The Town FilesBriar Chapel, North Carolina
Community in Chatham County · population 5,108 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $570,300
- Household income
- $166,063
- Jan low / Jul high
- 29° / 90°
- Snow a year
- 3 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 6
- Median age
- 42.0
Briar Chapel is a community of 5,108 people in Chatham County, North Carolina. The median home is worth $570,300, above the typical North Carolina town ($228,900). It ranks more upscale than 100% of North Carolina towns, better for families than 98% of North Carolina towns, better transit than 85% of North Carolina towns.
How Briar Chapel ranks
Percentile among North Carolina towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of North Carolina towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Briar Chapel is worth $570,300, above the typical North Carolina town ($228,900). Homes cost about 3.4 times the median household income of $166,063, which is more affordable than 66% of North Carolina towns. Median rent is $3,177 a month. 93.1% of households own their home.
| Housing | Briar Chapel | Typical North Carolina town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $570,300 | $228,900 |
| Median rent | $3,177 | $969 |
| Median household income | $166,063 | $60,458 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.4× | 3.7× |
| Homeownership | 93.1% | 69.5% |
| Median year built | 2014 | 1984 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Briar Chapel
| People | Briar Chapel | Typical North Carolina town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 42.0 | 41.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 17.2% | 19.0% |
| Under 18 | 27.6% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 81.6% | 24.5% |
| Below the poverty line | 0.6% | 14.3% |
| Veterans | 6.9% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 8.3% | — |
| Work from home | 41.8% | 9.8% |
| Average commute | 28.2 min | 24.6 min |
| Homes with broadband | 99.5% | 89.5% |
Weather in Briar Chapel
July highs average 89.5°F and January lows 29.4°F. About 48.9 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 2.8 inches of snow (typical North Carolina town: 2.2 in). Expect about 44 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 77 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
6 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Briar Chapel since 1950, compared with 13 for the typical North Carolina town. 3 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an EF2, struck on April 19, 2019 about 7.7 miles from the town center. The most recent was on April 19, 2019.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 35 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on April 28, 2016.
Severe weather in Chatham County since 1996
Chatham County has been included in 22 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for drought, hurricane, snowstorm.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| January 24, 2026 | Winter Storm | EM-3637: Severe Winter Storm |
| September 11, 2025 | Tropical Depression | DR-4889: Tropical Depression Chantal |
| September 26, 2024 | Tropical Storm | EM-3617: Hurricane Helene |
| August 6, 2024 | Tropical Storm | EM-3608: Tropical Storm Debby |
| October 1, 2022 | Hurricane | EM-3586: Hurricane Ian |
Jobs and pay in Chatham County
Chatham County had 18,540 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $51,876 a year. Unemployment was 3% in 2023; in Briar Chapel itself the ACS puts it at 8.2%.
Towns near Briar Chapel
- Fearrington Village, NC2.8 mi · 2,557 people · home $472,600
- Pittsboro, NC7.0 mi · 4,537 people · home $376,300
- Carrboro, NC7.2 mi · 21,295 people · home $539,400
- Chapel Hill, NC8.3 mi · 61,960 people · home $613,700
- Apex, NC14.9 mi · 58,780 people · home $576,100
- Morrisville, NC15.6 mi · 29,630 people · home $518,800
- Durham, NC16.2 mi · 283,506 people · home $392,800
- Cary, NC16.7 mi · 174,721 people · home $580,200
Briar Chapel questions
Is Briar Chapel, North Carolina a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Briar Chapel scores better for retirees than 76% of North Carolina towns and quieter than 53%. 17.2% of residents are 65 or older (median age 42.0).
How much does a house cost in Briar Chapel?
The median owner-occupied home in Briar Chapel is valued at $570,300 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $166,063, so homes cost about 3.4 times income. Median rent is $3,177 a month.
What is the weather like in Briar Chapel?
July highs average 89.5°F and January lows 29.4°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 48.9 inches of precipitation a year and 2.8 inches of snow.
Does Briar Chapel get tornadoes?
6 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Briar Chapel since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF2 on April 19, 2019. The typical North Carolina town has had 13.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)