Orange County, North Carolina
Among the top 3% of US counties for getting around.
AffordabilityAffordability: grade D, better than 14% of US counties
WeatherWeather: grade D, better than 17% of US counties
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade D, better than 17% of US counties
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade A+, better than 97% of US counties
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade A, better than 90% of US counties
- top 5% for broadband access
- top 5% for airport distance
- bottom 4% for cost of living
Orange County is a county in North Carolina with about 146,000 residents. It grades A+ for getting around and D for affordability. Standout strengths include broadband access, airport distance, and walkability. It rates lower on monthly owner costs and cost of living.
Official websiteorangecountync.gov (opens in new tab)
Climate
Hot, humid summers · Cool winters · Moderate rain · Light snow
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62%51%clearovercast
Precipitation 4.4 in3.4 in
muggy 96%dry
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$86k92nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$64kbetter than 4% of US counties
Home Value$396k95th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$1kbetter than 8% of US counties
Monthly Owner Costs$2kbetter than 7% of US counties
Property Tax Rate1.00%better than 40% of US counties
Income Tax4.50%better than 62% of US counties
Sales Tax7.00%better than 61% of US counties
Estimated total tax burden11.41%better than 21% of US counties
Unemployment3.9%better than 67% of US counties
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)41°F69th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)79°F60th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation47.3 in63rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall2.9 inbetter than 69% of US counties
Sunny Days194 daysbetter than 13% of US counties
Summer Humidity69°Fbetter than 27% of US counties
Comfortable Days80 daysbetter than 52% of US counties
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk79.1better than 20% of US counties
School Quality57.4better than 55% of US counties
Violent Crime1257/100kbetter than 23% of US counties
Property Crime1920/100kbetter than 16% of US counties
Community
Population145,91986th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age36.213th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.4673rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio0.927th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningD+522nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)68.5%33rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)10.6%77th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)8.7%69th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)7.8%98th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)4.3%70th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time24 minbetter than 54% of US counties
Walkability9.8/20better than 92% of US counties
Airport Distance21 mibetter than 95% of US counties
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access92.4%better than 95% of US counties
Amenities Nearby3.91better than 61% of US counties
Park & Nature AccessGoodbetter than 64% of US counties
Frequently asked questions
- Is Orange County an affordable place to live?
- Orange County is relatively expensive. Its cost-of-living index is $64k, better than 4% of comparable areas.
- What is the median home value in Orange County?
- The median home value in Orange County is $396k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- What is the median household income in Orange County?
- Median household income in Orange County is $86k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- How much is rent in Orange County?
- Median gross rent in Orange County is $1k a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Is Orange County safe?
- Orange County is higher-crime than most comparable areas, with a violent crime rate of 1257/100k (better than 23%). Property crime is 1920/100k.
- What is the weather like in Orange County?
- Orange County averages 79°F in July and 41°F in January, with 47.3 in of annual precipitation and about 194 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in Orange County?
- Public-school quality in Orange County is about average, scoring better than 55% of comparable areas on a composite of graduation rates, spending, and student-teacher ratio.
- How long is the commute in Orange County?
- The average one-way commute in Orange County is 24 min.
Other counties in North Carolina
Explore North Carolina
Data sources
- EPA Smart Location Database
- EPI Family Budget Calculator
- FAA airport enplanements
- FBI Uniform Crime Reports
- FEMA National Risk Index
- MIT Election Data Lab (2020)
- NCES School Finance Survey
- NOAA Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA nClimGrid
- OpenStreetMap
- Tax Foundation + state revenue depts
- U.S. Census ACS (5-Year)
- USGS Protected Areas (PAD-US)