HomeNorth CarolinaChatham County
Chatham County, North Carolina: commercial real estate data.
Chatham County, North Carolina had an estimated 83,874 residents on July 1, 2024, up 10.0 percent since the 2020 census base of 76,255, across 682 square miles. County output reached $2.92 bn in 2024, 1,719 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 71 7(a) approvals worth $60.1 m since FY2020.
Underlined figures are computed by MMCG Analytics, not published by the agency.
Chatham County
How many people live in Chatham County
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202480,151
- Households33,004
- Average household size2.43
- Median household income$94,317
- Median age47.6
- Median gross rent$1,180 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$446,200
- Home value to household income4.7 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income15.0 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher48.9 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree23.2 percent
- Adults 25 and over59,347
- Population under 1815,516
- Share under 1819.4 percent
- Population 65 and over20,191
- Share 65 and over25.2 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 6444,444
- Civilian labor force38,899
- Unemployment rate2.9 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over60.2 percent
- Rank by population among North Carolina counties35th of 100
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents, Puerto Rico included727th of 3,222
Chatham County is the 35th largest of 100 North Carolina counties by population. A median home costs 4.7 times median household income, which is seriously unaffordable by national standards. Residents 65 and over outnumber those under 18, at 25.2 percent against 19.4 percent, which points demand at health care, services and single story product rather than schools.
US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Chatham County
Is Chatham County's population growing?
- Population, July 1, 202483,874
- Census 2020 base population76,255
- Population change since the 2020 census base9.99 percent
- Population change, 2023 to 20241,882
- Births, 2024718
- Deaths, 2024851
- Natural change, 2024-133
- Net domestic migration, 20241,555
- Net international migration, 2024457
- Total net migration, 20242,012
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 20246,721
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents148th of 3,144
The county has grown 9.99 percent since the 2020 census base. Deaths exceeded births in 2024 and the population still grew, so all of the growth came from people moving in. A market held up by migration is more sensitive to a change in relative cost than one growing from household formation.
US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
Chatham County
Where are people moving to Chatham County from?
- Tax returns filed by households arriving2,843
- People arriving, from those returns5,502
- Tax returns filed by households leaving2,316
- Net household movement527
- Adjusted gross income arriving$427.6 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$178.5 m
- Average income of an arriving household$150,396
- Average income of a leaving household$107,553
- Largest single originWake County (654 households)
- Largest single destinationWake County (369 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wake County | 654 | 1,354 | $97.2 m |
| Orange County | 290 | 547 | $43.2 m |
| Durham County | 258 | 455 | $37.1 m |
| Lee County | 101 | 188 | $4.7 m |
| Randolph County | 68 | 126 | $3.0 m |
| Alamance County | 58 | 89 | $3.7 m |
| Guilford County | 53 | 83 | $2.7 m |
| Harnett County | 43 | 82 | $2.4 m |
Households arriving report $42,843 more average income than households leaving, so the migration is raising local spending power rather than just moving it around. The largest single source of arrivals is Wake County, which is the catchment a retail or multifamily study should look at first.
US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Chatham County
What is the Chatham County economy?
- County GDP, 2024$2.92 bn
- County GDP, 2023$2.80 bn
- GDP change, 2023 to 20244.1 percent
- GDP change over five years50.7 percent
- Rank by GDP among the North Carolina areas BEA publishes44th of 100
- Rank by GDP among the US county areas BEA publishes997th of 3,127
- GDP per resident$36,424
Output grew 4.1 percent in the latest year and 50.7 percent over five, which is the trend line a lender will read behind any single year figure.
US Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional, table CAGDP2, CAGDP2, through 2024.
Chatham County
Employment by industry in Chatham County
- Covered employment, annual average18,540
- Establishments reporting2,182
- Average annual pay$51,876
- Average weekly wage$998
- Health care and social assistance, employment2,869
- Health care and social assistance, average annual pay$46,503
- Accommodation and food services, employment1,941
- Accommodation and food services, average annual pay$23,220
- Construction, employment1,882
- Construction, average annual pay$60,491
- Retail trade, employment1,805
- Retail trade, average annual pay$33,170
- Manufacturing, employment1,660
- Administrative and support and waste management services, employment1,176
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Health care and social assistance | 2,869 | 204 | $46,503 |
| Accommodation and food services | 1,941 | 122 | $23,220 |
| Construction | 1,882 | 260 | $60,491 |
| Retail trade | 1,805 | 176 | $33,170 |
| Manufacturing | 1,660 | 80 | $57,967 |
| Administrative and support and waste management services | 1,176 | 146 | $51,267 |
| Professional, scientific and technical services | 1,034 | 376 | $86,389 |
| Other services, except public administration | 800 | 212 | $45,457 |
Health care and social assistance is the largest private sector at 2,869 jobs, 15.5 percent of covered employment.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Chatham County
How many businesses are in Chatham County?
- Establishments, all industries1,719
- Employment at those establishments17,432
- Annual payroll$762.4 m
- Establishments per 1,000 residents21.4
These are counts of establishments physically operating in the county, not listings, so they are the supply side a feasibility study measures demand against. County Business Patterns counts private establishments with paid employees in March 2023, while the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages above counts every unemployment-insured employer, public ones included, as a 2024 annual average, so the two establishment and employment counts differ.
US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
Chatham County
Building permits in Chatham County
- Housing units authorized by permit, 2024465
- Declared construction value permitted$246.1 m
- Single family units authorized465
- Multifamily units authorized0
- Multifamily share of units0.0 percent
- Average declared value per unit$529,253
- Units authorized per 1,000 households14.1
Single-family homes are 100.0 percent of units authorized, so the pipeline is predominantly single-family.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
Chatham County
SBA loans in Chatham County (7(a) and 504)
- 7(a) approvals recorded71
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$60.1 m
- Average 7(a) approval$846,986
- Median 7(a) approval$350,000
- 10th percentile approval$74,700
- 90th percentile approval$2,632,800
- Largest single approval$5,000,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)721
- Jobs per approval10.2
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active35
- Distinct industries receiving approvals45
- Median 7(a) term120 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer18.3 percent
- Loans on real estate terms13
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter46
- Franchise loans11
- Franchise share of approvals15.5 percent
- Leading industry by approval countAll Other Personal Services (5)
- Most active lenderLive Oak Banking Company (7)
- 504 approvals recorded16
- 504 gross approval dollars$7.5 m
- Average 504 approval$469,000
- Median 504 approval$327,000
- Distinct CDCs active3
- 504 jobs per approval8.1
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved17.3
- Most active CDCBusiness Expansion Funding Corporation (12)
- Combined SBA approval dollars, 7(a) FY2020 to FY2026 and 504 FY2010 to FY2026$67.6 m
The average approval of $846,986 sits well above the median of $350,000, pulled up by a few larger deals, so the median is the better guide to what a typical borrower here gets. Only 18.3 percent of approvals run on real estate terms, so SBA credit here is mostly working capital and equipment rather than property acquisition.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30. US Small Business Administration, 504 FOIA release, FY2010 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Chatham County
SBA loan default and charge-off rates in Chatham County
Do SBA loans in Chatham County get paid back?
- Loans with a final outcome recorded11
- Paid in full11
- Charged off0
- Status: Exempt from disclosure46
- Status: Cancelled10
- Status: Paid in full11
- Status: Committed, not yet disbursed4
Only 11 loans have reached a final outcome, fewer than the 30 a charge-off rate needs, so no rate is published.
Compare against the national and state SBA charge-off rates, computed the same way over resolved loans only.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Chatham County
SBA lending by place in Chatham County
- Borrower cities with recorded lending11
- Pittsboro, approvals24
- Chapel Hill, approvals18
- Siler City, approvals9
- Moncure, approvals4
- Apex, approvals4
- Goldston, approvals3
| Borrower city | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| Pittsboro | 24 | $12,832,000 |
| Chapel Hill | 18 | $11,736,600 |
| Siler City | 9 | $8,748,700 |
| Moncure | 4 | $9,100,000 |
| Apex | 4 | $6,111,000 |
| Goldston | 3 | $1,050,000 |
| Sanford | 3 | $919,700 |
| Bear Creek | 2 | $5,025,000 |
| 3 other borrower cities | 4 | $4,613,000 |
Pittsboro accounts for 24 approvals against 18 in Chapel Hill. County level figures average over that gap, which is why a site decision is made at the submarket rather than the county.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Chatham County
How large is Chatham County?
- Land area682 sq mi
- Rank by land area among North Carolina counties18th of 100
- Width, east to west36.5 mi
- Height, north to south25 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary8
- Residents per square mile of land118
- Establishments per square mile2.52
US Census Bureau county boundary geometry, TIGER, adjacency computed from shared boundary vertices, TIGER county boundaries. US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year. US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
Chatham County
Flood risk in Chatham County
- Participation of the county's own NFIP community Chatham County, unincorporated areasParticipating, community 370299
- Communities in the county in the NFIP Community Status Book5
- Of those, participating in the NFIP5
- NFIP participation rate100.0 percent
- Best Community Rating System class in the county A lower CRS class is a larger flood insurance premium discount.Class 7
- Communities carrying a CRS class1
- Radon levels in Chatham County, EPA zone predicted average indoor radon screening level less than 2 pCi/LZone 3
The county's own community in the status book, unincorporated Chatham County (community 370299), participates in the National Flood Insurance Program and carries no Community Rating System class, so no CRS premium discount applies there. The EPA places Chatham County in radon zone 3, a predicted average indoor radon screening level less than 2 pCi/L. The zone is a screening prediction for the county and does not substitute for a test at an address. The best Community Rating System class among the county's communities is 7, which carries a flood insurance premium discount for policies written in that community. 100.0 percent of the county's listed communities participate in the National Flood Insurance Program, per Federal Emergency Management Agency, NFIP Community Status Book (OpenFEMA), as of 2026-09-26.
Federal Emergency Management Agency, NFIP Community Status Book (OpenFEMA), as of 2026-09-26. US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001.
Coverage
What this page does not hold.
Traffic counts, zoning and the flood zone at an address are not on this page; they resolve at the address in the platform. How this page was built →
Feasibility studies
When a Chatham County site needs a document a lender will accept.
The same data layer behind this page is the one the studies are written from. A study for a Chatham County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202480,151
- Households33,004
- Average household size2.43
- Median household income$94,317
- Median age47.6
Common questions
Chatham County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Chatham County, North Carolina?
The Census Bureau estimates 83,874 residents on July 1, 2024 (US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024). The American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimate is 80,151, in 33,004 households, ranking 35th of 100 North Carolina counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Chatham County's population growing?
The population has grown 9.99 percent since the 2020 census base of 76,255, to 83,874 on July 1, 2024. In 2024 there were 718 births against 851 deaths, with net migration of 2,012. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Chatham County?
$94,317. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $446,200, which is 4.7 times income, and median gross rent is $1,180 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are in Chatham County?
1,719 establishments, employing 17,432 people with an annual payroll of $762.4 m. These are establishments physically operating in the county, not listings. Source: US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
What is employment by industry in Chatham County?
Health care and social assistance is the largest private sector at 2,869 jobs, 15.5 percent of covered employment. Covered employment averages 18,540 jobs at an average annual pay of $51,876, or $998 a week. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Chatham County?
71 7(a) approvals totaling $60.1 m since FY2020, across 35 lenders, with a median approval of $350,000, plus 16 504 approvals worth $7.5 m since FY2010. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
How many building permits were issued in Chatham County?
465 housing units were authorized by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $246.1 m. Multifamily was 0.0 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Chatham County?
Zone 3, a predicted average indoor radon screening level less than 2 pCi/L. Source: US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001.
Where do people moving to Chatham County come from?
The largest single origin is Wake County, with 654 households. Arriving households report an average income of $150,396 against $107,553 for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for Chatham County on this page?
No. Annual average daily traffic resolves in the platform rather than in this dataset, so no AADT figure is printed here. It is a gap we know about rather than a figure we estimated.
Is zoning published for Chatham County?
No. Nothing on this page presents parcel level zoning, and where a statutory framework applies it is marked as the statewide frame, to be confirmed locally.
Chatham County
Cities and places in Chatham.
13 Census places lie wholly or partly in Chatham County. All 13 carry enough published place level data for a page of their own and are linked.
| Place | Type | Population | SBA 7(a) approvals, projects in this county | Lies in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cary | town | 179,306 | None recorded | 3.3 percent here, 96.6 percent Wake County |
| Apex | town | 70,630 | 4 | 2.2 percent here, 97.8 percent Wake County |
| Siler City | town | 7,995 | 9 | Wholly in this county |
| Briar Chapel | CDP | 6,049 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Pittsboro | town | 4,752 | 24 | Wholly in this county |
| Fearrington Village | CDP | 2,356 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Governors Village | CDP | 2,295 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Governors Club | CDP | 1,787 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Moncure | CDP | 1,039 | 4 | Wholly in this county |
| Carolina Meadows | CDP | 555 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Goldston | town | 379 | 3 | Wholly in this county |
| Bennett | CDP | 262 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Gulf | CDP | 178 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
A further 27 of the county's 71 SBA 7(a) approvals are to borrowers in cities that match no Census place in Chatham County, the largest being Chapel Hill (18), Sanford (3), Bear Creek (2). Those are postal cities, unincorporated areas and cities outside the county, so no place row claims them; they are counted in the county total above.