Hillsborough is a town in Orange County, North Carolina, home to about 9,724 people across 5.7 square miles. Its ZIP code is 27278.
Homes sold for a median of $235 per square foot in the three months ending August 2026, a seller’s market.
Each card is that ZIP code’s whole market, including any part outside Hillsborough. Seller’s market: under 4 months of supply; buyer’s market: over 6. Methodology
We’re writing up Hillsborough’s story and what everyday life there is like, for people thinking about moving in.
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| Nearest major airport | Raleigh-Durham International Airport (RDU)22 miles away |
|---|---|
| Nearest city of 250,000+ | Durham, NC13 miles away |
| Nearest city of 1 million+ | Philadelphia, PA347 miles away |
Straight-line distances from the center of Hillsborough; driving is longer.
Source: Airports from OurAirports (scheduled passenger service); city centers and populations from the U.S. Census Bureau.
Source: Members of Congress from the congress-legislators project; districts from the Census Bureau’s relationship files; governor and mayor from Wikidata.
Hillsborough had 9,660 residents in the 2020 census, up 77% since 2000.
It’s the 100th largest of 771 towns in North Carolina by population.
Orange County grew from 14,690 residents in 1900 to 148,696 in 2020.
Orange County, 1900–2020
Source: U.S. Census Bureau decennial censuses (counties 1900–1990 from the Bureau’s historical county file).
Average highs peak around 88°F in summer, and winter lows average 30°F. About 46.7 inches of rain and melted snow fall in a typical year.
Source: NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals, Durham 11 W, NC weather station (7 miles away).
51,807 jobs at 3,491 businesses in Orange County. The biggest industries by employees:
Source: U.S. Census Bureau County Business Patterns 2023 (private employers; jobs counted where people work).
324 doctors and other health care providers list an office in Hillsborough.
Nearest hospitals
Providers with an office here
| Primary care doctors | 30 |
|---|---|
| Specialist doctors | 20 |
| Dentists | 15 |
| Nurse practitioners and physician assistants | 56 |
| Mental health providers | 107 |
| Physical and occupational therapists | 88 |
| Optometrists | 4 |
| Chiropractors | 4 |
| Pharmacies | 8 |
Source: Hospitals from CMS Hospital General Information (ratings are CMS overall star ratings); straight-line distances; providers from the CMS National Plan and Provider Enumeration System (NPPES), by practice address and primary specialty.
Parks (12 nearby)
Grocery stores (6 nearby)
Pharmacies (1 nearby)
Libraries (1 nearby)
Museums (1 nearby)
Counts are within about 2 miles of the center of town.
Source: Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors (openstreetmap.org/copyright), as mapped by volunteers; it can miss places or include closed ones.
Established in 1754.
Notable people born here
Source: Wikidata (wikidata.org), the free knowledge base; people are listed by place of birth.
Public schools here are run by Orange County Schools, Eno River Academy, The Expedition School. Check each district’s attendance zones for a specific address.
| School | Grades | Students | Type | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Central ElementaryHillsborough | Pre-K–5 | 261 | Public | 1.3 mi |
| Grady Brown ElementaryHillsborough | Pre-K–5 | 406 | Public | 2.6 mi |
| Hillsborough ElementaryHillsborough | Pre-K–5 | 435 | Public | 1.1 mi |
| Pathways ElementaryHillsborough | Pre-K–5 | 371 | Public | 2.5 mi |
| River Park ElementaryHillsborough | Pre-K–5 | 523 | Public | 0.2 mi |
| Eno River AcademyHillsborough | K–12 | 828 | Charter | 2.1 mi |
| The Expedition SchoolHillsborough | K–8 | 380 | Charter | 1.3 mi |
| A L Stanback MiddleHillsborough | 6–8 | 648 | Public | 3.4 mi |
| Orange MiddleHillsborough | 6–8 | 514 | Public | 1.0 mi |
| Cedar Ridge HighHillsborough | 9–12 | 1,148 | Public | 2.4 mi |
| Orange HighHillsborough | 9–12 | 1,161 | Public | 1.2 mi |
| Partnership AcademyHillsborough | 9–12 | 40 | Alternative Education | 1.0 mi |
| School | Grades | Students | Affiliation | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hillsborough Christian AcademyHillsborough | Pre-K–9 | 103 | Christian (no specific denomination) | 0.8 mi |
| Durham Nativity SchoolDurham | 5–8 | 44 | Nonsectarian | 12.1 mi |
Source: U.S. Department of Education, NCES: Common Core of Data (2024-2025) for public schools; Private School Universe Survey (2023-2024) for private schools. Listed by address; we don’t rate schools.
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Town boundaries don’t always match ZIP codes: a ZIP code can cross into neighboring towns, and a town can share a ZIP code with its neighbors. Facts describe the town itself; market figures describe whole ZIP codes.