Orange County, North Carolina Demographics
Population trends, housing costs, income, commuting, and health, all on one page.
Orange County, NC Population Density Map and Area Scores
Area Score
Health, income and education, each graded from F to A+. Explore interactive maps for deeper analysis.
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A
Health Above averageHealthiest county in North Carolina
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B
Income Around averageWealthier than 94% of counties in North Carolina
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A+
Education Top gradeBest educated county in North Carolina
Source: Map AI Methodology
Population: density and quick facts
| Metric | Orange County | North Carolina Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 149,658 | 10,724,323 | 337,468,954 |
| Population density (per sq mi) | 373.3 | 199.1 | 86.4 |
| Population growth (%/yr) | 0.86% | 0.97% | 0.59% |
| Median age | 37.0 | 37.7 | 37.3 |
| Households | 57,324 | 4,279,225 | 130,235,071 |
Population in Orange County grew by 20.2% from 2009 to 2024, reaching 149,658 in 2024.
Population Growth 2009–2024
Race & Ethnicity
Age & Sex
The largest generation in Orange County is Gen Z, aged 13–28, at 30.4% of residents. That is 8.5 points above North Carolina as a whole.
- Gen Z 13–28 45,496 30.4% +8.5 pts
- Millennials 29–44 27,947 18.7% -2.7 pts
- Gen X 45–60 29,905 20.0% -0.6 pts
- Boomers 61–79 22,459 15.0% -2.0 pts
Residents by birth cohort, from the 2025 age distribution. The right-hand figure is how far each cohort's share sits above or below North Carolina, in percentage points. Children younger than Gen Z and the generations before the Boomers are counted in the population but not shown here, so these shares do not add up to 100%.
Male and female share
Women are 52.1% of the people living in Orange County and men 47.9%.
- Women 52.1% North Carolina 51.1%
- Men 47.9% North Carolina 48.9%
How many residents match a customer profile?
Residents matching this profile
100% of everyone living in Orange County
Pick an age range and a women/men split and the figure above answers with how many residents that profile reaches.
Economy
Orange County has a the economy index of B, which means it is quite prosperous.
| Metric | Orange County | North Carolina Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $88,923 | $72,438 | $80,455 |
| Income growth (%/yr) | 4.75% | 5.20% | 4.80% |
| Unemployment rate | 3.6% | 4.6% | 5.2% |
The median household income in Orange County is about 23% higher than in North Carolina.
Housing
| Metric | Orange County | North Carolina Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $271,999 | $278,288 | $248,835 |
| Median rent | $1,495 | $1,227 | $1,407 |
| Homeownership rate | 63.8% | 66.6% | 65.2% |
The median home price in Orange County is about 15.2 years' worth of rent — buying at the median price costs roughly as much as paying the median rent of $1,495 per month for that long.
Commute Time & Mobility
Commuters in Orange County spend about 43 minutes on the road round trip each working day. Over a typical 250-day work year, that adds up to roughly 178 hours, about 7.4 full days, spent commuting.
| Metric | Orange County | North Carolina Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-way commute (min) | 21.4 | 21.9 | 22.4 |
| Round-trip commute (min) | 42.8 | 43.7 | 44.8 |
| Yearly time spent (hours) | 178 | 182 | 187 |
| Estimated yearly cost | $5,528 | $5,645 | $5,790 |
| Work from home | 26.8% | 16.3% | 15.0% |
| Highway traffic (vehicles/day) | 13,752 | 8,330 | 8,813 |
| Local road traffic (vehicles/day) | 2,074 | 1,609 | 1,355 |
Fastest commutes among counties in
North Carolina:
Macon County (17.2 min), Watauga County (17.2 min), Dare County (17.4 min).
Slowest:
Gates County (35.9 min), Currituck County (33.9 min), Tyrrell County (33.6 min).
The average commute time in Orange County is 21 minutes, shorter than the 22 minutes in North Carolina.
Estimated yearly cost applies a single national wage rule of thumb (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics average hourly earnings), not a measurement of wages in this area. Traffic volume figures come from proprietary Ticon and TrafficZoom data.
Education & Households
Orange County has a education index of A+, which means it is exceptionally educated.
| Metric | Orange County | North Carolina Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 52.3% | 31.1% | 31.6% |
| Average household size | 2.40 | 2.44 | 2.53 |
Highest education index among counties in
North Carolina:
Orange County (0.5), Wake County (0.4), Durham County (0.4).
Lowest:
Hyde County (0.2), Greene County (0.2), Tyrrell County (0.2).
Health
Orange County has a health index of A, which means it is very healthy.
| Metric | Orange County | North Carolina Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy (years) | 79.8 | 77.1 | 78.3 |
| Self-rated poor health | 9.6% | 16.8% | 16.3% |
| Smokers | 12.6% | 20.7% | 19.0% |
Highest health index among counties in
North Carolina:
Orange County (0.8), Wake County (0.8), Watauga County (0.8).
Lowest:
Robeson County (0.8), Lenoir County (0.8), Halifax County (0.8).
Orange County, NC Compared With Nearby Counties
Orange County, NC is the 3rd largest of the 6 counties compared here, 149,658 residents against a local median of 80,150. The measure that sets Orange County, NC apart most is median household income: $88,923, 34% above the local median of $66,483. That is the better end of the local range on this measure.
Commute tells the same story from another angle: 21.4 min against a local median of 26.7 min, 20% below it. Every measure here with a clear better direction points the same way, so Orange County, NC is not trading one advantage for another, it reads stronger than its neighbours across the board. The counties themselves spread $34,032 on median household income, so Orange County, NC sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Orange County, NC has the 2nd highest median household income of the 6 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Median home price | Commute |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Orange County, NC | 149,658 | $88,923 #2/6 | $271,999 #4/6 | 21.4 min #2/6 |
| Durham County, NC | 331,707 | $84,826 | $290,354 | 20.6 min |
| Alamance County, NC | 176,834 | $66,483 | $238,268 | 22.6 min |
| Person County, NC | 39,541 | $64,160 | $2,026,786 | 28.3 min |
| Chatham County, NC | 80,150 | $93,685 | $194,860 | 26.7 min |
| Caswell County, NC | 22,375 | $59,654 | $311,572 | 28.9 min |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Orange County, North Carolina.
How big is Orange County, North Carolina by population?
About 149,658 people live in Orange County, North Carolina, in 57,324 households of 2.4 people on average. The median age is 37.0, close to the U.S. median of 37.3.
How densely populated is Orange County, North Carolina?
Averaged over its land area, Orange County, North Carolina has 373 people per square mile, a density typical of a mix of suburbs, small towns and farmland. That is about 4.3 times the U.S. average of 86.
Can a typical household afford a home in Orange County, North Carolina?
The median home costs 3.1 times the median household income ($271,999 against $88,923), compared with 3.1 times nationally. A ratio of about 3 is traditionally considered affordable. Median rent of $1,495 a month takes about 20% of the median household's income, below the 30% level at which HUD considers renters cost-burdened.
Is it hard to find a job in Orange County, North Carolina?
Unemployment in Orange County, North Carolina is only 3.6%, well below the U.S. rate of 5.2%, a sign of a tight labor market where employers compete for workers.
How educated are people in Orange County, North Carolina?
52.3% of adults in Orange County, North Carolina hold a bachelor's degree or higher (about 5 in 10), well above the U.S. share of 31.6%.
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