Chapel Hill vs. Carrboro: how the two towns compare for home buyers
Chapel Hill and Carrboro sit side by side in Orange County. Buyers who like one town often look at the other. Here is what is the same, what is different, and how to choose.
By Karen Miller
in Town vs. Town
| Chapel Hill | Carrboro | |
|---|---|---|
| County | Orange County | Orange County |
| Population (2020 Census) | 61,960 | 21,295 |
| Public schools | Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools | Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools |
| Buses | Chapel Hill Transit, fare-free | Chapel Hill Transit, fare-free |
| Downtown | Franklin Street, next to the UNC campus | Weaver Street and Main Street |
| Typical homes | Historic homes near campus, and newer neighborhoods with wooded lots farther out | Older cottages and bungalows near downtown, and newer neighborhoods to the north and west |
| Home prices | $785,000 single-family median, September 2026 | Get a free market report |
What is the same in both towns?
Both towns are in Orange County. Most homes in both towns are assigned to Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools. School assignment goes by address, so check the district’s school locator for the exact home before you make an offer.
Chapel Hill Transit runs the buses in both towns, and it has charged no fares on its regular routes since 2002. Chapel Hill, Carrboro, and UNC-Chapel Hill share its costs.
Which town is bigger?
Chapel Hill is about three times the size of Carrboro by population. The 2020 Census counted 61,960 people in Chapel Hill and 21,295 in Carrboro. A larger town usually means more homes come on the market each month, so buyers in Chapel Hill often have more homes to compare.
How do the downtowns compare?
Chapel Hill’s downtown is Franklin Street, at the edge of the UNC campus. It has restaurants, shops, and music venues, and it is busy with students during the school year.
Carrboro’s downtown is smaller. It is along Weaver Street and Main Street, with the Weaver Street Market co-op, the Carrboro Farmers’ Market, and Cat’s Cradle, a well-known music venue. Franklin Street becomes Main Street at the Carrboro town line, so you can walk from one downtown to the other.
What kinds of homes can you buy?
In Chapel Hill, you can find historic homes close to campus and newer communities farther out, many on wooded lots. In Carrboro, you can find older cottages and bungalows near downtown and newer neighborhoods to the north and west.
How do home prices compare?
The median single-family home in Chapel Hill sold for $785,000 in September 2026, and the average home took 45 days to sell. Prices change from street to street in both towns. For current sales in the neighborhoods you like, get a free market report or ask me.
Property tax rates are not the same in the two towns. Each town sets its own rate, in addition to the Orange County rate and the school district tax. Ask your lender to use the correct rate for the address when you estimate your payment in the mortgage calculator.
Chapel Hill may fit if you
- Want more homes to choose from
- Want to live close to the UNC campus and Franklin Street
- Like newer neighborhoods with wooded lots
Carrboro may fit if you
- Want a small downtown that you can walk to
- Plan to walk or bike to UNC-Chapel Hill
- Like older cottages and bungalows
Need help choosing?
I help buyers in both towns, and I am happy to show you homes in each so you can compare them in person. Read more about Chapel Hill and Carrboro, or tell me what you need.