ZIP Code · NC

ZIP 27517

Part of Chapel Hill, NC

Pop. 29,564·Orange County·114th most expensive ZIP in North Carolina

Median rent (all units)

$1,669/mo

Year-over-Year

+3.0%

Month-over-Month

+1.1%

vs US Median

-$263

Reported rents

Rising (Monthly)

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Most AffordableMost Expensive

ZIP 27517 · $1,669

More affordable than 60% of US ZIP codes · National median $1,932/mo

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Compare your rent to the local median.

Medians by bedroom

Rent by unit size

Studio

$1,610

1 BR

$1,700

2 BR

$1,940

3 BR

$2,420

4 BR+

$2,900

Research median

$1,940/mo

Bedroom estimates are gross rents that include essential utilities (electricity, water, gas, sewer, trash).

Rent trends

12-month history

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Last updated: October 17, 2026

From the history

What the numbers show

Cheapest month to sign

December. Asking rents in ZIP 27517 usually run 2.2% below trend in December and 1.8% above it in June, about $67 a month apart at today's median. Based on 5 years of data.

Compared with the peak

Rent in ZIP 27517 is at its highest level since Zillow's records here began in February 2021.

Past year vs. the rest of North Carolina

Rent in ZIP 27517 changed +3.0% over the year to September 2026. Across the 190 North Carolina ZIP codes Zillow tracks, the typical change was +2.6%.

Recent direction

Rent has risen 5 months in a row, and rose in 6 of the last 12 months.

What a typical income covers

30% of the median household income ($128,683) is $3,217 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 4-bedroom ($2,900).

Cheaper nearby

ZIP 27707, 8 miles away, rents for 13% less ($1,458/mo), about $2,500 a year in savings.

From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for ZIP 27517. The seasonal pattern compares Zillow’s seasonally adjusted and unadjusted series. Income is the Census median household income (5-year estimates). Fair Market Rents are HUD’s, which include utilities.

Annual cost

$20,028/yr

At $1,669/mo median

Location

CityChapel Hill

StateNC

CountyOrange County

Rent Market Meter

Landlord's Market

Renter's MarketBalancedLandlord's Market

Rents are climbing (3.0% YoY), so leverage tilts toward landlords. Act sooner rather than later.

Based on rent-price momentum (+3.0% YoY, +1.1% MoM), not inventory.

Demographics

Who lives here

ZIP 27517 (Chapel Hill, NC) is majority owner-occupied, has a large retiree population, has a median income above the national average, 74.1% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

Population

29,564

Median income

$128,683

Median age

43.4

Renters

32.6%

Age distribution

19%

20.8%

22%

13.5%

24.7%

Under 1819%

18–3420.8%

35–5422%

55–6413.5%

65+24.7%

Gender

49.4%

50.6%

Male49.4%

Female50.6%

Race & ethnicity

70.3%

White70.3%

Black9.6%

Hispanic11.6%

Asian6%

Other2.5%

Education (25+)

13.2%

74.1%

No HS diploma5.4%

HS diploma7.3%

Some college13.2%

Bachelor's+74.1%

Housing tenure

67.4%

32.6%

Owner67.4%

Renter32.6%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates

2021 vs 2026

How ZIP 27517 in Chapel Hill, NC has changed in 5 years

Rent

$1,292 → $1,669

up 29.2%

Income

$111,295 → $128,683

up 15.6%

Population

26,352 → 29,564

up 12.2%

Renter share

31.6% → 32.6%

+1.0 pts

Bachelor's+

77.3% → 74.1%

-3.2 pts

Median age

43.9 → 43.4

-0.5 yrs

Across the past five years, the going rent in ZIP 27517 in Chapel Hill, NC has shifted from $1,292 to $1,669, up 29.2% since 2021. Median household income climbed from $111,295 to $128,683 between 2021 and 2024, a 15.6% shift. Because rent grew faster than wages over the same span, the affordability picture has tightened relative to 2021. Census counts show ZIP 27517 in Chapel Hill, NC adding about 3,212 residents over the five-year window, up 12.2% on net. Bachelor's-degree-or-higher attainment moved from 77.3% to 74.1% across the same window. Taken together, the five-year picture in ZIP 27517 in Chapel Hill, NC reflects how housing costs and the people paying them have evolved through a stretch that included a pandemic, a hot rental market, and a recent cooling phase.

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About renting in ZIP 27517

Last updated: October 17, 2026

ZIP code 27517 covers Chapel Hill, NC. The median rent here is $1,669/mo as of October 2026. A 1-bedroom rents for a median of $1,700/mo. A 2-bedroom rents for a median of $1,940/mo.

At 16% of local median household income ($128,683/yr), ZIP 27517 ranks as affordable compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 3.0% over the past year.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

How much income do you need to rent in ZIP 27517?

To keep rent at or below 30% of gross income, you would need to earn at least $67,000/year (about $32/hour full-time) to afford the median rent of $1,669/mo in ZIP 27517. The local median household income is $128,683/yr, so the typical household meets that bar.

Is rent going up or down in ZIP 27517?

Rent in ZIP 27517 has risen 3.0% over the past year as of September 2026. That is the highest level since Zillow's records here began in February 2021.

When is the cheapest time to rent in ZIP 27517?

Asking rents in ZIP 27517 are usually lowest in December, about 2.2% below their yearly trend, and highest in June, about 1.8% above it. At today's median that is a gap of roughly $67 a month. This pattern comes from 5 years of Zillow rent data.

How does ZIP 27517 compare to other ZIPs in North Carolina?

ZIP 27517 is in the middle among North Carolina ZIP codes for rent, ranking #114 of 230 at $1,669/mo. Over the year to September 2026, rent in ZIP 27517 changed +3.0%, against a typical +2.6% across the 190 North Carolina ZIP codes Zillow tracks.