Richest ZIP codes in Orange County, NC
These are the 11 ZIP codes in Orange County with the highest median household income, out of 11 with at least 1,000 residents. 27517 (Chapel Hill, $128,683), 27516 (Chapel Hill, $106,353) and 27278 (Hillsborough, $105,887) lead the list. There is no single "best" ZIP code in Orange County; the right one depends on who you want to reach, so the same ZIP codes are ranked several ways below.
Richest ZIP codes in Orange County
| Rank | ZIP | Mailing city | Median household income | Residents | Households | Residential mailboxes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 27517 | Chapel Hill | $128,683 ±$8,805 | 29,564 | 12,608 | 14,923 |
| 2 | 27516 | Chapel Hill | $106,353 ±$7,545 | 47,358 | 17,503 | 18,931 |
| 3 | 27278 | Hillsborough | $105,887 ±$10,295 | 27,925 | 11,533 | 12,881 |
| 4 | 27514 | Chapel Hill | $92,875 ±$5,592 | 32,951 | 10,347 | 12,912 |
| 5 | 27572 | Rougemont | $90,724 ±$19,584 | 6,131 | 2,489 | 3,049 |
| 6 | 27243 | Efland | $84,348 ±$17,423 | 5,677 | 2,138 | 1,928 |
| 7 | 27302 | Mebane | $79,819 ±$6,168 | 35,418 | 14,223 | 16,678 |
| 8 | 27541 | Hurdle Mills | $75,305 ±$19,723 | 3,399 | 1,438 | 1,736 |
| 9 | 27705 | Durham | $73,066 ±$6,602 | 49,923 | 22,678 | 24,444 |
| 10 | 27231 | Cedar Grove | $64,471 ±$15,654 | 2,331 | 991 | 923 |
| 11 | 27510 | Carrboro | $61,837 ±$7,169 | 13,868 | 7,038 | 7,539 |
How we ranked them
Ranked by median household income (ACS 5-year estimates, 2020–2024). The Census Bureau caps published medians at $250,000; ZIP codes at the cap are shown as $250,000+ and ordered by population. ZIP codes need at least 1,000 residents to be ranked; 11 of 12 qualify.
Which of these to mail, and why
Higher-income ZIP codes suit offers with a bigger ticket: remodeling, pools, roofing, financial planning, private schools, premium dining. A median describes the middle household, not every door, so the routes inside each ZIP still vary.
The top five ZIP codes on this list hold 54,480 households, on 101 carrier routes with 62,696 residential mailboxes. Open any of them on the route map to see each carrier route's own figures before you choose.
Open 27517 on the EDDM route map
More rankings
- ZIP codes with the highest home values in Orange County
- ZIP codes with the highest homeownership in Orange County
- ZIP codes with the most families with kids in Orange County
- ZIP codes with the most new movers in Orange County
- Youngest ZIP codes in Orange County
- Oldest ZIP codes in Orange County
- Fastest-growing ZIP codes in Orange County
- All Orange County ZIP codes
Businesses that mail these ZIP codes
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EDDM guides
Frequently asked questions
- Which ZIP code in Orange County has the highest median household income?
- 27517 (Chapel Hill), at $128,683 (±$8,805), among 11 ZIP codes with at least 1,000 residents.
- How is this ranking calculated?
- Ranked by median household income (ACS 5-year estimates, 2020–2024). The Census Bureau caps published medians at $250,000; ZIP codes at the cap are shown as $250,000+ and ordered by population.
- Why are some ZIP codes missing?
- ZIP codes with fewer than 1,000 residents are left out because their survey estimates swing too much to rank, and so are ZIP codes where the Census Bureau did not publish this figure.
This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.