North Carolina

Chatham

76,285
2020 population
1790
first census record
24
census records

About Chatham

Chatham, North Carolina, first appears in the United States federal census in 1790, when it recorded a population of 9,221. At the most recent census, in 2020, its population stood at 76,285.

The county's recorded population has risen across the decades to its highest level in 2020.

On the ground today, 58 places are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Population by decade

Census YearPopulationChart
202076,285
201063,505
200049,329
199038,759
198033,415
197029,554
196026,785
195025,392
194024,726
193024,177
192023,814
191022,635
190023,912
189025,413
188023,453
187019,723
186019,101
185018,449
184016,242
183015,405
182012,661
181012,977
180011,861
17909,221
Source

Population data from the United States decennial census, U.S. Census Bureau (public domain).

Historic places in Chatham

National Register of Historic Places listings in Chatham, North Carolina.

High Point Bending and Chair Company, Former
Siler City
Gregson-Hadley House
Siler City
Hall-London House
Pittsboro
Baldwin's Mill
Pittsboro
Hotel Hadley
Siler City
Siler City High School
Siler City
O'Kelly's Chapel
Farrington
Siler City City Hall
Siler City
Hadley House and Grist Mill
Pittsboro
Alston-DeGraffenried House
Pittsboro
Alston-DeGraffenried Plantation (Boundary Increase)
Pittsboro
Deep River Camelback Truss Bridge
Cumnock-Gulf
Mount Vernon Springs Historic District
Bonlee
Goldston Commercial Historic District
Goldston
Teague, William, House
Siler City
Jordan, Marion Jasper, Farm
Gulf
Aspen Hall
Pittsboro
New Hope Rural Historical Archeological District
Wilsonville
St. Lawrence, Patrick, House
Pittsboro
Lockville Dam, Canal and Powerhouse
Moncure
North Third Avenue Historic District
Siler City
Pittsboro Historic District
Pittsboro
Siler City Commercial Historic District
Siler City
Bray, Cadmus N., House
Siler City
Browse all North Carolinahistoric sites ›

Other counties in North Carolina

Explore census history and historic records for more North Carolina counties.

MontgomeryMooreNashNew HanoverNorthamptonOnslowOrangePamlicoPasquotankPenderPerquimansPersonPittPolkRandolphRichmondRobesonRockinghamRowanRutherford
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Everything a full report reveals about Chatham County, North Carolina

This page charts the census history of Chatham County, North Carolina. A full Aubrey report for an address here pulls together everything the historical record holds about the ground, from the earliest settlement to the twentieth century:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.
The Land
The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.
Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.
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North Carolinahistory ›NRHP historic sites ›Notable people from North Carolina›

Frequently asked about Chatham

When does Chatham first appear in the US census?
Chatham, North Carolina first appears in the federal census in 1790, with a recorded population of 9,221.
What is the population of Chatham?
At the most recent federal census (2020), Chatham had a recorded population of 76,285.
How many historic places are in Chatham?
58 sites are listed on the National Register of Historic Places in Chatham, North Carolina.
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