Rent by ZIP code in Chapel Hill
| ZIP code | County | Typical rent | vs city median |
|---|---|---|---|
| 27516 | Orange County | $2,197 | +32% |
| 27517 | Orange County | $1,663 | 0% |
| 27514 | Orange County | $1,559 | -6% |
Rent by bedroom count in Chapel Hill
Zillow's index above blends every unit size into one number. For a bedroom level view, these are HUD's FY2027 Fair Market Rents for Orange County. They include utilities and sit near the 40th percentile of the market, so treat them as the low side of what a typical unit lists for.
| Unit size | FY2027 Fair Market Rent | Change from FY2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Studio | $1,498 | +5.7% |
| 1 bedroom | $1,554 | +3.1% |
| 2 bedroom | $1,745 | +2.0% |
| 3 bedroom | $2,161 | +2.1% |
| 4 bedroom | $2,486 | -1.6% |
Source: HUD Fair Market Rents. Updates when HUD publishes a new fiscal year.
Is rent going up or down in Chapel Hill?
Typical rent across Orange County is $1,615 as of August 2026. That is up 0.6% from a year earlier and up 21.9% over five years.
| Year | Typical rent, Orange County | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | $1,372 | +10.5% |
| 2022 | $1,506 | +9.8% |
| 2023 | $1,540 | +2.2% |
| 2024 | $1,573 | +2.1% |
| 2025 | $1,621 | +3.0% |
| 2026 (through August) | $1,615 | -0.4% |
Zillow Observed Rent Index for the county, all home types, last published month of each year. Each row is compared with the end of the year before it.
Chapel Hill rent questions
- What is the average rent in Chapel Hill, NC?
- Typical asking rent in Chapel Hill is $1,663 a month as of July 2026, across 3 ZIP codes. By ZIP code it runs from $1,559 to $2,197.
- How much is rent for a 2 bedroom in Chapel Hill?
- HUD's FY2027 Fair Market Rent for a two bedroom in Orange County is $1,745 a month including utilities. A one bedroom is $1,554 and a three bedroom is $2,161. Fair Market Rent is set near the 40th percentile, so a typical unit lists somewhat higher.
- Is rent going up or down in Chapel Hill?
- Rent is rising. Typical rent in Orange County is $1,615 as of August 2026, up 0.6% from a year earlier.
- What is the cheapest ZIP code to rent in Chapel Hill?
- ZIP 27514 has the lowest typical asking rent in Chapel Hill at $1,559 a month, compared with $1,663 for the city overall.
- How much income do you need to rent in Chapel Hill?
- Most landlords look for gross income of about three times the rent. At the typical Chapel Hill rent of $1,663, that is about $4,989 a month, or $59,868 a year. This is a common screening rule of thumb, and individual landlords set their own.
How to use these numbers
These are Zillow Observed Rent Index values, a smoothed measure of typical asking rent for single family homes, condos, and apartments in each ZIP code. They describe what units are listed for, not what any specific unit will get. Condition, bedroom count, and the exact block all move the number.
If you are underwriting a purchase, use the ZIP figure rather than the city median, and then verify against live listings for the same bedroom count before you commit. Chapel Hill sits in the Durham-Chapel Hill, NC metro area.