Census Data for Chapel Hill
Population ...
The most recent Census Estimate<1> was for 2019 and it gave Chapel Hill a population of 63,748 people.
The last Decennial Census<2> was in 2010, which gave Chapel Hill a population of 57,233 people.
The town of Chapel Hill is located in Orange County. The 2010 Census gave Orange County; a population of 133,801 people. This means that Chapel Hill had 42.77% of the county's total population, making it Orange's most populous community.
At the same time, North Carolina had a population of 9,535,483 people, meaning that Chapel Hill had 0.6% of the total population of North Carolina - making it the state's 16th most populous community.
Area ...
The 2010 Census shows that the sampling area for Chapel Hill has a total area of 21.27 square miles [55.1 km²]. Of this total, a small amount of the area is covered by water (0.15 square miles [0.4 km²]).
Orange County has a land area of 398 square miles [1,030.7 km²]. At 21.12 square miles [54.7 km²], Chapel Hill has 5.31% of the county's total land area.
- Continue Reading ...
- When the Census Bureau conducts a census for a town like Chapel Hill, they draw a boundary around the area in which they are going to conduct their count - this defines the sampling area (usually a polygon). The shape of the sampling area can be quite complex and it's important to keep in mind that the boundaries of the sampling area may or may not match the recognized boundaries of the town.
- Things like population, area and housing for Chapel Hill reflect the sampling area. Since the shape of the sampling area and the actual boundaries of Chapel Hill might be different, it's best to check with the U.S. Census Bureau to resolve any difference between the two.
- Not only does the sampling area define boundaries, it also has a GPS location (latitude & longitude) that indicates a point within the sampling area (usually the center of the polygon, known as the centroid). At the time of the 2010 Census, the sampling area was located at:
- Lat: 35° 55' 33" (or 35.93°)
- Lon: -79° 2' 17" (or -79.04°)
- More information on this topic and the changes between the 2000 Census and the 2010 Census can be found in the section for our Census-to-Census Observations ... (see below).
Housing Units ...
At the time of the 2010 Census, Chapel Hill had 22,254 Housing Units<3> and with its population of 57,233 people, this averages 2.57 people per Housing Unit.
- Continue Reading ...
- The 2010 Census shows Chapel Hill had a land area of 21.12 square miles [54.7 km²]. This translates to 1,046 Housing Units per square mile [403.9 housing units/km²].
- From the Census of 2000: Chapel Hill had 18,976 Housing Units, a population of 48,715 people and a land area of 19.75 square miles [51.2 km²]. This gives a density of 2.57 people per Housing Unit and 957 Housing Units per square mile [369.6 housing units/km²].
- Note: Repeating the caution above (under Population Density), be aware that when comparing Housing Units between the 2010 Census and the 2000 Census, there were changes in the sampling area for Chapel Hill and you need to be careful when comparing results between the censuses. More information about these differences can be found in the section called Census-to-Census Observations ... (see below).
Orange County ...
The community of Chapel Hill is primarily located in Orange County<4>. A portion of Chapel Hill extends into Durham County.
The county had a population of 133,801 people at the 2010 Census. With it's population of 57,233 people, Chapel Hill represented 42.77% of the county's total.
In addition, where the town of Chapel Hill has a population density of 2,690 people per square mile [1,038 people/km²], Orange County averages 336.2 people per square mile [129.8 people/km²].
For more information, please visit our Census Page for Orange County.
Census-to-Census Observations ...
Introduction ...
When the Census Bureau takes a census count (or enumeration) for Chapel Hill, they start by specifying the boundaries of the area to be counted. This area (or sampling area) is a polygon and its shape can be quite complex - it may or may not match the geographical boundaries of Chapel Hill. It's important to note that from one Census to the next, the shape and location of the polygon can change.
- Continue Reading ...
- Although we don't have specific information about the shape of the polygon for Chapel Hill or how it changed has over time, there is some information that can give us some hints. For example, since the shape of the sampling area is directly related to the shape of the polygon, any change to area probably indicates a new shape for the polygon.
- If you need precision or details about the methodology of the Census, you should visit the U.S. Census Bureau for a definitive answer.
Location ...
While generally coinciding with the GPS location (latitude/longitude) of Chapel Hill, the latitude and longitude given by the Census Bureau actually indicates the GPS location of the polygon for Chapel Hill.
- Continue Reading ...
- For the 2010 Census, the location was given as:
- Lat: 35.925942° (or 35°55'33" N)
- Lon: -79.038271° (or -79°2'17" W)
- For the 2000 Census, the location given was:
- Lat: 35.925921° (or 35°55'33" N)
- Lon: -79.039466° (or -79°2'22" W)
- The difference indicates that the U.S. Census Bureau moved the location of the polygon for the 2010 Census 352.9 feet to the east<5> of the location that was used in the 2000 Census.
- The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and the U.S. Board on Geographic Names (BGN) have assigned a unique GNIS identifier (#2406255) to Chapel Hill. This identifier also marks a GPS point on the map, and that point lies within the boundaries of Chapel Hill. The GNIS point has been mapped to the latitude/longitude:
- Lat: 35.926935° (or 35°55'36" N)
- Lon: -79.038605° (or -79°2'18" W)
- The GPS location given for the 2010 Census lies 375.2 feet to the south<6> of the point given by the GNIS for Chapel Hill. For more information about this and the relationship of the various Federal Codes, please visit our Misc Page for Chapel Hill.
Miscellaneous Information for Chapel Hill ...
The Federal government has assigned various identifying codes to each community, county and state. At one time or another, the US Census Bureau has used one (or more) of the following identifiers when referring to either Orange County or the town of Chapel Hill:
- The GNIS Codes ...
- The FIPS Codes ...
- An earlier (and largely obsolete) identification method was called the Federal Information Processing Standard (FIPS):
- State Code: 37 (North Carolina)
- County Code: 135 (Orange County)
- Place Code: 11800 (Chapel Hill)
- State & County Code: 37/135 (North Carolina / Orange County)
- State & Place Code: 37/11800 (North Carolina / Chapel Hill)
- Misc. Census Codes ...
- Chapel Hill is located in Census Region #3 (the South Region) and Division #5 (the South Atlantic Division).
For more information about the various Federal identification codes, please visit our Misc Page for Chapel Hill.
Off-the-Road Links ...
The official website for Chapel Hill: www.townofchapelhill.org/
The official website for Orange County: www.co.orange.nc.us/
The official website for State of North Carolina: https://www.nc.gov/
The official website of the U.S. Census Bureau
The official website of the U.S. Board on Geographic Names (BGN)
The official website of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS)
Footnotes ...
| <1> | Every year, the US Census Bureau creates a population estimate for the preceeding year. Keep in mind that this value is an estimate and not an actual count. The most recent Census estimate is for the year 2019. |
| <2> | Every 10 years (eg- 1990, 2000, 2010), the US Census Bureau conducts a Constitutionally-mandated count (or enumeration) of people living within the United States. This count is called a Decennial Census. The last Decennial Census was the 2010 Census, with the next one planned for 2020. |
| <3> | A Housing Unit is a broad term for those places where people live (whether occupied or temporarily vacant), such as a house, an apartment, a mobile home, or an area that is considered as a separate living quarter. Separate living quarters (consisting of one or more rooms) are considered to be those places where people live, sleep and eat separately from others and that have access to the outside (either directly or by a shared hallway). |
| <4> | If you're interested in how the shape of North Carolina's counties, including Orange, have changed over time, we recommend the Atlas of Historical County Boundaries. |
| <5> | The calculated bearing (or angle) to the 2010 Census location is 271 degrees and a distance of 352.9 feet. |
| <6> | The calculated bearing (or angle) to the GNIS point is 195 degrees and a distance of 375.2 feet. |