi |
| 27707 | Durham, NC | 45,023 | 8.2 mi |
| 27519 | Cary, NC | 39,178 | 8.3 mi |
| 27516 | Chapel Hill, NC | 36,139 | 8.3 mi |
| 27502 | Apex, NC | 30,831 | 10.9 mi |
| 27701 | Durham, NC | 21,288 | 12.5 mi |
Nationwide ZIPs with similar ACS profiles
Two Census-derived peer sets for ZIP 27517, both outside NC so the neighborhoods are not geographic containment (Nearby and same-county blocks stay local).
Similar population
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by resident population (23,346 here; floor ≥1,000).
Similar median household income
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by ACS median household income.
More ZIP Codes in Orange County
Related Areas
Frequently Asked Questions
What county is ZIP code 27517 in?
ZIP code 27517 (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 27517?
ZIP code 27517 in Chapel Hill, NC has a population of 23,346 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 27517?
The median household income in ZIP 27517 is $128,683, which is 69% above the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 27517?
The median home value in ZIP 27517 is $608,100, which is 119% above the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 27517?
The largest racial group in ZIP 27517 is White at 70.3%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 11.6% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 27517?
ZIP code 27517 has 793 business establishments employing approximately 8,767 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 27517?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 27517 are: Professional, scientific, and technical services (171), Health care and social assistance (120), Finance and insurance (84). There are 16 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 27517?
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 27517 increased by 4.5% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 162%. 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 27517?
In ZIP code 27517, 81.4% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 74.1% 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 27517?
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 27517 is 21.2 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 27517?
In ZIP code 27517, approximately 67.4% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 32.6% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 27517?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 27517 is 5.6% according to Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. This measures the percentage of the population living below the federal poverty threshold.
Related
Take this with you
What to do with ZIP 27517's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 27517 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Chapel Hill, NC ranks among every U.S. ZIP code on income, education, or homeownership View national rankings
- Save this ZIP to your shortlist to track alongside others you're considering View your shortlist
ZIP Code Tabulation Areas (ZCTAs) are Census Bureau approximations of USPS ZIP codes; figures describe the ZCTA area, not any single address within it.