Chapel Hill
About Chapel Hill, NC
With a population of a little over 60,000, Chapel Hill is a cozy little college town that many consider an ideal place to live. Chapel Hill still has a downhome vibe, but with an eclectic touch.
Many Chapel Hill residents work in the medical profession, technology sector, and for the University of North Carolina. Nearby Durham and Research Triangle Park also offer a plethora of job opportunities in many industries. Research hospitals, UNC-Chapel Hill and Duke have nationally recognized medical schools as well as studies in other fields.
Chapel Hill has a higher cost of living ratio than Raleigh and Durham; however, the close proximity to the medical campuses brings many who move here for medical jobs or to live near these hospitals. Home values and household income outperform the state averages.
Chapel Hill is located 25 miles from the capital city of Raleigh and you can easily access I-40, Durham, the RTP, along with some beautiful scenery along the way.
History and Culture in Chapel Hill, NC
Chapel Hill was established in 1793 with the town center being Franklin Street. You’ll find many buildings and districts of Chapel Hill listed on the National Register of Historic Places with the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill being one. The university and UNC Health Care are the biggest employers for residents of Chapel Hill. Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina is also one of the major employers in town.
The town is actually divided up among three counties: Chatham, Durham, and primarily Orange.
Even though Chapel Hill has grown over the years, you can still appreciate the small-town vibe of the community.
Chapel Hill is noted for its thriving art scene. You’ll find many murals on downtown buildings and there are plenty of street festivals like Festifall in which you can take part. These fairs and festivals offer handmade goods from artists and crafts makers from all over North Carolina. Performing artists love to call Chapel Hill home for its numerous fairs and groups that cater to art lovers.
If you want to get stars in your eyes, check out the popular Morehead Planetarium which has been open since 1949 and is one of six planetariums in the USA. It’s also one of the town’s crowning landmarks. Astronauts actually trained there during the Apollo program.
Dining and Recreation in Chapel Hill, NC
Chapel Hill is a hot spot for diverse cuisine options. In Chapel Hill, you’ll find restaurants serving savory fare from a variety of cuisine types such as French, Southern/American, seafood, Italian, Chinese, Japanese, Mexican, and, of course, BBQ. If soul food is what you’re craving, try the famous Mama Dips on W. Rosemary Street. In fact, Chapel Hill is a bit famous on the food television circuit. Mama Dip’s and Caffè Driade was featured on Food Network’s “$40 a Day with Rachel Ray.”
For outdoor recreation, check out the biking and walking trails of Bolin Creek Trail, Dry Creek Trail, Morgan Creek Trail, Tanyard Branch Trail, and Battle Branch Trail. Try some indoor rock climbing at the Chapel Hill Community Center. They have swimming pools and indoor basketball courts, too. There are about 16 parks and public spaces in Chapel Hill.
UNC-Chapel Hill is also the home to the Tarheels, which have had a proud sports history and tradition. Year in and year out, the Tarheels are competing at the highest levels in basketball, football, baseball, soccer, field hockey among other sports.
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