Rent relief hits Chapel Hill: New construction drives prices down, deals up
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Chapel Hill overall rent averages $1,500, down 3.8% year over year.
- Crosstown offers biggest savings: $1,225 monthly vs Cameron‑McCauley $2,502.
- New apartment supply and landlord concessions drive down rents across the Triangle.
Rents in Chapel Hill are slipping as a wave of new apartments floods the market across the Triangle.
And renters have more leverage than ever — especially if they’re willing to look beyond the town’s most coveted and costliest neighborhoods.
Among key takeaways based on new data collected by CoStar Group researchers at Apartments.com:
- Best deal: While the Cameron-McCauley area closest to campus averages $2,364 per month, you can ride the bus to and from Crosstown at Chapel Hill and pay $1,215. That’s a $1,149 monthly savings (nearly $13,800 per year), while staying in Chapel Hill proper.
- Best value for space: Crosstown at Chapel Hill provides the largest average one-bedroom (812 square feet) at $1,215 per month, $287 below the town’s average and $1,149 less per month than Cameron-McCauley.
- Campus proximity under $1,300: Eastowne Hills offers one-bedrooms at $1,298 per month, $204 below the town’s average and $806 less than Eastwood Park’s $2,104 average, with access to UNC and Franklin Street.
All told, the average rent in Chapel Hill stood at $1,500 for a one-bedroom apartment and $1,790 for a two-bedroom in January, according to Apartments.com.
Across all bedroom sizes, the overall rent stood at $1,500 this month, down 3.8% year over year.
That’s 8% lower than the national average ($1,625 per month).
For comparison, both Raleigh and Durham’s overall rent stood at around $1,365 that month, down 3% year over year.
A post-pandemic construction boom has helped reduce rents, said Nick Leverett, an analyst with Apartments.com.
However, demand remains high for higher-end properties.
What’s behind the softening rental market?
The Triangle ranks among the nation’s biggest builders — with 5,884 new rental apartments added to Raleigh in 2025, according to RentCafe data.
Durham added 2,960 new apartments.
The study didn’t include Chapel Hill. Nevertheless, the town is also seeing a surge in construction. Most recently, Aura Booth Park — a mixed-use neighborhood at 1000 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. — added 361 apartments and 58 townhomes. Next door, the Coker Place project at 710 N. Estes Drive added 107 condos and townhomes with starting prices in the high $600,000s.
Several other projects, including South Creek, across from Southern Village, are in the pipeline.
Combined with new units softening prices on older stock, landlords are offering sweeteners — like no deposits, waived fees and up to two months free rent — to close deals.
Here’s the breakdown of some of Chapel Hill’s most and least expensive neighborhoods:
Cameron-McCauley
Cameron‑McCauley is a pocket neighborhood just west of UNC’s campus with quick access to Franklin Street, Carrboro, and dozens of restaurants, parks and shops.
- Average one-bedroom rent: $2,502 per month.
- Average one-bedroom size: 720 square feet.
Eastwood Park
Eastwood Park sits on the southeast side of Chapel Hill, just off U.S. 15‑501 near the Durham-Chapel Hill line.
- Average one-bedroom rent: $2,104 per month.
- Average one-bedroom size: 757 square feet.
Eastowne Hills
Eastowne Hills is a quiet, residential pocket in northeast Chapel Hill near the I‑40/NC‑86 corridor.
- Average one-bedroom rent: $1,300 per month.
- Average one-bedroom size: 706 square feet.
Crosstown at Chapel Hill
Crosstown at Chapel Hill is a modern apartment community in the Farrington Road/N.C. 54 corridor, with quick access to I‑40, UNC and RTP.
- Average one-bedroom rent: $1,225 per month.
- Average one-bedroom size: 815 square feet
