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Old Orange County Courthouse, Hillsborough, NC
North Carolina›Orange County
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HillsboroughNC

Photo: Leah Rucker · CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo of Hillsborough

Hillsborough, NC · Photo: Leah Rucker · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Source ↗

Population
9,778
2025 Census estimate · +1.3% since 2020
Typical home
$461K
−2.9% in a year
Household income
$98K
median
Median age
42.5
years
Jobs based here
6,684
Balanced
TownGrade
C
#159 of 286 in NC

Is Hillsborough a good place to live?

Hillsborough grades C overall, 159th of 286 graded towns in North Carolina, with clear strengths and some subjects that lag. CDC estimates put its residents' health ahead of 84% of the country. On the other side, its crime rate is higher than 91% of U.S. towns, with 19 violent crimes reported to the FBI in 2025. 61% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor’s degree or more in Hillsborough, above both North Carolina’s towns (29%) and U.S. towns (29%). On cost of living, just 20 of North Carolina’s 450 towns do worse. Its National Register listings include Nash-Hooper House and Old Orange County Courthouse.

StrongestAHistoryACivic lifeA−HealthWeakestDSafetyDCost of living

What makes Hillsborough stand out

Where Hillsborough beats most towns, and one thing worth knowing.

Nash-Hooper House
HistoryA
Settled in 1754
19 places on the National Register
A history going back 272 years.

Community nonprofits per 1,000 residents

Hillsborough5.2
Typical U.S. town3.7
Typical NC town3.4
Civic lifeA
56% more nonprofits per person
than the typical North Carolina town
Charities, civic groups and human services; churches not counted.

Violent crime per 1,000 residents

Hillsborough1.9
North Carolina3.3
U.S.3.3
Worth knowing · SafetyD
42% less violent crime than NC
FBI data, 2025. Crimes reported to police.
Nash-Hooper House
Nash-Hooper House · National Register of Historic Places
Hillsborough’s story

272 years in pictures

Nash-Hooper House is a National Historic Landmark, the National Register’s top tier. Its founding year, 1754, comes before those of 97% of the North Carolina towns we grade with a known year.

Census counts: 474 in 1800, 9,660 in 2020. The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 1815 and 3 maps from 1968 on.

19 places on the National Register of Historic Places.

  • 1754Hillsborough is settled
Explore the history →

How Hillsborough grades

Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within North Carolina), ordered by how far Hillsborough is from typical.

How grading works

SafetyDOpen →Cost of livingDOpen →HealthDuke University Hospital 10.2 miles awayA−Open →Jobs & income$98K median household incomeB+Open →WalkabilityEPA walkability 8.5 of 20; 5.3% of households have no car; 1.9% of workers walk, bike or ride transitB+Open →Hazard riskFEMA risk higher than 48% of U.S. communities; inland flooding tops the listB−Open →SchoolsB−Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Outdoors6 miles of trails; 4% conserved landB+Open →History12 notable people born hereAOpen →Civic life5.2 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsAOpen →
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
Climate–Open →Housing market25 days on market–Open →Who lives hereMedian age 42.5–Open →

How TownRatings grades towns →

Nearby attractions

Kenan Memorial Stadium and 29 more within 40 miles

Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Hillsborough. Close and well known come first.

All 38 attractions →
12 mi Stadium & arenaKenan Memorial Stadium28 mi Stadium & arenaLenovo Center29 mi Stadium & arenaCarter–Finley Stadium8 mi LandmarkBennett Place State Historic Site13 mi Stadium & arenaDean Smith Center28 mi Stadium & arenaWakeMed Soccer Park
Sources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits

Kenan Memorial Stadium: Yeungb, CC BY 3.0 · Lenovo Center: Edward T. Funkhouser, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Carter–Finley Stadium: SMaloney, CC BY 3.0 · Bennett Place State Historic Site: Ildar Sagdejev (Specious), CC BY-SA 4.0 · Dean Smith Center: No machine-readable author provided. Snargle~commonswiki assumed (based on copyr, Public domain · WakeMed Soccer Park: Hameltion, CC BY-SA 4.0

Getting set up

Moving to Hillsborough: who provides what

Who provides power, water and the rest in Hillsborough, and how to reach them.

The full setup list →
PowerPiedmont Electric Member15.6¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterTown of Hillsborough water systemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet6 providers99% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Hillsborough’s trash rules yet
SchoolsOrange County SchoolsWhich school depends on your addressNCES
Register to voteOnlineIn North Carolina you can register online until 25 days before Election Day, in person with same-day registration during the early voting period, or by mail (postmarked 25 days before).vote.gov
Who runs elections hereOrange County Board of ElectionsOrange County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, May 2019
ZIP code2727827278 100%Census 2020

EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.

The data

Ordered by what stands out in Hillsborough.

Hillsborough has seen reported crime fall by a third or more and has an unusually large share working from home, but it has property taxes about twice the North Carolina norm.

OutdoorsB+

4.1% of Hillsborough is conserved land

5.7 miles of trail in 7 parks and preserves. The trail density in Hillsborough is 1.0 miles per square mile. The biggest park or preserve is Eno River State Park, at 95 acres.

#30for trails in NC
HillsboroughNorth Carolina townsU.S. towns
Miles of trail per square mile1.0 miles per square mile0.20.4
Conserved land4.1%3.4%4.3%
4.1%
conserved · 153 of 3,721 acres
5.7 mi
of trails · 1 per sq mi
Biggest places to walkTrailsAcres
1. Historic Occoneechee Speedway2.5 mi51
2. Cates Creek Park0.3 mi16
3. Eno River State Park—95
Full pageHillsborough’s outdoors pageOpen the page
Trail map5.7 miles of trail, mappedPick a walk2.5 miles of trail · Historic Occoneechee SpeedwayConserved land4.1% conserved · 153 acres protectedQuestions“Where can I hike in Hillsborough?”

Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US

SchoolsB−

On state tests, Hillsborough’s schools beat 50% of North Carolina districts

Its public schools are run by the Orange County Schools. Three of its 6 schools are below, each with why it’s listed. The largest public high school is Eno River Academy, with 828 students.

50%of NC districts it outscoresB−School Grade
SchoolLevelStudentsLetter
River Park ElementaryLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–5Grades PK–5523B
Eno River AcademyLargest public high schoolGrades K–12Grades K–12828A
The Expedition SchoolTop results in townGrades K–8Grades K–8380A+
Full pageHillsborough’s schools pageOpen the page
The districtsOrange County SchoolsEvery school6 schools · Eno River AcademyQuestions“Are Hillsborough’s schools good?”

NCES · EDFacts · graded within NC on state tests and graduation

SafetyD

Hillsborough earns a D for safety

Reported crimes fell from 483 to 287 over the last three FBI years, a drop beyond ordinary year-to-year swings.

Hillsborough’s property crime rate is 27.3 per 1,000 residents. Hillsborough reports more crime per resident than most U.S. towns we grade: about 91% report less. Within North Carolina, it does better than 31% of towns.

9%of U.S. towns report more crimeDSafety Grade
HillsboroughNorth Carolina townsU.S. towns
Property crimes per 1,000 (2025)27.3 per 1,000 residents21.89.9
Violent crimes per 1,000 (2025)1.9 per 1,000 residents3.21.6

Violent crime per 1,000 residents

Hillsborough1.9
North Carolina3.3
U.S.3.3

Property crime per 1,000 residents

Hillsborough27.3
North Carolina18.2
U.S.15.5
9th
percentile among U.S. towns we grade
31st
percentile among NC towns
19
violent crimes reported in 2025
268
property crimes reported in 2025
Full pageHillsborough’s safety reportOpen the page
Violent crime by type1.9 violent crimes per 1,000Crime over the yearsDown since 2023Questions“Is Hillsborough, NC safe?”

FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police

HealthA−

Hillsborough earns an A− for health

11% of Hillsborough adults report frequent physical distress. Hillsborough beats the North Carolina average on 10 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 0. 31% of Hillsborough adults sleep under 7 hours.

84%healthier than U.S. townsA−Health Grade
HillsboroughNorth Carolina townsU.S. towns
Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES)11%13%14%
Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES)31%34%36%
Get no exercise (CDC PLACES)20%24%25%
Obesity (CDC PLACES)32%36%35%
32 measures vs. North Carolina
10 better22 too close to call0 worse
What stands outHillsboroughNC
Fewer older adults who have lost all their teeth9.6%13.9%
Fewer adults facing food insecurity12.2%15.2%
Duke University Hospital
10.2 mi away · emergency room
None
primary care, dental or mental-health shortage
80th
percentile among NC towns
Full pageHillsborough’s health reportOpen the page
Everyday habitsFewer adults who get no exerciseHospitals & doctors nearby10.2 miles to an ER · Duke University HospitalHow adults are doingFewer adults in fair or poor healthEvery CDC estimateBetter than NC on 10 of 32

CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA

HousingCost of living grade D

Hillsborough’s typical home value is about $461K

The median property tax bill is $4,759, against $1,896 across North Carolina, another input to its cost-of-living grade.

The typical Hillsborough home is worth about $461,000, down 2.9% in a year, 39% above the North Carolina typical home.

$461KZillow home value
HillsboroughNorth Carolina townsU.S. towns
Median rent$1,368 a month$1,084 a month$1,185 a month
Households that own their home64%67%73%

Typical home value

Hillsborough$461K
North Carolina$332K
Market temperature
BalancedA seller's marketBuyer’sSeller’s
25
days on market
98.2%
sale-to-list price
−2.9%
value change, 1 year
13
homes sold in May
Full pageHillsborough’s housing & cost-of-living pageOpen the page
Prices over the yearsDown 2.9% in a yearYears of income to buyA typical home costs 4.7 years of incomeRents$1,368 a month · Median rent

Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center

Climate

In Hillsborough, expect mild winters and hot summers

Hillsborough has mild winters and warm summers. July afternoons reach 89°, January nights drop to 29° and about 3 inches of snow falls in a winter.

3″snow a winter

Typical low → high °F

Winter31–52°
Spring46–70°
Summer66–87°
Fall48–71°
Nov 4
typical first frost
Mar 31
typical last frost
+1.0°
vs. the 20th-century average
Full pageHillsborough’s climate pageOpen the page
A year of weatherJuly highs 89°, January lows 29°Rain & snow3″ of snow a winter · 47 inches of rain and snow a yearHeating & coolingBoth heating and coolingThen and now+1.0° vs. the 20th century · Warmer than the 20th-century average

NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020

Work & commuteJobs & income grade B+

With 1.5 jobs for every working resident, Hillsborough draws in 6,322 commuters

29.2% of workers work from home, against 16.3% across North Carolina.

Most working residents leave Hillsborough for work: only 8% work in town. Since 2013, Hillsborough has added 1,364 jobs, to 6,684 in 2023. The top destinations are Durham (26%), Chapel Hill (12%) and Raleigh (10%).

8%work in town
HillsboroughNorth Carolina townsU.S. towns
Median household income$98,000$69,000$80,000
Average trip to work22 minutes24 minutes25 minutes
Below the poverty line8%13%9.6%

Where working residents work

In Hillsborough8%
Durham26%
Chapel Hill12%
Raleigh10%
Charlotte3%
14 mi
median commute distance
6,684
jobs based in Hillsborough
Balanced
jobs vs. working residents
B+
Walkability grade: more walkable than 70% of U.S. towns
Full pageHillsborough’s work & commute pageOpen the page
The jobs here6,684 jobs based here · BalancedWhere people work8% work in HillsboroughCommute times22 minutes · The average commuteHow far they goHalf commute less than 14 miles

Census LEHD 2023 · ACS

Natural hazardsHazard risk grade B−

Moderate risk in Hillsborough, with inland flooding at the top

Expected storm and flood damage is lower than in 52% of U.S. communities. Since 1996, 9 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Hillsborough.

48risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
48Moderate riskLowerHigher
Inland floodingTornadoesHurricanes
9
paid flood claims since 1996
6
federal disasters paid out here
Full pageHillsborough’s hazards pageOpen the page
What it facesModerate riskFlood claimsSince 1996Past disasters6 federal disasters · Paid out in HillsboroughGet ready1.3 events a year, on average · Ready for inland flooding

FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA

Keep exploring

Everything we know about Hillsborough

20pages on Hillsborough
The big questions
SchoolsB−Beat 50% of NC districts · 6 schoolsSafetyD1.9 violent crimes per 1,000 residents (2025)HealthA−Better than NC on 10 of 32 CDC measuresCost of livingD$461K typical home · down 2.9% in a yearWork & commuteB+$98K median household income · 6,684 jobs hereNatural hazardsB−FEMA risk higher than 48% of U.S. communities · inland flooding
Out and about
OutdoorsB+6 mi of trails · 4% conserved landPlacesAttractions38 nearby · Bennett Place State Historic Site 8 miLibraryAOrange County Public LibraryCollegesWatts College of Nursing is 9.4 mi away
The story
HistoryASettled 1754 · 19 on the National RegisterFamous people12 born in HillsboroughTown Hall & politicsOne full-time town employee per 100 residentsClimate89° summer highs · 3″ of snow
Day to day
News2 recent stories about HillsboroughWeatherHandbookZIP code 27278Town SquareNeighbors
After high school

Colleges nearby

6 within 15 miles of the center of Hillsborough

Watts College of NursingUniversity or college · Private nonprofit · Durham9.4 miUniversity of North Carolina at Chapel HillUniversity or college · Public · Chapel Hill11.8 mi$8,994 in-state tuitionDurham Technical Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · Durham14 mi$1,986 in-state tuition

About 5 of every 100 Hillsborough residents are enrolled in college, about the same as North Carolina.

Prices by family income, graduation and earnings →

A growing town

Hillsborough has grown 61% since 2010

6,087 counted in 2010 and 9,660 in 2020; an estimated 9,778 in 2025.

6,0872010
9,6602020
9,7782025 est.

U.S. Census 2010 & 2020 counts · Census Bureau estimate, July 1, 2025

Landmarks

19 places in Hillsborough on the National Register of Historic Places.

All landmarks →
Nash-Hooper HouseNational Historic Landmark
Burwell SchoolBuilt 1837
Hazel-Nash House
Eagle Lodge

Famous people from Hillsborough

12 notable people were born in Hillsborough.

See all 12 →
Thomas Hart BentonState Senator from Tennessee, Senator and U.S. Representative from Missouri · 1782–1858
Logan PauseAmerican soccer player · born 1981
Shepperd StrudwickAmerican actor · 1907–1983
K
Kenneth Lewis AndersonLawyer, the fourth and last Vice President of the Republic of Texas · 1805–1845
Alexander Hawkins GrahamAmerican politician · 1890–1977
Alfred Moore WaddellLawyer and American military officer · 1834–1912

About Hillsborough

Town in North Carolina, United States

Official town website ↗

The town of Hillsborough is the county seat of Orange County, North Carolina, United States, and is located along the Eno River. The population was 9,660 as of the 2020 census. Its name was unofficially shortened to "Hillsboro" during the 19th century. In the late 1960s, residents voted to change the name back to its original, historic spelling.

From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)

Established
1754
Area
4.6 sq mi
Elevation
10 ft
ZIP code
27278
Area code
919

Questions about Hillsborough

Short answers, built from the data on this page.

Is Hillsborough, NC a good place to live?

Hillsborough grades C overall, better than 29% of U.S. towns and #159 of 286 in North Carolina. It grades A− for health, D for safety and B− for schools. Safety is its weak spot, with a D.

Is Hillsborough, NC safe?

Within North Carolina, it does better than 31% of towns.

Is Hillsborough, NC expensive?

Yes. That is 5.5 years of the area's median household income ($83,500 across the Durham-Chapel Hill, NC metro area). Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades D.

What is Hillsborough, NC known for?

12 notable people were born here, including Thomas Hart Benton and Logan Pause.