Orange County vs Rowan County
A side-by-side comparison of Orange County and Rowan County: population, income, housing, and more.
Orange County and Rowan County are counties in North Carolina. This page compares them across population, income, housing, education, commuting, and how each has changed since 2019.
Rowan County has the higher population (148,487 vs 147,292 in Orange County). Orange County has the higher median household income ($88,553 vs $63,196 in Rowan County). Orange County has the higher median home value ($428,500 vs $216,100 in Rowan County).
Population, income & housing
| Orange County | Rowan County | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 147,292 | 148,487 |
| Median age | 36.2 yrs | 40.5 yrs |
| Median household income | $88,553 | $63,196 |
| Median home value | $428,500 | $216,100 |
| Median gross rent | $1,387 | $990 |
| Housing units | 62,127 | 64,263 |
| Homeownership rate | 64.2% | 71.2% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 61.8% | 21.5% |
| Unemployment rate | 3.6% | 5.9% |
Trends (ACS 5-year, 2019–2023)
| Orange County | Rowan County | |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 144,836 → 147,292 (+1.7%) | 140,296 → 148,487 (+5.8%) |
| Median household income | $71,723 → $88,553 (+23.5%) | $49,842 → $63,196 (+26.8%) |
| Median home value | $308,800 → $428,500 (+38.8%) | $136,400 → $216,100 (+58.4%) |
| Median gross rent | $1,093 → $1,387 (+26.9%) | $772 → $990 (+28.2%) |
Orange County
144,836147,292
$71,723$88,553
$308,800$428,500
$1,093$1,387
Rowan County
140,296148,487
$49,842$63,196
$136,400$216,100
$772$990
Age & race/ethnicity
Age distribution (share)
| Orange County | Rowan County | |
|---|---|---|
| Under 5 | 4.2% | 5.6% |
| 5 to 17 | 15.2% | 16.7% |
| 18 to 24 | 17.3% | 8.7% |
| 25 to 34 | 11.9% | 12.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 11.6% | 11.8% |
| 45 to 54 | 12.4% | 13.0% |
| 55 to 64 | 11.9% | 14.0% |
| 65 to 74 | 9.8% | 10.7% |
| 75 and over | 5.9% | 6.9% |
Race & ethnicity (share)
| Orange County | Rowan County | |
|---|---|---|
| White (non-Hispanic) | 66.8% | 68.5% |
| Black or African American | 10.2% | 15.4% |
| American Indian & Alaska Native | 0.3% | 0.1% |
| Asian | 7.9% | 1.0% |
| Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander | 0.0% | 0.1% |
| Some other race | 0.4% | 0.3% |
| Two or more races | 3.9% | 3.4% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 10.6% | 11.3% |
Educational attainment (age 25+)
Share of adults 25+
| Orange County | Rowan County | |
|---|---|---|
| No high school diploma | 6.8% | 11.9% |
| High school graduate | 12.6% | 32.3% |
| Some college or associate's | 18.8% | 34.2% |
| Bachelor's degree | 27.5% | 14.9% |
| Graduate or professional degree | 34.3% | 6.6% |
Commute to work
How workers get to work (share)
| Orange County | Rowan County | |
|---|---|---|
| Drove alone | 57.7% | 79.5% |
| Carpooled | 6.7% | 9.9% |
| Public transit | 4.2% | 0.3% |
| Walked | 4.0% | 1.0% |
| Bicycle | 1.8% | 0.3% |
| Worked from home | 24.2% | 7.8% |
| Other means | 1.4% | 1.3% |
Housing
Units in structure (share)
| Orange County | Rowan County | |
|---|---|---|
| 1-unit, detached | 59.6% | 70.5% |
| 1-unit, attached | 7.8% | 1.3% |
| 2 to 4 units | 4.6% | 5.4% |
| 5 to 19 units | 12.3% | 5.2% |
| 20 or more units | 9.5% | 1.5% |
| Mobile home & other | 6.1% | 16.1% |
Poverty & households
| Orange County | Rowan County | |
|---|---|---|
| Poverty rate | 12.4% | 15.8% |
| Average household size | 2.40 | 2.50 |
| Mean commute (minutes) | 24 | 26 |
| Median year structure built | 1989 | 1982 |
Full profiles
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