Carolina Demography

Thanks to Liz Schlemmer and North Carolina Public Radio - WUNC for this reporting on Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools’ decision this week to close an elementary school due to declining enrollment. The district is one of many across North Carolina facing similar challenges, according to Carolina Demography Director Nathan Dollar. "Last year only 8 of North Carolina's 115 school districts gained students," Dollar says, pointing to factors such as the declining U.S. birth rate, increased private school enrollment, and a shrinking school-age population.
https://www.wunc.org/education/2026-06-02/school-board-choose-chapel-hill-school-close

Thanks to Tim Boyum and Capital Tonight for inviting our director Nathan Dollar to talk about the U.S. Census Bureau's recent municipal population estimates. http://bit.ly/4dBcpqf
If you’d like to read more about the most recent city and town population estimates, check out our newest blog by Dr. Lisa Carlson https://bit.ly/4uEasPK.

This month, the U.S. Census Bureau released its 2025 city and town population estimates. In her latest blog post, Lisa Carlson examines the data to see where the population growth is happening in North Carolina and what is driving it.
https://carolinademography.cpc.unc.edu/2026/05/27/u-s-census-bureau-2025-city-and-town-population-estimates/

Thanks to Destinee Patterson TV and WRAL TV for this thoughtful piece on changing student demographics. North Carolina is one of the fastest-growing states in the U.S. But the decline in births and people moving out of the state mean fewer students in schools, says Carolina Demography Director Nathan Dollar. "Births are declining, and you have ‘out migration,’ and so that can cause hyper aging, and a decline in [average daily membership]," Dollar says.
https://www.wral.com/news/investigates/north-carolina-public-school-closures-wral-investigates-may-2026/

View a schedule of presentations by Carolina Population Center scholars at .

https://www.cpc.unc.edu/paa2026/

We're at ! Come by and see us to learn more about the Carolina Center for Population Aging & Health (CCPAH) and Add Health!

After analyzing the impact of new housing developments, the Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools' projected enrollment losses will not be as steep as previously estimated, Carolina Demography Director Nathan Dollar says.
https://www.wunc.org/education/2026-04-10/chapel-hill-carrboro-schools-cuts-staff
Photo: Members of the Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools' board of education. Photo courtesy of CHCCS

Last month, the U.S. Census Bureau released its 2025 county population estimates. In this blog post, Lisa Carlson examines the data to see where the population growth is happening and what is driving it.
https://carolinademography.cpc.unc.edu/2026/04/07/us-census-2025-county-pop-estimates/

The Carolina Population Center and the Carolina Center for Population Aging and Health invite you to join us on for the 2026 J. Richard Udry Distinguished Lecture, "Hallmarks of Aging from Geroscience, Medical Science, and Social Science" by Eileen Criminns, Ph.D., of the University of Southern California's Leonard Davis School of Gerontology. The lecture will be held on from 3:30-5:00 p.m. on April 9 in the Toy Lounge (238 Dey Hall).

Thanks to WCTI News12 and Tyler Hardin for inviting our director Nathan Dollar to talk about the new congressional maps that will be used in the November elections. He also spoke about the importance of accurate, unbiased data when making policy. "We all need objective and timely data to make informed decisions," Dollar said.
https://wcti12.com/news/local/beyond-the-headlines-understanding-congressional-districts