Carrboro, NC
Census place 3710620 · pop 21,204
Sales & income are statewide.
The breakdown — worst first
U.S. median 0.43 · worse than most cities
Gini 0.52 (0 = equal, 1 = unequal) · Gini index of household income (0 = equal, 1 = unequal).
U.S. median 67.2% · worse than most cities
43.5% own their home · Share of occupied homes that are owner-occupied.
U.S. median $214,900 · worse than most cities
$539,400 median home value · Median home value — how expensive it is to buy in. Higher = less affordable.
U.S. median +2.4% · worse than most cities
-0.1% population change (5yr) · 5-year population change — are people moving in, or fleeing?
U.S. median 0.99% · worse than most cities
1.28% of home value paid in property tax · Median real-estate taxes paid as a share of home value.
U.S. median 12.1% · worse than most cities
12.2% live in poverty · Share of residents living below the federal poverty line.
U.S. median 24 min · better than most cities
23 min average one-way commute · Average one-way commute to work, in minutes.
U.S. median $67,857 · better than most cities
$85,743 median household income · Median household income — a proxy for local economic health.
U.S. median $1,756/mo · better than most cities
$1,497/mo typical rent · Typical monthly rent (Zillow Observed Rent Index, all home types).
U.S. median 9.3% · better than most cities
7.6% of adults · Adults 18–64 without health insurance.
U.S. median 77/100 · better than most cities
73/100 FEMA risk (higher = riskier) · FEMA National Risk Index — wildfire, flood, earthquake, heat and more. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median 17.4% · better than most cities
15.2% of adults · Adults reporting frequent poor mental health (14+ days a month).
U.S. median 3.6% · better than most cities
3.0% unemployment · Share of the labor force out of work. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median 90.0% · better than most cities
95.1% of homes have broadband · Share of households with a broadband internet subscription.
U.S. median 36.5% · better than most cities
28.0% of adults · Share of adults with obesity (BMI ≥ 30).
U.S. median 14.6% · better than most cities
8.5% of adults · Share of adults who currently smoke.
U.S. median 26.5% · better than most cities
15.9% of adults · Adults with no leisure-time physical activity.
U.S. median 24.3% · better than most cities
69.9% have a bachelor's degree or higher · Share of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher.
Not measured for Carrboro: Crime, Air, Bad air, Property crime. Not every public source covers every city — EPA air monitors and Zillow rent only reach some places, and national crime data is still being added.
Frequently asked
- Is Carrboro, NC a good place to live?
- By the numbers, Carrboro scores 61/100 — a C (Meh) on Shcity, which ranks U.S. cities on public data across 18 metrics like crime, cost, jobs and health. Its strongest area is bachelor's degree or higher and its weakest is income inequality. North Carolina overall ranks #16 of 50 states. Whether it's "good" depends on what you value — re-weight the factors to score it your way.
- Is Carrboro, NC expensive to live in?
- Carrboro has a median home value of $539,400 and typical rent around $1,497/mo — pricier than most U.S. cities.
- What's the biggest downside of living in Carrboro, NC?
- Its weakest measured area is income inequality (0.52) — 7/100, worse than most U.S. cities.
- What is Carrboro, NC best at?
- Its strongest measured area is bachelor's degree or higher (69.9%) — 96/100, better than most U.S. cities.
Sources: U.S. Census (ACS), CDC PLACES, FBI Crime Data Explorer, BLS, EPA AirData, FEMA National Risk Index, and Zillow.