The Town FilesCarrboro, North Carolina
Town in Orange County · population 21,295 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $539,400
- Household income
- $85,743
- Jan low / Jul high
- 29° / 90°
- Snow a year
- 3 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 7
- Median age
- 33.4
Carrboro is a town of 21,295 people in Orange County, North Carolina. The median home is worth $539,400, above the typical North Carolina town ($228,900). It ranks better for cycling than 100% of North Carolina towns, better transit than 100% of North Carolina towns, better for young professionals than 98% of North Carolina towns.
How Carrboro ranks
Percentile among North Carolina towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of North Carolina towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Carrboro is worth $539,400, above the typical North Carolina town ($228,900). Homes cost about 6.3 times the median household income of $85,743, which is more affordable than 6% of North Carolina towns. Median rent is $1,470 a month. 43.5% of households own their home.
| Housing | Carrboro | Typical North Carolina town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $539,400 | $228,900 |
| Median rent | $1,470 | $969 |
| Median household income | $85,743 | $60,458 |
| Home value ÷ income | 6.3× | 3.7× |
| Homeownership | 43.5% | 69.5% |
| Median year built | 1988 | 1984 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.2% | — |
Who lives in Carrboro
| People | Carrboro | Typical North Carolina town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 33.4 | 41.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 10.4% | 19.0% |
| Under 18 | 21.2% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 69.9% | 24.5% |
| Below the poverty line | 12.2% | 14.3% |
| Veterans | 4.7% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 15.9% | — |
| Work from home | 27.2% | 9.8% |
| Average commute | 23.1 min | 24.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 95.1% | 89.5% |
Weather in Carrboro
July highs average 89.5°F and January lows 29.4°F. About 48.9 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 2.8 inches of snow (typical North Carolina town: 2.2 in). Expect about 44 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 77 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
7 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Carrboro since 1950, compared with 13 for the typical North Carolina town. 4 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an EF2, struck on April 19, 2019 about 4.5 miles from the town center. The most recent was on April 19, 2019.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 30 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on April 28, 2016.
Severe weather in Orange County since 1996
Orange County has been included in 26 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for drought, hurricane, snowstorm.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| January 24, 2026 | Winter Storm | EM-3637: Severe Winter Storm |
| September 11, 2025 | Tropical Depression | DR-4889: Tropical Depression Chantal |
| September 26, 2024 | Tropical Storm | EM-3617: Hurricane Helene |
| August 6, 2024 | Tropical Storm | EM-3608: Tropical Storm Debby |
| October 1, 2022 | Hurricane | EM-3586: Hurricane Ian |
Jobs and pay in Orange County
Orange County had 78,431 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $79,229 a year. Unemployment was 2.9% in 2023; in Carrboro itself the ACS puts it at 3.6%.
Public schools in Carrboro
2 public schools with 1,383 students, about 13.7 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Carrboro High | 9-12 | 877 | 14.1 |
| Carrboro Elementary | PK-5 | 506 | 13.0 |
Towns near Carrboro
- Chapel Hill, NC2.6 mi · 61,960 people · home $613,700
- Briar Chapel, NC7.2 mi · 5,108 people · home $570,300
- Fearrington Village, NC8.9 mi · 2,557 people · home $472,600
- Hillsborough, NC10.5 mi · 9,660 people · home $460,100
- Durham, NC11.2 mi · 283,506 people · home $392,800
- Pittsboro, NC14.2 mi · 4,537 people · home $376,300
- Mebane, NC15.1 mi · 17,797 people · home $338,900
- Morrisville, NC15.2 mi · 29,630 people · home $518,800
Carrboro questions
Is Carrboro, North Carolina a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Carrboro scores better for retirees than 25% of North Carolina towns and quieter than 4%. 10.4% of residents are 65 or older (median age 33.4).
How much does a house cost in Carrboro?
The median owner-occupied home in Carrboro is valued at $539,400 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $85,743, so homes cost about 6.3 times income. Median rent is $1,470 a month.
What is the weather like in Carrboro?
July highs average 89.5°F and January lows 29.4°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 48.9 inches of precipitation a year and 2.8 inches of snow.
Does Carrboro get tornadoes?
7 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Carrboro since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF2 on April 19, 2019. The typical North Carolina town has had 13.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)