Orange County is a county in North Carolina, United States, home to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. It had a population of 148,696 at the 2020 census and covers 401 square miles (1,040 km2), of which 398 square miles (1,030 km2) is land, centred near 36°04′N 79°09′W.
Hillsborough is the county seat, and its postal code is 27278. The county has three incorporated municipalities — two cities and one town — plus a partial share of a fourth municipality, alongside a dozen or so unincorporated communities. Orange County sits in the Eastern time zone and carries FIPS code 37-135.
Towns & Villages in Orange County
Orange County’s population is concentrated in three municipalities: Chapel Hill, Carrboro and the county seat, Hillsborough. Mebane straddles the Orange–Alamance county line, with most of its population and its town hall on the Alamance side. The rest of the county is unincorporated crossroads communities and rural subdivisions. CDP = Census-Designated Place (unincorporated, statistically tracked); Unincorp. = no formal boundary or 2020 census count of its own.
| Place | Type | Pop. | ZIP |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chapel Hill | City | 61,960 | 27514, 27516, 27517 |
| Carrboro | Town | 21,090 | 27510 |
| Hillsborough | Town · seat | 7,776 | 27278 |
| Mebane (partial) | City | — | 27302 |
| Efland | CDP | 1,352 | 27243 |
| Cedar Grove | Unincorp. | — | 27231 |
| White Cross | Unincorp. | — | 27516 |
| Calvander | Unincorp. | — | 27516 |
| New Hope | Unincorp. | — | 27516 |
| Eno | Unincorp. | — | 27278 |
| Carr | Unincorp. | — | 27278 |
| Teer | Unincorp. | — | 27278 |
| McDade | Unincorp. | — | 27278 |
| Bingham | Unincorp. | — | 27302 |
Dozens of subdivision names sit inside Chapel Hill and Carrboro’s ETJ (extraterritorial jurisdiction) and Census-tracked footprint — places such as Glen Lennox, Southbridge, Sedgefield, Ridgefield, Colony Woods and Timberlyne are neighborhoods of Chapel Hill or Carrboro rather than separate settlements, and are not tabled separately here.
ZIP Codes
- 27278 — Hillsborough (also serves Eno, Carr, Teer, McDade)
- 27514, 27515, 27516, 27517 — Chapel Hill (27516 also serves White Cross, Calvander, New Hope)
- 27510 — Carrboro
- 27243 — Efland
- 27231 — Cedar Grove
- 27302 — Mebane (also serves Bingham)
Most unincorporated communities use the ZIP of their nearest post office town rather than a code of their own.
Geography
Orange County lies in the Piedmont, a rolling landscape of clay hills and hardwood forest between the Blue Ridge and the coastal plain. The Eno River crosses the county’s north-central section, and University Lake and Cane Creek Reservoir supply drinking water to Chapel Hill and Carrboro. Elevations run from roughly 350 feet along the Eno to over 800 feet in the northwest.
Orange County borders Caswell County to the north, Person County to the northeast, Durham County to the east, Chatham County to the south, and Alamance County to the west.
Demographics
Orange County had 148,696 residents at the 2020 census, of whom the great majority live in Chapel Hill (61,960) and Carrboro (21,090). Median household income runs well above the North Carolina median of $70,804, driven by the county’s concentration of university, hospital and research employment. Population density is roughly 373 people per square mile, among the densest counties in the state outside the immediate Charlotte and Raleigh metros.
Economy & Local Life
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and UNC Health are the county’s largest employers by far, followed by Orange County Schools and the town and county governments themselves. Research Triangle Park lies just east across the Durham County line and draws a share of the county’s commuters. Downtown Chapel Hill’s Franklin Street and downtown Carrboro’s Weaver Street Market anchor a dense restaurant and small-business scene tied to the university calendar; downtown Hillsborough has built a reputation around its concentration of published authors and independent bookshops.
History
Orange County was formed in 1752 from parts of Bladen, Granville and Johnston counties and named for William IV, Prince of Orange. It originally covered a much larger area of central North Carolina before Wake, Chatham, Caswell, Person, Alamance and Durham counties were carved from it over the following century and a half. Hillsborough, laid out in 1754, served briefly as the seat of the colonial and early state government and hosted the 1788 convention that debated ratification of the U.S. Constitution. The university at Chapel Hill, chartered in 1789, is the oldest public university in the United States to enroll students.
Getting There
Interstate 40 and Interstate 85 both cross the county, meeting near Hillsborough, with U.S. 15-501 running through Chapel Hill and Carrboro.
- Durham — 12 miles east
- Raleigh — 30 miles southeast
- Greensboro — 45 miles west
- Burlington — 20 miles west
Raleigh-Durham International Airport, about 20 miles from Chapel Hill, is the nearest commercial airport.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Orange County, North Carolina?
In the Piedmont region of central North Carolina, between Durham and Alamance counties, roughly 30 miles northwest of Raleigh.
What is the population of Orange County?
148,696 at the 2020 census.
How big is Orange County?
401 square miles (1,040 km2), of which 398 square miles is land.
What is the county seat of Orange County?
Hillsborough is the county seat.
How many towns are in Orange County?
Three incorporated municipalities — Chapel Hill, Carrboro and Hillsborough — plus a partial share of Mebane and about a dozen unincorporated communities.
What ZIP codes are in Orange County?
Main ZIPs include 27278 (Hillsborough), 27514/27516/27517 (Chapel Hill), 27510 (Carrboro), 27243 (Efland) and 27231 (Cedar Grove).
What university is in Orange County?
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, the flagship campus of the UNC System and the country’s oldest public university.
More counties in this state: Towns and villages in North Carolina.