Where Are People Moving in Orange, NC?
IRS county-to-county migration, 2023 tax year (released about two years after the tax year it covers).
People moving in
3,544
People moving out
4,699
Net migration
-1,057
Orange, NC is a net loser of residents. In the latest IRS data (2023 tax year), 3,544 people moved in and 4,699 moved out, for a net loss of -1,057. Net outflows can soften local rent and price growth over time, though the cause matters as much as the number.
Migration is most useful read alongside the rest of the market. People move for jobs, affordability, climate, and lifestyle, and where they come from and go to says a lot about what a county is competing on. Below are the specific counties driving Orange, NC’s flows in each direction.
Top counties people moved to Orange, NC from
| Origin county | Returns | People |
|---|---|---|
| Durham, NCNorth Carolina | 1,135 | 1,966 |
| Wake, NCNorth Carolina | 583 | 903 |
| Alamance, NCNorth Carolina | 395 | 742 |
| Chatham, NCNorth Carolina | 179 | 287 |
| Mecklenburg, NCNorth Carolina | 130 | 173 |
| Guilford, NCNorth Carolina | 119 | 176 |
| New Hanover, NCNorth Carolina | 59 | 81 |
| Buncombe, NCNorth Carolina | 55 | 67 |
| Person, NCNorth Carolina | 51 | 104 |
| Los Angeles, CACalifornia | 50 | 65 |
Top counties people left Orange, NC for
| Destination county | Returns | People |
|---|---|---|
| Durham, NCNorth Carolina | 1,356 | 2,046 |
| Wake, NCNorth Carolina | 758 | 1,118 |
| Alamance, NCNorth Carolina | 607 | 1,152 |
| Chatham, NCNorth Carolina | 313 | 577 |
| Mecklenburg, NCNorth Carolina | 174 | 228 |
| Guilford, NCNorth Carolina | 125 | 169 |
| New York, NYNew York | 96 | 107 |
| District of Columbia, DCDistrict of Columbia | 86 | 95 |
| Person, NCNorth Carolina | 74 | 148 |
| Buncombe, NCNorth Carolina | 69 | 93 |
“Returns” counts tax returns (a household proxy) that moved along each flow; “People” counts the individuals on those returns, when reported. IRS aggregate and foreign pseudo-rows are excluded. Informational only, not financial advice.
Frequently asked questions
Are people moving to Orange, NC or leaving?
Orange, NC had a net loss of -1,057 residents in the latest IRS data (2023 tax year), with 3,544 people moving in and 4,699 moving out. Net migration is inflow minus outflow.
Where are people moving to Orange, NC from?
The largest sources of new Orange, NC residents are Durham, NC, Wake, NC, Alamance, NC. The full top-ten list of origin counties is in the table above.
Where do people leaving Orange, NC go?
People leaving Orange, NC most often move to Durham, NC, Wake, NC, Alamance, NC. The full top-ten list of destination counties is in the table above.
What does Orange, NC migration mean for housing?
Migration is a leading demand signal. Sustained net inflows tend to support rents and home prices when supply cannot keep up, while net outflows can soften them. Read this alongside Orange, NC's price forecast, building permits, and affordability on the full county dashboard before drawing a conclusion.
How current is this Orange, NC migration data?
It comes from IRS Statistics of Income county-to-county migration data, which is released about two years after the tax year it covers; the figures above reflect the 2023 tax year. That lag is normal for this dataset, which counts actual tax returns rather than survey estimates.