Orange County, NC

County

Add Comparison

2020 Population

146,354

1.05% 1-year growth

US Senator

Thom Tillis

Republican Party

US Senator

Ted Budd

Republican Party

2020 Median Age

35.1

0.862% 1-year increase

2018 Poverty Rate

13.4%

4.41% 1-year decrease

2020 Median Household Income

$74,803

4.29% 1-year growth

2020 Median Property Value

$331,800

7.45% 1-year growth

2020 Employed Population

72,630

2.09% 1-year decline

About

In 2020, Orange County, NC had a population of 146k people with a median age of 35.1 and a median household income of $74,803. Between 2019 and 2020 the population of Orange County, NC grew from 144,836 to 146,354, a 1.05% increase and its median household income grew from $71,723 to $74,803, a 4.29% increase.

The 5 largest ethnic groups in Orange County, NC are White (Non-Hispanic) (69.4%), Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) (10.9%), Asian (Non-Hispanic) (7.72%), White (Hispanic) (5.86%), and Two+ (Non-Hispanic) (2.93%).

None of the households in Orange County, NC reported speaking a non-English language at home as their primary shared language. This does not consider the potential multi-lingual nature of households, but only the primary self-reported language spoken by all members of the household.

93.5% of the residents in Orange County, NC are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Orange County, NC are University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (9,948 degrees awarded in 2021) and Aveda Institute-Chapel Hill (181 degrees).

In 2020, the median property value in Orange County, NC was $331,800, and the homeownership rate was 63.8%.

Most people in Orange County, NC drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 23.9 minutes. The average car ownership in Orange County, NC was 2 cars per household.

Orange County, NC borders Alamance County, NC, Caswell County, NC, Chatham County, NC, Durham County, NC, and Person County, NC.

United States North Carolina Durham-Chapel Hill, NC

Population & Diversity

Orange County, NC is home to a population of 146k people, from which 93.5% are citizens. As of 2020, 12.7% of Orange County, NC residents were born outside of the country (18.6k people).

In 2020, there were 6.34 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (102k people) in Orange County, NC than any other race or ethnicity. There were 16k Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) and 11.3k Asian (Non-Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

93.5%

2020 Citizenship

92.8%

2019 Citizenship

As of 2020, 93.5% of Orange County, NC residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.4%. In 2019, the percentage of US citizens in Orange County, NC was 92.8%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been increasing.

The following chart shows US citizenship percentages in Orange County, NC compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Orange County, NC

White (Non-Hispanic)
102k ± 144
Black or African American (Non-Hispanic)
16k ± 514
Asian (Non-Hispanic)
11.3k ± 343

8.45%

Hispanic Population

12.4k people

8.45% of the people in Orange County, NC are hispanic (12.4k people).

The following chart shows the 7 races represented in Orange County, NC as a share of the total population.

Global Diversity

The PUMS dataset is not available at the County level, so we are showing data for North Carolina.

Most Common Origin

Mexico
224,275 ± 11,501 people
India
74,765 ± 6,689 people
Honduras
37,815 ± 4,766 people

In 2020, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of North Carolina was Mexico, the natal country of 224,275 North Carolina residents, followed by India with 74,765 and Honduras with 37,815.

Foreign-Born Population

12.7%

2020 Foreign-Born Population

18.6k people

13.2%

2019 Foreign-Born Population

19.1k people

As of 2020, 12.7% of Orange County, NC residents (18.6k people) were born outside of the United States, which is lower than the national average of 13.5%. In 2019, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Orange County, NC was 13.2%, meaning that the rate has been decreasing.

The following chart shows the percentage of foreign-born residents in Orange County, NC compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Vietnam
1,744 ± 280
Gulf War (2001-)
1,201 ± 247
Gulf War (1990s)
769 ± 188

Orange County, NC has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 1.45 times greater than any other conflict.

Economy

The economy of Orange County, NC employs 72.6k people. The largest industries in Orange County, NC are Educational Services (16,992 people), Health Care & Social Assistance (11,509 people), and Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services (9,015 people), and the highest paying industries are Management of Companies & Enterprises ($250,001), Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services ($81,061), and Manufacturing ($71,111).

Males in North Carolina have an average income that is 1.32 times higher than the average income of females, which is $49,357. The income inequality in North Carolina (measured using the Gini index) is 0.47, which is lower than than the national average.

Employment

Occupations

72.6k

2020 Value

± 2,126

−2.09%

1 Year decline

± 4.06%

From 2019 to 2020, employment in Orange County, NC declined at a rate of −2.09%, from 74.2k employees to 72.6k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Orange County, NC, are Education Instruction, & Library Occupations (9,159 people), Management Occupations (8,473 people), and Sales & Related Occupations (5,990 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Orange County, NC.

Unemployment Insurance Claims

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for North Carolina.

This chart shows weekly unemployment insurance claims in North Carolina (not-seasonally adjusted) compared with the four states with the most similar impact.

The most recent data point uses Advance State Claims data, which can be revised in subsequent weeks.

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Industries

Employment by Industries

72.6k

2020 Value

± 2,126

−2.09%

1 Year decline

± 4.06%

From 2019 to 2020, employment in Orange County, NC declined at a rate of −2.09%, from 74.2k employees to 72.6k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Orange County, NC, are Educational Services (16,992 people), Health Care & Social Assistance (11,509 people), and Professional, Scientific, & Technical Services (9,015 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Orange County, NC, though some of these residents may live in Orange County, NC and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

Median Earnings by Industry

$45,676

Median earning men ± $3,281

$32,353

Median earning women ± $2,310

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2020 are Manufacturing ($82,321), Professional, Scientific, & Management, & Administrative & Waste Management Services ($81,329), and Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($76,868).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2020 are Manufacturing ($55,256), Professional, Scientific, & Management, & Administrative & Waste Management Services ($52,036), and Information ($51,104).

Employment by Industry Sector

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for North Carolina.

Y-Axis

2.75%

Year-over-year growth

Employment change between February 2022 and February 2023

As of February 2023, there are 155M people employed in North Carolina. This represents a 2.75% increase in employment when compared to February 2022.

The following chart shows monthly employment numbers for each industry sector in North Carolina.

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Establishments by Size

The industries with the most establishments

1,761
Educational Services, Health Care & Social Assistance
920
Professional, Scientific & Management, and Administrative & Waste Management Services
670
Finance & Insurance, and Real Estate, Rental & Leasing

The visualization shows the distribution of establishments by industry and by size according to the number of employees.

Payroll by Industry Sector

The industries with the highest total annual payroll

$739k
Educational Services, Health Care & Social Assistance
$496k
Finance & Insurance, and Real Estate, Rental & Leasing
$266k
Professional, Scientific & Management, and Administrative & Waste Management Services

The chart shows the total annual payroll and the average annual payroll by industry.

Domestic Trade

Domestic Production & Consumption

Domestic production and consumption consists of products and services shipped from North Carolina to other states, or from other states to North Carolina.

Top Domestic Production in Dollars

In 2020, the top outbound North Carolina product (by dollars) was Mixed freight with $53.7B, followed by Pharmaceuticals ($49.7B) and Machinery ($44.5B).

The following chart shows the share of these products in relation to all outbound North Carolina products.

Domestic Trade Growth

Showing data for North Carolina.

$462B

2020 Value in North Carolina

$926B

Projected 2050 Value in North Carolina

100% growth

In 2020, total outbound North Carolina trade was $462B. This is expected to increase 100% to $926B by 2050.

The following chart shows how the domestic outbound North Carolina trade is projected to change in comparison to its neighboring states.

Interstate Trade

Interstate trade consists of products and services shipped from North Carolina to other states, or from other states to North Carolina.

Most Common Trade Partners

South Carolina
$32.8B
Virginia
$26.1B
Georgia
$18.1B

In 2020, the top outbound North Carolina domestic partner for goods and services (by dollars) was South Carolina with $32.8B, followed by Virginia with $26.1B and Georgia and $18.1B.

The following map shows the amount of trade that North Carolina shares with each state (excluding itself).

Civics

In the 2020 presidential election, the popular vote in Orange County, NC went to Joseph R Biden Jr. with 74.8% of the vote. The runner-up was Donald J. Trump (23.7%), followed by Jo Jorgensen (0.768%).

Thom Tillis and Ted Budd are the senators currently representing the state of North Carolina. In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

North Carolina is currently represented by 14 members in the U.S. house, and members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms.

Presidential Elections

Presidential Popular Vote Over Time

2020 Election Results

Joseph R Biden Jr. (74.8%)
Democratic Party
Donald J. Trump (23.7%)
Republican Party
Jo Jorgensen (0.768%)
Libertarian Party

The following chart shows the popular vote results in Orange County, NC for each registered party from 1976 to 2020.

Senator Elections

US Senators from North Carolina

Senatorial voting results are only available at the state level. Showing data for North Carolina.

Thom Tillis

Senator from North Carolina

Assumed office on January 3, 2015

Ted Budd

Senator from North Carolina

Assumed office on January 3, 2023

Thom Tillis and Ted Budd are the senators currently representing North Carolina.

In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

The following chart shows elected senators in North Carolina over time, excluding special elections, colored by their political party.

US Representative Elections

US Representatives from North Carolina

North Carolina is currently represented by 14 members in the U.S. house.

Members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms, and the following chart shows the how the members for North Carolina have changed over time starting in 2008.

Education

In 2021, universities in Orange County, NC awarded 10,129 degrees. The student population of Orange County, NC in 2021 is skewed towards women, with 25,512 male students and 38,204 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Orange County, NC are White (6,127 and 64.1%), followed by Asian (991 and 10.4%), Hispanic or Latino (781 and 8.17%), and Black or African American (777 and 8.13%).

The largest universities in Orange County, NC by number of degrees awarded are University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (9,948 and 98.2%) and Aveda Institute-Chapel Hill (181 and 1.79%).

The most popular majors in Orange County, NC are Management Science (697 and 6.88%), General Biological Sciences (612 and 6.04%), and Behavioral Sciences (551 and 5.44%).

The median tuition cost in Orange County, NC for a public four year colleges is $7,019 for in-state students and $34,882 for out-of-state students.

Admissions & Enrollments

Applicants, Admissions & Enrolled

University

Measure

In 2021 in Orange County, NC, the percentage of applicants admitted was 20.4%, while the percentage of admitted who enrolled was 45.3%. The number of students enrolled in 2021 was 63,716 (40% men and 60% women).

The line chart shows the evolution of the percentage of applicants admitted, admitted who enrolled or the number of students enrolled according to the option selected in the upper button.

Enrollments by Gender and Races

Universities

In 2021 there were 63,716 students enrolled in Orange County, NC, 40% men and 60% women.

By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in White with 36,236 records, of which 59.4% were women and 40.6% men.

Completions

Concentrations

Most Common

General Biological Sciences
603 degree-majors awarded
Behavioral Sciences
515 degree-majors awarded
Mass Communication & Media Studies
422 degree-majors awarded

In 2021, the most common concentation for Bachelors Degree recipients in Orange County, NC was General Biological Sciences with 603 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of students graduating with a Bachelors Degree from schools in Orange County, NC according to their major.

Universities

Gender

Race

Largest Universities by degrees awarded

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
9,948 degrees awarded
Aveda Institute-Chapel Hill
181 degrees awarded

In 2021, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with 9,948 degrees awarded.

Student Diversity

University

In 2021, 4,117 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Orange County, NC, which is 0.685 times less than the 6,012 female students who received degrees in the same year.

In 2021 the most common race/ethnicity group awarded degrees at institutions was White students. These 6,127 degrees mean that there were 6.18 times more degrees awarded to White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Asian, with 991 degrees awarded.

Awarded Degrees over Time

The graph shows the evolution of awarded degrees by degrees. Under the paragraphs, the average number of awarded degrees by university in each degree is shown.

Tuition

Average Net Price by Sector

Universities

Public, 4-year or above ($7,019) is the sector with the highest median state tuition in 2021.

Public, 4-year or above ($2,009) is the sector with the highest median state fee in 2021.

Public, 4-year or above ($990) is the sector with the highest average net price of books and supplies.

The graph shows the average net price by sector and year.

Working Population

Educational Pyramid

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for North Carolina.

Measure

In 2020, 0.849% of men over 25 years of age had not completed any academic degree (no schooling), while 0.733% of women were in the same situation.

This visualization shows the gender distribution of the population according to the academic level reached.

Educational Attainment

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for North Carolina.

Race

The most common educational levels obtained by the working population in 2020 were High School or Equivalent (2.14M), Some college (1.89M), and Bachelors Degree (1.54M).

This visualization illustrates the percentage distribution of the population according to the highest educational level reached. You can filter the data by race by using the selector above.

Housing & Living

The median property value in Orange County, NC was $331,800 in 2020, which is 1.44 times larger than the national average of $229,800. Between 2019 and 2020 the median property value increased from $308,800 to $331,800, a 7.45% increase. The homeownership rate in Orange County, NC is 63.8%, which is approximately the same as the national average of 64.4%.

People in Orange County, NC have an average commute time of 23.9 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Orange County, NC is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

Median household income in Orange County, NC is $74,803. In 2020, the tract with the highest Median Household Income in Orange County, NC was Census Tract 122.01 with a value of $141,042, followed by Census Tract 112.04 and Census Tract 107.06, with respective values of $138,523 and $128,125.

In 2022, 16.9% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Orange County, NC. From 2014 to 2022, the indicator declined 2.8%.

Housing

Property

$331,800

Median Property Value 2020

±$10,211

$33,950

Median Property Taxes

±$1,206

The following chart display owner-occupied housing units distributed between a series of property tax buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In Orange County, NC the largest share of households pay taxes in the $3k+ range.

The chart underneath the paragraph shows the property taxes in Orange County, NC compared to it's parent and neighbor geographies.

Rent vs Own

63.8%

Homeownership

2020

65%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2020

In 2020, 63.8% of the housing units in Orange County, NC were occupied by their owner. This percentage grew from the previous year's rate of 62.6%.

This chart shows the percentage of owner in Orange County, NC compared it's parent and neighboring geographies.

Equity

Income by Location

Use the dropdown to filter by race/ethnicity.

Race/Ethnicity

Highest Median Household Income (Total)

Census Tract 122.01
Census Tract 112.04
Census Tract 107.06

In 2020, the tract with the highest Median Household Income (Total) in Orange County, NC was Census Tract 122.01 with a value of $141,042, followed by Census Tract 112.04 and Census Tract 107.06, with respective values of $138,523 and $128,125.

The following map shows all of the tracts in Orange County, NC colored by their Median Household Income (Total).

Household Income

Please note that the buckets used in this visualization were not evenly distributed by ACS when publishing the data.

$74,803

Median Household Income

± $2,372

53.2k

Number of Households

± 1,741

In 2020, the median household income of the 53.2k households in Orange County, NC grew to $74,803 from the previous year's value of $71,723.

The following chart displays the households in Orange County, NC distributed between a series of income buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households have an income in the $200k+ range.

Wage Distribution

The closest comparable wage GINI for Orange County, NC is from North Carolina.

0.47

2020 Wage GINI in North Carolina

0.472

2019 Wage GINI in North Carolina

In 2020, the income inequality in North Carolina was 0.47 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.395% decline from 2019 to 2020, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat more even. The GINI for North Carolina was lower than than the national average of 0.478. In other words, wages are distributed more evenly in North Carolina in comparison to the national average.

This chart shows the number of workers in North Carolina across various wage buckets compared to the national average.

Transportation

Commuter Transportation

Most Common Commute in 2020

Drove Alone (64.8%)
Worked At Home (13.8%)
Carpooled (6.64%)

In 2020, 64.8% of workers in Orange County, NC drove alone to work, followed by those who worked at home (13.8%) and those who carpooled to work (6.64%).

The following chart shows the number of households using each mode of transportation over time, using a logarithmic scale on the y-axis to help better show variations in the smaller means of commuting.

Commute Time

23.9 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Orange County, NC have a shorter commute time (23.9 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.9 minutes). Additionally, 1.26% of the workforce in Orange County, NC have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

The chart below shows how the median household income in Orange County, NC compares to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Car Ownership

2 cars

Average Number

The following chart displays the households in Orange County, NC distributed between a series of car ownership buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households in Orange County, NC have 2 cars.

Poverty

Severe Housing Problems

In 2022, 16.9% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Orange County, NC. From 2014 to 2022, the indicator declined 2.8%.

The graph shows the trend of the percentage of the population living with severe housing problems.

Poverty & Diversity

13.4% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Orange County, NC (17.6k out of 132k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is higher than the national average of 12.8%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 18 - 24, followed by Males 18 - 24 and then Females 25 - 34.

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Orange County, NC is White, followed by Black and Hispanic.

The Census Bureau uses a set of money income thresholds that vary by family size and composition to determine who classifies as impoverished. If a family's total income is less than the family's threshold than that family and every individual in it is considered to be living in poverty.

Children in Poverty

In 2022, 8.7% of the children was living in poverty in Orange County, NC. From 2014 to 2022, the indicator declined 6.6%.

The graph shows the trend of the percentage of the children living in poverty.

Social Needs

Data only available at the state level.

Most prevalent states

California
35,798 individuals
New York
5,087 individuals
Florida
4,915 individuals

In 2017, California had the highest estimated number of chronically homeless individuals in the nation, at 35,798. New York has the second highest (5,087), followed by Florida (4,915).

The following map shows the estimated number of chronically homeless individuals by state over multiple years.

Security

Crimes & Accidents

Indicator

In 2022, the number of reported violent crimes offenses per 100,000 population was 160 in Orange County, NC. From 2014 to 2022, the indicator declined 20.8 per 100,000 population.

The graph shows the trend in the number of reported violent crimes offenses per 100,000 population.

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Health

93.3% of the population of Orange County, NC has health coverage, with 57.7% on employee plans, 7.15% on Medicaid, 10.7% on Medicare, 16.8% on non-group plans, and 0.999% on military or VA plans.

Per capita personal health care spending in North Carolina was $7,264 in 2014. This is a 3.37% increase from the previous year ($7,027).

Primary care physicians in Orange County, NC see 532 patients per year on average, which represents a 0.188% decrease from the previous year (533 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 442 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 141 patients per year.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 46.6% were men and 53.4% were women.

Coverage

Patient to Clinician Ratios

532 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Orange County, NC

Primary care physicians in Orange County, NC see an average of 532 patients per year. This represents a 0.188% decrease from the previous year (533 patients).

The following chart shows how the number of patients seen by primary care physicians has been changing over time in Orange County, NC in comparison to its neighboring geographies.

Health Care Diversity

In 2020, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 22.3% under 18 years, 27.7% between 18 and 34 years, 36% between 35 and 64 years, and 14% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 46.6% were men and 53.4% were women.

The following chart shows the number of people with health coverage by gender.

Uninsured People

6.67%

Uninsured

57.7%

Employer Coverage

7.15%

Medicaid

10.7%

Medicare

16.8%

Non-Group

0.999%

Military or VA

Between 2019 and 2020, the percent of uninsured citizens in Orange County, NC declined by 4.67% from 7% to 6.67%.

The following chart shows how the percent of uninsured individuals in Orange County, NC changed over time compared with the percent of individuals enrolled in various types of health insurance.

Health Indicators

Health Outcomes

Indicator

In 2022, the number of deaths among residents under age 18 per 100,000 population was 45.5 in Orange County, NC.

The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in Orange County, NC.

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Health Behaviors

Indicator

In 2022, the percentage of the adult population (age 18 and older) that reports a body mass index (BMI) greater than or equal to 30 kg/m2 (age-adjusted) was 29.8% in Orange County, NC.

The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in Orange County, NC.

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